Clear as the 'Sky'

Newt's POV

Thank you thePinkyNinja for inspiring me to write this part. I hadn't intended to write Newt's Point of view on the situation, even if it did float through my brain. So I apologize if it's absolutely terrible

Disclaimer: I am not James Dasher so I don't own anything other than Skylar and Billie.

Chapter 13 - Newt's POV

Newt was working in the garden that day.

He felt this odd feeling in his stomach that morning right before Sky had left. From what he'd observed she felt it too. Something inside him felt like that morning had been a goodbye.

He told her he loved her after making her promise to return. He was holding her to that promise. He of all people should know that each day could be your last, especially if you were a runner.

Sadly, they were both runners, even if he was mostly inside the Glade rather than the maze. Even so, that meant that they both had to cherish every moment together.

...

George walked over with Billie. "How are you today? You looked pale this morning."

Newt turned toward them, wondering if they would give everyone headaches from their chatter today. "I'm fine. How 'bout you go plant some tomatoes today?" They nodded as they walked off. Newt was glad they didn't stay too long today. He didn't think he could handle it right now. He had too much on his mind right now. Newt turned back to the maze doors, worried about Sky.

...

It was getting late. Minho has come back and he was the only runner who had still been out other than Sky.

Newt was pacing back and forth against the maze doors, no one had bothered to tell him to stop.

"Where are you?" He muttered as he continued to pace.

George came up to him, and for once Billie was in the homestead. "Do you think she'll make it?" Newt sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She has to.."

...

By the time the doors closed all the Gladers had gathered by the doors.

Billie walked up to Alby, timidly approaching the leader. "Can't we send someone out? Sky's never late. She could need help." Alby looked helplessly at the doors. "I'm sorry but rules are rules. We wouldn't be here without them..."

Newt had started to walk over also when he heard the dreaded bangs of the closing doors. The boys could only watch in horror as the doors closed, trapping their only girl in the maze.

...

Newt rushed up to the closed doors, banging his fists on them. The boys left him to grieve. They all knew Sky was most likely dead, and if not then she would be by morning.

No one survived the maze.

...

Newt stayed like that for a long while, just leaning on the doors, thinking.

Finally, he stared into space, repeating the same sentence. "She promised. She bloody promised."

No one had dared to get him to move.

George came over just as Newt broke down. George was crying also. George laid a comforting hand on Newt's shoulder; quite a feat considering how tall Newt was. Both were mourning the loss of a loved one.

...

The next day no one argued when Newt planned to run the maze. They all knew he needed this; some sort of closure.

Newt ran the route Skylar had run the day before. Minho was with him.

"What do you think happened? Sky's never missed coming back."

Newt stared ahead, trying not to focus on the possibilities. "I don't have a bloody clue."

Minho sighed and stopped running. He put his hand on Newt's shoulder. "Dude, I know how you feel. Sky was my sister. Just...just don't let this grief consume you. You have to live. Remember that."

Newt nodded even if his heart wasn't in it. "Good that" Minho smiled tightly, "good that"

...

They kept running until Minho spotted something. "Is that a bag?" Newt looked at where Minho was pointing. Blending in with the walls sat Sky's backpack.

"Bloody hell it is. I think it's Sky's..." Minho nodded sadly as he grabbed it. "It's still full. Her map...what I think is her map, is still here and so's half of her lunch. Dude, it's like she just shuckin' vanished!"

Newt ran a hand through his hair, "how's that possible? Even the worst shanks eventually turn up. What's different?"

Minho shrugged as he picked up the bag. "Don't shuckin' know, to be honest. Let's head back. It's getting late."

...

They ran back in silence. When they reached the Glade they ran to Alby.

"Alby, we found Sky's bag." Alby looked up from what he was doing. "Anything to lead us to what happened?" Newt shook his head as Minho examined Sky's map.

"Dude, look at this.."

Alby looked at the paper, skimming it before glaring at Minho. "Yeah, every shank here knows that she loved Newt. What's so important?"

Minho looked down at the paper again as Newt blushed slightly. Minho groaned. "I meant the one below it..." His voice was higher than normal.

Alby looked down again. His eyes widened. "What does she mean, the maps? We've studied them for ages..."

Newt looked at the paper. "The maps are the key to escape: look overtop. What's that supposed to mean?"

Alby and Minho looked at him. Alby spoke, "you mean she didn't tell you anything?"

Newt shook his head. "No, I just know that she was studying the maps all last night. Seemed pretty peppy this morning but I thought she was just hyped to get back to running." Newt said with a frown.

Alby nodded thoughtfully, "whatever she found she must have believed it to be a way to escape. We just have to look harder."

Newt and Minho nodded before leaving. It had been a long day and they needed to rest.

...

The Runners studied the maps for the longest time. No one found any clues.

People were losing hope.

That hope was crushed when a kid was stung right by the maze entrance; he didn't make it.

Most of the mappers gave up hope that they'd live to make it out of the shuck maze.

Thank you for the reviews I really appreciate that you like my story.

I apologize again if this chapter was bad, I just couldn't think of another way to write it.

Please feel free to leave suggestions on upcoming chapters. A writer can always use ideas.

Later Gladers...