Newt's Girl the Sequel

Chapter 34

The hike up the mountain is more exhausting than I even imagined. I still can't believe how out of shape I am considering the amount of running I've done since I first arrived at the glade just a short month ago. Even weirder to think that I've only been aware of things for a little more than a month. My whole life; two months.

Newt and the other Gladers stride beside me, beads of sweat collecting on their foreheads but otherwise seemingly unaffected by the sweltering heat that was causing me to wheeze loudly. Many of them offered that we take a break, although I could see the worries in there eyes. But like them, I was scared too. Thomas was a leader in a way. Without him, none of us would be confident enough to do anything on our own. I feared for his life but I couldn't bring myself to think of that. Or to think of the inevitable; if he gets killed by group B, then Minho becomes leader, and I become abandoned. It's as defining as the tattoos on our necks.

We move in a group, but we're spread out, afraid to create any more heat by making contact with someone else's skin.

It feels like heaven when we're finally three quarters of the way there. The air is cooler and there's shade created by the indentations in the rock. We easily could have made it to the top by nightfall, but that's where the girls have Thomas and we didn't want to risk his life if we got too close. If we stay here for the night, we'll be able to get to the top and back time just in time to reach the safe haven. The only problem is that's all the time we have. There's no going back from there before we become a part of this god forsaken world.

After creating a small fire and eating, using up all our materials we begin to settle in for the night. We figure if we don't make it to the safe haven, we won't survive much longer on our own so we won't need the stuff anyway.

I sit with my back against a rock, knees up next to Newt who's lost in through beside me.

He grabs my hand in his, sighing and coming back to reality, like I'm the relief to whatever was bother him.

He stares at the fire for a few minutes before meeting my pressing gaze, "What is it?"

I smirk, he already knows that I want something and I didn't even have to ask yet, "Will you teach me to fight?"

He straightens up at that, "Fight?"

"Yeah you know, punching and kicking. I was never exactly taught in the Glade. I only had one moment with Gally on my first night but I just ran around a bunch. I want to be able to defend myself if something were to happen." I look up at him innocently, trying to convince him. I want this. I want to be able to do something for myself. Just this once. Ironically I need his help to do it.

His forehead scrunches up, "Did you have another dream?"

"No, why?"

"Then why do you think somethings going to happen?"

"I'm not saying anything is going to happen Newt. I'm saying I want to know how to fight Incase something does." I sigh exasperated and slumping back against the wall. I knew this was going to be harder than I originally planned.

"You have me though. And everyone here."

I know he's worried, "I had Thomas too but he's not here right now. And I have you, but what about what happened in the city. Neither one of those things were any of your guys's fault but I still couldn't do anything to prevent them from happening."

He looks away from me again, and I'm about to give up on asking when he says, "Okay."

"Really?" I beam. Excitement taking over me.

"Yes, and I'm not gonna go easy on you because you really do need to know how to protect yourself in situations like these. I've thought about this before as well, but didn't want to subject you to anything."