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Word quickly got around about Adam's condition. No matter how many times the Gladers have witnessed someone go through the Changing, that's what Newt called it, they still seemed to be surprised by the screams and moans every time.
The sounds of Adam's yells were so loud, that the Grievers could probably hear them from wherever the hell they were when they weren't attacking young boys.
Theo lingered outside the Homestead, waiting to be let in by Clint to check on his friend. It concerned me how worried he was. He refused to talk to anyone or do anything else but wait it out. Theo flinched at every scream and shout that came out of the injured boy's mouth. It was an agonizing sound that replayed in your head over and over until it was unforgettable.
"What happens during the Changing?" I asked Newt, sitting on the grass a few feet away from Theo. I knelt down beside him, picked the grass blades out of the dirt, and fidgeted with them.
"You get some of your memories back. Some Gladers get more than others do." He explained, massaging his bad leg.
"Did you go through it?" I asked, throwing the grass over my shoulder.
"Nope. He has, though." Newt mumbled, nodding toward Theo, who had his back resting against the wall with his head lowered.
"By the noises, Adam's been making for the past thirty minutes, I'm going to assume it hurts like a bitch." I guessed. As if on cue, Adam lets out a pained shriek, making Newt scrunch his nose sympathetically.
"Yeah. It's strange though..." Newt trails off, contemplating if he should continue or not.
"How so?"
He rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward, "I think that the screams and jolting are just how they react to the shucked up stuff they see while they're out. Gally told me bits of what he saw and it wasn't good. The world's messed up now, so it's smart to assume that our past isn't as nice as we imagined."
I stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. Has the world really fallen apart? There must've been some global crisis for the whole world to tear to shreds. Maybe the Glade was made to protect us from whatever was happening out there.
Whether my theory is right or not, I need to know what happened to my family. Do they miss me? Are they even alive?
"Do you remember anything?" I asked him. He shot his head up, glancing down at the ground.
"No, I don't remember anything at all. I prefer it that way."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I like the way my life is. I have Alby, Minho, and now you. I have all these friends that I can count on. What else would I bloody want?" He threw his arms up.
"I want my family back..." I said, suddenly feeling very alone, even though my friend was sitting right next to me.
Newt tilted his head up to look at me, "Hey, I'm sure your family is worried sick about you and can't wait to see you again. I know they'll be thrilled to see you once we get out of here."
