The Maze Runner|| Newt

Chapter 9

I don't know when I fell asleep but it must've happened because I woke up to the bright sky as well as the sound of branches breaking on the ground beneath me. Clenching my eyes shut, I crossed my fingers, hoping it was an animal or one of the metal lizard things I'd seen the night before.

I peek down at the ground and deflate realizing that it infact is not an animal but a Glader. Not one who I was expecting though. It was Gally. "Hey Eliza I know you're around here! Can you come down so we can talk?!" He shouts into the woods, eyes scanning the tops of trees for me. Silently I climb down from the tree, leaving my bag of food up there. With how things are going so far it seems stuff like this will happen often, may as well be prepared right?

His back was to me and he hadn't noticed I was there yet. "Talk." I said and he spun around so fast he lost his footing for a second. "Okay for starters, that's creepy as hell." He says, holding up a finger (not the middle one, lol). I laugh, brushing some stray hairs behind my ear. "Secondly I just wanted to start off by saying," he stops, looking down and takes a deep breath before looking back up at me. "Good job, last night. Against me, I mean. Not the whole other thing. I'll get to that in a second. But really, you did good, I was going easy on you of course. Next time I won't underestimate you." He holds out his calloused hand for me to shake.

I hadn't expected this from Gally, I'd pictured him to be more like the hotheaded asshole he was last night. He seemed like respect was really important to him and I think I earned his last night. Hesitantly, I shake his hand, he had a nice firm grip and let go after a respectable amount of time. "Now to talk about the other fight last night." He said and I tensed up and looked away from him but he kept speaking.

"All the keepers had a Gathering this morning and each gave our thoughts on what should happen. Usually you'd be there since you're relevant to the matter but no one knew where you were. Except for Newt apparently who didn't speak up about it until the meeting was over. Something about giving you space I guess."

Newt
God, Newt

The image of his face last night would never erase itself from my memory. Every time I pushed it down my brain managed to find a way back to it. His thin brows were pushed together, furrowed. His shoulders slumped. His jaw clenching and unclenching as he watched me run the other way. He'd looked a painful mixture of angry and disappointed and I could only pray that neither was for me. But a sinking feeling in my gut told me otherwise.

I didn't know how I could possibly face him or anyone else in the Glade again. Gally was different though, last night he seemed like an absolute dick. I didn't care what he thought of me then and I don't now. It's comforting, actually. "What'd you guys decide?" I ask, wincing when I hear the slight waver in my voice.

"Usually we would punish the both of you but given the fact that you nearly killed the bloody shank we decided to have Alby give him a "stern talking to", which is actually just him yelling." He holds up his fingers making air quotes. I can't decide why I feel a bit guilty from his words. Do I feel bad because I almost killed him? Or because I don't feel bad for it?

I didn't say anything, I didn't trust myself to, so Gally continued. "Anyway he's doing fine and will be back to work soon. I gave him a stern talking to myself, he's one of my builders. We also decided that everyone would be told to keep their hands off you and treat you with respect etc. Though I doubt after last night anyone would plan on trying anything. Good that." I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was getting to the part of the explanation that he didn't wanna give and I wouldn't want to hear.

"Come on, hit me with it. What's gonna happen? Starve me for a week? An eye for an eye type thing? Stick me in the Maze before the doors close?" I list, my mind racing with all the possibilities of what they could do. My hands had accumulated sweat throughout the conversation and I nervously wiped them on my shorts. "No, no, it's not a banishing." He shakes his head, the words left his mouth so naturally that I couldn't even question if it was a joke.