Lost in a Maze

Chapter 29: Building up stress

Newt and I woke up around 5 in the morning, to the screams and yells of another Glader. Pulling on our clothes, we ran out the door still doing up buttons and tying laces.
It had raised alarms throughout the rest of the Glade, various people had woken up and came outside to see what the fuss was about.

"It's Alby." Newt said, running off to the Homestead. I chased after him, my legs a little stiff but waking up all the same.
"What's going on?!" Newt shouted as he rushed in through the Homestead doors to meet Clint and Jeff, who were running up the stairs.

"We don't know!" They shouted back, and swung open the door to Alby's room.
I entered last, already hearing them trying to talk to Alby, taking his temperature and trying to settle him.

I slowly walked in to see him furious writhing in the bed, punching the air wildly around him as Newt tried to hold him down, avoiding the fists flying around. "Alby! Stop it's us! It's us!" Newt shouted, in attempt to calm him down.

Alby's behaviour slowly started to subside, his arms fell loosely to either sides of the bed. Gently his eyes closed, and he fell asleep.
"Holy shuck." I breathed, stepping closer to him as Clint listened to his heartbeat.

It's a common saying to call someone "green" when they're ill, everyone knows that. But it always confused me when people said it, because I couldn't see how someone could appear green. But Alby, Alby was pure green and red, his dark red veins bulging out of his face, down his neck and arms. When his eyes were open, his pupils were severely dilated, giving his brown eyes a very dark look. He looked scary, though I'll never admit that to them.

"He's not getting better." Newt said crossly, running a hand through his hair.

"Newt, I'm sure he-" Clint started, but Newt interrupted. "Is he?!" He shouted, frowning at Clint as if it were his fault Alby was sick.
Clint swayed on the spot sheepishly, looking down at the floor, then at Jeff. "No. He's not."

"Give it time Newt, it's not even been a day." I said, trying to reassure him a little before he exploded.

He turned around sharply, I thought he was going to leave, but instead he just grabbed me and pulled me into a tight hug. I rubbed his back slowly as Clint and Jeff threw me looks of confusion.
"I don't know?!" I mouthed back at them, and they awkwardly busied themselves with treating Alby.

"You're alright Newt." I whispered into his ear, and he let go of me.
"Just tired." He said, as if he needed an excuse for hugging me.
"I'll stay with Alby alright love? You go down get some breakfast." I said to him, squeezing his hand.
"No, no I'm better staying with Alby." He said, trying to walk past me. I put my hands on his chest and pushed him back, guiding him toward the door. "No Newt, go now please. Just wake up, eat something, go get yourself cleaned up," I put my hand on the side of his face, swept my fingers down his jawline and smiled, "Even shave."

He gave in. "Alright, but I'll be back soon ok?"

As he left I sat down beside Alby's bed, an elbow on the mattress, propping up my head. I was exhausted, it was still early in the morning. Clint and Jeff left, giving me a new cloth and cold bowl of water to try and get his temperature down with. "Come get one of us if anything changes. I just think he needs time."

"Yeah, will do." I nodded, wringing out the cloth.
"Good luck." They said, and closed the door behind them. I folded the wet cloth and kept it on Alby's forehead, taking pity on his ragged appearance. "You poor thing." I tutted, gently running a finger over one of the bulging veins.

Alby slept, and when Newt came back he was still locked in a deep slumber. "You look better." I complemented, Newt was dressed in completely new clothes, looked fed, and had shaved.