Escaping This Ivy Nightmare

Chapter 18

After dinner that night, the small group of friends decided to have a mini bonfire of their own to celebrate the fact that Minho and Thao had actually survived a night in the Maze, since too much crazy stuff had happened the day before.

They were just waiting on Audrey, who had to wait for Jeff to finish eating before she could leave Alby. "Where the hell is she? Jeff promised me he would send her out once he was done. How long does it take to eat a bloody sandwich?" Newt huffed, growing impatient with the news he had to tell everyone. 

"Here, I'm here. Sorry, Clint needed a bathroom break so I needed to watch the girl." 

"Casey." Newt said, earning him three very confused looks. "Tommy remembered it earlier before he flipped out and ran off. Her name is Casey." 

"Wait, Thomas knows her?" 

"What else does he remember?" 

"You don't think Ben and Gally were right, do ya? I mean, if greenie can spew out her name like that..." 

"That's the weird bit. He freaked out and said he heard it. I think he meant he heard it in his bloody mind." 

"When did you go to see her?" Audrey asked "After Alby freaked out?" 

"Wait, Alby freaked out?"   

"Yeah, tried to kill himself. But he said it was like he was being controlled, and it was right as he was telling Thomas that he remembered him. And a thing called the flare." 

"So that makes three people who have gone through the changing to remember him..."

"I'm telling ya shanks, there's something up with that kid." Newt shook his head, watching the flames.

"I like him." Thao argued, crossing her arms.

"He's a cool kid. You guys should get to know him." Minho suggested.

"Well, he's going in the slammer tomorrow, and then he's all yours Min." Newt laughed. "Honestly though, don't you guys think it's a bit weird?"

"I think it's weird that you're accusing a scared greenie of things he doesn't even understand." Thao pointed out, eyebrows raised.

"I'm just scared something is going to happen." Newt sighed, closing his eyes. 

"What happened in the gathering? Obviously he's being punished, but it's not like spending a day in the Slammer is the worst thing in the world. And you said before Gally threatened to kill him?" Audrey asked, looking at both Minho and Newt for answers. "And I still haven't heard a single thing about how you two survived a night in the Maze. I feel like it's my first day all over again."   

"Gally threatened to kill Thomas?" 

"Yeah, he's lucky we don't bloody Banish him for it." Newt sighed, earning a glare from Audrey. "Not that I would..."

"Nice save." 

"The gathering was awful though. Zart the Fart and Frypan were all about making Thomas part of the council and a runner, and Gally and Winston were against it. Minho didn't even really help matters much, although the bit about you wanting to replace you as Keeper of the Runners was genius." Newt continued, deciding to pretend he hadn't said anything about the banishing.

"I beat Gally up." Minho supplied, smirking slightly.

"Where is he now?" Audrey asked, not wanting to be anywhere near the kid.

"No one knows." Newt shrugged. "Anyways, Gally and Winston were the only two opposed to the idea, and Gally didn't get a say in the matter, after he sissied out." Minho scoffed at Newt's words.

"Oh. And Minho called himself a- what was it now? Oh right, a panty-wearing chicken. Is that really what it was like out there? Running around in your runnie-undies? Do share." Newt and the girls burst out laughing, while Minho turned bright red. "Also, what even happened to Alby?"

"Basically, we went out to find that dead griever," Minho began, looking around at his friends. "Turns out it wasn't dead. Damn thing just stung Alby and ran off. I dragged him all the way back to the doors, and they started to close, and I wasn't very well gonna leave the shank in there. And then shuck one and shuck two came parading through the doors like shucking heroes or some-."

"Thomas and I were just trying to help." Thao interrupted, throwing a hand over Minho's mouth. "Thomas had the idea to hide Alby up in the vines, while this shuck-face was crying about how we were all dead." Minho fought her hand off, and placed his own hand over her lips.

"Then the shucking clicks started, so I made em book it out of there. Those two shanks ran one way, so I went the other way to divert the things. I lost em eventually, then I had to save the bloody shanks from runnin' straight into one pretending to be dead." Thao gained control of the situation again, glaring at Minho as she did so.

"The griever started to chase us and we had to shucking run for it. Minho got the idea to run it off the Cliff, just as another one started tailin' us. We sent them over the edge, and the two manly men cried like babies for the next hour. Damn Shanks."

"Wow, I'm really glad I'm not a Runner." Audrey mumbled, scooting closer to Newt, who happily wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I don't think I could do that. You are all a lot tougher than me. And probably actually enjoy running. Not for your lives maybe, but in general." 

"Running for our lives is a lot better than standing still and dying." 

"Okay, fair point." Audrey shook her head and laughed a little. "I'm glad you guys made it back alive, and without too much damage anywhere. I don't think I could've taken seeing any of you with the Med-Jacks again." 

"I don't think any of us want to be back there." 

"Good, between Alby and the gir--- Casey, we are swamped." Audrey mumbled, yawning quietly. 

"Two people?" 

"You try dealing with two patients you have to constantly monitor and then write up records of everyone who's ever come in with what injury ever and only have three people working. It's impossible."

"You lot ready for bed then?" Newt asked, closing his eyes and dropping his head onto Audrey's shoulder. He tried to stifle a yawn, but it didn't work. Minho caught sight of the yawn, and began to yawn himself, which in turn caused Audrey to yawn, and then Thao.

"That was dumb." Thao laughed, allowing Minho to get to his feet before she made grabby hands at him. "Heeeelp." She whined, pouting.

"Get up." Minho rolled his eyes. She pouted again, and the boy stuck out his hands and pulled her up. Audrey and Newt got to their feet as well. "I wanna do a write up about what happens out there at night." Minho explained as they put out the fire.

"I'll come with ya." Thao smiled, stretching. The pair then headed off to the map room, while Newt led Audrey towards homestead.