Betrayed | the maze runner, Newt

chapter 25

Newt lifted his head for a short moment to look at the boys. ''Yeah, we're all bloody inspired.''

''Jump, don't look down. We'll land in the water with a few seconds. Dead or alive, we'll see. But we're going together.'' Zara spoke.

She and Newt reached for each other's hands and entwined their fingers. The door behind them broke through, and they jumped.

No sounds. Just the muffled murmur of the water. Zara swam to the surface and gasped for air when she was able to again. She coughed a few times, rubbed her eyes and looked around. Her eye caught Minho who was already surfaced too, he was standing in the water a few meters away from her. Zara's whole body felt like it was on fire. It burned, especially her arms and legs. She'd made a hard landing in the water. Her chest hurt with the breaths she took.

Right next to her, Newt jumped up from the surface. He quickly brushed his hair out of his eyes and gasped for air. Zara swam over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. She could just kind off stand, with only the tips of her toes touching the bottom of the pool. Then, Thomas also appeared in front of them.

Thomas stuck his middle finger up to above, giving the fact Janson was probably looking down at them at that moment. Remaining to say nothing, the four of them swam to the side and climbed out. Zara got to her feet and together with Thomas, she pulled up Newt from the water. He was struggling. Badly.

While Minho was also climbing up the side, something popped into Zara's mind. Something she wished it hadn't. Her father said something about Newt earlier. What was it? She tried hard to get it back. Something about him being her boyfriend? Yeah, he said that too. But the feeling didn't leave her. She lifted her head to look at Newt. He was standing, leaning with his hands on his legs.

Zara hated to admit the fact that he didn't look good. Not good at all, even. The boy was soaked, and that wasn't even the worst. When she looked better, she even thought she saw light, though clearly visible black looking veins in his face and his neck. He had dark circles under his eyes and even his eyes looked different than usual.

And then it hit her, again, like a train.

''He's the one with the flare, you know?''

Her father's line haunted her head uncontrollably. Terror stabbed her heart, giving her a nasty sting for a split second. Zara crinched by it.

Immediately, the three boys walked over to her. Though Minho and Thomas were soaked too, they somehow looked better than Newt. Well, not somehow. Zara knew why. Everyone knew why.

''You good?'' Minho asked with raised eyebrows. Thomas came to stand next to him. His eyes stood concerned and a little overwhelmed.

Zara straightened her posture from cringing. ''Yeah. Just a sting or something.'' She turned to Newt.

The blonde boy's eyes met hers. Shivers ran down Zara's spine. Newt's eyes showed something else than usual, too. No warmth, no joy. They stood powerless. Zara 's stomach clenched. Newt noticed her unease.

''Newt.'' Zara softly spoke. All three boys looked at her in silence. Zara swallowed. ''Is it true?'' Her voice cracked. ''What he said, is that true?''

Newt's eyes didn't leave hers for a moment. That only, was enough of an answer to Zara.

Tears slowly filled her eyes. The girl tried so hard to fight them back, but it only got worse. Before she actually busted with tears, Newt gently took her hand and held it in his. Their eyes locked once again. His brown, familiar and safe eyes helped her calm down. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed. Just when she opened her mouth to say something, she was cut off by the sound of a loading gun behind them.