A Way Back - The Maze Runner (♡Newt) UNDER EDITING/REWRITE

Chapter 10

Edited: 7-01-2025

A/N
Low-key loving how the chapter lengths just get doubled every time.

Also Happy New Year!

~.~.~

Cally

The moment I had lain down on my bed I regretted my decision. Gally's screams easily pierced through the thin wooden walls between the Med-room and mine, even pulling my pillow over my head did nothing to block it out. Honestly, why had I even bother trying to sleep in my own room?
     Seeing no other solution I took the in dog hair covered sleeping back from the ground, creating an slightly indignant Bark who could not believe I'd had the nerve to take her bed, and left the Homestead. We'd made our way to the corner between the North and East wall, the point furthest away from the building holding the sick Glader. Maneuvering our way around all the other boys who'd apparently had had the same idea as me. I couldn't make out much, but I saw enough to tell it hadn't worked for all of them. And after what felt like ours of tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position on the ground, I gave up on trying to get some sleep. It seemed like every time I'd managed to even slightly drift off, Gally went through another traumatizing experience, waking me with a jolt of fear and adrenaline.
     For a while I just lay there, staring up at the in clouds covered sky. Watching a Beetle Blade or two skitter over the walls and between clusters of ivy. Listening to the occasional whispered conversations between friends who also weren't able to get some sleep. But my restlessness got the better of me and eventually I'd found myself wandering through the Deadheads yet again.
The little forest had quickly become one of my favorite places in the Glade. The air was lighter and the sun less bright. Besides, most Gladers seemed to avoid the place, probably because of the Graveyard. Or maybe because of the many Beetle Blades that could be found between the trees. Whatever the reason, I was grateful for it.
     Unlike all the other times Bark and I strolled through the Deadheads without running into any of the boys, Bark spotted Newt laying on one of the bigger fallen tree trunks almost immediately. My little girl didn't even wait for me to catch up before running over to the guy.
     "Bark, no, let him be!" I whisper-yelled after the dog, afraid she would wake the guy up. But if she heard me she did not seem to care as she happily waltzed over to the blond with her tail wagging from side to side. "Bark!" I tried one more time right before she reached Newt. Only instead of the dog responding, Newt looked over at hearing me call for Bark. Spotting her just in time. Newt pushed himself up before letting himself glide to the ground, letting Bark say high and giving her a few pets.
     "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you." I said, awkwardly rubbing my arm as I just stood there.
     "Don't worry about it," Newt waved it off, looking up at me. "Couldn't sleep anyway. Not with Gally screaming bloody murder every other second."
     I sat down beside Newt with a heavy sign, leaning against the tree with my elbow so I could rest my head in my hand. "Yeah, me neither."
     Newt shrugged, Bark walking back over to me to get some pets before laying down with her head on my lap. "Most Shanks can't when someone's going through the Changing. There's a lot of screamin'."
     "No shit..." I flinched when Gally's sharp voice ripped through the air again. "What is he even changing into that he needs to scream so fucking much, a werewolf?" Frustration filled my words, mixed with fear for this new unknown thread I did not know what to do with, but Newt only laughed.
     "A bloody werewolf, that would be somethin'."
     Another scream made me tense up, and Newt's amusement did not help calming my nerves. "Seriously, what is happening to him? Because whatever that is, isn't normal."
     Newt shrugged, the hint of a smile still present in his voice as he answered me. "Nothin' in here is buggin' normal, Greenie. Better get used to it."
     Frustrated with the less then straight answer to my question I pulled my hand through my hair, letting out something between a growl and a sign. "Could you stop being cryptic for a second and just tell me what the fuck is happening up there?"
     When I looked back at the boy beside me, I found him looking at me with a mixture of amusement and what I could only describe as suspicion. "Are you gonna tell me your secret if I tell you?"
     I hoped I managed to wipe away the panicked look on my face and replaced it with confusion quickly enough for him not to notice. "What?"
     Newt moved, turning to me fully and as he spoke his voice sounded entirely serious for the first time. "Somethin's off about you, Callidora. I don't exactly know what, or why. But there is something..."
     Shit. My heart beat uncomfortable hard against my chest. Am I really that bad at hiding it?
Newt kept staring at me through slitted eyes, seeming to analyze me. I couldn't tell if he was being serious and I'd slipped somewhere without me noticing. But I'd to say something quickly or my denial would be even more unbelievable. "You know what?" I started, trying to sound irritated instead of terrified. "I came here to try and calm down, not to be told there's something wrong about me for existing." 
     Needing to get away before I actually slipped up, I pushed myself off the ground and was about to walk away, but Newt took a hold of my wrist while letting out a small laugh. "I was just messin' with ya."
     My muscles relaxed a little as I turned back around, crossing my arms over my chest after Newt let go of me. "Well, you're not funny."
     "I thought it was funny." The boy stated through another laugh. "Ya should've seen your face."
     Not having the patience to just laugh along I glared at him, trying to hide the overwhelming mix of emotion that washed over me. "Well, dealing with all of this shit is already hard enough without people messing with me."
     "Just ya wait 'till the next Greenie shows up, you'll be joining in soon enough."
     "Yeah, very fucking likely," I made sure the sarcasm sounded clearly through my voice. "Make the next miserable person feel like they don't belong after waking up in this nightmare. I'm sure you enjoyed going through that just as much as me when you first came here."
     Something I said, or maybe the waver in my voice seemed to cause a slight shift in Newt. He looked away with something in his eyes for a second or two that I could not place before pushing whatever thought he had away. And the next time he spoke the teasing tone was replaced by a slightly more serious one. "We don't really know what the Changing is. It only happens when ya're stung by one of those bloody Grievers. You'll get some memories back, bits and pieces. No one who went through it really talks about it... But they always come out of it different... unlikable. "
