"Look," Alby begins. "This needs to stop. Whatever's going on with Zee, it has to stop. We have to stop it somehow."

"You can't," Ben says. "It just needs time. A healthy environment around her, and time."

We're gathered in the Homestead once again. This time, it's not between the Keepers. Just Alby, me, Jeff, Newt, Clint, Fry, and Gally— the people closest to Zee.

You know it's bad when Alby starts worrying.

I'm sure he cares about the Gladers, but he doesn't exactly show it. Not even when they die.

I guess it's different with Zee in that way. Because... I don't know, maybe he considers her more important because she's the only girl?

"She stabbed herself. In the ear— that's stranger than the stomach, I have to admit. It doesn't mean she wanted to die, does it?"

"I don't think so," Jeff agrees. "So maybe that's it. She just felt like stabbing herself in the ear and now she'll feel better."

"I don't think that's how it works. She has lost her mind— literally. How do you fix that?" Ben's voice has a bit of a desperate tone to it.

Alby speaks, "Let's just start by making sure all weapons are gone—"

"And then what? We won't be able to do our jobs," Gally protests.

"If that's what we need to do to make sure she lives, it would be worth it, wouldn't it?" Newt looks around, frowning.

"I'm not saying I don't agree, it's just... strange. We're so desperate to save someone who already seems to be gone. Why?"

Silence.

"I personally—" Jeff stops himself. Takes a step back. "Okay, I was about to say something really funny but I realized I have nothing funny to say."

"Wow, Jeff, bloody inspiring—"

"I do have something to say," he quickly adds. "Well, more like... show."

The boy fumbles with something in his pocket before he reveals a crumbled piece of paper. "I got this, I think the day before Nick died."

Jeff,

When shadows stretch and whispers rise,
Tomorrow holds a dark surprise.
A fragile mind is close to breaking,
And with it, fate's shaking.

A choice must be made,
As a friend's light slowly starts to fade.
Prepare yourself for what's coming soon,
As darkness gathers, hiding like a moon.

The one you heal may soon take flight,
With danger lurking just out of sight.
Stay alert, Med Jack, chaos is near,
Listen to the whispers that fill you with fear.

And you might drop a tear.

— The Ones You Trust

I stare at the paper, eyes wide.

"The Ones You Trust," Ben repeats. "Wait a minute..."

Another paper.

Ben,

In the heart of the Maze, where shadows weave,
Section Seven holds secrets few believe.
A figure lies hidden, lost from your view.

The twists where danger might creep,
A bond that once flourished now lies in deep sleep.
Remember your purpose, your job, your friend,
For her safety, your courage must never bend.

Save what is precious, hold on to the light,
Only together you can make it right.

— The Ones You Trust.

Excuse me? Why did only I get extra threats at the end?

"I got a bit scared, so I didn't check out Section Seven," Ben explains. "I wasn't running with Minho that day. Figured that I'd have to show him the letter later on, and we'd go together. But I forgot about it."

"So you haven't washed your pants since then," Jeff points out. "You dirty little bad boy—"

"Why weren't you running with Minho?" Alby interrupts.

"I don't know. He said he got Nick's allowance to split up but I never found out why."

All eyes are on me now.

"I wasn't a pussy and I did go to Section Seven that day," I defend, holding my hands beside my head.

They gape at me. "And what did you find?"

"So about that," I take a moment to gather my thoughts, "I found Stan's body. Hung up against the wall, in the ivy. And letters written in his blood, 'your memories were never yours'."

"I got a letter, too," Newt suddenly says.

Gally looks down. "Me, too."

"Same," Alby announces. So that's why he suddenly cares.

Maybe they already gave him the balding cream. Before Zee even showed up.

"I didn't," Fry and Clint say in unison.

"Damn, get the hell out of here, useless—"

"Jeff," Newt warns. "They can't do anything about that."

"Maybe if Clint over here had voted for something else—"

"Are you still not over that?"

"I am not. Maybe the reason she stabbed her ear is because she is so sick of hearing your voice."

"You're delusional."

"I think she is, but I guess that works, too. At least we're matching."

"Shut up," Alby snaps. "What the hell does this mean? Did everyone's letter tell you to save her?"

"Yeah. So that means she's important," Newt says.

"Ha, that sounds ironic. Im-por-tant. The way Newt pronounces that—"

"Shut up," now everyone is snapping at Jeff.

"If Jeff got his letter before Nick died, and everyone else did as well— wait, did you?"

After everyone has confirmed they indeed received the letters before Nick's death, Newt continues, "Does that mean Nick got one, too? That that's the reason he wanted to find a way out for her, out of a sudden? Because the letter told him to save her?"

"Eh, that's not what he told me," Alby points out.

"Then what did he say?"

"I'm not sure if that's something I should openly reveal—"

"Alby, what did he say?"

Alby stares at the ground, way too affected for... normal Alby. "That she showed up at his door, begging him to banish her. Going on and on about how she didn't want to live. He said she was ready to write letters before she left. She had told him she was done being locked up. So he spent all night thinking of a way out. And then he got an idea. Acted immediately. But didn't make it."

If Nick had actually found the way out, how would she be doing right now? Would she be more sane?

Doesn't matter. The way out is in the Maze. I know for sure. It wouldn't be there for no reason. They could've just built high walls instead of a whole labyrinth.

"We can search through Nick's hut," Jeff recommends. "Find the letter, if he got one."

"That doesn't feel right," Newt responds. "Looking through his hut."

"It's useless now. We will have to let someone else stay there anyway. Less building and less use of wood."

"See," Jeff turns to Gally, "you don't even have to build Zee a whole new—"

"What kind of drugs have you taken that make you think that's a good idea?"

"I don't even know. I'm starting to think Fry's putting something in my food."

Alby starts making his way to the door. "Let's go check."