When The Darkness Comes // Newt

Part nine, "Get into any fights?"

"Hey, Y/n. How'd you do today?"

You nearly jump out of your skin at the sound of Newt's voice. What in the Glade? He should still be in the Maze! That doesn't matter. What does matter is that he's here now and asked you a question. Trying to put on as much of a composed expression as you can, you turn to face him.

"Hi. I- uh- did good. I mean- well. I think. I don't know, you can ask Zart." You avoid his gaze, hoping desperately he won't notice your nervous state.

Instead, he just laughs. "No, I meant how did you do? Get into any fights or something?"

"Not that I can remember," you reply.

"Good that."

You nod and there's another awkward silence. You scratch the back of your neck and try to think of something to say.

"Oh, right, Alby sent me here to tell you that you'll be sleeping in the treehouse. We figured you were so tired last night you wouldn't really remember much. Also, it's time for dinner."

You look around and see that Zart is nowhere in sight. He must have left when you were too busy worrying about the Runners to notice.

"Okay."

"See ya there."

"Newt?"

"Yeah?"

"Why does Alby avoid me?"

"He's just nervous, I guess. I mean, I can't say I was bloody terrified when you threatened me with Fry's new spatula, but you are the first girl," says Newt after a long pause. "Don't worry about it, though. That shank'll soften up soon. He always does."

You walk back to the kitchen together and you discover that it's only on bonfire nights that everybody eats together. Tonight, half of them are in bed already, and the others are either working or eating.

After your meal, you stand at the base of the treehouse, tears moistening your eyes. You want to know what you did to have to go to this place. Could you have killed somebody? If you had, what would the point be of sending you to a place where people died all the time? Out of the corner of your eye, you see someone walking towards you, so you wipe your eyes and turn to greet them.

Instead, what comes out of your mouth is, "In a place like this, it's up to us to make ourselves happy."

Gally tips his head to the side as if considering what you just said. "That's actually a really good point."

"Y'know, we're trying to think of a nickname to give you."

"Who's we?"

"Minho, Ben, me. That's we."

"Oh," you say. "Why can't you just call me Y/n?"

"We can, if that's what you want."

"I-I don't really know what I want. I don't know what I'm allowed to want in a place like this," you say, your voice trembling.

 "I get the feeling," says Gally understandingly. "I gotta go now, see you tomorrow."

"See you." You begin to climb the ladder and realize that you're terrified of heights. On the top level, the hammock is near the edge, too, and visions of it snapping and rolling off the side with you in your sleep fill your head. You pull the straps toward the center of the platform and realize it's better than nothing.

You sit in your hammock, not ready for sleep yet. You just had the first day of your life in the Glade, and possibly the most tiring one, too. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that you feel safe in the treehouse, despite your fear of falling. Nobody on the ground can see you, so you know you aren't being watched. You lay down on your back, staring up at the starless sky.

Several minutes later, you've drifted off into slumber in a maze of dreams.