It's okay until it isn't

A Sign

"It's shucking hot out there!"

Minho sighed

"Well, Thomas, it's a dessert. I think it's supposed to be hot."

The way he said it with no hint of sarcasm in his voice was what made me laugh. He just stated it. I turned, now able to see things a little better with the light filtering through the hole. Everyone had packs of things. Probably food. I stepped up onto the ledge, still a bit wobbly, but other than that, able to stand myself.

"Everyone, take your pack apart. We'll have a few people carry the food at a time. Grab your sheet from it, and a partner, and drape it around you, then that should hopefully protect you from the sun."

Everyone started to follow my orders. Minho held a hand out to me, and helped me down from the ledge, then bowed to me.

"May I have the pleasure of sharing your shelter?"

I feigned thinking

"Hmmm. I was thinking about sharing with Tommy. . ."

Minho looked appalled, but when he saw me try to hide my laughter, he immediately wised up.

"Hey! Not funny!"

Minho pouted, and jokingly pushed him

"Ah, slim it. You know I would be honored to share a sheet with you."

Minho glared at me before chucking his sheet over the both of us.

Minho's POV:

Well, day one is finished. We ran the whole day, and into most of the night too. We decided to sleep under our sheets, so here I was. Under the sheet with Newt. I drifted off into an uneasy sleep, and awoke to Newt gulping air. I turned onto my side so I was facing him. He was shaking. I put a hand on his shoulder and he flinched

"Newt? What is it?"

"I-I. . . nothing. I'm okay."

I knew I sounded stern but I didn't care

"No, no, you're clearly not Newt."

Newt turned so he was facing me, and I realized he had tears in his eyes.

"I-It's nothing. Really."

"Newt. . ."

Newt looked straight at me.

"No, Minho. It's stupid. Like everything about me. . ."

I shook my head

"Newt you are not stupid. Nothing about you is stupid. Every. Single. Thing. About. You. Is. Amazing."

I made every word distinct and clear. Maybe now it would finally sink in to his brain.

"I-I had another nightmare. Go ahead. Laugh."

Wait. another? So something like this had happened, and he didn't tell me?

More importantly, I didn't help him?

"What happened in it?"

Newt took a deep breath

"W-Well, I'm in the glade, a-and Alby and Chuck come, t-they say it was my fault. Because I t-told them it would be okay. Then they say I'm going to h-hurt someone else by saying it'll b-be okay, a-and I s-see the other d-dead gladers."

"Sweetie, that's not stupid. Alby and Chuck didn't die because of you. Alby died because he chose to, and Chuck also died because he chose to."

Newt sniffled and nodded.

"Th-That's not all of it. . ."

"What's the other part?"

"Well, th-they say I'm going to hurt someone by telling them it'll be okay-"