Through The WICKED Scorch | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

6. Sorrow

The next day we were woken up early. I didn't have a watch, but I was sure it couldn't be after eight, because I felt anything but rested, which was probably due to the fact that I had crawled through the entire ventilation shaft system in the middle of the night. Thomas didn't look at all well rested either and I wondered how long he had been lying awake brooding after I had already fallen asleep on top of him.
Thomas had apparently decided to tell the others about our observation last night after all, because as we sat together at breakfast he told them about it in great detail. Contrary to what I had expected, they were not worried, no, Newt simply waved it off and said that we couldn't know what we had seen there and that we shouldn't jump to conclusions. Because in the boys' minds he was still a bit of our leader and above all very reliable, they all agreed with him and that was the end of the matter - at least for them.
I could tell from Thomas' face that he was not happy with our friends' reaction either and continued to worry, just as I did. Nevertheless, we said nothing more and I resolved to do what he had suggested while still in the ventilation shaft - wait and keep my eyes open.
We spent the time between meals in our room, where I unintentionally fell asleep in the afternoon because the tiredness caught up with me. I lay on Newt's bed, my head on his lap, because he was leaning against the wall and talking to Minho, who was sitting on his bed. Thomas had also lain down once more and a soft snore could also be heard from Fry Pan.
The rest of the boys were talking about the food, the other boys and girls and then about the guy who had so cheekily hit on me from the side last evening. I woke up just as Minho was going on about how disrespectful he had been and how good he had thought Newt's reaction was, when Winston muttered, "Gally should have seen that. Then he wouldn't have walked out of the dining hall afterwards."
I sat up and was immediately wide awake. Horrified, I looked down at Winston, who immediately realised his mistake, even without Minho's "Shit, Shuckface,  you really didn't have to say that now." He slapped a hand over his mouth and said, "Sorry, Anna, I thought you were asleep!"
I jumped off the bunk bed, landed on my feet, right next to Thomas' head, which made him jump up, and quickly ran towards the bathroom.
Before I closed the door behind me, leaned against it and let myself slide onto the floor, I could hear Minho swearing wildly at Winston, who kept apologising. Tears were already running down my cheeks and the first sobs were not long in coming.
It wasn't long before someone knocked gently on the door. I knew immediately that it was Newt, I had already recognised that from the knock, even before he asked, "Can I come in?"
Without a word, I moved a little away from the door so he could open it. He carefully closed it behind him and then sat down next to me.
At first he just sat there, gently putting an arm around my shoulders and stroking my upper arm tenderly.
Then he whispered, "We've been in a situation like this before, remember? I don't remember much about it, but I remember that Gally was picked up then to be taken to the maze. The only thing I remember was that you were crying terribly and I didn't know how to comfort you. Then I just held you in my arms and it got better and better. Until you fell asleep."
At his words, I had calmed down a little as I listened to what he had to say. I remembered it too and I was surprised that he also remembered more than that he had known me. I had thought that was all he remembered, at least that was what he had always claimed.
"I know it's something different this time. And I can't tell you how sorry I am for what happened. I was there, I saw how much suffering and pain can happen in a second. And I will probably never be able to empathise with how it felt for you when you lost them. Gally meant so much to you, I've always known that, and it was the right thing. And no matter how he left and what happened shortly before, he was the same in the end, right? He was the one you loved, even if he was far from perfect."
I nodded silently without taking my eyes from his. Those beautiful, dark brown teddy bear eyes. I remembered calling them that when I had just met him - for the first time.
"Always think of him as who he really was and not what fear made of him, all right? It's perfectly okay to cry. But remember that he would have wanted you to start a new life and be happy. Just like I want that."
Again I nodded, then wrapped my arms around Newt's neck and kissed him. At first he was a little taken off guard, then he returned the kiss. So we sat there, in this little bathroom in a place that was anything but comfortable for me, and kissed. And for that moment I forgot everything around me.