Count On Me ➵ Newt [1]

FOUR | the assault

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That night, I retreated to my usual tree spot where I usually slept and laid on the grass, staring up at the canopy of leaves above me. I replayed back the day's events, from me bandaging Newt's wrist to Kris trying to pull me away to "talk". I shuddered as I thought of what he wanted to do with me. I wasn't stupid - I knew he wanted to take advantage of me because I was a girl. But to make it a public scene in front of everyone like that was just a low blow. Thank the gods Minho, Alby and Newt saved me from the situation.

I heaved a sigh and closed my eyes. I laid there, wide awake despite my futile attempts to fall asleep.

I heard a twig snapped behind me - there were footsteps. I sat up and glanced around; the forest was shrouded in darkness, my eyes struggling to adjust to the level of dimness. I stayed still, careful not to attract attention to myself. More footsteps. And they were heading directly towards me.

I leaped to my feet and glared into the darkness. "Who's there?" I called out.

Suddenly, a hand from behind me clamped over my mouth and my eyes widened. I tried to run away, but someone else tied my wrists together at the back. I tried screaming for help - but the hand forbad any sounds from escaping my mouth. A figure stepped out from behind a tree. I gasped; it was Kris. He looked absolutely horrible. Even through his heavily bandaged head, I could see a wasteland of bruises on his face. His nose was bent at a wrong angle and looked bloody.

"Stupid," Kris hissed. His voice was scratched and croaky. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. You're a stupid little girl!"

He pulled out a long knife from his back and pointed it at me. My eyes widened and I tried to struggle again, but the two people holding me back were too strong.

"You humiliated me in front of everyone today," Kris growled. "You ruined my reputation! I lost most of my allies and friends thanks to you!"

I wanted to say, Gee, I wonder why that happened. But I couldn't speak.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson," he said. "I'm gonna teach you that I'm not a person to be messed with!"

Kris flicked the knife blade at arm and a muffled scream escaped me. I felt pain in my right shoulder - he must have nicked my skin.

"Not so brave now, are you?" Kris sneered. "No Prince Charmings to save you from the situation now, huh?"

Kris swung his knife at my face - I was sure I was a goner - when something leaped into view and tackled him from the side. Kris grunted in surprise as he tried to push his attacker off him.

I stared at his attacker. It was Newt. He swung a fist at Kris' face and Kris let loose a guttural howl. He swung his knife at Newt, but the blond had already scooted away. His face was taut with pain and he was clutching his bandaged wrist - he must have broken it again from tackling Kris.

"You're a fool!" Kris yelled at him as he scrambled to his feet. He swung his knife at him again, but Newt stepped well out of the blade's range.

"Kris, what the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Newt demanded. "Where'd you get the knife?"

"Why do you care?" Kris said. "You just attacked me!"

"Because you attacked Rosalind first, you shucking idiot! Stop being such a sissy hypocrite and drop your knife!"

"Sorry, blondie," Kris smirked, "but you're not the leader around here. Step aside or I'll run this knife through you!"

But Newt stood his ground.

"I said, drop the knife," he said firmly. "Or I'll call in reinforcements."

"Reinforcements? Hah!" Kris barked. "I never knew you were such a liar, Newt!"

Newt snapped his fingers - the sound rippled through the air and all at once, a group of Gladers emerged from the darkness and formed a ring around us. Kris blinked in surprise as the Gladers pointed an assortment of their own weapons at him: there were wooden poles sharpened at the end, long and short knives alike, and even shovels and spades.

"Drop your weapon," Newt repeated. "Now."

Kris stared at him, stunned. He shot a glance back at me, but my two captors had already released their grip on me. I turned around and got a good look at them; they were two boys whom I'd seen hanging around Kris multiple times - they must be his remaining allies. They stepped back nervously now that they were faced with a small army of Gladers.

"What are you two doing?" Kris said. "Get back here!"

But the two of them slunk back into the crowd and disappeared from view.

"Kris, ain't nobody gonna hurt you unless you put that knife down," Newt said. "Come on. Just put it down."

"NO!" Kris clamped his hands over his ears. "GO AWAY!"

Newt sighed. He looked to Alby, who was standing a few feet away from him.

"You leave us no choice then." Alby said coldly.

As if on cue, the other Gladers pushed in with their weapons. Kris tried to push them back, but they wrenched the knife from his hand and tied him up with ropes. He shouted in protest, but no one was there to help him. He was alone.

"Gag him as well," Alby said, wrinkling his nose distastefully. "I don't wanna hear his screams while I sleep."

Kris yelled some more at that, but someone stuffed a wadded cloth into his mouth and no other sounds came from him.

"Throw him in the Slammer," Alby ordered. The Gladers obeyed, taking Kris away. In just a few moments, I was left alone with Alby and Newt at the edge of the forest.

I sat down on the ground, stunned by what had just happened. Newt came over to my side and tried to console me, but I heard none of his words. I was too much in shock.

Finally, Alby told Newt to go back to sleep and he obeyed, if not a little grudgingly. And then I was alone in the forest.

It took a while for me to sleep, but when I finally did, I had nightmares.

[ END OF CHAPTER FOUR ]