Dark Enough -TMR- ( COMPLETED)

Chapter 24

Eleanor knew Thomas had gone to see Teresa. But she couldn't bring herself around to go with him, partly because she had a feeling the two Greenies had some sort of weird connection that she wasn't sure she wanted to be in the middle of; but mostly it was because she was completely terrified of leaving the Homestead, more specifically Newt's side.

Most of the Gladers were, by then, already packed inside the biggest building.

There is safety in numbers, Eleanor tried to think, to reassure herself.

It barely worked. She didn't feel safe.

The young girl stood by the Second-in-command's side while he finished directing the final boys to the designed places. 

Gladers had been organized all through the wooden building. The rooms were filled with scared boys cooped up together. The windows had been covered with spare boards that had been nailed down quickly, in a rush. Eleanor doubted they would stop a Griver but she guessed leaving the windows as they were was worse. 

She had made sure Newt would let Chuck stay with them during the night. She didn't want to let him out of her sight. Furthermore, as soon as she saw Minho, she would make sure he stayed with them too. 

There was no way they were going to be apart in a moment like that. 

No one knew what was going to happen but there was a general aura of fright and uncertainty. Something bad was coming. They could all feel it. 

Eleanor tried not to fall prey to her anxiety. Would she have to fight? She didn't know how to fight. She didn't think she could survive if she had to fight. 

She tried to force those thoughts out of her head with little success.

When it was almost completely dark, Minho finally came through the Homestead's door carrying the last pile of available weapons, which were really just rakes from the Gardens.

Eleanor gave out a sigh of relief after seeing him. 

Her friend deposited what he was carrying against the nearest wall and exhaled. He looked tired.

Newt was in the middle of talking to a Builder when she tapped his shoulder.

"I'm gonna go with Minho." She spoke when he had finished ordering the boy and had turned her way.

He seemed to debate on what to say for a second. He opened his mouth to say something, but soon closed it. He gave her a curt nod. 

Eleanor tried to give him a reassuring smile as she made her way to where the Keeper of the Runners was standing. She noticed he was holding a rusty spike and a kitchen knife. She saw many Gladers around holding onto their weapons too.

"El," He said as she approached him, "You ok?"

She could see he was scared, just like everybody else around them, but he looked concerned too.

"I'm fine."

Minho pretended to believe her lie, probably for her own sake. 

He handed her the spike. She took it without a word.

"Come here." He said as he had taken a seat against the wall, which was not an easy task given that the room was very crowded with nervous Gladers. 

The boys spoke in low whispers around them in a murmur of background noise.

"Move it, shuck face." Minho ordered the boy on his left. 

Will gave him an annoyed look but did not fight. He got up, without a glance at Eleanor, to find a new place to sit.