Gone Wrong

Fireside Talk

231.03.18 | 9:18 p.m.

But you are not... you are around all day. You can't be a Runner with your bad leg... Oh. All these thoughts swirled through her head, evaporated and were replaced by the one: "I see." A moment of silence passed, and then she asked: "How did that happen?"

He winced. Then he looked at her sideways. Then he nodded toward the Maze. "Out there."

She raised a cynical eyebrow at him. "You don't say."

"You don't want to know."

"Yes, I do. That's why I ask – because I want to know things." She exhaled audibly, letting her frustration show.

Newt watched her thoughtfully and nodded slowly. "Alright. If you say so." He took another deep breath and said: "Runner is a bloody dangerous job. The hardest of all."

Kat thought that this sounded a bit boastful, but Newt stared into the flames and continued to speak with an even voice: "The Maze is big. Enormous. And there are... things in there." He shuddered, probably haunted by the images this conversation had stirred up in his memory. "Don't bloody ask me again", he finally said, rather harsh. "It's almost healed, anyway."

"And then you go out into the Maze again?", she asked with a timid voice that surprised both of them.

Newt shuddered again, but nodded.

They stared into the flames in silence, until Newt brought up another subject.

"So, what's up for you tomorrow? Get some practice with the Slicers?"

Kat shook herself. "I'd rather be a Runner."

Newt nearly choked, and half coughing, half laughing he replied: "No way. Listen, Greenie, usually the Newbies start as Slicers until they find out what they are better at."

"Ah, I'm better at cooking. Definitely. Or doctoring. Anything, in fact. I'm absolutely no good with animals, dead or alive."

"If you say so... The Keeper of the cooks, Frypan, will be happy to get some help. There are not many cooks around."