In my Blood

CHAPTER 5 - The Gladers

Gally leads Thomas out of the room, Thomas rolling his eyes subtly towards me and Newt. I shrug in reply, remembering Thomas' punishment for going out into the Maze against orders. Newt shakes his head, muttering something underneath his breath.

"Hey, can you guys look after Alby for a bit?" Jeff asks Newt and I, rolling up some bandages and stuffing them into a pack. Newt nods as the two Med-jacks disappear.

"So, uh – I just realised, we've never properly introduced ourselves," Newt says casually, the corner of his lips tugging up into a slight smile. "I'm Newt."

"Yeah, I know," I reply with a small laugh. Seeing Newt's questioning expression makes me laugh louder. "When I was in the coma, I could still hear things that were happening around me. I put names to the voices."

"Ah, right," Newt laughs softly. "Your own name will come back to you in a few days..."

I shake my head, sitting cautiously at the edge of Alby's bed. "I already told Thomas... I'm (y/n). I remembered my name when I was in that lift, the Box."

Newt wears an unreadable expression. "Well... that's odd, to say the least," he says perplexedly, the hint of curiosity in his voice. "No one else remembered their name as quickly as that. You don't remember anything else, do you?"

I hesitate, before deciding against telling him about my nightmares. Not that I don't trust him, just that I'd like to figure out my own memories before telling anyone else. "N-No... I can't remember anything," I say, looking to the ground.

Newt must've mistaken my bad lying for sadness, because he props himself next to me on the bed and smiles comfortingly. "That's okay. No one else can remember anything about life before the Glade. No one knows anything about why we were put in this shucking place to begin with."

He says that last comment rather bitterly, and rubs his knee as if in pain.

"Are you okay?" I ask quietly. He snaps out of his daze, eyes locking onto mine. I notice that his irises have flecks of golden brown amongst the chocolate brown. I feel a sense of comforting familiarity wash over me one more.

"What? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine!" he replies, his voice going higher at the end. He's such a bad liar.

"No, you... oh, never mind," I say, bringing my legs up onto the bed and resting my chin on top of my knees. I feel exhausted and frustrated, though I don't know why - I've literally been awake for an hour. I close my eyes, letting my hair fall to the sides of my face. I sigh in weariness, enjoying the peace and quiet.

"You look exhausted," Newt chuckles.

"I feel exhausted," I mumble while smiling lightly, not opening my eyes.

"(y/n)..." Newt begins thoughtfully, "you said that you could still hear things when you were in the coma... I don't suppose you remember anything that... anything that I said to you?"

I open my eyes to face Newt. He looks a little worried and embarrassed, so I softly shake my head no, though I don't know why he'd be embarrassed.

"Good that..." he mutters, sounding slightly relieved. I furrow my brows together, and open my mouth to ask another question before a long yawn suppresses my words. Newt laughs again. "Right. I think you could do with some much needed sleep."

I laugh slightly under my breath, not arguing with what Newt suggested. We both get up, and he walks over to the door to call over someone called Chuck. Before Newt leaves the room, he stops with a thoughtful expression and smiles.

"(y/n). That's a pretty name."

***

"Chuck, this is (y/n). Help her set up a hammock, near mine and Tommy's, and give her some water and bread as well."