𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐒 ⌯ Newt [The Maze Runner]

[0.6] midnight-muncher

         𝑹𝒖𝒆'𝒔 𝒈𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒇-𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒏 demeanor is like a shadow draped over her, a heavy shroud that clings to her very being.

The lines of her face are etched with sorrow, and her eyes, once filled with determination, are now clouded with profound sadness. Her every movement seems laden with the weight of the world, as if the guilt she carries is an anchor, pulling her deeper into despair.

As the runners gather in the Map Room the following evening, Rue tries her best to maintain a facade of composure. She takes her seat among the group, her posture rigid and her hands folded tightly in her lap. 

Her lips, usually quick to offer encouragement and support, are sealed shut, and her gaze, which should be fixed on the map of the maze, wanders aimlessly.

The words of her fellow runners drift past her like a distant echo. She tries to listen, to absorb their plans and strategies for the next day, but the guilt that gnaws at her conscience keeps pulling her away from the present.

Every time someone mentions a friend's name, her heart clenches with a painful twinge. Her fingers nervously trace the cracks of the wooden table, an uneasy fiddling that betrays her inner turmoil.

Nick's voice reaches her ears as if from a great distance. She tries to focus, to sponge his words, but the guilt that claws at her heart is an unrelenting torment.

In a fleeting moment of clarity, Rue forces herself to concentrate on the map spread before them. She traces the intricate lines of the maze with her finger. But the labyrinth on the map is a cruel reflection of the one that has claimed her friends, and she can't shake the feeling that she could've done more. She shouldn't have returned to the Glade. 

The boys exchange knowing glances, their concerns evident. Rue's absence in the conversation is a stark contrast to her usual enthusiasm and engagement. They witness her valiant efforts to lead and inspire, and now they see a once-unyielding spirit broken by the burden of guilt.

"Rue."

The single word pierces through the haze of her thoughts like a lifeline, and she is instantly brought back from the depths of her inner turmoil.

The voice, familiar and comforting, belongs to Newt. He sits nearby, his eyes searching her face for any sign of her well-being.

Her name hangs in the air, a gentle but firm reminder of her presence in the moment. She blinks, feeling as though she's been lost in a fog of grief and guilt. The weight of her own conscience is overwhelming, and it has caused her to drift into a sea of remorse.

"Rue," Newt repeats, his voice carrying an undertone of apprehension. His words gently nudge her to rejoin the world around her. "You with us?"

In response, Rue straightens her posture, her back no longer slumped with the weight of her emotions. The slight humiliation of having let her emotions get the best of her burns her cheeks, and she clears her throat, attempting to regain her composure. She wipes away the trace of a tear that has been on the verge of rolling down her cheek.

"I'm good," is all she says, her voice a quiet admission of her emotional struggle. Her words carry a sense of vulnerability, but beneath that vulnerability, there's a determination to regain her composure and strength.

The weight of her emotions still lingers, but Rue pushes them aside, at least for the moment. The meeting proceeds, and once again, Nick takes the word.

"It's too dangerous to keep sending the recruits into the maze," Nick reiterates, his eyes lingering on Rue. He understands that she bears the heavy weight of it all, but he also recognizes her unique knowledge about the sudden changes in the maze.