The Fallen

Chapter 22

I walk out of the Homestead. I'm not exactly sure where I'm going, but I just keep walking. I walk to the middle of the Glade. I spin in a slow circle. That's when I see the group of Gladers. They're all surrounding something by the Doors. I run over to the nearest one. I tap him on the shoulder. He turns around. 'Oh, great,' I think to myself. 'It's John.'

"Uh... Hey." I say awkwardly.

"Hi." He says with no emotions.

"Uh... What's going on?"

He steps to the side so I can see. He points to a metal object that looks like a leg. "You see that?" I nod. "That's a Griever leg."

"Griever?"

"It's these giant, slug-like monsters armed with mechanical arms and weapons. They're out in the Maze. We don't know if they're animals or machines." I nod again. "Minho and Thomas found a dead Griever and took the leg off it. They ran back here and just dropped it. I'm pretty sure they went back to the Griever to get more parts."

"Where's Newt?" I ask.

"You expect me to know?"

"I was just wondering."

"Well I would think you would know where he is, seeing you spend so much time together."

"Oh, shut up." I turn around and walk away from the group.

I wander through the Deadheads, looking at the grave markers. There's only a few, but they all have a first name and cause of death on them.

No matter how hard I try to clear my mind, I can't stop wondering where Newt is. He said he would pick me up at sunset, and he doesn't show. Then I ask John where he is, and he doesn't have a clue.

I just keep wandering until I come to a small clearing with a little shack in the middle. I've never noticed it before. I wonder if anyone else knows it's here.

The shack is dark. Then a light suddenly turns on. I back away, hiding behind a tree nearby. I peek around the tree. I see a silhouette walking around inside the shack. I bend down and pick up a tree branch by my feet. I hold it in my right hand, ready to attack anyone who comes near me.

I slowly walk over to the shack. I make it to the window and look inside.

What I see is beautiful.

The inside is lit with lights of blues, greens, oranges and pinks. There's a single, circular table with two chairs in the middle. The table has plates on it, with sandwiches on them. There's a glass of red liquid by each plate. And who I see is even better. Newt.

I drop the stick and walk around to the door of the shack. I lightly knock. Newt opens the door.

"I knew you'd find it sooner or later." He says with a smile.

I wrap my arms around him, engulfing him in a hug. "It's beautiful." I whisper in his ear. He hugs me back. I let go, taking his hand instead. He leads me to the table in the middle, pulling a chair out for me to sit in. I sit down. "Thanks." He sits down in the chair across from me. He reaches across the table and takes my hands in his.

"Marina," he says. "I want this night to special," I nod. "That means no lying, fighting or arguing."

"Aren't fighting and arguing the same thing?"

"Maybe," he says. "Maybe not. Promise you'll make this night special."

"I promise."

"Good," he lets go of my hands. "Now this is our dinner. It's the best I could afford: bacon and cheese on wheat bread, your favorite."