Tired of Running

4|| disagreeing voices

// if you get in between
someone i love and me;
you're gonna feel
the heat of my calvary \\

•
Gally crossed his arms, glaring through the group, "Everyone just shut up!"
There were a few quiet words being exchanged, but with Gally's outburst, they fell silent.
Alby put a hand up, "Alright... That's enough.. Thank you, Gally." Harper leaned against the wall, arms wrapped around herself, taking a nervous deep breath.  Alby had everyone's attention; he paced forward a few steps,
"We all know why we're here." Alby's eyes shifted to the guilty pair against the wall, "Someone decided he would let our little sister—" he pointed an accusing finger toward Minho and Harper, "Have a nice run through the maze." The boys broke out into exasperated whispers again.  "Hey, hey, hey; slim it down!" Newt raised his voice. Alby looked appreciatively to Newt, before continuing, "We need to decide now, today, what we're going to do—" Gally interrupted, "She knows she wasn't supposed to go out there! Minho knows more than anyone why she can't be out there!"

Minho scoffed, "Listen to me, slinthead. I'm the keeper of the runners- got that? The KEEPER. That means I- myself- am in charge of who goes in the maze. I decide who's got the chops to be runners. This girl— has more shucking gut than most of you boys. She KNOWS what's in there, yet still wants to be a runner." Gally glared at him, stepping closer,
"See here's where you're wrong. You are so shucking confident- a shucking ego man- Alby is the one in charge here, Minho, not you. He's the one who consents the jobs! Not you, not the keepers!" Harper stepped forward, "Stop... Please just—" "You stay out of this, shank!"
Gally pointed an angry finger at her, snapping.
Newt tensed, staring at Gally with fire in his eyes, "Don't you bloody talk to her like that."
Harper looked between Minho, Newt and Gally, eyes wide, filled with worry; the tension and anger in the room was suffocating.

Alby held up a hand, silencing everyone,
"I want everyone to just stop. We do not survive without order. We do not survive here if we are all fighting with one another." He looked to Minho and Harper, "Minho.. Speak your piece."

Minho looked around the room, a look of confidence evident on his face, "I say Harper becomes a runner. She's braver, faster and smarter than most of you slintheads." He looked around the boy's disapproving faces,
"And, to be frank, I need her. She's done more mapping than anyone- besides myself, of course." Harper smiled slightly and shook her head, even in a shucking trial, he was still self-centered.

"No." A heavy, stern accent spoke up. Newt.
Harper looked at him, eyes cold; her rock, of course, disagreeing. Telling her no, again.
Winston cleared his throat, a nervous expression written on his face, "I think she should be a runner." Harper looked at the boy; she was surprised, but she was smiling.
"If there's anything i've learned in the six months she's been here, it's that she- of all people in this place- can take care of herself.
She's strong... She has a tendency to hold everything back, and she makes sure everyone is okay, usually forgetting to take care of herself." He glanced at Newt, "Like you.."
"She's taken care of all of us- honestly, if anyone has a chance of getting us out of here, it's her."

Alby looked at the boy, thoughtfully. He looked to Minho. He was quiet for a while. Looking around the room, he remained quiet.
"Okay..." Alby nodded, "Minho knows the maze more than anyone. He's the keeper of the runners.. He will decide what the girl does."
Alby leaned against the wall as the multiple outbursts came out. Newt looked at Minho once, coolly, then stood up and walked outside.
Minho smiled at Harper slightly, nodding.
Harper smiled back, truly appreciating he and Winston. A runner. She was going to be a runner.