The First Gladers; Into the Scorch

Chapter 13: Not Dead Yet

 Without even realizing it, this boy has made you fall in love with him. He hasn't been extravagant. No grand gestures. No parade with blaring trumpets. He simply cares. He cares so much.

Standing in a stairwell pulled straight from some crooked horror movie, you should be afraid. Winston nearly died. Adam already died and now you're about to walk out into the unknown. Yet, as Newt stands with Newt by your side, his arms wrapped tightly around you, you have no fear. He stands with you, supporting you with genuine care. With him by your side you can conquer the world.

As the line of your friends slowly emerge from this dark cave, groaning and hissing all the way, Newt is forced to pull away from his hug. Yet, before turning away, he carefully cups your face with the coarse palms of his hands, simply studying your face.

Suddenly it's as if a thousand caterpillars just hatched from their cocoons inside of your stomach. The butterflies flutter inside you anxiously, wanting to explore the new world.

Your eyes meet his and suddenly you can't think. So much wisdom and so much pain hides behind those eyes. Yet so much love.

You feel yourself drawing closer to him, as if being pulled by a gentle magnet. You're face if close to his and your heart pounds inside your chest, begging you to finally kiss him.

But for some reason you don't.

You clear your throat with a cough and shift uncomfortably as anxiety starts to take place of those wonderful fluttering butterflies. What if Minho was wrong? What if Newt doesn't like you in that way. What if you actually did kiss him? What them? What if he hated you forever? Or what if he didn't? What if he kissed you back? What would you do then? Go on a date to a cheap fast food restaurant then to a movie? That's not your life. Your life is full of running, running from death. Is that really the kind of life to have a love interest?

You think you see Newt's shoulders sag, as if disappointed. You tell yourself that you imagined it. He scratches the back of neck awkwardly, then walks up the stairs without another word.

You watch in silence as he fiddled with one of the bed sheets, postitioning over his head as a sort of sunscreen. He then turns to you with a friendly smile, as if nothing even happened.

"We don't have enough sheets for everyone. Looks like you're goofing to have to share with me." He explains. He nods his head in the direction of the bow fully-open hatch. "Come on, let's get out of here."

He's sudden shift of demeanor makes you question your own imagination. Surely that moment really happened, you couldn't have made up the whole thing could you? Or does he really feel nothing but friendship toward you? Did he really not sense anything?

You sigh, reluctantly pushing those thoughts away before hopping up the stairs to follow Newt out into the blistering heat.

 If you thought the air was hot before, it was noting compared to the horrendous, painful heat of the scorch. After a mere minute of standing in the sun, trying to figure out which direction to go, you feel your skin starting to heat up. Even under the protection of Newt's bedsheet, you can feel what's soon to be a monstrous sun burn forming on your skin.

You would think the breeze would make it better, yet the movement of the air sends millions of grains of sand whipping in all different directions, stinging your face, filling your lungs, and drying out your eyes.

"So where are we supposed to go?" Winston asks with painful wheezing breaths. Now with enough light to see you realize just how bad his burns are from the molten goo. If you hadn't heard his voice you may not have been able to recognize him. And under the blistering sun, you can hardly imagine the pain he is in.

"That ugly Rat-man, Janson, said head toward the mountains right?" Aris speaks up, visibly sweating from the heat.

You and Newt move together, scanning the horizon for any sight of mountains. If it weren't for the excruciating heat, you would be enjoying your closeness with Newt much more. Now it only adds to the heat of the sun.

"There!" Thomas shouts, his voice course from the constant gusts of sand-filled air. "Just across the horizon I see them..." He continues.

You and Newt turn to see where Thomas is pointing, squinting through the garage of sand. Just as Thomas said, there across the horizon is a small blur, vaguely imitating the shapes of mountains.

"Well. I guess we better get our butts moving if we're gonna make it in three days." Minho shrugs before coughing up sand.

"This is going to be miserable." You hear Aris groan from behind you.

"Aw cheer up Aris," Fry chuckles, "At least we're not dead yet." He adds sarcastically.

"We're as good as dead." Winston sighs, gingerly holding his sheet above his head as to make sure the fabric doesn't get stuck to his open wounds.

"We can make it, and we'll make it alive." You say, attempting to sound optimistic. After your near kiss with Newt you can't seem to get your mind out of a slump. Regret and disappointment have taken over your thoughts as you begin to wish you would've just denied your anxieties and kissed Newt.

"Whether or not we make it alive, we should get moving," Minho adds, "We at least have a chance of surviving if we move on."

You and the boys mumble your agreements, and follow as Minho takes the first few running steps toward the distant mountains.

Instead, be kind to each other, tender hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32