The Glue

Alby

 I strode over to Thomas and grabbed his arm. "Well, come on," I said, "No way I'm not going with ya."

We walked to the infirmary. I knew from my experience as a Med-jack that too many people in on room tended to freak out a Changing victim, so I glanced at Chuck. "You. Stay."

Tommy forced a smile at his friend as I dragged him by the arm towards the medical wing. "Lighten up," Thomas called, "They just elected me a Runner, so you're buddies with a stud now."

I didn't hear Chuck's reply as I maneuvered Tommy up the stairs and towards the infirmary.

I pushed open the door slowly and winced at Alby, unmoving and weak on the narrow bed.

"Is he asleep?" Tommy whispered.

"I don't know." I said quietly, then leaned over my friend's still form, "Alby," I whispered, "Alby. Chuck said you wanted to talk to Tommy."

His eyes opened, and he glanced at the Greenie, then sat up. "Yeah," He whispered.

"Chuck said you were thrashin' around, acting like a loonie, What's wrong? Ya still sick?" God, I hoped not.

"Everything's... gonna change," Alby gasped out.

I felt a chill as I realized those were the exact words that the girl and Gally had said. Alby wheezed, "The girl... Thomas... I saw them..." He closed his eyes. "Don't feel so good."

A connection lit up in my mind. First Gally had seen Tommy, in the Changing, and the Changing had made Ben attack him. Now if Alby had seen Thomas... There was definitely something strange going on here.

"What do you mean, you saw-" I started to say, but Alby cut me off.

"I wanted Thomas! I didn't ask for you, Newt! Thomas! I asked for freaking Thomas!"

I turned away before Alby could see the hurt in my eyes. What did he want the Greenie for? I was his best friend, I should be the one comforting him, not the shucking Greenie he had known for less than a week! Well, a voice in my mind said, Thomas did run out in the Maze for him while you stood there. What kind of friendship is that, to stand and watch your friends struggle, just because of some stupid rule?

Selfish, Cowardly, and Stupid.

I sighed and turned to Tommy, raising my eyebrows.

He shrugged, looking sick, so I turned back to Alby.

"Fine, ya grouchy, shuck. He's right here- talk to him."

"Leave." Alby said.

"No way," I scoffed, "I wanna hear.

"Newt. Leave. Now." Alby repeated.

"But-" I protested.

"Out!" Alby yelled, "Get out!"

I winced. What could Alby possibly want to tell the Greenie that he couldn't tell me? Was I that untrustworthy to him? "Don't expect me to kiss your butt when you come sayin' sorry," I muttered, stepping into the hallway. Selfish, Cowardly, and Stupid. Me.

"Close the door!" Alby yelled. He didn't trust me.

I slammed the door shut and made my way down the stairs to sit next to Chuck.

The kid didn't say anything and I wasn't talking, so we made a good pair. Selfish, Cowardly, and Stupid.

Then came the yell, Thomas's yell of terror. "Alby! Newt! Newt, get in here!"

I was up the stairs and to the door in a heartbeat, slamming it open. Alby was on the floor, thrashing about with his hands closed around his own neck. What was going on? Was this some side effect of the Changing I'd never heard about?

"Grab his legs!" I yelled to Tommy. His first attempt to restrain my friend ended up with a kick to the jaw, but I yelled, "Just bloody do it!" So he jumped onto Alby, pinning his legs to the ground.

I put a knee on Alby's shoulders and made to pry off his hands, keep him from choking himself. "Let go!" I yelled. A bolt of white-hot fear shot through my veins. I couldn't lose Alby twice in one week, "You're bloody killin' yourself!"

Finally, I was able to pull Alby's arms away from his throat. Finally, he calmed, relaxing. "I'm sorry, Newt," he whispered, "don't know what happened. It was like... something was controlling my body. I'm sorry."

"Sorries, nothin'," I replied, still shaky, "You were tryin' to bloody kill yourself.

"Wasn't me, I swear."

I threw my hands up in frustration. The Changing had whacked Alby worse than I had thought. "What do you mean it wasn't you?"

"I don't know," my friend muttered, "It... it wasn't me."

I shook my head, pulling the blankets back over Alby. "Get your butt to sleep and we'll talk about it later," I patted him on the head, "You're messed up, shank."

I turned to go, Tommy tagging behind me, when Alby muttered something.

"What?" I asked.

"Be careful with the girl." He said.

"Let's go," I whispered to Tommy. Alby needed sleep more than anything.

"And Newt?" Alby called.

"Yeah?

"Protect the Maps."

At that, Thomas and I left the infirmary for the bright sunshine of the Glade.

Somehow I didn't feel any better.