Afflicted↠ Newt [1]

Chapter 26.

Synopsis of Last Chapter: (Even if you read the last chapter, I suggest you read this because there's a little secret (; )
Alright, so basically, George followed Emily out into the woods. He was angry and hormonal and stuff so he went and raped her. Afterwards, Emily was so angry that she killed him, smashing his face in with a rock. Alby, Minho and Newt came and saw the scene and stuff like that. Alby ordered for Newt to throw her in the Slammer (even though Newt protested) and Minho to call a Gathering. Blah Blah Blah quick synopsis.
But here's something that I left out. I thought it was really cool, and it made George less of a bad person. It wasn't exactly him that raped her. It was, but he was sick. You following me?
HE HAD THE FLARE.
Of course, the Gladers didn't know about it yet, so they had no idea. And the symptoms came on so quickly, and he kinda went insane, causing him to do all the things he did to Emily.
So yeah, George wasn't all that bad of a person. But he still deserved what he got. I mean, insane or not, he still raped the poor girl. He had it coming.
Anyways on to the chapter!

+

-3rd POV-
The sun was setting, casting an eerie orange glow across the Glade. A dozen boys gathered around the South Door, each and every one of their faces twisted in the same, grave expression.
Newt stood away from the group, felt his heart twist inside his chest as if it were being ripped out. He couldn't bare to watch the girl he loved be sentenced to her death. Yes, he loved her. He admitted it. He was completely and utterly in love with this girl.
That's why he was here. Watching, waiting for her to appear from behind the Homestead, tied up in ropes, being led towards her death like a dog. He was here because he wanted to see her face one more time. Her wonderful, beautiful face. The one he fell in love with more than once. Even if her face was twisted in pain, fear, anger, he wanted to see her one last time.
Because he knew it would be his last.
And then he heard it. The frustrated, frightened screams coming from behind the Homestead. Emily was being led out of the Slammer by Clint. She struggled in his grasp, her arms flailing,aiming at anything and everything that moved.
Newt felt a rush of pride towards the girl. He knew she would kept on fighting, right till the very end. Though it was no use. It never worked.
"Clint, let me go! You can't do this!"
Her voice was faint, but growing stronger by the second as she was led closer and closer to the Door. She struggled in Clint's arms, staring up at him with pleading eyes. The Keeper ignored her, though his face was twisted into a somber expression, and kept on walking.
As they came closer, their figures became sillhouetted against the sun. Though there were obvious signs of struggle. Emily twisted and turned left and right, writhering in Clint's arns, trying to escape his grasp. Newt wanted to go and help her. To beg Alby to not do this- to just forget about it all. Though he stayed where he was, his heart shattering as Alby's voice rang out.
"Bring the collar!" His face was like stone, showing no sign of emotion what-so-ever. Newt never felt so much despise towards someone than he did right then.
A skinny boy, Newt couldn't see who it was in the darkness, approached Alby, handing him a leather harness before stepping back into his original position.
"Please, don't do this!"
Clint marched Emily over to Alby, forcing her to kneel on her knees before him. She struggled and writhered on the ground, trying to break her hands loose from the tight binding that was now wrapped around her wrist. Clint pulled her hair back, exposing her neck to Alby.
The leader stepped towards her, fastened the heavy band of leather around her skinny neck. His eyebrows furrowed as if he were in deep thought, his eyes dark. Emily twisted her neck, objecting to the collar as it rubbed against her throat.
Alby stepped back, and Emily immediately stopped struggling. As if she wer finally giving up, she let her head drop. Her hair fell over her eyes. Her beautiful eyes.. She looked so small. So weak. Like a innocent, terrified little girl.
That's all she was.
She didn't deserve this.
For a moment, Newt's muscles tensed, as if he were about to lash out and rip the collar off of her neck. Though he forced himself to relax. He couldn't do such a thing. No matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn't. He took a step forwards, feeling his jaw clench. He stopped himself, shaking his head violently. Beads of sweat dappled his temples, his heart pounding in his chest. He had to do something.
He had to.
When he looked back up, he felt his throat tighten as he met Emily's gaze. She was staring at him, her eyes pleading for him to help her. She expected him to do something. So did he.
He forced himself to look away, unable to look into the eyes he had fallen in love with any longer. It just hurt him to much. He focused on the ring of Keepers that surrounded her. Most of them held blank, yet somber expressions, staring at the ground as they clutched their poles. Though others showed obvious signs of emotion. Ben, who was taking place of Gally, shuffled back and forth, his eyebrows ceased together. His face was neutral, though the look in his eyes gave away the emotions he was feeling. Reluctance. Sorrow. Fear.
Newt's gaze traveled over to Minho. The Runner was shaking, his hands drenched with sweat as they grasped the pole. His eyebrows furrowed, his mouth open. His shouders shook as he breathed heavily, his eyes shining with fresh tears. He gripped the pole tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
