Sacrifice

Chapter Twenty-Seven

One Year Ago 

Alby and Newt recruited a small group of Gladers to go look for Nick, hoping that he was still in the Glade. If he had wandered into the Maze, there was nothing they could do for him. They combed the Glade, but no one could find the Second-in-Command. 

It was Newt who eventually found him. Nick was in one of the tents in the Homestead, huddled in the corner. He had his head down and was curled up into a ball. 

"Hey man, you alright?" Newt asked. 

"Go away." 

"Nick, everyone's worried about you," Newt said. "Are you feeling okay?" 

"I said go away!" Nick yelled, turning his head to face Newt. He had a wild, mad look in his eyes. 

"Nick, what happened?" 

Though Newt feared he already knew the answer. 

"You think you're so important," Nick said. "You walk around here thinking Alby favors you, well he doesn't. I'm the second-in-command, not some Shank who broke his leg in the Maze like a stupid greenie." 

Newt pushed those thoughts away, it had been almost two years... 

"Nick, you need to calm down." 

"There you go acting all high and mighty. Even before all this you and your group thought you were so special. Well you're not, in their eyes you were nothing, just like the rest of us. You couldn't even protect her." 

Nick had been Stung, there was no denying that. Now Newt knew why Nick wasn't at dinner the night before, knowing what would come next. 

Newt took a step away from Nick, ready to alert the others about the situation. But before he could get far, Nick was on him. Both boys were struggling on the ground, trying to get the upper hand on the other. But Nick, having done more wrestling matches than Newt, managed to pin the blonde boy down. 

"Nick, snap out of it!" Newt pleaded. 

Nick closed his hands around Newt's throat. 

**************** 

Present Day 

Thomas and Teresa ran down the sandy hill to see what the problem was. When they arrived, they saw Frypan pulling a gun away from Winston. 

"What happened?" Thomas asked Frypan. 

"I don't know, he just woke up, grabbed the gun and tried to..." 

Frypan choked up, unable to finish recounting what had just happened. 

"Winston, you alright?" Thomas asked, kneeling next to the Slicer. 

Winston was on his hands and knees, shaking. Suddenly he leaned over and hacked up what looked like black charcoal into the sand, Thomas backed up. Unable to hold himself up anymore, Winston laid back in the sand. The others cautiously moved closer, unsure of what to do. Newt took Claire's hand. 

"It's growing," Winston whimpered. "I'm sorry." 

The others gaped in horror. They stomach wound Winston got from the Cranks was worse than they realized. His body was starting to look inhuman. The Cranks didn't just injure Winston, they had infected him. 

"I'm not gonna make it," Winston said in a small voice. 

Everyone was silent as they let the truth sink in. Winston wouldn't be himself anymore long before they reached the Right Arm. He was turning into a Crank. 

"Please, don't let me turn into one of those things," Winston pleaded, reaching a hand out toward the gun. 

Frypan clutched the weapon in his hand, unable to make himself move. Newt let go of Claire's hand and gently took the gun from Frypan. He checked the weapon, there was one bullet left. He stood over the former Keeper of the Slicers. Newt had known this boy for a little over two and a half years. Winston was a strong and loyal friend, he deserved better than this. Newt placed the gun in Winston's hand and laid it across his chest. 

"Thank you," Winston said, relief flooding through him. 

Claire knelt down on the other side of Winston. The sick boy looked up at his fellow Gladers, thankful spend his last moment among friends. He was also content that they had each other and a hopeful future ahead of them. 

"Now, get out of here," he told his friends, his voice weak but full of determination. 

"Goodbye, Winston," Newt said. 

Claire placed a comforting hand on Winston's shoulder, unable to think of what to say. Winston smiled, remembering when he and Claire first met. How she fainted when she visited the slaughter house on her first day. 

Claire and Newt stood up, taking their back packs and walking away hand in hand. Aris and Teresa followed them. Minho and Frypan said their goodbyes to Winston. Frypan began crying the moment he walked away. 

Thomas was the last one to leave. A horrible feeling of guilt taking hold inside of him. He was the one who led his friends out here. Now Jack was gone and Winston was dying. 

It's okay," Winston assured, seeing Thomas' distress. 

"I'm sorry," Thomas choked out before picking up his backpack. 

"Thomas, take care of them," Winston said. 

The group walked in a straight line. Newt and Claire were at the front, still holding hands. No one spoke a word. 

Everyone stopped when they heard the gunshot. 

No one moved, the silence was thicker than it had been a moment ago. Newt wrapped an arm around Claire, needing someone to hang onto. Claire hugged him back as tears fell down her face. Other than that, everyone stayed completely still. 

A moment of silence for their brave, fallen friend.