Quiet is Violent {Newt | The Maze Runner}

3. Old or New

“Tash, you and Ben go running today, we’ve got a new Greenie coming up.” Minho’s voice was loud and clear as it greeted Tasha. She ate her breakfast with the other Runners, seated by Ben, who nudged her leg. There was a pause and he followed up the sentence. “Tash, stay with him. Don’t run off.” Tash nodded once and rolled her eyes, but flashed a brief smile towards Ben, who grinned back. They both took their plates back to Frypan, who nodded at them, before heading to the map room.

“Should be a good day.” Ben and Tash jogged to the gates, getting ready to explore their assigned sector as the rattling of the cage indicating that they were only a few minutes from meeting the new Glader. It was a slow start day and Minho could have chosen anyone to go running, but he also knew Tash and Ben were the least curious of the runners to meet the Greenies, so he gave them some liberty as they were the only ones running that day.

“Give ‘em hell.” Tash smirked to Newt as they passed him on their way, she was tightening the straps on her pack and he dragged his gaze from the cage to the runners. He snorted out a laugh and gave her a mock salute, continuing with his work, overseeing the vines.

“I’m going to check out this…” Ben’s voice drifted off as he slowed to a jog; they were close to the end of their run and Tasha slowed beside him. She cocked her head to one side and followed his gaze to where there was a crack in the wall, big enough for a hand to fit through. The bottom seemed dark, but there were pinpricks of light leaching through the crack; Tasha could see why it interested him.

“Give me a yell when you’re done.” Tasha had debated internally on whether she should stay with him, but decided to get the last few portions of the run done and head back when he was ready. Ben nodded, breaking off and moving over to the crack.

“I won’t be too long.” He called over his shoulder and Tasha lost him as she turned a corner. It was a few minutes later when there was a yelp of pain and a few minutes more before Tasha came racing around the corner, back to where Ben was doubled over, hands clutching his stomach.

“Something shucking cut me.” Blood was seeping down the front of his shirt from his stomach, a hole in the fabric with a small wound in the centre.

“You OK?” She asked, kneeling beside him, at eye level with his stomach, assessing the wound.

“Yeah, it was probably just a rock.” He huffed out a laugh, but watched Tasha rip off the hem of her shirt and use the medical tape in her pack to attach it over the wound. Once he was properly bandaged, she stood, brushing off her knees and nodding once.

“Then let’s go. It’s getting late.” She told him, a small smile on her face at her own ingenuity. Ben wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her, silently thanking her. “Let the Med-Jacks take a look, you don’t want to get an infection.”

“Thanks, Tash.” He chuckled, letting go and jogging back to the entrance of the maze ahead of her. Tasha, upon exiting the maze, almost stopped dead, face to face with Chuck, whom she didn’t really talk to, and the Greenie; a tall, brunette watching her and Ben with a curious expression.

“Hey Chuck, new Greenie?” Ben’s eyes flashed over the Greenie before moving back to Chuck, acknowledging the new person’s presence. “How does it feel to be promoted?” Ben smirked at Chuck as he ran past, Tasha speeding up to move away from the scene as Chuck grinned back at Ben and dipped his head.

“Feels pretty good.” Chuck called back to Ben, who shook his head, amused, and ran to catch up with Tasha. it was no secret within the Glade that Tasha was incredibly antisocial around everyone but the runners. She had heard some of the others talk about how she would be useless in most other jobs because of that. She didn’t care, on the contrary, she rather believed it. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Gally’s shouts of ‘calm, calm down, calm’ garnered the attention of the entire glade. Tasha’s attention snapped towards him, and saw a crowd gathering around the builder and the Greenie.