Unfit (A Maze Runner Fanfiction)

Chapter 12, Newt (WICKED):

A few days later, Newt found a note left under his pillow from Brenda. He hadn't discovered it until right before the tests of that day began. Therefore he had not gotten the chance to read it. Since his second talk with Brenda they had done even more tests than usual, which, Newt knew meant that they would be sent into the maze soon. Newt put his hand in his pocket, the paper was still there. When they were finally dismissed from the tests Newt headed straight back to the dormitories. He curled up on his bed with his back against the wall. Newt carefully pulled the paper out of his pocket while the other boys noisily prepared for bed. He read the message, Newt, Meet me at 1am in the training gym with George, it will be empty. -Brenda

"What are you looking at?"

Newt jumped in fright, Minho had sat on the bed next to him and was reading the note over his shoulder. Newt quickly folded the paper and stuck it in his pocket

"Nothing," he answered nervously.

Minho glared at him, "tell me Newt, I already read the note." Newt sighed and explained everything, how he had met Brenda and their plan so she could see George.

Minho grinned, "alright, I'm in. 1 in the gym? How are you going to get there? Will you use the air vents?"

Newt sighed, "we are going to walk down the hallway to the gym. That will be quickest and quietest." Minho nodded though his face was less excited now. Newt stood up and walked over to George, who was sitting on his bed. Newt handed him the piece of paper. George looked at him in surprise before unfolding the note. He read through it quickly and nodded to Newt. Newt headed back to his bed. Minho had already climbed up to the top bunk as Newt lay down on his bunk and stared at the bunk above him.

Newt's eyes flickered open and he glanced at the clock on the wall across from him. It was five to one. He quickly shoved his blanket aside and glanced at his shoes. After a second he decided that it would be quieter to walk in his socks. Newt glanced up, Minho and George were waiting for him by the door. He crept over to them and they opened the door as quietly as possible. They walked down the hall silently until they reached the double doors. George stopped and looked Newt in the eye, he understood, George would go in alone. The two boys stood outside while George entered the gym. Newt sank down to the floor and leaned his head against the wall. Minho sat next to him and crossed his legs. They sat like that, staring at the ceiling until George stepped back into the hallway.

"Where's Brenda?" Newt asked him, surprised that she hadn't exited the room with him.

"She took the air vents, it's easier to get to her room without being seen that way," answered George. Minho glanced at Newt and smirked, Newt glowered at him. The three boys hurried back to their bunks. Minho fell asleep right away, Newt, within a few minutes. George lay in bed staring at the ceiling thinking about his sister.

The next morning Newt was awakened by a loud voice shouting at him to get up. It was one of the doctors who oversaw the tests. Newt blinked his eyes groggily as he heard the man reading out a list of subjects. He wasn't paying much attention until he heard his number, subject A5. Newt slipped his legs over the side of the bed, more tests, he thought. Newt stood and followed the doctor through the door with the other boys whose numbers had been called. He searched among the other boys for any familiar faces. Newt saw Minho walking near the back of the group, he was yawning. Ahead of him he could see George walking next to another boy named Alby. They had their heads close together and Newt wondered what they were discussing. Instead of turning towards the gym the man turned the opposite way. Newt felt a shiver run down his spine, Where are they taking us, if not to the gym? He thought. The large group of boys was led through twisting hallways and then into a restricted part of the large research centre. People moved to the edge of the hallway to let them pass by. Before turning another corner Newt saw Brenda standing at the edge of the hall staring at George. She screamed and ran towards George. Two scientists grabbed her and held her back as she tried to free herself and reach her brother. This gave Newt even more reason to be nervous about where they were going. The man opened a door and the boys walked into a room. Scattered around the room were two dozen large tanks. Newt could feel a pit of dread forming in his stomach. There were half a dozen doctors and scientists waiting for them. The first doctor turned and said, "The maze is ready, we will be sending you in once one small detail is dealt with. We need to remove your previous memories for the variables to function as well as possible."

Newt stared at the man in horror, memories flashed in front of his eyes. Rosie on her fifth birthday, his parents smiling at him as he and Rosie played, the four of them together. Then came the more painful memories, his father, dead, Rosie lying on the ground, dead, him shooting his mother. He thought of meeting Minho, he wouldn't remember that either.

"No! I don't want to forget!" shouted Newt angrily. Many of the other boys looked nervous and nodded their heads in agreement. Minho had walked up to a boy with brown hair standing in the corner of the room. Newt hadn't noticed him before but he could hear Minho shouting at the boy angrily. Two of the scientists hauled Minho away from him and the boy motioned for the man to continue explaining.

The doctor glanced at him before continuing, "You will enter these tanks and the doctors will proceed to remove your memories, this is not optional." The man glared at Newt. He could feel tears slipping down his face as he was pushed towards one of the tanks. The woman standing next to it motioned for him to lie down in the tank. Newt shook his head and tried to back away, he turned to see Minho resisting as well. Minho was punching and kicking the doctors as they tried to subdue him. One of the doctors stabbed Minho's arm with a syringe and he collapsed instantly. Newt turned back and climbed into the tank. If it wasn't optional then Newt at least wanted to remember until the last moments. The bottom of the tank was soft and held his body stable as the woman attached various needles, wires and heart monitor pads to his arms, chest and head. The woman grabbed a syringe full of a clearish yellow liquid. She inserted it into his forearm. Newt hardly felt the sting of the needle but he felt himself slipping into sleep as the tank lid closed. All he could think about as he closed his eyes was his family, it was all going to disappear. Newt felt tears slide down his face as he slipped into unconsciousness. He wanted to fight back, he wanted to escape, but when he tried to couldn't move. Instead Newt clung onto his memories of his little sister. He remembered all of their times together. He remembered their fear when the sun flares hit. Her smile, her sparkling blue eyes, her golden hair. The memories started to slip away and Newt fought to hold onto them as one by one they floated away from him. Images were torn away and floated away, a name, Simon. His parents, smiling at him. Even the negative memories, his family dying and going mad. He started to forget why he wanted to remember. Newt clung onto the memory of Rosie's face with his mind. Then it started to slip away, what is the girl's name? Why is she important? He asked himself, Newt fought to remember. then her face slipped away and he felt a huge sadness and hole is his chest. Then he couldn't even remember why he had been sad. All he could remember was one word, his name, Newt. All he felt was sadness, anger and confusion. Who am I? Was his only thought before he slipped into a deep and dark sleep.