If Thomas closed his eyes, he could picture the Maze. He could see the walls reaching up to the sky, stone walls cracked and overgrown with ivy vines. He could hear the thump of boots on rock and he could hear Minho's panting beside him.

If this was the Maze, there'd be the fear of a Griever around the next corner and their lives would be in imminent peril with every step they took. The city wasn't the Maze and Thomas wasn't in danger of dying.

Not today, at least.

He inhaled, held his breath for a long time before exhaling slowly. The regular meals he'd been having were proving very helpful right now. He wasn't tired. He felt energized. He felt good.

When Derek smiled at him, Thomas grinned in return. "Pretty impressive. You scared the birds. I'm terrified."