Losing Hope

Twenty Nine

"Guys, guys!" Chuck said at the second the boys came back into the Glade. "Gally found out that you guys left. He called a meeting of the Keepers. Everyone's at Council Hall," the kid explained, and Minho looked at me. I shrugged, sending him an apologetic glare, and he turned towards the Council Hall. He took off running before I could say anything, and everyone followed. I sighed, following them.

Minho pushed the door open violently, and the boys piled in. I stood behind for a seconds as Clint and Jeff told me they were going back to check on Alby and I nodded, telling them I'd meet them there.

"What the Hell Gally? You think you can call a Keeper meeting without us?" Minho said as I walked in. Newt's eyes fell on me for a split second, before he looked back at Minho.

"Last time I checked the Greenie wasn't a keeper. And neither was the girl. You mind waiting outside?" Gally said, glaring at both of us. I frowned, sighing and turning around.

"They stay," Minho said firmly, and Thomas and I shared a nervous look. "What's the point of all this?" Minho asked Newt, who sighed.

"We got two hours until sundown. We got to figure out what to do with Alby."

"You wanna banish him?" Winston asked immediately, and Newt sighed, shaking his head. 

"No, no one wants to banish anyone, alright? But he's stung, we don't have a choice," Gally explained, and I felt my stomach twist. The image of Alby standing hopelessly into the Maze as the doors close crossed my mind and I shook it away, looking down at my hands. 

"Yes we do," Thomas said, and I turned to him, frowning.

"Thomas what are you-"

"You said something Newbie?" Gally said with an exasperated frown. 

"Yeah, we have a choice, we don't have to banish Alby," Thomas argued.

"Right. And how's that?" Gally asked, and Thomas took something from Minho hand and held it up. Newt straightened up and Thomas handed him what Minho had been holding.

"We found this on our field trip," he said, emphasizing on the last part of the sentence. "It was inside a Griever," Thomas precised, as Newt spun the thing in his hand. It was a silver cylinder and a few wires poking out of it at one end.

"This is the same word we get on our supplies," Newt stated, looking up a Thomas with a frown.

"Yeah. Whoever put us here obviously made the Grievers. Now this is the first real clue, the first anything you found in over three years right Minho?" Thomas said, Newt bit his lip, looking back down at the thing in his hands. He looked very concerned and I wished I could say something to calm the atmosphere, but I couldn't think of anything.

"Newt, we gotta go back out there. Who knows where it might lead us," Thomas argued, and I shook my head, looking up at him. He looked at me and I raised an eyebrow, silently asking him what he was doing. He shrugged, turning around to look back at Newt.

"You see what he's trying to do right?" Gally said, staring at Newt with a very unimpressed look, gaining everyone's attention. "First he breaks our rules and then he tries to convince us to abandon them totally, what... The rules are the only thing that have ever held us together, why now are we questioning that?" He continued. Everyone kept silent, looking down at their feet. "If Alby was here you know he'd agree with me."

"Don't speak for him," I said, and he glared at me. I also felt Thomas' eyes on me, but I ignored him, holding Gally's stare until he turned back to Newt.

"This Shank need to be punished," he said, and Newt sighed. He looked down, then looked up at Thomas, a frown on his face. He seemed to be internally debating whether or not he should trust Thomas. His eyes fell on me for a second, as if asking for help, and I shrugged. I had no idea what was the right thing to do. Gally was annoying me, but he wasn't exactly wrong. Thomas had broken a bunch of rules in only two days, although all he wanted was to get us all out of here, which was a good thing, if you asked me.

Newt handed the Griever thing back to Minho with pursed lips before speaking. "You're right. Thomas broke the rules. One night in the pit and no food," he declared and I held back a chuckle.

"Oh come on Newt! One night in the pit? You think that will stop him from going into the Maze?" Gally exclaimed, totally offended by what Newt seemed to consider a good punishment for Thomas.

"No. And we can't just have non-runners running into the Maze whenever they feel like it," Newt continued, and Gally crossed his arms on his chest, waiting for Newt's explanation. Thomas looked down, fidgeting with his hands.

"So let's just make this official. Starting from tomorrow, you're a Runner," Newt concluded, and Thomas looked up at him quickly. Minho had a small nod, and I could tell he agreed with Newt's idea. I had a small smile as Gally shook his head, sighing. 

"Wow," he mumbled, walking out of the Council Hall. Minho shared a proud look with Thomas, who turned to Newt. Minho sent me a wink, and I rolled my eyes, before looking back at Newt.

"Thanks Newt," Thomas said, and Newt looked up at him, arms crossed on his chest. He gave Thomas a nod, then turned his back on him, kicking the ground of the Council Hall. The boys took this as their cue to leave, Minho pulling Thomas by the arm, leaving me alone in the Council Hall with Newt.

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Sorry for the short chapter, the next one will be a bit longer than the usual I promise! Love you all! 

~Laue