Then She Came

Maya 9

Time in the Glade seemed to be slowing down, like everyone was waiting, and depending on, something big to happen. It's been three weeks since Chuck has shown up, but it feels like three years.

"Hey, Maya?" I looked down at the small boy next to him and smile. "How bad do you think being a Slopper will be." The Keepers had decided that Chuck was to young to do most of the jobs so they assigned him an easier task. But a horrible one. Taking care off all the outhouses.

We have bathrooms, but only one. So the Gladers had built small outhouses around the Glade. They get used every day, too.

"It can't be all bad, Chuckie. You might smell a bit, but you can always shower." He nodded but frowns. It would be his first day.

I left him to his thoughts and walked towards the infirmary. We now have Clint, he showed up about four months ago. Was the scaredest thing, but he knows a lot about medical things. Clint and Jeff smiled at me as I came in, having already cleaned and prepped their stations for the day.

"Good morning, gents." I said in the best Scottish accent that I can muster. "What's today's schedule?"

"Well, Joseph is supposed to be coming in to get his stitches removed." Clint said. Poor Joe had a wall fall on him and a nail made a nasty cut on his bicep. The Builders are the ones in here the most, them and the Slicers.

"Anything else?"

"No, today might be a boring day."

I kicked my legs back and forth as I sit on top of my table, waiting for something to need help. Sounds kind of morbid of me, but I have seriously been considering finding Chuck and helping him. It would give me something to do.

"I'm bored." I announced and Jeff shot me a look.

"At least no one is on the operation tabl-"

"Ben's been stung!" I looked up to see Alby run into the room.

"In broad day light?" I asked bewildered, hoping off the table.

"It doesn't shucking matter! Get the serum!" I reached for a syringe and ran out after Alby. I don't have to go very far however when I saw a crowd of boys. I elbowed my way through to find Ben laying on the ground, blood seeping through his shirt while he writhed in pain. I squeezed my eyes shut at the sight of my friend before opening them again and getting down on my knees next to him.

I don't waste any more time and as I took a deep breath, I stabbed the syringe into his abdomen and let the serum do it's work. I sat back on my legs, pushing my sweaty hair out of my eyes. "Someone get him to the infirmary." I said, then stood up and walked towards the Homestead.

A few boys that I don't know the names of picked him up carefully and followed me.

"Set him here," Jeff instructed, pointing towards a cot with a pillow. I draped a blanket on top of Ben after the boys set him down.

"Let the Changing begin." Jeff said sadly. At that moment, Ben let out an inhuman scream, and started writhing in pain.

"What's going on?" Clint and I asked at the same time, I had never seen anyone with a Griever sting before. My voice was filled with curiosity and worry.

"The Changing." Jeff said simply before turning and walking out of the room.

• • • •

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly when another one of Ben's screams echoed through the Glade. It's well past midnight, Newt wasn't here.

I don't know where he is. But I sure would like to be next to him right now.

And then I realized something. I like Newt. Like, I like like Newt. My mind flashed back to when I saw Newt shirtless yesterday and how I had gotten so embarrassed. I had seen Minho and Ben shirtless before, but was never embarrassed. It was just with Newt. Then I had noticed it before when Chuck had come out in the box, how he had been kind to Chuck even though everyone else thought he was a joke.

My cheeks heat up again at the thought.

I tried to sleep but I felt unsafe without someone else in the room with me. The Grievers screams blended in with Ben's and I felt as if it never stopped. I cupped my hands over my ears, hoping to block out the sound. I could still hear it.

• • • •

"You look like klunk." Minho said when I sit down next to him for breakfast.

"I didn't get any sleep." I replied. I could feel the bags under my eyes and my eyes felt dry.

"Looks like it." Newt says, squeezing in next to me. I try to ignore the fact that his arm is pressed into mine. "Sorry about last night, I was in charge of watching over Ben." Newt looked pretty bad too. His eyes were bloodshot and he seemed to look twenty years older.

"You should have told me so I could have been there with you." I scolded.

"Well, I didn't want you to not get any sleep!"

"And look where that got me!" I said, motioning to my face.

"You two are like an old married couple." Minho snickered. I blushed immediately and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Newt blushing too. "Just kiss already." He said, standing up to go take his plate to Frypan. My cheeks burned redder and I looked away, turning my back to Newt.

"I'm gonna go." Newt said before standing up and walking at a brisk pace out of the kitchens.

I just watched him leave, wishing he would stay.

Eww. I hated writing that ending because I honestly think it is the most cliche thing ever but here we are anyways. I hope you enjoyed it.