Newt realized with a jolt that he was scared. The strong, brave, sarcastic Runner was scared. He knew how much Emily meant to him. She was the only other person- besides Newt- that Minho called a real friend here. He cared about her so much, and now she was being sentenced to death.
"Please, Alby." Emily's shaken voice brought him back into reality. He turned to look at the girl once more, thankful that her eyes were on Alby instead of him. Tears streamed down her face, sobs shook her shoulders. She looked broken, and he longed to hold her in his arms. Comfort her, tell her everything was going to be okay.
Alby gave the slightest shake of his head, his jaw clenched as he looked at her. He reached out, grabbed a pole for himself, and fastened the thick leather collar to it.
"Emily of the Med-Jacks, you have been sentenced to Banishment for the murder of George the Track-Hoe." His voice shook as he spoke, full of some emotion Newt didn't recognize. Regret? "The Keepers have spoken, and their word ain't changin'. You ain't comin' back."
Everyone's eyes were focused on Emily, as if waiting for her to do something. Maybe even lash out right then and kill Alby like she did George. Is that what they saw her as now, nothing more than a murderer? Newt shook his head, blinking the tears from his eyes. George deserved what he got. Why couldn't they understand that?
Emily's head slumped, her body limp. Tears streamed down her face, shining in the light of the setting sun. She looked as if she were already half-dead.
"Keepers, poles!" Alby's voice echoed throughout the Glade.
The Keepers raised their poles, holding them at their sides so that they were horizontal from the ground. The air grew silent, still; Emily's grunts of resistance being the only sound. Her grunts were drowned out at the rumbling of the South Door. It was beginning to close.
"Keepers, now!" Alby shouted over the noise.
Emily's limped body jerked forward as Alby pulled on the pole. She stood up, stumbling a bit, panic filling her eyes as the Keepers began to close in on her. Pushing her towards the closing Doors.
Reality hit Newt like a bus. This was really happening. This wasn't a dream, it was real. So very real.
"No!" He screamed over the rumbling of the stone. His voice shook, he finally let the tears slip from his eyes. "Alby, you can't do this!"
Alby ignored him, kept guiding Emily towards the Maze. Newt shot forward, attempted to push his way through the wall of Keepers. Though someone held him back. He turned to see Jeff holding him, his face full of sorrow.
"Please, Alby!" Newt cried, spit spraying from his mouth as he screamed. "Emily, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, love!"
"Hold!" Once again, Alby ignored his desperate pleas. Emily writhered against the collar. She was screaming, pleading. Her eyes met Newt's, and she mouthed something that he didn't understand. Sobs shook his body, he struggled against Jeff's grasp. He had to help her.
He had to.
The grinding sound of the Maze grew louder and louder by the second, the stone Doors were closing at a fast pace. The deafening roar of gears and stone filled Newt's ears, drowning out Emily's desperate pleas. She struggled, the heels of her boots digging into the soft dirt as she was pushed towards the closing Doors. Though, no matter how hard she tried, nothing was good enough to stop the Keepers from driving her towards the Maze. Towards her death.
They were a foot away from the Maze entrance, and Newt felt a rush of panic. It was almost over. He was so close to loosing her again. He screamed, writhered in Jeff's arms. His throat burned, his vocal chords felt as if they were torn to shreds. But nothing could compare to the pain he felt in his chest. In his heart. Tears stung his eyes, causing his vision to blur and appear distorted. His head spun, he felt as if he were about to pass out at any given moment. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not after she was finally his.
A ear-splitting scream tore into Newt's senses, dragging him back into reality. He looked up in time to see Emily being forced into the Maze's gaping entrance. The Doors were only a foot apart.
"Emily!" He felt a sudden surge of energy, pushed Jeff backwards, pulling himself from the boy's grip. He pushed through the tight circle of Keepers just in time to see Emily stumbling into the Maze. She couldn't be giving up, not now. The Doors were only inches from sealing shut for the night. Newt ran up to the tiny gap, struggling to see one last glimpse of the girl he loved. His fingers slipped through the gap, tried with all his strength to stop the Doors from shutting. There was only an impossibly small opening left. It was over. He lost her.
The stone doors met with a deafening thud, though the sound was drowned out as Newt's blood-curdling scream ripped throughout the night air. Minho approached him, sobs shaking his shoulders as he fist collided with the stone barrier that seperated them from Emily. A choked sob escaped the Runner's throat as he slid down next to Newt. Newt could barely process anything as he turned to look at Alby, his glare seeming to hold all of the hatred in the world. His shook his head, tears leaking from his eyes as he buried his face into his hands.
She was gone.
Newt sunk to his knees, his sobs echoing throughout the stunned silence of the Glade as Alby spoke.
"She belongs to the Maze now."