"Hey, I figured as much but I didn't want to keep impeding on a place that you might be keeping secret," Thomas said, lightly smacking Derek's arm as he passed and turned around to walk backwards down the hall.

He pushed out into the cool air and stretched again, still pleased every single time he went outside and the sun didn't burn him and, now, that ash didn't fall from the sky and paint the ground grey.

"Deadheads wasn't like the Necropolis," Thomas told him, falling into step beside Derek now. "It was smaller and not as dark. No one went in there but Gladers. Necropolis isn't terrible but the Deadheads was better."