Abused ≫ Newt [2]

Chapter 13.

Emily didn't know whether it was jealousy or curiosity she felt towards the girl. But, whatever it was, she didn't like it.
Ever since she arrived the day before, she was all the boys would talk about. Emily was thankful that all the attention was no longer on her, but she still couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealously. Even Newt seemed to take an interest in the girl; he would visit her in the Med-Jack room several times a day. This definitely made Emily jealous.
He told you he loved you, she kept telling herself. He loves you.
But she still couldn't help but think that, maybe, this girl was sent to replace her. She just hoped that Newt felt nothing more than curiosity towards the newcomer. She didn't know what she would do if she lost him to someone else, especially now that she finally admitted her love to him.
The leaves on the trees russled as the wind blew across their branches, sending goosebumps up Emily's arms as she headed across the stone courtyard of the Glade. Everyone was busy doing their own thing; Minho was out in the Maze, and she did not even know were Newt was. More than likely in the Homestead with Alby, Clint and the unconscious girl. Clint told her that her and Jeff were not needed today- that he would call for them if there were any serious injuries. So that was why she was currently wandering around the Glade like a lost puppy.
She was lonely. Jeff was hanging around the Bloodhouse with Winston, and Chuck was busy doing whatever he did as a Slopper. She felt bad for the kid. The worst job in the whole Glade, and the sweet, innocent boy was stuck doing the nasty work. She found it unfair and, if she had a say in it, she would get Chuck and all the other Sloppers new jobs.
She then remembered Thomas. The Greenie was working with the Track-Hoes today, and she knew he was always up for talking. She changed course and headed towards the Fields, hoping that she would actually find him there.
Though as she neared the gardens, she could not see him, and she felt a prickle of frustration. The Glade was only so big, and he was supposed to be training with the Track-Hoes. Where else could he even be?
"Zart," Emily addressed the Keeper as she approached him. The dark haired boy stuck his shovel in the ground and turned towards her, greeting her with a small smile. "Do you know where Thomas is?"
Zart stared at her for a second, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "I sent him into the forest to get more fertilizer. Why?" His tone was flat, which sent a wave of annoyance through Emily. She was sick of people thinking her and Thomas were a thing. She would tell them all the truth, to stop them from assuming stuff, but something held her back. It was as if she was literally unable to speak the words.
She pushed the feeling of annoyance aside and only merely shrugged, "I'm lonely, and he's always up for conversation." She turned away from the Keeper and began heading towards the Deadheads.
"Don't distract him!" He called after her. "He needs to get back here and finish planting the strawberry plants!"

The temperature immediately dropped as she headed into the dense forest. She no longer felt the heat from the sun beating down on her shoulders, thankful for the thick canopy of leaves that blocked any sunlight from seeping through. She liked the shade; it made her feel calmer, more safe, almost.
She headed deeper into the forest, being careful with each step, making sure she did not scrape her leg on some thorns or tripped over a root. She did it almost every time she even dared to set foot into the forest, and she found it quite annoying.
Emily found Thomas in the graveyard. It wasn't too far from where they kept the stash of fertilizer, but she was still surprised to find him there. He stood in front of a grave- one that she recognized almost immediately. She felt her chest tighten as she stared at the tombstone, where a name was carved sloppily into the stone. Nick.
Se approached Thomas. He jumped as she stepped beside him, though his shoulders relaxed once he realized it was her.
"That's an odd way of collecting fertilizer," she joked.
Thomas laughed. It was short, a mere chuckle, but it was there all the same. His eyes were glued on the grave, his eyebrows knitted together as if in deep concentration.
"What happened to him?"
Emily blinked. She was hoping he wouldn't ask that question. Nick's death still haunted her to that day, and she wished that she would never have to talk about it. She did not answer right away, her eyes drifting over the words that were carved in his tombstone:
Let this half-shank be a warning to all:
You can't escape through the Box Hole
She shivered. Whether it was from the cool breeze that blew, or the memory of Nick's severed body inches from her feet, she did not know.
