The Only One (Newt || fanfiction)

Chapter 3

As I waited outside the closed door to the Gathering, I reviewed everything Newt taught me about the Glade.

~

The different jobs are working in the kitchen, bloodhouse, gardens, building, cleaning, taking care of the dead Gladers, giving medical care to the Gladers, or running in the maze.

Alby and Newt are the leaders of the Glade, Newt second in command. Minho is the keeper of the runners. Winston of the bloodhouse. Frypan is the keeper of the cooks. Zart of the track-hoes, Gally of the builders, and Clint of the med-jacks.

The Glade is basically a big square, and there are entrances to the maze on each of the four sides. The north, west, east, and south doors.

The homestead is like a big house. Some people sleep in it, but most people sleep outside. It is in the northwest corner.

The gardens are where the track-hoes work. It never rains here, so water is pumped up through pipes underground. Seeds for plants are delivered in the Box. The gardens are in the northeast corner.

The animal pens and bloodhouse are located in the southeast corner. Animals come up in the box too.

The map room is where the runners go to record what they've done in the maze that day. It is in front of the south door.

In the southwest corner there is a large grove of trees, and somewhere in there is the deadheads. The deadheads is like a cemetery for Gladers.

The slammer is a jail used for punishment of the Gladers. It's right next to the homestead.

The box is right in the middle of the square. The Gladers know nothing about it except that it brings a new Greenie every month, and new supplies every week.

Newt told me that the biggest rule here is not to go into the maze unless you are a runner. And no one stays over night because grievers roam the maze at night after the doors close.

~

After I review it a couple times I think I have it down. I hear footsteps coming from down the hall. They are loud and careless.

I little boy turns the corner and starts walking in my direction. He is chubby with curly hair. He looks friendly. I hope he acts that way.

He never notices me though. The whole time he walks, he's look down into the metal cup he's carrying. It looks like it contains water, and he's trying not to spill it.

Eventually, he looks up. But when he sees me he freezes, gasping and dropping his cup. As soon as the cup hits the ground I stand up too, and we are both just standing there, staring at each other.

"Your the girl!" he says. I can't tell if he's scared or excited.

"Yeah. My name's-" I start but he cuts me off.

"Eve, I know. Your all the gladers have been talking about," the little boy relaxes a little and then starts walking toward me with his hand extended, "Hi, I'm Chuck."

I smile and shake his hand. Chuck is extremely likable. Maybe it's because of his friendly, round face. I thinks it's the first time I've smiled all day.

"Um, do you want me to help you clean up that water?" I ask him, pointing at the puddle and cup on the ground.

"Oh right! Um, sure. Thanks," Chuck says and gets right to it. He takes two rags from his pocket and throws me one. We both start to wipe up the mess.

But almost immediately after that the door swings open, and Alby stands there, about to tell me something.

"What are you doing?" Alby asks.

"I was just helping Chuck clean up this water," I say a little defensive of myself and Chuck. What's the problem with giving the kid a little help?

Alby ignores me and motions me into the room. I get up and wave to Chuck, then I walk in, with Alby behind me, and then he walks over and sits in an empty chair. They have formed chairs for all the keepers in a semi-circle. There is also a chair in front of it, probably for me. But I don't want to sit in front of them all. So I just stand there by the door, not knowing what to do.

"You can sit there," Alby says and points at the chair in front of them.

I let out a disappointed huff and walk over to the chair to sit down. Once I am sitting, Alby clears his throat.

"We have decided that you will follow the same rules, have the same rights, and have the same job opportunities as the other Gladers. No special treatment," Alby says.

"I expect nothing less," I say, casually.

"There is one exception," Alby says, a bit annoyed at my response. He waits for my reaction, but I don't do anything so he continues.

"You will be taught self defense for your own safety," he says.

"I think I can manage myself," I say and roll my eyes. I laugh a little under my breath, but the seriousness in the room makes it brief.

"Well think twice, greenie," Alby says extremely sternly. This makes me sit up a little.

They go around to each keeper and they each explain why it's important for me to learn self defense. They mostly said that if I got in a fight with another Glader the guy would have an advantage. They also talked about things like rape, but I don't think anyone here would actually do that.

"Alright, that's it," Alby says and leaves.

The whole time they acted like I wasn't even there. Never asked me any questions and never let me ask any questions. I basically have no say in more than half of what happens to me.

Great! I think to myself.

The other keepers peel off one by one. I just sit in the chair and stare at my hands as they leave. Within a minute or so, they are all gone and the door is closed.

"Self defense? Who's idea even was that?!" I whisper shout to myself. I put my face in my hands.

"It was my idea," someone says.

I jump out of the chair and look around until I see Newt sitting by himself in one if the chairs.

"Why did you scare me like that?! I didn't think anyone was left in here!" I shout at him.

He throws his hands up, as if surrendering. "I'm sorry! I wasn't aware of your extreme bloody stupidity! Calm it, shank!"

I roll my eyes and plop back down onto my chair.

"If you keep rolling your eyes, they're going to turn brown," Newt says.

"What, like yours?" I shoot back.

Then I realized something, "Newt, I don't even know what color my eyes are," I say, now calmed by sadness.

Newt sighs. I'm not sure if it's out of sympathy or annoyance.

"Let me see," he says and starts walking toward me. Maybe it's actually sympathy.

He walks up to me and gets really close, towering over me. He moves a piece of hair from my face and examines my eyes.

I don't know why I let him stand there and touch my hair like that, or even allow him to get so close to me for that matter. There's something about him. He gives off this gentle vibe that I find comforting.

"Hazel. Wait, no..." he keeps looking with deep concentration.

The door opens and we quickly disconnect our eye contact to look at the door.

It's Chuck, with his mouth agape. But he quickly leaves and slams the door shut.

What have I done? I think to myself. I'm sure Newt's furious. The whole Glade will be talking about this. I can feel my cheeks burning.

I look at him, but he just smiles at me. I can't help but smile back. Maybe I do like him after all.