No Matter What - Book 1

Chapter 8

When Fawn awoke the next morning, she was greeted by a searing pain in her neck from having slept with her head tilted back against the wall. She looked down at where Newt's head had been resting in her lap the night before but he was gone, the warmth from his body already fading in the sunlight streaming through the window indicated that it was morning. Ben would be cast into the maze within the next few hours directly after Minho and Alby returned from the run. After discovering that the Grievers we're much more active and alert during the afternoon hours, Alby and whoever ran with him would be sure to return from the maze before lunchtime. Fawn scrambled to her feet and brushed her Rouge curls from her eyes, and headed out to breakfast. Needless to say, life was not the same that morning. As they were served and sat down to eat, the boys were silent and did not smile or greet each other like they did every other day . They ate in silence if they ate at all, the majority of them just nibbling on the eggs and toast, finding that they had no appetite. Fawn looked down at the plate in front of her and knew that even though her stomach was grumbling, her throat would close if she tried to force feed herself.

She sighed heavily, and picking up her plate she strode off towards the pit where Ben was being kept overnight. She saw Alby and Gally standing a few meters from the bars, talking together and they had not yet noticed her presence. She knew that they would tell her to stay away from them. That was what a couple of overprotective boys did when you were the only known girl in existence. Creeping forward, she crouched in front of the bars so that the sight of her was obscured from Gally and Alby vision by a large stump. She placed the plate of food on the ground next to the bars and gently nudged it under the securely bolted gate.

She almost cried out in shock when a pale hand shot out from behind the bars and grabbed at the plate. Fawn breathed deeply to study her heartbeat as been snatched up the food and began to eat. She got a good listen of the boy who had once been very light on his toes and a deep, soothing voice to match period now his feet sounded heavy, his breathing was ragged and the grunts he made were like those of a sick animal.

"I am so sorry Ben. This is not a fate fit for anyone. I wish there was another way but you will suffer if we don't do this." she whispered, tears pricking her eyes.

The blonde boy lifted his head to look at her and Fawn heard his breathing relax but all of a sudden, Drake appeared at her side and began to growl low in his throat at the imprisoned boy.

"Drake, no!" the girl softly scolded and when the dog did not obey, she raised her voice a little, "Ben is not a threat period now stop that..."

Having heard Drake's growls, Gally and Alby had approached but just as they caught sight of the girl crouched by the bars, the horrified voice of Newt cut through the air like a knife.

" Fawn look out!"

The girl turned in the direction of the voice but she suddenly felt a hot, sticky hand wrap around her ankle violently. She let out a shocked yell and Drake began to bark angrily at Ben who was trying to pull Fawn closer to the bars. Alby and Gally rushed forward but somehow, the limping Newt had reached the scene before them. While Newt grabbed ahold of Fawn's shoulders, Gally kicked at Ben's arm to try and get him to let go but the second boy only gripped harder.

Drake let out an infuriated growl before sinking his teeth into Ben's wrist. The boy let out a strangled scream and released Fawn before Alby pulled Gally and Drake out of reach of the bars. Fawn was breathing heavily as Newt had one arm around her waist and the other he stroked her arm with as he held her against him.

" I just wanted to give him breakfast," the girl mumbled, tears beginning to stream out.

Newt slowly shook his head and nuzzled his nose in her hair as he kept a wary eye on the bars of the cage.