"That your plan?" Thomas asked, twirling his fork around between two fingers for no other reason than he could. Something as simple as that, silverware, was something that still amazed Thomas. They'd had rudimentary supplies in the Glade but most of their food had been the type that could be eaten with fingers.

"Hope you don't think I can look like you because I can't," he joked, shaking his head. Derek's muscles had muscles and yes, Thomas had noticed. He was pretty sure he'd have noticed if he'd been struck blind and been standing on the other side of the city. "I've looked worse than this so it's getting better."

Hopefully there'd never been another time like the days before the Scorch when he and the others had literally been starving to death.