Count On Me ➵ Newt [1]

EIGHTEEN | into the maze

I felt a pang of sadness in me. Even after a year of of his leg incident Newt was still terrified of the Maze? 

I grasped his hand, trying to comfort him. He looked so upset that I felt horrible for not knowing how to help him. For the Keeper of the Med-jacks, I was pretty useless.

"Not only that," Newt continued in a quiet voice, "but search parties are forbidden when it comes to the Maze. More of us might get lost and we can't have that."

I rolled my eyes at the rule, and even Thomas didn't looked happy with that answer. But at least he was smart enough not to argue with Newt. 

That night, the Runners returned at their normal time, and by this time the tall blond was fully panicking now. He ran from door to door, checking into them, his eyes wide with worry and fear. But Alby and Minho never showed up.

I shared Newt's panic now; I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt nervously as I stood with him by one of the doors, trying not to think about why my two closest friends were still missing. Newt was pacing around one of the doors, running his hand through his hair, and he looked up as Thomas and Chuck approached us.

"Where are they?" he said, his voice thin and strained.

"Newt, they'll be fine," I said, though my rapid heartbeat betrayed my words. "Just wait a lil' longer. They'll come back."

The look Newt gave me next almost broke my heart. I knew how much he cared about Alby and Minho - and for goodness sake, I loved the two dearly too - but there were tears brimming in Newt's eyes as he looked up at me.

"They'll be fine, alright?" I repeated, my voice now a low whisper. "We just need to wait."

And so we waited. By this time, the other Gladers had joined us at the doors, glancing down the Maze corridor in confusion. News of Alby and Minho's strange absence must have spread around the Glade by now. 

"We can still search for them," I said weakly. "We stil have time."

"No, we don't," Newt whispered, his face downcast.

Another few long, agonising passed. Newt hung his head. He didn't say it aloud, but I knew what he was thinking; if Alby and Minho still hadn't returned yet then they were as good as dead.

Then a flicker of movement in the Maze caught my eyes.

Something stirred inside the Maze, down the long corridor in front of me - then two forms took shape, stumbling along the alley toward the Door. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"It's them!" I said, pointing. 

Newt's head shot up, his eyes bulging out of their sockets. The other Gladers pushed forward, trying to get a better look; when they realized I was right they were about to cheer when I noticed something was wrong.

Minho was stumbling forward, one of Alby's arms draped across his shoulders. He practically dragged the boy along behind him. Alby seemed to be unconscious as he made no effort to push himself upright or walk, his eyes closed shut, his limbs limp and heavy. The other Gladers shouted out words of encouragement to the Runner, but I already knew they weren't going to make it. They were too slow.

Alby had slipped out of Minho's clutches and fallen to the ground. Minho tried desperately to get him back on his feet, then, finally giving up, started to drag the boy across the stone floor by the arms.

They weren't going to make it.

"We have to help them!" Thomas said frantically beside me.

"No, you bloody know we can't!" Newt shot back. "Either they make it or they don't."

"Newt, we can't just let them die!" I said frantically. Minho and Alby were so close now - if the Doors could just slow down-

"No, Rose, I don't want any more of us to disappear!" Newt said sternly. "I won't have it, ya hear me?"

"You were just cryin' about Alby and Minho and now you're just going to feed them to the Grievers?" I cried out.

"I said - I don't blood want any more of us to die! It's too late, ya hear me?"

"No, there's still time!" Thomas argued, looking just as exasperated as I felt at Newt. "We can still help them!"

Newt clenched his jaw at the two of us. "No," he said firmly, his usually warm, soft eyes steely, though pain flickered through them. "I forbid it. Like I've said, either they make it or they don't. That's that."

"Well, I'm not gonna just stand here and watch them die," I said hotly, and before I could change my mind I rushed into the Maze towards my friends, determined to help them. I heard the other Gladers scream at me, heard their frantic words and shouts - but I couldn't just stand there while I watched my friends die. I just couldn't. Minho and Alby meant way too much to me.

I went to Alby's limp form on the ground and slung his arm onto my shoulders, supporting half his weight.

"Come on!" I shouted at Minho.

He stared at me incredulously, probably wondering how I could be so reckless, but he complied anyway, grabbing Alby's other arm. Together, we hobbled towards the doors, where our friends were gathered at. Newt was screaming at me so loudly and furiously that I feared he might be tearing apart his vocal cords.

A loud boom sounded from all directions, then came the crunching, grinding sound of stone against stone. The Doors were closing for the night.

Damnit. I thought we had more time!

"Shit, shit, come on, hurry!" I shouted to Minho.

"What do you think I'm doing?" He yelled back.

I felt Alby's arm slip from my grasp and I had to repositioned him again, practically dragging him behind me. Sweat had already formed on my head and my chest heaved with deep breaths, my lungs fighting for oxygen - but I still trudged on, determined not to leave my friends behind depsite the rapidly closing doors.

Just when they were about to shut, Thomas - the stupid shank - rushed forward. The other Gladers tried to pull him back, but it was too late - I watched as he slipped into the Maze and the doors shut for the night.

Minho slumped to the ground, dropping Alby.

"Good job," Minho said to Thomas, exhaustion lacing his every word. "You just killed yourself."

[ END OF CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ]

aaand boom. rosalind and thomas ran into the maze, dun dun dun! 

also wtf i just watched the next few episodes of teen wolf and HOLY SHIT CAN I MARRY STILES HE'S SO FUNNY AND CUTE AHA 

one last thing before i go - yes, i changed my username. it's now queendisco instead of slytherpuffpotato, and the reason why i changed it is because i found that i have been really disliking my old username. like "slytherpuffpotato"??? wtf was 12 year old me thinking?????? but yeah i hope this new username is better :)