Count On Me ➵ Newt [1]

SEVENTEEN | the last one

The next morning, I went over to the fields to check up on how the Greenie - I meant, Thomas - was doing on his first day of his work experience. Newt was there, tending to the leaves of the tomato plants with some of the other Gladers.

"Hey, Newt," I greeted him. "Where's Thomas?"

"Sent him into the forest to get some fertilizer," he replied, shovelling some dirt away. He was about to say something else when a sudden piercing shriek cut through the air. I jumped, eyes wide as I scanned the Glade for the source of the scream. What on earth had happened?

I got my answer: I spotted Thomas running out of the woods, his face tight with pure fear. Then I realized why - Ben was chasing him. I was so surprised that I froze, staring at him. What the hell was Ben doing? 

"Help! HELP!" Thomas cried out. 

Ben tackled him and started punching his face. Thomas squirmed underneath him, but Ben seemed to have the strength of ten men, his usually lanky arms rippling with muscles. I ran towards them and tried to pull Ben off, but he swung a fist at me and hit my jaw - I winced in pain and stumbled back, tasting the thick, metallic texture of blood in my mouth.

"Get back!" Newt yelled from somewhere behind me. Before I knew what was happening, he charged forward and swung a shovel directly into Ben's head. The boy fell back and crashed to ground. Thomas wriggled away desperately, panting heavily.

Gally, Frypan and Newt quickly pinned Ben down. The guy looked terrible - his hair was matted with dirt and sweat and his shirt was smeared with mud. His eyes were rolled up in his head and though he struggled against his captors' grips, he seemed to be half-conscious from the blow.

"What the hell happened?" Alby demanded.

"He just attacked me!" Thomas said, scrambling to his feet.

Alby stared at Ben for a moment; I could almost hear the wheels in his brain spin. Then he said, "Lift his shirt."

"No, no, please!" Ben pleaded. 

But it was too late - Frypan ignored his protests and pulled up his shirt to reveal a hole in his side, with thick purple veins bulging out from the edges and creeping along his abnormally pale skin. Everyone gasped as our eyes widened at what we were seeing. Ben had been stung.

"He's been Stung in the middle of the day?" Gally said in disbelief.

Alby regarded Ben's writhing form on the ground. Then with his voice laced with disgust, he said, "Throw him in the Slammer."

-

Newt came in to check on me in the Homestead. I was holding an ice pack to my bruised jaw, which was now hurting like hell after Ben punched me. A blue-black bruise had formed on my jawline and though it wasn't very noticeable, I still found myself frowning whenever it throbbed.