"He wasn't himself. He probably wasn't even aware of what he was doing until it was too late," she said quietly. "He went crazy a few days before it happened. Was never the same since. The day Jeff arrived, only minutes after we got him out of the Box, Nick ran out of the Homestead, screaming illiterate things. The Box suddenly descended, leaving only a black abyss in its place. He just jumped right in, let the darkness swallow him whole... Seconds later his body shot out of it. Though it was only the top half, sliced clean through the bone."
Thomas stayed silent, and Emily was thankful that he did not ask anymore questions. Her and Nick were never close, at least not as close as her and Minho were, but his death still bothered her. He didn't deserve it, and it hurt her to talk about it. She couldn't even imagine how Alby felt. After all, Nick was his best friend.
"Come on," she said, gently nudging Thomas with her shoulder. "Zart'll get on to us if we take too much longer. The guy has a quick temper."
Thomas laughed and nodded. They both turned to head towards the fertilizer stash, but stopped as a snapping noise came from up ahead.
Another followed soon after that. Then another. And then the rustle of leaves.
Someone was out there, watching them. It sounded as if they weren't hiding themselves too well. Perhaps it was only Minho or Chuck, playing some stupid prank on them.
But then the leaves rustled once more, and Emily realized that if it were their friends, they would've shown themselves by now. It was someone- or something- else.
Perhaps a beetle blade? No, too big. It was a person.
"Who's out there?" Thomas called. "Seriously, this is stupid."
Emily wanted to slap him, though she held back. Honestly, did he expect that, whoever it was, they would call out? They obviously wanted to stay hidden.
She felt a flash of panic as the sounds of footsteps on the leaf littered ground filled her ears. The person was running, heading towards them at a fast pace. She wanted to run, but it was as if her feet were glued to the ground. Thomas obviously didn't plan on running away, and she wasn't leaving him to face whoever- or whatever- it was.
Emily squinted, attempting to catch a glimpse of their attacker through the undergrowth. She saw a shadow of a tall, lanky boy, heading towards them in an odd, limpy run. It was definitely a person. But who?
"Who the hell are-?" she didn't get a chance to finish her question. In front of them, the boy burst through the bushes, lunging towards Thomas. Thomas cried out, tried to run, thought the boy was already on top of him. The boy slammed his shoulder into the ground, and Thomas let out a hiss of pain.
Emily recognized who the boy was with a jolt of panic, surprise. Fear. It was Ben. Though it looked nothing like the Builder. His skin was pale, his eyes sunken in, dark. Black veins ran all over his body, pulsing out of his skin. Emily realized that this boy was sick. He had been stung.
She stood, frozen in her shoes, as Ben sank his teeth deep into Thomas's shoulder. Her friend's scream seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she was in, and she threw herself towards the sick boy. She grabbed Ben by the shoulders and tried to yank him off of Thomas, though it was no use. His grip was too strong, and it seemed as if he wasn't giving up anytime soon.
"Somebody help!" She screamed, her voice echoeing off the stone walls. She knew someone had to hear her. But the question was, would help arrive in time, before one of them was seriously injured? She hoped so.
"Ben!"
Emily's head snapped towards the voice, which startled her. She hadn't expected someone to be so close. Alby stood at the edge of the graveyard, a bow in his hands. Loaded in the string was an arrow, and it was aimed directly at Ben.
"Stop this right now, or you ain't gonna see tomorrow," Alby's voice was deep, a mere growl as he addressed the sick boy. By now, Thomas had managed to escape Ben's grip, as he was too focused on Alby. Thomas stood by Emily's side, breathing heavily and holding his shoulder in pain.
Emily glanced at Ben, surprised to feel a wave of fear shoot through her body. The Builder's tongue flicked out from between his lips like a snake, his eyes darting back and forth between her, Alby and Thomas. He looked like a monster.
"If you kill me, you'll get the wrong guy," the boy said, his voice coming out more of a hiss. His gaze drifted over to Thomas. "He's the one you want to kill."
