1. FIGHTER - the maze runner, newt

Chapter 35

           

I stared out of the makeshift window, my eyes analyzing the grey concrete ceiling. I traced the ceiling for as long as it could go. There wasn't a hint of blue in the sky, making our home seem more depressing than it already is.

I dug my nails into the wooded window seal, trying to process the crisis of the sky disappearing.

People think a way the world will end is by the "sky falling". Technically, there were no pieces that fell from the sky. Though, maybe, metaphorically, the sky fell by default.

But why now?

Teresa's words of triggering the end kept playing in my mind as the image of the raven hair woman being thrown into the Slammer, danced across my memory of only twenty minutes ago.

Everything was chaos. There were Gladers screaming and crying, terrified as to where the sky they've grown used to seeing, went. They felt betrayed that their sky was simply just a dull grey, concrete wall. But the question that was in everyone's head was, why now?

Amongst the screaming and amongst those Gladers running to where they think would be the safest place to hide if the ceiling were to fall, I watched as Alby and Winston began dragging a stunned, wordless Teresa toward the Slammer. Though just as I watched Teresa willingly be thrown behind bars, I felt Newt grab my shoulders and begin to guide me into Homestead.

He slammed open our fragile door, firmly placing his large hand on the small of my back, nearly shoving me into our room. Though just as I was out of his grasp, Newt began scrambling about the space. He limped over to his bed, grabbed his feather-full pillow and nearly tripped over his makeshift cot.

"Newt?" I closed my eyes, trying to push out the thoughts of the sky and the screams of the horrified Gladers. I folded my arms as if I were freezing, like my arms could shield me from harm. I tried to call to him to slow down and to take it easy, though when I opened my eyes again, he continued to scramble around the rooms.

Newt brought his pillow to the window, trying to cover our only source of light. He took the top fabric of his pillow and stabbed it through with a rusty nail, awkwardly sticking out from the top of the whomping window seal.

"Newt?" I said more firmly, taking a step towards the frantic blonde.

I could hear him panting and mumbling to himself that everything is okay as he secured the pillow into the square window. His hands were shaking and I could practically hear his teeth chattering against one another.

Once the pillow was secured in the window, Newt started pacing back and forth, gnawing on his thumbnail. He began mumbling more loudly, throwing out ideas as to why the sky is no longer there. He began to smile in hysteria as he told himself, "it wasn't the end". Newt kept repeating the line over and over again like it was his peaceful mantra when meditating.

He was driving himself crazy.

"Newt," I tried to speak firmly but was interrupted by my voice breaking.

I took two large steps to him, blocking his path. Newt stopped in front of me, repeating to me his words, "Ame, it's not the end! Don't worry! We'll figure it out! We always do! It's not the end. It's not the end!"

My eyes scoured his face, catching sight of his watery eyes. My heart broke seeing him so panicked and so hysterical. I gently lifted my hands to the sides of his face, my thumb pads gently stroking across his cheekbones in an attempt to calm his nerves.

"Newt, it's okay. We're okay." I began to whisper, looking into his perturbed blinking orbs. Newt continued to gasp for air as his eyes met mine. His mouth hung open as he tried to collect his words to continue his mantra. His hands reached up tenderly to my biceps, curling his fingers around them as he looked for stability.