The Girl in Charge | Newt

7 | Greenie

The box alarm went off and the boys all started to panic. It could be heard from inside the maze which sent the Runners back.

After training for a couple of weeks, Vera had finally allowed them to go out with her. Naturally, she didn't let them leave her sight and they kept to gather at all times in one big group. They had yet to encounter a Griever, but she didn't want to scare them off too quickly, so once she heard one, she directed them away.

"What the hell is that noise?" Newt asked her as she started to run away from the group.

"The box alarm that signals Greenies are coming up. We have to get back." She told them, but no one moved. "Now." She instructed, her tone getting sharp.

At the sound of her impatience, the boys started to chase after her, following as she navigated the Maze with ease. They got back just as the box was starting to come up and all the Gladers were freaking out.

She ran to the box as people started to throw questions as her. Ignoring them, she arrived just in time to get the roof opened. She jumped down into the box to see a boy curled up into himself, dear etched upon his face.

"Hey greenie. Don't worry, I've got you." She said, her face becoming softer as she reached out her hand for him to grab.

Hesitantly, the boy took her hand and she pulled him up so he was standing. His whole body was shaking out of fear causing the rest of the boys to go silent.

"What's your name?" She asked him.

"Winston." He stuttered quietly, causing Vera to be the only one to hear him. "Why don't I remember anything?"

"Cause some slintheads decided to take away all our memories." She joked, but there was no humour on her face.

Newt jumped down into the box to help get Winston out. They placed their hands together to give Winston a boost to climb out. As soon as he was out, Newt and Vera instantly recoiled away from each other, both of their faces bright red. Shaking it off, they each climbed out of the box and Vera left to talk to Winston.

"Mate, you're bright red." Minho shoved Newt from the side, chuckling as he did so.

"Am bloody not." Newt mumbled in reply, trying to pretend it didn't happen.

He watched as Vera guided Winston towards the Homestead. She had a relaxed gait, almost the most relaxed that the Gladers had ever seen her. Evidently, she was trying to calm Winston down whom was still shaking with fear.

Beside him, Minho sent him a knowing look before leaving to go to the map room.

Vera sat Winston down at a bench in the kitchen and stole two cookies from Frypan's secret stash. She knew that he'd be mad later, but it was worth it to see the small smile formed on Winston's face at the sight of the sugary treat. She sat down beside him and ate her cookie in silence, waiting for him to ask the first question.

"What is this place?" He asked her.

"The Glade, surrounded by the Maze." She answered.

"How did we get here?"

"Not sure, greenie. No one knows."

"Why are you calling me 'greenie'?" A confused look covered his face.

"Because you're the newbie. I called the boys it when they first turned up." She explained.

"You were here before them?"

"A whole year. I got sent to set up this place, make it liveable." She shrugged as the boy looked at her in shock. "It's fine. It wasn't that bad living by myself. The living quarters smelt better, I can tell you that." She joked once again, but the humour still didn't reach her face.

After getting Winston to calm down, she sent him to go with Alby for a talk and she went to go and find Newt. She found him in the hideout, stacking rocks.

"Looks like a real fun game you have there." She commented as she reached the top of the ladder and Newt jumped.

"Bloody hell, Vera. Don't scare me like that." He said, knocking over his rock tower as he tried to compose himself.

And that was when she laughed properly for the first time.

The sound was foreign to him, having never heard it before. He looked at her in a perplexed manner. The more confused he got, the more she laughed until he joined in too.

Vera and Newt sat there laughing for a considerable amount of time as every time one stopped, the other cracked them up again. Eventually, she stopped laughing enough for Newt to stop too and immediately, her face shifted back to its neutral state.

"You can laugh? Like you actually have the ability to laugh?" Newt sassed to her.

"Shut up. You guys are so miserable all the time that you fail to appreciate good humour." She quipped back, a small smile appearing on her face.

"We don't appreciate good humour? I find that hard to believe." A jokingly offended expression covered his face.

"I'll have to test it with you later on then." She sat down, leaning her head on his shoulder which made him flinch a little before resting his head on hers.

He started to ask her little questions about her time by herself in the Glade. Asking about her animals and how she built areas up. Asking how her first experience in the maze was. Asking what kept her going.

And they stayed like that, talking quietly, until Minho yelled at them to come down for lunch.