     I sat back down beside the blonde boy, pulling up my knees so I could wrap my arms around them and rest my head on top. Letting it all sink in. "This place just gets worse every time I learn something new."
     Newt led out a sad sounding chuckle, "Welcome to the Glade, Cals..."
     "So..." I started after a short moment of silence, absentmindedly petting Bark's back, "No cool werewolf powers?"
     This time Newt's laugh seemed genuine again. "Afraid not." He answered while shaking his head no.
     For some time after that, we didn't talk. My mind racing with all the new information and flipping through everything I knew about this place and the story of the Gladers in the movie. The faint memory of an exit somewhere inside the Maze scratching at the back of my mind. I knew it was out there, between the giant walls and monsters who's sting sends you through some kind of torture if I could believe Gally's agonized screams. The idea of standing face to face with those monsters and risking going through the same thing terrified me. But even so...
     "Newt?" The boy hummed in response, "I was thinking... I want to be useful, and it seems to me that the best way to be that is to help find a way out, right?"
     Newt looked over at me with a raised eyebrow, probably already having his suspicion about what I was aiming at. "I guess. Are you-"
     I didn't let him finish, continuing before I'd loose my nerve and back out. "I want to be a Runner. So I can help find a way out of this place." It made perfect sense to me, maybe I could not think of where the way out is when I'm in here, but being out there might jog my memory. Besides, I miss running. I tried going for a morning run in the Glade at some point, but it just didn't bring me the same rush as parkour at home. There weren't any building to climb or fences to jump, there were barely any obstacles at all. Maybe out there I'd find whatever I still missed in here. Something that would help me feel... like I did at home, I guess.
     "A bit early for a death wish, don't ya think?" Newt responded shooting me a weird look.
     I just shrugged. "Eh, doesn't everyone?" I'd meant it as a joke, but Newt didn't laugh. When I glanced over at him I only saw crossed eyebrows and a worried look in his eyes as he  analyse me. "Kidding." I quickly added, realizing self-deprecating humor might not be all that common in the Glade. Newt seemed to relax a little after that. "But jokes aside, I'm being serious, I want to help."
     "Ya can help from in here, Greenie."
     "I'll be of more use out there." I gestured to the closest wall, not letting him change my mind.
     "You just saw what a Griever can do to ya. And that's if you survive. I don't think it's a good idea."
     "Why not? You were the one to put the idea in my head when you said I could be a good Runner on my first day here."
     Newt scratched the back of his neck, seeming to regret his previous statement. "Maybe I did, but being a Runner takes a lot out of ya. You need to have great stamina and an even better memory. Besides, we need to be able to trust you, and ya need to prove yourself before a Keeper will put you up for selection."
     "Okay, then how do I prove myself?"
     "By doing stuff." Newt basically dismissed my question, seeming done with the topic, but I wasn't.
     "What kind of stuff?"
     The boy signed, looking back over at me. "Ya're really gonna be stubborn about this?"
     "Of course I am." I answered with a shrug, "I want to get out of this place." I didn't understand why he'd changed his mind so quickly. Had it something to do with my kitchen chase with Minho from before? Because if it hadn't been for Bark I'm convinced I'd have outrun Minho for a lot longer.
     "We all do, Cally." Newt clearly wasn't up for this discussion, but I still wasn't done trying.
     "Well, let me help. I can prove myself. Tomorrow, I will race you, or Minho or every freaking Runner in the Glade. I know I can beat all of you." A bit much? Maybe. But you know what they say, go big or go home, and the latter, unfortunately, wasn't an option for me until I helped these idiots get out of this place.
     "A bit full of ourselves, are we?"
     I couldn't tell if he was amused or annoyed, maybe a bit of both. Still, I waved his comment away, "I'm not good at many things, but I am confident in my ability to run."
     "Confidence does not equal skill, Greenie."
     "Then test me. I'll either proof you wrong, or embarrass myself completely. Personally not really a big fan of the second one, but I don't see how that would be a down side for you shanks." Using one of their words felt off, but gotta make him see that I'm with them. I want to get out now here just as much as them.
     Newt seemed to consider my words, "ya got a point there."
     "So it's a deal? You'll test me tomorrow?"
     Newt seemed to give a little, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not tomorrow. Maybe in a few days. Good that?"
     I looked at the guy from the corner of my eyes, not sure if he meant it or was just saying something to get me to shut up about it. Eventually I just held up my pinky finger, looking at him expectantly.
     Newt glanced from my face to my hand, silently asking me if I was being serious. I only smiled, moving my hand a little closer. With a sign, he gave in, hooking his pinky finger with mine.
     "Great!" I let go, leaning back against the log, content with my small victory.
     My brain going back to the other jobs around the Glade and what the coming days in here might look like. "Where do I work tomorrow?"
     It took a moment before Newt responded as he thought about his answer. "In the Gardens, with the Track-hoes."
     I nodded, trying not to laugh at the ridiculous name they gave their gardeners again.
     "Do ya remember who the Keeper is?"
     I tried to think, I could pull his face up in front of my mind's eye. Olive skin, dark curly hair, crooked smile. I knew I knew his name, but the fatigue of a sleepless night fogged my mind. "It's too late for complicated questions like that, Newton." I signed, feeling my body relax a little as I rested my hand on Bark's back. The dog had managed to fall asleep beside me on the ground, half her butt on the sleeping back I'd been dragging along. And if I were being honest, having some company and distraction from it all did help me feel calmer. Making the exhaustion of everything that had happened during the day catch up to my body and mind.
     "That really wasn't a complicated question."
     "Ugh- how do you guys say that? Slim it, Newton. It's too late for that kind of shit." I didn't look at the guy, my half open eyes taking in the few stars that had become visible now the clouds started to clear from the sky.
     Another amused chuckle from beside me, "whatever ya say, Greenbean."

