SACRIFICE {Newt | The Maze Runner}

v. Thunder and Lightning

Song: MILLION REASONS; lady gaga

     SEVERAL hours had passed since we left Winston and the tension that enveloped us had not yet dissipated. We walked in silence, the air filled with a palpable sense of loss and many unsaid words.

Our travels soon led us to an upturned ship, dusted with a thick coating of sand, its containers spewed across the floor, offering some shelter for us from the elements.

Aris and I had busied ourselves with building a fire, while the others simply sat and mourned alone, occasionally breaking from their stony resolves to watch us as we fed the flames with more kindling.

Satisfied, I slumped down between Newt and Frypan, my head dropping onto my knees as my dirty palms found their way to my eyes, rubbing away the grief that struck me.

"I thought we were supposed to be immune." Minho muttered, but the lack of volume from around made it seem as if he were almost shouting.

"Not all of us, I guess." Teresa mumbled sadly. I pulled my jacket tighter around me to block out the cold that wracked my body, despite the heat from the nearby fire.

"If Winston can get infected," Newt began, pausing to shoot me a weak smile, "we should assume so can the rest of us."

"I never thought I'd say it," Frypan said, "I miss the Glade."

Tears began to form in the corners of my eyes, threatening to fall at any second, but I willed them not to and thankfully, they obliged. Once again, I screwed my palms into my eyes, trying to brush them away before they stained my cheeks.

"It's OK to cry, Orla." Newt whispered to me, pulling me into him as I shivered once more.

His arms instantly went around me, brushing circles onto my arms as my shivering began to slow and the tears no longer clung to my eyes. I couldn't quite describe it, but I felt safe in his warm embrace - safer than I had in a long time.

*

I was the first to wake the next morning, having fallen asleep sitting against one of the containers in the night. The fire had long since flickered from life, only glowing embers remained in its stead.

My black jacket had been pulled up to cover my neck, zipped up as far as it would go, the cuffs pulled over the pale skin of my fingers.

The others were still sleeping, all apart from Newt, whose eyes had only just flickered open. He was laid not to far from me, his backpack doubling as his pillow.

"Morning, sleepyhead." I quietly joked, rubbing my hands together for warmth, as the sun had not yet broken over the horizon.

"Let me." Newt said, pushing himself up, before walking over to me and taking my hands in his own. Instantly, warmth flooded through my fingers, and I had to look down to conceal the blush that crept up onto my cheeks.

After a moment, I allowed myself to look up, only to meet eyes with the blond boy, the pair of us smiling simultaneously, before I looked down again and picked up my pack.

"We should get moving, sun's almost up." I concluded, shifting away from Newt as I rose to my feet, "And thank you."

*

The day that followed was rather monotone, much like my three years mapping the Maze back in the Glen - we left as soon as Newt and I had roused the others (Minho had been particularly difficult to wake).