Tired of Running

1|| a shank's place

// where we're from,
there's no sun;
our hometown's
in the dark \\

•

Harper stretched her arms up above her head, as she opened her eyes. She panicked for a brief moment as she noticed an arm hanging over her stomach, limp.  She sat up, Winston's arm falling back onto the grass.  Sighing, she rubbed her back; a stick lay on the ground where she had slept.  Glancing over to Newt, who was still curled up next to Minho, she started plucking the blades of grass out of her hair.  Harper sat quietly, taking in the quiet morning before the Glade woke up. She looked down at the small, black ring on her right finger next to her pinkie, wishing she could remember it's story. She must wear it for a reason...

   Winston slowly woke up, squinting at the early sun in his eyes.  Harper was pulled from her thoughts of the ring, glad to finally have some company. He smiled at her, still feeling the full weight of sleep clinging to him. Harper offered a small, nervous smile back.

   "Morning."
"Did you sleep okay?"
"You snore..."
  Winston's cheeks flushed to a brighter shade as Harper stood to her feet and gave him a playful smirk.  The morning was quiet except for the few faint sounds of pigs grunting and the cows chewing their hay. The glade seemed more peaceful and welcoming than it had when Harper had first arrived.  Sighing, Harper leaned back against a tree and took it all in.  She still had so many questions, but she knew they wouldn't be answered. 
Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad...

   Harper remained in her quiet thoughts until a loud crunch snapped her back into the present.  A rapid clicking sounded through the glade, followed by an echoing bang that nearly shook the girl out of her skin. Following the noises, she realized it was the walls' doors sliding open; she had been here for a few days, but she still hadn't gotten used to that. The fact that the doors closed at night and opened in the morning encouraged her suspicion of a city beyond them, even further.  She would just have to find out answers herself.

   Standing directly outside the walls, Harper studied the thick, tangled ivy growing from every direction. She rubbed her fingers lightly against the ivy leaves. She wondered if those vine ropes would support her... A voice spoke behind her; she jumped.

"Sorry..." The familiar accent spoke quietly, noticing Harper's fright.  Newt.  Harper turned and faced the blond boy. He had a lopsided grin and hair that was disheveled in every direction, clothes that were wrinkled and entirely a mess. He was still cute. But she didn't think anything of it; besides it being a very obvious fact. 
"Never go in there."
His accent sounded raspy early in the morning; something he didn't acknowledge, but Harper couldn't help but notice. His voice was more commanding in those four words than anything he had said yesterday.
Harper looked at him, sighing,
"I know, Newt..."
Newt just looked at her with those soft brown eyes, not changing a single emotion.
"You just have to trust me on that...
You don't want to go out there."
His voice was still soft and gentle; but still not a suggestion.

   Harper looked into the green ivy lined walls again, transfixed on the mysterious atmosphere; feeling like the walls were daring her to enter. Despite Newt's constant warnings, she wanted to go through those doors. Her voice was quiet,
"Newt, what's out there?"
A question she had been scared to ask any of the boys in the week she had been there. But Newt was different. He was kinder, sweeter, and more patient. Newt bit his lower lip and looked at the girl.  He was quiet for a minute, just looking at her.

   "That's the maze... The whole bloody reason we're trapped in here. It's like we're rats in an experiment, yeah?" Newt paused and looked to Harper, questioning that she was following. The stoic look on the girl's face confirmed she was listening. "If there's a way out of here, it's somewhere out there."
Harper raised an eyebrow, "Then shouldn't we be searching for something out there?"
"We are- we have been- every day since Alby woke up in this buggin' place.  But not everyone can just go parading in there. There's dangers."

   "What dangers? Who goes in there?"
Her mind was scrambling questions around faster than she was receiving his words. "You ask a lot of questions." Newt looked at her with an amused smirk. Harper crossed her arms and looked at him firmly, "Yes, I do. I want to know what's going on. And why you won't let me go out there, and what the dangers are and-"
Newt cut her off, worried she might start having a fit. "Look... The things out there aren't something you need worry yourself with... Alright?
"But Newt-"
Newt gave her a look and raised one eyebrow; she knew she had asked enough questions.

The seven boys and the one lone girl gathered around and sat in the grass, their plates laying on their laps. Gally looked to Harper, "So, greenie—" "Don't call me that."
"Sorry. So shank," this received an eye roll from Harper, "What do you think of our shucking glorious life?" The boy smiled sarcastically.
"Gally." Winston looked at him, incredulously. Harper just got here, she was still taking it all in, probably still partially shocked.
Harper just responded by shifting her eyes down to the so called food in front of her.
Alby finished his breakfast and stood up. He made his way over to the girl, "Alright, I'd say it's time me and you went for a walk..."
Harper gave Newt a nervous stare; one thing she had already learned here: Newt was safe.
Alby looked at the newbie, his eyes studying her intensely. Harper felt uncomfortable and shrinked back at his intense stare.

"Let's see where you fit in..."
Alby placed an arm around the girl and faced the open glade.
"Your part... Medic, Gardener, Cook—"
"Can i go out there?" She looked past the walls. Newt choked on his drink and looked at Harper with his mouth hanging ajar.  Did this girl not hear anything he said earlier?  Winston looked at the girl with raised eyebrows- clearly she was braver than he had been. Gally, Frypan and Alby all laughed, Harper's heart sank.  She didn't want to be stuck doing a boring job- she needed to know what was out there.  Not even a week here and now no one was going to take her seriously. But Minho moved his eyes to Harper, not surprised, nor amused.  He didn't take his eyes off her.

"You really want to be a runner?"
"Minho, don't even consider it!"
Gally crossed his arms and stepped forward, "She wouldnt last one day out there! She's—"
"Shut it, Gally!" Newt snapped his fingers and pointed to Harper, "Minho. You know how dangerous it is." Minho looked between Gally, Alby, Newt and Harper. Harper looked at Newt, in disbelief, this boy had been for her since she got here but now that she wanted to go outside the walls, he was strongly against it.
How dangerous could it possibly be?  She hadn't seen or heard any wild animals, no other people.  So, what?  She'd get lost.  Easy fix.
"Harper..." Newt's tone lightened, his brown eyes once again becoming soft, "You don't know what's out there." She stepped towards him, "Then let me find out..."
She turned her gaze to Minho, "Please...
Just let me try..."