Saving Newt

Chapter 10

Sorry, this chapter might not be immensely exciting, but I hope you still enjoy it!
Thank you for reading!
Annabelle_the_reader
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Brianna woke with a start, her eyes darting around the field until they settled on Minho. He had awoken her before dawn, the morning light not quite coming yet. Minho smiled down at her, clearly the one to wake her from her blissful slumber. 'What do you want, Minho?'

'I want you to be my next runner,' He winked and a surge of excitement plunged through Brianna as she jumped up from her spot on the floor and onto her feet. Gently pushing Newt from her side, she beamed up at him with excitement, she almost squealed with joy, if it weren't so dark and people weren't sleeping.

She eagerly followed her teacher across the Glade, picking her way through the dozing Gladers. The slightest of the early morning illuminated the Glade, turning everything dark blue and shadowed, yet she barely noticed the eerie visibility as she was so enthused to finally step through the walls into the maze.

Finally, in a crooked cranny near the back corner of the Homestead, Minho withdrew a key from his pocket and unlocked a shabby door leading to a storage cupboard. Brianna coughed twice at the intensity of the dust molecules sweeping past her. But, all the same, she felt a shiver of anticipation over what could lie within.

There were all kinds of objects lying on the shelves of the cupboard, but Minho headed straight for the box of running shoes in the corner. She smiled widely as he showed her the contents of the box so happily, as if it contained gold. It seemed so hilariously ordinary to have running shoes in such a unusual place.

'These are the number one supply we get,' He said holding them up to show Brianna. She raised an eyebrow as she inspected the shoe, impressed at how complex and sturdy they were. 'At least for us runners.' Brianna felt a shiver of delight at these words. It was no longer them runners. She was part of it now, she finally felt the sense of belonging.

'Why?'

He laughed at this, realising Newt was right about how curious she was. She needed to know everything and spare no detail, even if you were going to tell her anyway. 'Because if they didn't send us new ones in the box every so often, we'd have feet that looked like freaking mars.' He bent over and rummaged through the pile, 'What size do you wear?'

'Size?' Brianna paused to ponder this for a second. She was almost embarrassed about how little she knew about herself, it was almost humiliating. She reached down and removed a shoe and check the label awkwardly, Minho chuckling at her ignorance. 'Five.'

'Ooh, you've got quite small feet compared to us, but you are quite short.' He observed, looking to see her small figure. She was small, flexible, strong and agile, a good shape for a runner. Minho jumped up, handing her some sleek silver ones. 'Looks like we got some, though, lucky for you they gave us equipment for match-box sized people.'

She shot daggers at him, offended that she had considered her height, weight and shoe size to be about average before now. Being surrounded by boys had its peaks and its disadvantages, this being one of the latter.

As Brianna put them on, wriggling her toes to check they fitted perfectly, which of course they did, Minho handed her a plastic, black wrist watch, it's face showing the digital time. 'Never take it off, your life may depend on it.'

Those words made her shiver, the reality of the maze sinking in. It wasn't just a race to find the end, it was a race against time because nobody wanted to be on the other side of those walls when they slammed shut in the evening, not even someone brave like Minho, not even the other experienced and equally intrepid runners.

Brianna fastened it to her wrist, relaxed that she could be more precise than relying on the brightness of the day to tell the time, particularly as it wasn't just because she didn't want to miss Frypan's supper.

'Here's a rucksack, water bottles, lunch box, spare clothes, other stuff...' He trailed off and Brianna looked up and took the things from him, shoving everything into the bag. Minho continued shoving his own things into a bag as well and Brianna stood their awkwardly, trying hard not to think her situation through too much.

'You've got everything figured out, haven't you?' She smiled down at him, in a pitiful attempt at small talk in the short silence.

'When you've been running every day for two years, you figure out what you need and ask for it.' Brianna nodded, not at all surprised. She finished tying her laces and stood up, jogging up and down a little to test them out.

'Pretty good.' She approved and Minho nodded. She guessed he had been there for quite some time and therefore remembered when such luxuries weren't provided until they asked for them. She couldn't imagine running for a day without them. 'Is that everything?'

'Sure,' He replied sarcastically. 'Tell me how it goes when you run without any breakfast, no lunch and no weapons.'

'Weapons?' She felt an icy chill down her spine.
The trip to the weapons room was both intriguing and terrifying, for Brianna to know exactly what she was up against and the fact she required weapons worried her profusely.

'This wrist watch will ensure you get back at the right time, it may just save your shuck-life, Greenie. You have to be back before the doors closed. You see something knew, remember where it was and tell me so we can investigate it the next day.' Minho continued, allowing her to step through the turning the light off behind her, before shutting the door carefully and quietly.

'Ok.' She smiled brightly, but then her face fell when she noticed his reaction. There was another rule and she realised he knew she wouldn't like it.

'One more thing: You see a dead runner, leave him. You see a nearly dead runner, check your watch first. Don't take any risks, run back empty handed and be safe with a few minutes to spare than rushing half dragging, half carrying that shuck face behind you, got it?' Minho's voice was stern, knowing this would be the first rule she broke.

'Aye, Aye, Captain.' She mock saluted him, but they both knew her attention was elsewhere. This was the real deal. She may have to leave someone to die to save herself, could she bear the guilt? She sincerely hoped it would never come to that.

'Good that.' Minho smiled and led her from the room. They grabbed some breakfast and lunch of Frypan, who grumbled when Brianna stole an apple without his permission. She just laughed, taking a bite and smirking until he removed one from her lunch box and she pouted. Then they exited the kitchen and made their way across the Glade, watching the light begin to increase and wash away the dark blue sky from earlier.

'You ready?' Minho asked her as they stood opposite the large Westward doors, watching with anticipation as they began to grind open, revealing the part of the maze Minho was most familiar with and the only part Brianna had ever encountered. Curiosity washed over her as she turned to Minho.

'As ready as I'll ever be.' She shrugged and he grinned back, as they turned to make their way through the gates and into the maze. It seemed strange to step through into the maze walls, considering that was one of the significant rules listed by those in the Glade. It felt wrong to step through them, like she was defying everyone, even though she had done nothing wrong.

'Then let's get runnin.'