"Don't be stupid," Alby said slowly. He continued to aim the arrow, his arms shaking as he spoke. "Thomas just got here. Ain't nothing to worry about. You're not right, man. Just slim it nice and easy. We'll take you to the Homestead, give you the Serum, and you'll be fine in a few days."
"No!" Ben's voice was full of madness, causing Emily to flinch as spit flew from his mouth. "He's not one of us! He's bad! Bad... bad... bad..." and then he cut off. His gaze snapped to her, his eyes hardening. "And you. I don't even know where to begin with you. This place is full of traitors! They helped them! It is because of them we're stuck in this place! They're one of them!"
Emily stared at the boy in disbelief. What did he know? How did he know? How much did he know? Did he know that she was the one that designed the Maze in the first place? Thomas glanced at her, his eyes wide and full of panic. He was obviously having the same thoughts as she was.
And what if Alby believed him?
The leader still hadn't lowered his weapon, still aiming it at Ben. "You leave that to me and the Keepers to discuss, shuck-face, you hear? Right now, get your scrawny butt to the Homestead so we don't have to kill you."
"They'll wanna take us home! Kill us all if they have to!" Ben screeched, his voice shaking. "They'll wanna get us out of the Maze. Better if we all jumped off the Cliff! At least, then, our death's would be painless. They'll kill us all!"
"What are you even talking about?" Emily spoke up for the first time, disbelief clear in her tone.
"Shut your face!" Ben screamed, whipping around to face her. "Shut your ugly, traitorous face! You're nothing more than a murderer! It's because of you Newt almost died!"
This hit her hard. She took a step backwards, her head spinning. Thomas quickly steadied her as she stumbled, his eyes full of concern as he stared at her.
"Ben, I'm gonna count to three, and if you aren't heading to the Homestead, I won't be afraid to shoot," Alby said calmy, the arrow still aimed at Ben.
"He's bad... She's bad... They're all bad!" Ben was whispering now, rocking back and forth on the feels of his feet. "Newt should've died that day. At least, then, we would have one less traitor to deal with."
"Shut up!" Fury boiled up inside of Emily as she launched herself towards the sick boy. Though Thomas held her back. She kicked and flailed her limbs, trying to escape his grip. But it was no use, he was too strong.
"One." Alby said.
"Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad... They're all bad!" Ben sneered, his teeth appeared as white as pearls, shining in the dim light. He pulled something out of his pocket. Emily realized with a jolt that it was a knife, its blade shining in the light.
She wanted to look away, run away. As far away as she could possible go. But she seemed to be glued to the spot, unable to even look away from the Builder.
"Two." Alby raised his voice, full of warning.
"Ben," Thomas spoke for the first time. His voice shook with fear, which surprised Emily. "What are you talking about? We don't even know-"
Ben screamed, a deranged hollar of complete insanity. He lashed out with the blade, leaping in the air and towards her and Thomas.
"Three!" Alby's voice rang out through the graveyard, followed by the snapping sound of wire. The whoosh of an arrow flying through the air, then a thick, wet thunk as it sank into it's home.
Ben's head snapped violently to the side. His whole body twisted with the force, falling to the ground. He let out one last gurgle of a breath, and then grew silent.
Emily pulled herself out of Thomas's grip and approached his limp body. The arrow stuck out of Ben's cheek, very little blood seeping from the wound. If any at all. Though the coppery smell of blood filled the air. His eyes stared up at the sky, bloodshot and full of madness. His right hand twitched slightly, the only movement of his entire body. She felt her stomach quenche, as if she were about to be sick.
"Come on," Alby's voice was flat, no sign of emotion as he approached her. He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Baggers'll take care of him. We need to get you two back to the Homestead. Newt will be worried about you." Emily turned to look at him as he said this. "He insisted on coming with me; he knew you were in trouble. He'll want to see you."
Emily nodded slightly, finding no words as she began to follow Alby towards the Homestead. Thomas trailed behind them, his feet sliding across the ground as if he were too tired to even pick them up. Emily's heart was pounding, her breathing coming in quick, shallow gasps, her head spinning as one thought ran through her mind:
What did Ben know that she didn't?