Runner Runner (Newt)

girl talk 101

Gally, Newt, Thomas, Minho, Zart, Winston, frypan and I are in the Council hall talking about the device. Minho throws the device at me and I walk over to Newt handing it to him.

"Check this out." I stand beside him.

"Alright, we found this. It was inside a griever." Thomas claimed.

"It's the same letters we get on our supplies." Newt noted.

"Yea. Whoever put us here made the grievers. This is the first real clue, the first anything we found in three years, right Minho?"

"Right." Minho agrees.

"Newt we gotta go back out there. Who knows where this might lead us to."

"You see what he is doing here right?" Gally retorted.

"Thomas is right. This could be our way out." I look up at Newt.

"Oh come on Ember, please don't tell me you agree with the shank."

"Gally its all facts, what else is there? Everything leads to a way out. Why can't you see that?" I hissed.

"Oh cuz you know everything. Ember is the mom of the glade. She knows everything and anyone. Agree with the greenie then your own people traitor."

"I don't know everything. I'm not breaking any rules I'm not harming anyone. I go into the maze because I'm a runner. I do my job. How am I a traitor when Minho and I are the only runners while the rest of the 'runners' are now builders. I'm just a glader doing my job." I listed.

"No you are a 'innocent' girl that had a perfect boyfriend, perfect life but it wasn't perfect was it? You were scared. Why are you scared Ember? Please do tell everyone. You have been hiding it for so long. You're probably happy Ben's gone now, you can do whatever you want. Free woman on the market."

"Thats enough Gally." Newt slams his hand on a post. I let go of Newt and stand right in front of Gally. Only 5 inches away from his face. Everyone goes silent.

"No. Go ahead Gally. Tell them why I was scared. Tell them that every night I cried myself to sleep knowing there was a monster right beside me. Tell them everytime I went to the med-jacks to get checked out from 'falling' or 'accidentally' breaking my bones or busting my lip because Ben beat me. Everyday. Tell them that if I didn't give or do what Ben wanted he would threaten to feed me to the grievers. Every bruise, cut, scrape, broken bone and concussion I got was because of him. You don't know what I've been through. I can't say the same about you. You are a pathetic, sad, manipulative, lonely, stupid, lying, nosey, cold-hearted shank I've ever met." I yell out for everyone to hear. They all stare at me.

"I run those mazes everyday trying to find an exit so we all can get out of here. I risk my life out there. Minho and I would die trying to get out. Trying to get everyone out of here. I should be dead by now if Thomas wasn't here, both of us." I gestured to Minho. Everyone stands there awkwardly.

"If you'll excuse me. I'm going to go do my job. Find an exit before we die from your idiotic plans and opinions." I run out and grab my go bag. Just as I am about to walk into the maze Chuck comes running up to me.

"What is it child?" I turn to face him.

"I need you help." He wheezes.

"This can't be good." We both jog toward the tower and that is when I see it. The girl is on top of the tower throwing items down at the boys who have shield themselves.

"You guessed right. Since you're a girl I though it would be easy for you and your motherly instincts." Chuck laughs nervously.

"Chuck what the hell did you do?" I run up to Newt.

"I didn't do it this time!" He yells after me.

"We kind of scared her. She doesn't like us very much." He looks at me.

"Yea no shuck." I mutter. Finally it hits me, not the items she is throwing at us but she hasn't seen me at all today. All she has seen are boys.

"Hey! My name is Ember. I am a girl just like you. I'm coming up!" She stops throwing things and peers over the tower.

"Alone?"

"Yes." She slides back.

"I'm going up. No one comes up there or interrupts us. Ok?" Newt nod his head.

"Be careful."

"Always." I smile at him. Newt, Gally, Chuck, Minho, Thomas stand there as the others left to do their jobs.

As I climb up the tower I realize I have a fear of heights. I guess when I was climbing the maze wall I was just trying to get away from the griever. Why this fear? Ugh. I finally make it to the top unlatching the door and pushing myself up.

"I have just recently discovered that I have a fear of heights. So whatever it is you want or need," I stop and stare at her as she hold a machete to my throat.

"Good weapon choice. I always have adored the machete, nice clean cut. Where did you find this?" My thumb drags across the blade which is a few inches away from my throat.

"I found it. Wait, why aren't you scared?" Her eyes narrow I burst out laughing and she stares at me.

"Honey, I'm not afraid to die. If you did hear my speech earlier. Anyway, I could just kill you now if I wanted to but I don't. I just want to talk. You know, girl talk." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Ok." She hesitates but places the machete on the ground and I kick it to the side. Precaution is all I'm doing.

"Well my name is Ember. I'm the first girl here. You and I are the only girls, which is hard because we are surrounded by a bunch of boys. And you can never tell if they want to be friends or more. I am the mother of the glade you will hear that a lot. Everyone calls me mom or Em. I have been here for two years."

"Where am I?"

"We call it the glade. Since there are walls covering us. Its as if we are trapped in a box." I replied.

"Why can't I remember anything?" She shifts into a more comfortable position. She is getting used to me now.

"It happens to all of us. Every single person that is here can't remember who they once were. The only thing you will remember is your name. Do you know your name?" I move closer to her.

"Teresa." She relaxes.

"I like that name. Sounds very pretty."

"So is yours." She smiles at me. I smile back. I deserve a winning cookie.

"I think we are going to be great friends Teresa. Do you want me to get Thomas?" Her eyes dart to mine.

"Yes." She says automatically.

"I'm going down to get him, ok? You stay right here." She nods her head. I climb down and breath out. Fear of heights? Unbelievable. I lean against Newt for support.

"Number one, I hate heights don't make me go anywhere with heights please. Two, her name is Teresa that's all she remembers. I didn't ask anything else, one step at a time is what she needs. Three, she likes and trust me. Four, don't push her for information she is still trying to figure out what is going on. Five Thomas she wants to talk to you." Thomas climbs up the tower.

"Never send a man to do a woman's job." I purred.

"What does that mean?" Chuck questions.

"Girl talk son. Girl talk."

"Are all girls like this?" Frypan mutters.

"What was that?" I snapped.

"Nothing." He replies.

"Mhmm." I respond.

"Girls scare me." Chuck whispers causing me to laugh.