~.~.~

Newt

The night had been dragging on for way longer than I'd liked. Gally should just have stayed inside of the Glade, but no. The Slinthead just had to go walk off into the Maze for less than two minutes and get bloody stung. Imagine where we would be if all of us had been so bugging stupid? Either way, it had happened, and something about the agonizing screams that'd kept me from getting any shut eye told me the shank wouldn't try it again.
     Despite it all, Cally had managed to fall asleep, even if it would only be for a moment. I would give my left foot to be able to get some more sleep as well, but sleep didn't come to me as easy as it had come to Cally.
     I leaned my head back against the tree and looked at the girl beside me. Today had been rough and although she seemed to be slowly adjusting, she still had a long way to go, a lot to get used to.
     Her words from before floated through my mind, she really wants to be a Runner? Contrary to my response, it wouldn't be the craziest idea. It was always just a matter of time before one of us gives up on the Maze or doesn't make it out. And she did manage to find her jumper without even having tried to memorize the route she had taken before- which could've been dumb bloody luck. But I couldn't deny that she could run. Especially after seeing her evade Minho this morning. I gotta admit, the Shank held out longer than I thought she would.
     But still... Something uncomfortable stirred my stomach at the thought of sending her into the Maze. Yes, I'd been messing with her when I'd said something felt off about her, but it hadn't exactly been a lie either. Something had felt off about her to me since the moment I'd seen her stand in front of the Maze doors, holding out that bloody knife of hers. Something... almost familiar... Quickly I shook my head. That didn't make sense.
     And yet...
     One of Gally's screams made Bark's head shot up with wide eyes and ears spread, ready to perceive a possible threat. When his scream died down, Bark moved closer to Cally, making her open her eyes just far enough for her to see the dog. She lay a hand on Bark's back and petted her, seeming barely aware of anything, her eyes already closed again.
     "Greenie?" I tried, but she had already drifted off.
     My eyes fell on the crumbled up sleeping back that lay beside the two. I picked it up and pulled it over Cally's body, careful not to cover Bark before leaning back against the tree myself. I took a deep breath, letting the cool night air fill my lungs and calm my body. And as I looked up to the sky I found all the clouds had gone and made place for a a sea of stars.
     Apparently, I had fallen asleep too, because when I opened my eyes, the first rays of sunshine started to light up the sky, leaving no trace of the many stars from before. When I started to move, I found it a little difficult with the weight of the Greenie leaning against me, head resting on my shoulder, eyes still closed. For a moment I considered just waking her up, but decided against it after the short night all of us had. I'd expected being in a position like this with someone I'd barely known for a few days would make me feel awkward. And in a way it did, and yet there still was that little sense of familiarity tugging on my mind.
     The peace of the morning got disturbed the moment Cally jumped away from me, startling me and Bark, who let out a little whine as she jumped up. "Sorry..." The Greenie mumbled in embarrassment while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
     I waved it off, not able to suppress a yawn. "Don't worry 'bout it."
     Soon after waking we had found ourselves on our way to go get breakfast. We'd been silent for most of the morning, only for Cally to break that silence by simply, and without any explanation, just saying. "It's Zart."
     "What?" I looked around us, trying to see if the Shank was approaching us or anything like that, only to find the guy nowhere to be seen.
     "It's Zart." Cally repeated as if it made all the sense in the world. But when she saw my confused expression she decided to continue. "The Keeper of the Track-hoes. His name is Zart. I knew I remembered, just couldn't think of it last night."
     I chuckled, already forgotten about that part of our conversation last night. "Well, ya know what they say, better late than never."

~.~.~