If There Is A Light

Chapter 2

Newt did not really understand the need for such drastic measures. He thought it was a little over the top to lock her away like a common criminal. Especially since she had not done anything wrong. In fact she did not even try to run when Gally threw her out of the metal crate. Seemingly her only defense mechanism was silence. She refused to speak to any of them. It was actually rather amusing to see Gally get so red in the face. He imagined it was because Gally was not used to people ignoring his demands and/or defying him, much less a small girl who probably weighed a buck twenty. Newt was pretty sure what was annoying Gally the most was he could not "knock some sense into" her.

Newt could not really recall a lot about mannerisms and girls in general. However, he did know you were not supposed to hit them.

Regardless of how badly Gally did not like her, Newt found it rather unfair to throw her in the pit. That was used to calm down greenies and for punishment.

Newt looked down at her through the wooden bars, "Some first impression you made back there. I don't ever think I've seen Gally that bloody red."

She looked up at him. Newt had not really had the chance to notice the color of her eyes until now: hazel. Unfortunately for him he could now see in them a completely different emotion than before. He could tell that she did not find his attempt at lightening the mood helpful, but also she looked scared and exhausted. But as Alby would say "If you ain't scared, you ain't human." The confident flame that was in her eyes when she was staring down Gally had long since burnt out. The one that replaced it made Newt want to forget about what the council had decided and just let her out of that bloody hole in the ground.

"Can you tell me your name?" Somehow Newt already knew that she was not going to answer him, but for the sake of saying he tried... he tried.

Moments went by with nothing, but silence between the two, and distant laughter of the Gladers filled the air. He decided to try again, "Can you remember your name?"

Although she still did not break her obvious vow of silence, this time the question seemed to actually get somewhere with her. The greenie looked up at Newt and just stared. He knew she was probably just trying to remember, but he suddenly grew self-conscious. Her gaze seemed to go right through him.

Newt knew she would get the memory back eventually, but he still felt extremely guilty when he saw that once the look of extreme concentration left her face it was to be replaced with one of disappointment, "You'll get it back in a day or two."

"Newt!"

He made a funny face and sighed as he pulled himself to his feet. It was time for a council meeting (discussing the issue of her), "I'll be back. Gonna' try and talk these bloody shanks into lettin' you out. Good that?"

She did not quite understand all of what he had said. She assumed it was either regional dialect that she had not picked up on yet, or maybe her memory was wiped of even common phrases and slang. Either way she nodded her head, and plopped herself into the dirt and she watched him saunter away.

She felt pathetic. She could not even remember her own name. She might have actually told him that. She did not want to break down the walls she was building too soon, but she was getting tired of being called 'Greenie'. It also might be nice to have some part of her back...