A Battle With Hope (Newtmas)

Chapter 14

Without another word both teenagers forced themselves forward, racing towards the homestead. As Newt ran he could barely hear the screams and shouts of fellow Glader's. He needed to get to Thomas and Alby. He shielded his eyes trying to block out the bright flames lapping the roof of the house. The two Glader's kept running, finally reaching the homestead and making to run through the door. They instantly realised that wasn't an option.

Newt looked around panicked, looking for another entrance after seeing the door to the structure barred by debris that had fallen from the floor above. He heard a whistle and turned to his left. Minho was in the process of smashing his way through the kitchen window, Newt scrambled to follow pulling himself through the window and into the flaming house. Instantly his eyes watered and he breathed in a deep breath of burning hot smoke. Newt coughed and pulled his t-shirt up to cover his mouth. Minho did the same and both boys crouched low, heading quickly for the stairs and out of the relatively untouched kitchen. At the stairs to the second floor, both boys were relieved to see that they were too, so far untouched, but Newt knew they didn't have much time before the whole place was engulfed in flames. He signalled to Minho and Minho understood straight away. The boys split, Minho heading upstairs for Alby and Newt running to the back of the homestead in search of Thomas.

As he ran through to the back room where several boys usually sheltered each night, Newt only passed one other Glader. The boy was scarpering towards Newt wearing a frightened expression. Newt gestured towards the kitchen and fiercely shoved the younger boy in the right direction before continuing quickly to the back room. As Newt reached the back room, his eyes streamed with tears. The room was completely covered in a thick sheen of black smoke, making it near impossible to see. He ran into the room, stepping over what he hoped was just another pile of rubble. He glanced around blearily, trying to make out any familiar shapes, before finally spotting a figure moving slowly towards him. Newt ran at full speed towards the figure, ignoring the painful stinging sensation in his eyes and the gradual heat beginning to sear his skin. 'Help!' the shape called to him before being seized by a coughing fit. Newt knew instantly that it was Chuck, which left him with only one question, where was Thomas? He came closer to Chuck, finally able to make out his face, and discovered the reason he was moving so slowly.

Newt clenched his fists and knelt down putting two fingers to the throat of the boy he had just hours before held in a loving embrace. Newt almost collapsed in relief as he felt an unconscious Thomas' pulse thump against his fingers. For a moment he forgot that he was in the midst of a life or death situation inside a structure that could at any minute give way. He was pulled back into the present only a Chuck's loud shout and as the roof began to cave in above them. 'The window is blocked!' Chuck screamed in a hoarse voice, gesturing to the only window in the room. Newt followed Chuck's petrified gaze to find with much dismay that debris made it impossible to escape through the window just metres away. Newt knew that the only way out would be back through the window at the front of the house, he just hoped that there was enough time to get there. 'Let's go! Kitchen! Crouch low and cover your face with your shirt!' Newt screamed at Chuck. Chuck gestured to Thomas frantically and Newt shoved him towards the doorway, leaning down and hoisting Thomas into his arms. Newt staggered under Thomas' weight but there was no way he could let go, this was the only way to get Thomas out of the house. He limped towards Chuck waiting at the doorway and together they made their way down the hallway.

Dodging several piece of falling debris along the way, the two boys and their unconscious friend finally made it to the kitchen. Chuck scrambled out of the window first, calling over several other Glader's quickly to help pull Thomas out of the house as flames began to spread into the kitchen. Newt all but threw Thomas out of the window and to the waiting Glader's before hoisting himself up and out of the window, just as the kitchen roof came down in what seemed like thousands of burning pieces of wood. Newt collapsed outside of the window, dropping to his hands and knees, puffing as he rested his head against the cool, soft grass. Around him the shouting and screaming had stopped, with barely a sound but the roaring of the fire and a loud cracking noise as the house began to fall in on itself.

After a minute, Newt pushed himself backwards, sitting back and taking in his surrounds. Around him, Glader's stood and watched on as the house burned, their shocked faces blackened with smoke and soot, several nursing injuries and burns. Next to him Chuck hovered over Thomas, checking his pulse and any injuries. Chuck gave a small smile. 'He's okay. I really think he's okay!' Newt nodded, brushing the hair away from Thomas' face softly and resisting the urge to place a kiss on his forehead, before standing up and moving away. In all of the panic, Newt had almost forgotten that he was now the leader of the Glade and he was accountable for his fellow Glader's.

Newt checked in with several Glader's, each as shocked and exhausted as the next. The injuries of the first few Glader's were not severe and Newt was thankful as he knew that in the Glade they did not have the means to mend many injuries worse than a scratch or a bloody nose. Newt should have known that there would be some more serious injuries, he really should have. It was a serious accident after all, but it wasn't until he had made his way around a third of the group until he came to a group of boys standing quietly, tears dripping silently down their faces. They made space for Newt as they saw his tall frame approaching in the darkness.

Newt opened his mouth to speak before Adam stepped forward. 'Franky and Siggy didn't make it out.' He said, his voice cracking. Newt shook his head in horror. 'How did this happen?' He whispered, looking around the group. The boys shook their heads. 'One second we were sleeping. The next the whole place was alight.' Adam said, the only one seemingly capable of speaking so soon after the ordeal. Newt didn't respond, his face fixed in a grim gaze. Finally he squeezed Adam softly on the shoulder before continuing on to several other Glader's mulling around.

The more he trailed around the group, the worse the news got. Newt did his best to contain his tears as the news was broken to him that 2 more Glader's had been killed, one a relatively new addition to the Glade and the other someone Newt had known ever since he had arrived. Newt was exhausted and struggling to contain his emotions as he reached the final group of boys. Newt was horrified to see two figures resting on the ground, surrounded by several boys. Newt closed his eyes and dropped to his knees beside them. He placed a hand on the chest of one of his closest friends. Alby was stone cold. 'He was gone when I got there, but I couldn't leave him.' Newt heard Minho whisper. He turned around, taking in his best friends broken expression, tear tracks visible on his soot stained face. Newt didn't respond, unable to comprehend the tragedy.

Without letting go of Alby, Newt turned his gaze to the second figure laying on the ground and was again racked with gried. Jeff, the glade's med-jack that Newt had spoken to just hours before, was laying still, several nasty burns visible on his limp body. He reached across to take his pulse but a hand stopped him. Newt looked up into the eyes of Clint, Jeff's best friend. 'He's gone too.' Clint whispered. Newt nodded, roughly brushing a tear from his face and standing up. 'A memorial,' he croaked, 'we need to have a memorial.' This idea was met with a murmur of agreement.

Newt finally looked away from the two boys below him and looked around the group into the pale, exhausted faces of his friends. He stood up tall and whistled loudly to get the entire groups attention. Each Glader turned their eyes to him. 'Let's get some rest boys. It's been a rough night, the worst we've ever had in the Glade. We've lost a lot of great guys,' Newt tried to keep his voice from wavering as he continued on, 'Work tomorrow is off. We've got this to clean up and there's...' he paused, 'bodies to burn.'

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