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

Chapter 11

Edited 19-01-25

~.~.~ 

Cally

"Come on, Newt!" At this point, the only way to describe the excessive tone in my voice as whining. And I wouldn't say I was proud of it, but I also was not embarrassed enough in the moment to stop. "You said I would be given a chance to prove myself."
     "I didn't say when, Greenbean."
     "You said: 'Not tomorrow. Maybe in a few days. Good that?'" I tried my best impression of Newt's British accent, earning the combination of a heavy sign and an eye roll from our second-in-command. "And I agreed to it. It has been a week, I think that qualifies as a few days."
     In reality, it had only been six days, and not a week since me and Newt had talked about my ambition of joining him and Minho and become a Runner. Unfortunately it had also been six days since the topic had been brought up at all. Six more days of trying out different jobs- In which it had become clear that I'm not a good Builder, I will never get the image of a slaughtered cow out of my head and I'm never, ever, complaining about places that aren't completely spotless ever again. Sloppers really are some of the hardest working people in the Glade- and waiting around before I could try to get out of this place and get back home.
     But during all of that, my patience had run out. So when I spotted Newton getting back from his run I waited outside of the Map-room and basically followed him all the way to the Homestead. Hoping against better judgment that irritating might get him to give in to my request. So far my attempts had failed to bear any fruits. But I did not let that stop me.
     "I said maybe, so slim it and wait." Newt repeated as he sat down beside Alby on a further empty picknick table while I took place in front of them.
     "Ugh- don't be like that! I've waited, six days are a few days, just let me try it."
     Alby looked between me and his friend with raised eyebrows, a hint of amusement and curiosity sounding through his voice as he asked "try what?"
     Newt opened his mouth to answer, but I beat him to it. "Try out to be a Runner."
     "So," I jumped a little, not having realized Minho stood right behind me. "Our Newbie wants to be a Runner?" The Keeper of the Runners sat down beside me on the bench and now I'd recovered from the original shock, I decided to try and use his presence to my advantage.
     "Yes, I do. At least I want to try, but Newton here keeps telling me to wait." I gestured towards the blond in front of me before letting my hand fall on the wooden table. "Wait for what? Until you're a person short? Don't you think it's better to already have a back up ready for when that happens?"
     "I don't think it's a good idea." Newt casually responded with a shrug.
     "Why not?" My frustration started to show a lot more then I'd intended. "You said I could be good at it the first day I got here. Why back out now?"
     "Yes, Newton. Why back out?" Minho's teasing tone did not go unnoticed, and for a moment I thought they'd already discussed the topic without me. But seeing the glare Newt send his way I got the idea this might be about something entirely different. Either way, if it did not have any influence on my current goal, I didn't need to focus on that right now.
     "Did you change your mind?" I directed my question at Newt, drawing his attention back to me. "Do you think I don't have what it takes to be a Runner?"
     "Well..." The Glade's second-in-command seemed a bit hesitant before he continued with a, "Not exactly-"
     "Then what's the problem?"
     "Why do you wanne be a Runner so bugging badly?" Minho interrupted before Newt could answer my question.
     "Because I want to get out of this fucking place, obviously."
     Minho turned to me fully, leaning closer as his tone became more and more serious. "Did ya not hear Gally screaming this whole shuck place together the past few days? 'Cuz if you go out there, that is what your butt is risking. There is no room for mistakes or missteps. If you shuck it up out there there are no do overs. There is no gold star for trying. It's do or die, do you get that?"
     "How many times do I have to say this," I mumbled before turning fully to Minho and answering loud and clear. "Yes. Yes, I understand the risks. Yes, I know it's dangerous. And yes, I still want to go out there and look for patterns or changes or whatever the fuck there is to find that could help us get out of this place."
     "So you really think you," He poked a finger against my collarbone, "got what it takes, Newbie?"
     I did not let Minho's condescending tone, nor the way he tried to tower over me, intimidate me. I knew this is what I had to do. This job was meant for me, I just knew it, and I would not back down. "Test me and you'll see for yourself."
     The Keeper of the Runners stayed silent, glaring into my eyes with such an intensity that it made discomfort crawl up my spine. Then, he smirked and moved back in his seat. "Okay."
     I couldn't believe my ears at first, "Okay?"
     "Yeah," Minho shrugged, "You think you got it in you? Fine, lets put you to the test. Right, Alby?"
     The two exchanged a look before Alby nodded, "good that. Like you said, we can always use a spare pare of feet. Besides, there's no harm in testing another bugger. You're either gonna make it, or fail miserably. Either way." The guy shrugged as if with that everything had been said.
     I tried my best not to let too much of my excitement shine through, but I could not help the grin that spread over my face. "Okay then! What's the test going to be?"
     "You will see." Alby answered with the hint of a smile on his lips before taking a bite from his food.
     "Umm... Okay then, can you at least tell me when?" I tried a bit more hesitantly, looking at Alby, who exchanged some looks with Minho and Newt, silently communicating something before answering me. "Tomorrow morning, in front of the Homestead, don't be late. Good that?"
     Happy to finally have made some kind of progress on my plan, I nodded in agreement, "I'll be there." But when my eyes met Newt and he send me a bit of a forced smile before turning his attention back to his dinner, my own smile faltered. I barely knew the guy, and yet the look he'd just given me, somewhat concerned and conflicted, had successfully made me doubt my decision more than anything Minho had tried to scare me off with.
     "Hey, Newbie!" I jumped, my head jerking towards the source of the angry shouting to see a boy, one of the Sloppers, pointing at Bark with a red face. "Get that shug dog of yours under control!" I didn't understand at first, but then I noticed the piece of chicken Bark was merrily chewing on a few feet away from the table and put two and two together. Bark, however, seemed to either not be aware of any harm done, or had become very good in acting innocent.
