The Maze Runner (Terra+Newt)

Chapter Eight

     Minho said he had one last thing to show me. We walked to a part of the Glade behind the forest. It was a small clearing against the wall opposite of the Glade doors. I noticed it had writing on it.

"Alby was in here first. A whole month alone until Newt came along," Minho pulled out a dagger from his belt. I looked at it, confused.
"We lost a few to panic coming in here, like I said," he continued, "but we've come a long way from then."

I saw names carved into the wall. All the Gladers. Now I understood why Minho had a knife. He handed it to me. I took it and stared at the wall.
"You're one of us now, yeah?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said, then started to carve my name underneath Newt and above Chuck.

***

I wanted to be a Runner.
That's what was on my mind the rest of the day. Running. The Maze. Grievers.
"Hey, Terra, can you help me with this?" Newt was dragging a long wooden box pass me toward the trees.
"Yeah," I said. I got up and lifted one side with both arms.
We carried it to the middle of the woods. It was heavy and my elbow was burning.
"What's in this thing?" I asked. Newt laughed—more of a gasp actually; we were both out of breath.
"Bloody heavy cow bones," he huffed.

"They weigh this much?"

"Apparently," he said.
We reached the boneyard and set the box down. Newt pulled the top off and a wave of stink made me gag. Death and rot.
I helped Newt dump the box. When we got all the bones out Newt put the top back on and stood, stretching out his back. I did the same.

"Man, that'll ruin your back," I said.

"Yeah," Newt replies. "Frypan usually does it, but he was helping Cooper with the pigs."
I couldn't remember who Cooper was, and Newt noticed my confusion.
"You'll get all the names eventually," he said with a smile. I smiled back, but my eyes flicked toward the Maze doors. My mind went back to being a Runner.

"You wanna be out there don't you?" Newt stood beside me; before, I would have stepped away, but now I loved it when Newt was close to me.

"Yes." I nodded. He sighed.

"Thought so. It's dangerous out there."

"But I thought Grievers only come out at night," I said.

"Yeah, but there are other things to watch watch out for—" I interrupted him.
"Like what?"

"Just—it's not as cool as it looks or sounds, alright? Can we talk about this later? I need to get back to Alby." He looked angry. Why?

I followed him as he walked back to the main building. He didn't say anything to me as he went into the building.

***

"I want to be a Runner," I told Minho.
I met him at the Maze doors and I was standing in front of him. He was out of breath.
"And Alby's my twin brother," he said sarcastically

"I'm serious." I said bluntly.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yes."

"No you don't." He laughed.

"Yes, Minho, I do." I put my hands on my hips.

"It's dangerous out there. And not easy," he said, finally catching his breath.

"Yeah, that's what Newt said! If it's so dangerous, why are you and Thomas our there all day?" I was getting irritated.

"Because—"
I stepped toward him. "Because I'm a girl?"

"Well—"

"I can take care off myself, thank you very much!" I raised my voice.

"Look, I have no problem with it, okay?" He said. "It's Newt's say."

"Why doesn't he want me to go in there? And how does he know anything? He's not a Runner!"

"He was," Minho snapped. I looked at him.

"Was?" I asked.

He sighed. "Newt was a Runner—a shucking fast one, too— before his accident."

"What happened?" I asked, curiosity tugging my mind. "Was it when he tried climbing the wall?"

"It's not my place to say," Minho replied. "You'll have to ask him yourself."

I turned and started walking to the gardens where Newt was.
"Okay! Thanks Minho!"

"No, Terra, wait!" He ran up to me and I stopped. "It's not exactly his favorite topic, especially if he hears that I brought it up."

"Then what do I do? Wait till he feels he should tell me? Does everyone here even know about it?"

Minho shook his head. "No," he said, answering which question, I do not know.
He thought for a moment. "Just ask him why he limps. That's a casual way to do it. Without bringing it back to me. Just don't tell him that I said anything to you, K?" He grinned.

"Good that. Thank you!" I smiled back.
I turned and walked quickly to the gardens. Newt was a Runner? That question was going through my head until I came up to Newt.
He was crouched down over a pepper plant. He noticed me and looked up.
"Hey," he said.

"Hey! Why do you limp?" I went straight to the point.

He looked at the plant for a moment, then stood up and faced me. By the look on his face I knew I had just screwed up. Too blunt.

"Did Minho put you up to this?" He looked angry. Sounded angry.

"No, don't blame Minho. I asked him, okay?"

He didn't get calmer. "You could've asked me! And I don't need your sympathy!"

I frowned. "That's not why I asked. I honestly don't care why you limp. Why can't I just be a shucking Runner?"

"I limp because I was the one who found out that—"

"That climbing the Glade walls didn't work," I interrupted him. "Listen, Newt, I'll be fine out there. I don't need you to protect me."

"You sure about that?" He snapped.
I turned and walked away from him. Not in any general direction—just away from Newt.
Why was he so sensitive? It's so frustrating—
A wave of guilt washed over me. It was my fault Newt reacted that way. I shouldn't of straight up asked him like that. I was just excited about the idea of being a Runner. Now I'd never be one if Newt hated me.
I was walking toward the woods when Ben was suddenly in front of me. I stopped.