Fervency

CHAPTER: F I V E

Elodie went to sleep in a matter of seconds from hitting her cot. But she didn't stay asleep. Something caused her to wake up. An eerie silence filled the air as she sat up and peered out the window. Her eyes scanned the field below, searching for any sign of danger, but couldn't find anything. She stayed on her toes, unable to shake the uneasiness that was rising within her.

Then, a loud inhuman shriek broke the silence. Immediately, she jolted in surprise.

"What...was...that?" She sprung out of bed and stuck her head out the window. Whatever it was repeated itself once more but no one else woke up.

She wondered if this a normal occurrence in the glade. She shuddered at the thought of what else was in store for her that she didn't know about. The blaze of a flame caught her eye in the distance and so she decided to head towards it. She needed answers and whoever was up would tell her.

Elodie was halfway down the ladder when she heard the voice of someone close by.

"Can't sleep either?" Her head immediately scanned her surroundings in attempt to find who the voice came from.

"Relax" he chuckled, "It's me-Newt." Suddenly, his figure came out from the shadows and she let out a sigh of relief.

"You scared me" she jumped off the ladder to the grassy floor. "Why are you lurking out here?"

"I wasn't lurking, I was just taking a walk." he defended. She sent him an unconvinced look.

"I take walks when I can't sleep" he added.

"I'll believe you for now. Only because I have a question."

"Lay it on me." he motioned her to follow.

"Tell me I'm not the only one hearing those screeches at night." She wondered, as they approached the campfire.

"Not at all" he murmured, while throwing some new wood in the pit. A sharp crackle was heard as the log emitted in flames. Crickets chirped from all directions, as a brief moment of silence came between them.

Another screech carried on into the night, and Newt's head snapped into its direction.

"What are they?" she wrapped her arms around herself in attempt to keep warm.

"Cold?" he asked her. She gave him a nod. "Switch me spots."

"Thanks" she offered him a hint of a smile. "Don't worry. You're safe, alright? The gates close at night. Nothing can get to you." She gazed into his chocolate browns and for a split second, she became unusually nervous of the attention he was offering her.

"You think I'm scared?" She quickly darted her gaze from his and crossed her arms in protest.

"You sure look scared" A hint of mirth played behind his gaze.

"Fine, you got me. Only because I haven't seen whatever's behind those walls." She admitted defeat, "But you shouldn't fear what you can't see. For all I know it could be a screaming teddy bear in there."

"That's highly unlikely." He released a short laugh while shaking his head. "We call em Grievers and...no one's lived to see 'em."

"Now I know why no runner has a night shift"

"Yeah...unfortunately, no one's lasted a night in the Maze."

"I wonder if we'll ever know. But..." She drawled, "by the sound of it, maybe that's a good thing."

"Good that"

"You know..." Elodie grabbed the fire stick and began poking at the molten logs.

"I'm still not sure what I want to pick for my job."

"Be a builder. That's what you wanted wasn't it?" Newt encouraged.

"Nah, I don't want any more conflict." She looked over her shoulder to meet his eyes, "I need something therapeutic at this point. " Newt chuckled at her comment and then leaned back in his seat.

"Well, you could join me tomorrow and see what it's like to be a trackhoe, then switch off to see what Frypan's job is like."

"Really?"

"Course. It doesn't matter so long as you're helping."

"Alright. I'll take you up on that."

***

"Hey" Minho's voice echoed behind Newt. It was sunrise and the keeper was getting an early start on his job. Rays of sun peeked over the maze, glistening into the dewy spears of grass.

Newt stopped what he was doing and straightened out to see the runner heading toward him with Ben at his side. Minho flashed him a smug glance and then smacked his chest with the back of his palm.

"So, I heard that you and the greenie were up all night together."

"Seriously? It's nothing like that." Newt crossed his arms. Minho shot newt an unconvinced look and the brit's shoulders collapsed.

"You're one to talk!" he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh, am I?" Minho took a step forward, challenging him.

"Ask away Sweetheart" Newt mocked him, making quotations with his hands.

"I do not sound like that." Minho disagreed.

"It's pretty close" Ben laughed.

"Speak of the devil!" Newt announced. A few yards away the group spotted Elodie traveling toward them. Before she approached the group, she scanned all their expressions.

"What's with the faces?" she wondered. Newt opened his mouth, ready to speak but instead he was interrupted by Minho.

"Better shut your mouth while you're at it, shank!" he stuck a finger at him and then ran away.

"Hey, I'm ben." the blonde offered her a hand.

"C'mon' Ben!" Minho shouted from the distance. "Seeya!" he waved, before disappearing out into the distance to find his running partner.

"You're up earlier than I expected" Newt leaned against his shovel, placing both hands around its handle.

"There's this woodpecker that consistently decides to peck on the tree by my bed every morning."

"That's unlucky" he released a short laugh.

"Well, in any news. Grab yourself some breakfast before you get started. You're gonna want some food in you first."

"Alright" she nodded.