     "Bark, come here." I called to her, and when she looked up at me with, big, guilty eyes I knew that she knew what she had done.
     "Come here, Bark." I tried again, a bit sterner this time. The dog pushed herself up from the ground and made her way over to me, letting me take the chicken out of her mouth without any protest. I turned around, holding the piece of meat out to the Shank. "You want it back?"
     The boy's face grew even redder, looking at me as if I had completely lost it, repulsion clear in his eyes. "That's bugging disgusting. Keep the shuck thing."
     I laughed at his response as I turned back to Bark and held the chicken out in front of her. "Here you go, small one." Her whole face lit up as she took it from me, laying down at my feet. A soft thud audible every time her wagging tail hit the wooden leg of the table. After one more loving pet on the dog's head, I turned back to my own dinner.
     "Are you going to wash that hand?" Minho asked with a raised eyebrow and a judgmental tone.
     "Are you going to take a shower?" I responded with a shrug, wiping my hand on his shoulder. The moment realization dawned on him, Minho shot back.
     "Get that bugging hand away from me!"
     "Oh, you mean this hand?" I stuck my hand out to him again, only for him to immediately slam it away.
     "Yes, that one. Slinthead." I laughed as I returned to my plate of food, leaving it at that.
     The past few days, these kind of displays had become more common between me and Minho. He reminded me so much of my brothers that teasing and messing around with him came easy. Sometimes he reminded me of Ezra so much it hurt. But above all else, it made me laugh, and I've found out that every laugh in this place is valuable.
     Even though Minho made me laugh, most days I actually did prefer Newt's company. His sense of humor, although similar to his friend's, was a bit more reserved. Just like most of his personality. Even so, his kindness went a long way, and from everyone, he made me feel the most at ease. Maybe that is why his disapproving look from before had such an effect on me?
     From the corner of my eye, I noticed Clint coming down the stairs. Gally had woken up not too long ago, and although a Med-jack seemed to be with him every moment of the day, he should be alright in the long run. Soon after coming down, the Keeper of the Med-jacks took a seat at our table as well.
     "How's Gally doing?" I asked after no one else did.
     "The shank's fine. I'll bring him some food after I finished mine." Clint half waved my question away, seeming not very interested in saying much more on the topic. Then again, I really wasn't that interested in the topics of conversation that followed, so after a few minutes of just staring into space, I decided to change scenery.
     "Where are ya goin'?" Newt asked when he noticed me getting up.
     "I'm going to go bring some food to an old patient of mine." I shot him a smile while looking back before turning to Bark, who still lay on the ground, eyes already focused on me. "You coming, Bark?" The dog made a sound somewhere between a bark and a huff after hearing her name, understanding we were leaving again and got up to follow. Only when we passed the table of the guy of which she had stolen chicken before, Bark's attention faltered. Quickly I drew her attention back by calling her name again, seeing the shank had noticed Bark as well and shot her a particular nasty glare, not wanting to find out what would happen if she got caught stealing from the same target. But we managed to reach the door to the Med-room without any more incidents.
     I knocked on the door and entered without waiting for an answer.
     "What are you doing here, Newbie?" Gally basically snarled before I could say as much as an hello.
     "Well aren't you a ray of sunshine." I said in an overjoyed voice after recovering from the initial wave of irritation, hoping to make clear I did not intend to be hostile nor judgmental. "I'm here baring gifts." Gally seemed to watch my every move while I placed the plate of food on the nightstand beside his bed. The intensity of the distrust in his fallen in eyes making a bit on unease crawl up my spine. Almost entirely distracting me from his pale face and the sickly green veins still visible under the surface.
     "You've got nothing for me?" Jeff broke the short, uncomfortable silence that followed, making me chuckle.
     "Oh, shut up, Jeff. You just ate."
     "So that's a no?"
     "You brought the food," Gally interrupted before I'd finished breathing in to answer. "Now leave." I could hear his stomach rumble, but still the guy refused to touch it, or break his glare at me. Not even to blink.
     I stuck up my hands in a sign of surrender, pursing my lips. Not sure what else to do about the hostility seeming to come out of nowhere. "No need to ask again, I get the hint." For a moment I hesitated, shifting my weight to my other foot, but then I decided to say what I'd come to say anyway. "Before I go, though, I just wanted to thank you for the bed."
     Gally's glare went from hostile to confused as he tilted his head and drew his eyebrows together. "Bed?"
     "Yeah, you're the Keeper of the Builders, right? You guys build me a bed, in like, a day? Which is pretty fast... so yeah, um... thanks." The entire time I was talking I'd been rubbing my hand over my arm, needing a way to lesson the tension in my body.
     "You should be thanking Cally, Shank." I froze, internally screaming at Jeff to just shut the fuck up. Unfortunately, the wide eyed look I send his way did not translate very well and he just continued. "The shuck Greenie saved your sorry ass after you knocked out Clint."
     Not sure how Gally would react to Jeff's words or tone and not wanting to find out I send Gally a tight lipped smile, praying to whatever deity that would listen that the smile was a lot less awkward than I felt embarrassed. "We'll call it even. Right, Gally?"
     A sign of relieve involuntarily left my mouth when all Gally responded with was an annoyed sounding: "Yeah, whatever."
     "Good, well, then-" I pointed to the door while taking a step back towards it. "I'm- just gonna... you know." I turned from Gally to Jeff, "byeee."
     I let myself fall against the door ones I closed it behind me, letting out a very big sign, pulling my hands over my face. "Fucking hell..." Looking down I saw Bark already looking up at me with her big brown eyes. "I'm starting to understand why those guys don't like him much." Even though I made sure to whisper so no one else could hear me, Bark huffed as if she understood, making me laugh to myself.