The Inventor

Chapter Twenty One; "Time to get to work, inventor"

    Gally, the boy you had traded moonshine with, ran into the maze, trying to prove that he could be a runner. He was spared his head but got stung by a griever, you didn't look at him, preferred not too. You kept your distance but you defended him against the keepers, got him a week in the slammer with barely any food but you couldn't imagine putting a boy to death for a crime you did only a few months ago. You found it unjust. You felt less pressured on those rules now that you were a keeper, you hoped someday for Gally it could be the same.

     You had stayed far over a few days with Newt, you stayed one month, one month with Newt in medbay, one month of working until you made easily usable crutches for him. You got him walking around the glade again, his leg in a cast but for two weeks you found it a success. He still slept in the med bay, got the privilege of eating there and away from everyone else, you liked those parts where it was just the two of you. You would bore him with mechanics, interest him with knee books that came up in the box. There was a diary about an inventor that got granted to you and you were enthralled, another was a thick history book of when things were invented and how. You would pour over it's pages and imagine your name there with something epic enough to deserve it one day. Be one of the good people who made these amazing beneficial inventions.

     But you were restless despite that, you had to bring a rolly chair up to the medbay because you hated the stiff wood ones. You rolled back and forth on it now, your foot jiggling up and down while you stared absently out the window, the maze doors would open soon, the runners would be set free. You would still be here, though.

     Newt caught where you were looking and sighed, "For bloody sake just go out and run already."

     "What?" You turned to him.

     "You haven't sat still in days and this is boring you. You're a runner, run."

     "I won't, I don't want to leave you yet, I can take breaks," You said.

     "You can't take breaks, you're horrible at it. And you're going to be back by sunset, not like I can go anywhere with this limo of a leg," He patted his bad leg and winced, "Yep, definitely not going anywhere."

     "But you'll be bored and alone and-"

     "And it's been a month and I'm doing better, a lot better, I'm chipper, I'm probably going to go stir crazy myself if I don't start getting back to the gardens," Newt said, "Go, I promise I'll be here when you get back."

     You stared at him hesitantly, then back at the maze doors, "Are you sure?"

     "You look like a lost puppy dear god, just go!" He shoved you and you smiled like a kid, hopping up and rushing to the door.

     "Thank you from the bottom of my heart!" You said joyfully to him before sprinting out and quickly gearing up like it was muscle memory. You stumbled with the rest of the runners at the east entrance just as the doors began to open.

     "Aye! The genius keeper is back!" Someone said, clapping you on the shoulder.

     A few people laughed and clapped but Minho snapped back their attention, "Get running shanks, we don't have all day."

     "Yes sir!" They shouted playfully and cackled their way into the maze.

     Minho's stern expression broke and he smiled at you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders with his running buddy stretching a few feet away.

     "You good with joining us?" He asked.

     "Sounds like a plan, I just need to run."