Wicked Promises

✵10✵

Early morning light beamed overhead as he walked lazily through the Glade, the first beams of light lighting the tops of the walls and slowly working it's way down to warm the chill of morning. Ryan made his way from the Homestead towards the Food Shack.

Ryan cast a glance towards the closed West Door, there standing before it was the tall blonde boy he always found himself looking for.

Newt stood ready for his early morning start much unlike Ryan. The pack slung on his back looked light and he dressed in black long pants and a grey shirt, which was very unlike him. Newt always wore cropped pants with the fraying legs ending like make shift shorts near his knees.

Ryan always kept track of the small details of the Glade. He especially noted the activities of Runners,  whenever Newt left in the early morning and when he returned exhausted in the evening. Minho, Ben, Scott and Leo were still walking back from breakfast, all looking forward to the day about as much as Ryan did, which was not at all. They looked exhausted.

Ryan knew something was off today. Newt hadn't bothered to talk to him that night at the bonfire and didn't even think to wave at Ryan like he normally did.

Minho caught his eye, "Why don't you go kiss your boyfriend goodbye?"  The other Runners snickered and whistled.

Ryan groaned but plucked up his courage, he wasn't going to be pushed around by anyone. "He's not my boyfriend."

Minho jogged off after Ben as the Runers split up, Scott walking up to the door where Newt stood.

Ryan watched as the door grinded and shuddered open. Newt hopped and stretched a bit before he took off into the Maze, his red running trainers leaving a steak behind him as he dashed away. Scott then took off after him.

Ryan continued his monotonous day like all the past ones in the Glade. Eat breakfast, work, break for lunch, work, then off for supper. Working as a Builder that day was hard work and his good arm ached like it would fall off.

Later, sitting with Drew at a picnic table eating a bowl of vegetable stew Frypan cooked up, Ryan felt a chill of anticipation. Newt wasn't back yet, Alby was missing all day, and as much as Ryan didn't know him, Gally wasn't anywhere to be seen for the latter part of Ryan's trial with the Builders.

He decided it best to voice his concern. "Any idea what happened to Alby, Newt or Gally?"

Drew looked a little startled and nearly spat out his food but tried to hide his reaction. "Newt was hurt in the Maze today, pretty bad, his legs are shucked right good." Drew then frowned and sat his spoon down, "Gally was stung by a Griever."

"What? How? Didn't you say they don't really come around during the day, plus, Gally never leaves the Glade." Ryan's head ached. Nothing was adding up. He thought after two years this place would have some sort of normality to it.

"He did," Drew answered. "Went to see what the ruckus was about in the Maze."

Ryan stood up, shoving the bench seat back and getting a glare from Scott, who sat with them without saying anything. "I need to see if Newt is okay," Ryan said hastily. 

A shrieking cry echoed through the Glade, and everyone became very quiet.

"What was that?" Ryan asked nervously.