Fervency

CHAPTER: T H I R T E E N

Meanwhile Newt had climbed to the top of the tree house and lifted the hatch.

"Hey" he called out to her. Half his body stuck out the hole as he measured her expression. She was sat in the corner on her cot, with her knees curled to her chest.

"Hey" she replied.

"Something happened out there, didn't it?" he climbed up to his feet. Elodie didn't bother to answer, instead she threw her head in her knees and her shoulders sank.

"Don't do that." He took a seat beside her. "C'mon, Talk to me."

Meanwhile, Minho and Thomas were eavesdropping by the ladder.

"He's good at this" Thomas whispered to Minho.

"Too good." Minho grumbled. Silence followed Newt's words once again. Elodie changed position so her legs were now hanging off the edge of the bed.

"I'm the reason Alby got stung." She confessed. Guilt soaked her words and for a moment she refused to look at him. Finally, she pulled her head up and looked straight at him with teary greens. Newt stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded. He searched for the right words to say, but instead he froze up.

"He's going to die and it's all my fault." Her voice wavered in distress.

"Don't say that." Newt cooed, placing a hand on her back. His heart sank because of the prevalent sadness that filled her tone. "It's not your fault." he disagreed. Immediately, he could feel the muscles on her back tense. She shook her head.

"Do you even know why I went in there? Because I saw this." She pulled the beetle from her pocket and threw it on the bed.

"If I hadn't gone in there for this damn beetle, he would of never went in to the maze and tried to protect me." she ranted, "And for what? A clue?"

"This is hardly a clue." She shook her head. She regarded her actions with pure disgust.

"All it tells us is whoever put us in here is watching us. Now Alby's on his death-bed. He was just saving me because it was the right thing to do. Why would he do something so stupid? He's the leader of the Glade. I'm not worth that, Newt, we barely know each other."

"You're wrong. Alby saved you because you were his friend," he asserted. "You don't even know how down he was when he found out you were trapped inside that bloody place."

"He went in there with Minho because Ben was stung in broad daylight. But what you don't know is he also went in there in hope that you were somehow still alive." He encouraged, "I don't know what it is, but you brighten up the place, Elle. He said it himself."

"I know I give you guys a lot of klunk, Newt, but I really care about you guys." she confessed, briefly pausing to wipe her eyes. "I never want to see any of you get hurt." Her voice cracked at the end of her sentence. Finally, tears poured from her eyes. She instantly looked down to hide it, but it was too late and he had seen.

"Hey..." He reached forward and she collapsed in his arms.

"Who knew you had a such a soft side" he remarked. "Before you look at me like that- let me finish." Laughter tumbled off his lips and he continued, "I just had no idea how much you cared, alright? We need that here. Everyone's grown apathetic-almost complacent with staying here. You cared enough to go into the maze after that beetle-all on your own might I add-to find a clue on how to get out. That is amazing to me."

"You and Thomas. You both are real gutsy." he finished.

"What did he do, by the way?"

"He ran into that bloody maze to help save Minho and Alby."

"Wow..." she marveled. "I'm glad he did."

Silence set in between them, and suddenly, Newt remembered about Thomas and Minho. He wondered to himself if they were still listening. For a moment he forgot about them.

"Newt..." Elodie trailed, "Will Alby be okay?"

"Do you want the honest truth?" he wondered. She nodded. He sighed for a moment and then his eyes fell to his lap. "I can't say that he'll be okay. He can live anywhere between days to a couple weeks."

"Oh..." her lips shifted to a frown.

"Who knows," he shrugged, looking her in the eye. "Maybe we can still save him. Ever since you and Tommy have arrived, I've been a lot more hopeful."

"Glad you're alright, Elle," he lightened the conversation. "Really. We heard you scream, thought that was the last of you..."

"You really think I'd go out that easy?" she mumbled.

"Sorry, what?" he asked. She repeated herself but this time with a hint of a smile at her lips.

"That's more like it"

"Oh Newton~!" Minho's voice sang from below. Newt's lips lifted in a grin and he got up to his feet to peer down the hatch.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Gally's called for a greeting. You have to come too smelly!"

"Better start running, then." she warned.

"You really think you can catch me?" Minho challenged. A deathly silence occurred and then she came climbing down.

"Get him!" Thomas called, as she charged after him.

They watched as she caught up with him. Anticipation filled both Newt and Thomas as they traced her movements. She hadn't made a move yet and instead was running at his side. Until finally, she stuck her foot out in attempt to trip him.

He stumbled forward, nearly falling to the ground If  he hadn't ended up catching his balance.

"Did you just try to trip me?!" Minho yelled, betrayed. "Oh, that's it!"