Griever Tamer|| The Maze Runner¹/ Minho

|C.8|

They all stared at her in disbelief. "And stop staring at me like I'm some creature! I'm a person—a girl."

Newt nodded. "Ok, let's get this bloody meeting over with then."

"We can't vote without all the members here," Winston insisted. "Unless they're really sick, like Alby."

"For the love, Winston," Newt replied. "I'd say Gally's a wee bit ill today, too, so we continue without him. Thomas, defend yourself and then we'll take the vote on what we should do with you. Then we'll do the same with Blake."

"I didn't do anything wrong. All I know is I saw two people struggling to get inside these walls and they couldn't make it. To ignore that because of some stupid rule seemed selfish, cowardly, and ... well, stupid. If you want to throw me in jail for trying to save someone's life, then go ahead. Next time I promise I'll point at them and laugh, then go eat some of Frypan's dinner."

"Here's my recommendation," Newt said. "You broke our bloody Number One Rule, so you get one day in the Slammer. That's your punishment. I also recommend we elect you as a Runner, effective the second this meeting's over. You've proven more in one night than most trainees do in weeks. As for you being the buggin' Keeper, forget it." He looked over at Minho. "Gally was right on that count-stupid idea."

"Why? He's the best we have—I swear it. The best should be the Keeper." Minho argued.

"Fine," Newt responded. "If that's true, we'll make the change later. Give it a month and see if he proves himself."

Minho shrugged. "Good that."

Newt glanced around the room. "Okay, we had several recommendations, so let's give it a go-round-"

"Oh, come on," Frypan said. "Just vote. I vote for yours."

"Me too," Minho said.

Everyone else chimes in their approvals, only Winston said no. Newt looked at him. "We don't need your vote, but tell us what's bonkin' around your brain."

Winston gazed at the two of us. "It's fine with me, but we shouldn't totally ignore what Gally said. Something about it—I don't think he just made it up. And it's true that ever since Thomas got here, everything's been shucked and screwy."

"Fair enough," Newt said. "Everyone put some thought into it-maybe when we get right nice and bored we can have another Gathering to talk about it. Good that?"

Winston nodded.

"Okay, Blake defend yourself so we can get this over with," Newt said.

"If you doorknobs were listening to what I said before, I don't need to say it again. I just want to get out of here. I'm tired of hearing all you ding-dongs talk."

Minho chuckled at her insulting words, shaking his head. Before Newt could say anything Frypan piped up. "She didn't do anything wrong I say she doesn't get a punishment."

Winston shakes his head. "I think she shouldn't be allowed in the Maze. If she has some kind of weird communication with the Grievers keep her away from them. Remember Gally said-"

"Say she doesn't get a punishment," Minho cuts in.

Other voices follow in agreement. Only three people said no. Winston being one of them.

"When's my punishment?" Thomas rolled his eyes.

"Tomorrow," Newt answered. "The wake-up till sunset."

The meeting was dismissed and everyone except Newt, Minho, and Thomas left the room in a hurry. Newt was still in his chair writing stuff down. "Well, that was good times," he murmured.

Minho walked over and playfully wrapped his arms around Thomas and Blake's shoulders. "It's all these shank's fault."

"What the heck is a shank?" Blake asked, shaking off Minho's arm.

Thomas rolled his eyes, punching Minho in his side. "Keeper? You want me to be Keeper? You're nuttier than Gally by a long shot."

Minho gave him a fake evil grin. "Worked, didn't it? Aim high, hit low. Thank me later."

A knock on the opened door grabbed their attention—she turned to see who it was. A chubby boy with long curly brown hair stood by the door, looking as if he ran around the Maze the whole day.

"What's wrong?" Newt asked, standing up.

The boy was fiddling with his hands. "Med-jacks sent me."

"Why?"

"I guess Alby's thrashing around and acting all crazy, telling them he needs to talk to somebody."

Newt made his way to the door, but the boy held his hand up to tell him to stop. "Um ... he doesn't want you."

"What do you mean?"

The boy pointed at Thomas. "He keeps asking for him."