Boxes [The Maze Runner ~ Newt] [BOOK 1]

Tag

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Builders were given the task to get a few logs from the Deadheads and the Track-hoes were digging up a pit for the bonfire. Frypan had sent a note down to the Creators asking for ingredients to make s'mores, and they came through. The Gladers we're getting excited for the bonfire as the day had finally arrived. As soon as the sun hid behind the walls of the Maze and the stars had hovered over them, they would begin the bonfire.

Newt sat on a rickety bench in front of Homestead, watching a few Gladers patiently waiting for the sun to go down by messing around with each other near the pit full of firewood. Marie had finished working with Zart and joined the blond boy, sitting on the other end of the bench with him.

"I've never seen anyone this excited," said Marie.

"They've been looking forward to it ever since the first bonfire."

"So what exactly are we going to do?" Marie asked. "Besides burn branches and sit down."

"We usually just play around, get a few activities together."

"Like what?"

"Runners Tag," said Minho who had been returning from the bathrooms. He plopped down on the empty space between Newt and Marie and looked out into the open fields of the Glade.

"Runners Tag?"

"It's like any old game of tag," Minho explained, "except its Runners versus non-Runners."

"Well that's not very fair, now, is it?" Marie giggled.

"There are some pretty fast guys around here who aren't Runners," Minho informed her. "So there are two teams, Runners and non-Runners. The Runners pick someone to tag the non-Runners, then the last one left has to tag all the Runners in the next game, and if they can't do that, their team has to stand in the showers while freezing cold water is poured on them. If they can tag everyone, the Runners will stand in the showers."

"Standing in the showers can't be that bad," Marie figured.

Newt gave Minho a look to which he exchanged a small laugh. The Runner turned his head back to the Greenbean.

"It actually is," he chuckled. "The losing team has to stand under the shower-heads. Completely. Nude."

"Completely nude?"

"Completely nude in front of everyone, yes," the boy confirmed. "It adds to the humiliation of losing . Luckily, the Runners haven't gone through that yet thanks to Newt here who helped us by tiring out the non-Runner."

The corner of Newt's lips hardly curled. "Yeah, well, I don't think I'll be leading us to victory this year."

There was a moment of pure silence amongst the three. Minho's cheeks went pink, feeling embarrassed for being oblivious to Newt's limp. Marie glanced over at Minho, peering over at Newt who was trying to ignore their looks of guilt by staring at the boys playing near the pit. Minho scratched the back of his neck and let out a small cough to clear his throat.

"So, uh," he mumbled, "Marie, you wanna join our game? We need another kid."

Marie pondered on it, looking over at Newt real quick, seeing he had already turned his head to her.

"You should do it," Newt encouraged her.

Marie looked away from Newt and bit her lip, pondering on it for another minute, then finally looked back at Minho and nodded.

"Sure," she said confidently, "I'll do it."

~~~~~

Those in the game of Runners Tag had been warming up and stretching as they waited for everyone to join and watch them all run amok throughout the Glade. Marie happily informed James that she was joining the game, to which she noticed Gally roll his eyes when he overheard her conversation with the black-haired boy.