'Till Death Do Us Part

Chapter Twelve- Closing Doors and Violent Encounters.

Riley found Newt pacing the length of the homestead alone, mumbling incoherently to himself. His face was a strain of worry and stress, hair messy from running his hands through it.

It was clear he was going out of his mind with worry. Alby and Minho should've been back from their little maze adventure a long, long time ago. Most of the glade was freaking out, including Riley herself, although she didn't fully understand what was even going on.

"Newt?" She asked, tentatively, hoping he wouldn't snap and start shouting or something.

"Ten minutes." He muttered. "Ten minuets. The doors close in ten bloody minuets." His tone was furious, though Riley knew it was more stress than anger, but she decided it was best to take a step back anyway.

"Newt?" She pressed, flinching as he swivelled around to face her. Seeing this, his expression softened, and then he closed his eyes, leaning against the wooden panalled wall.

"I'm scared, Riley. I'm really shucking scared." His low voice wavered as he spoke, his frame shaking slightly. Bile rose in Riley's throat. She hadn't actually considered they woulnd't get back. She had been convinced that they'd make it- but it wasn't looking that way at all.

If they didn't get back- Riley would loose the only family she could confirm was alive- Minho. If he died, all her hope, her optimism, would go with him. And Alby- sure, the shank was scary, but he was kind of like family already.

"It's gonna be okay, Newt. They'll get back, I know they will." But she was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince the elder boy who stood in front of her. No they're not, she thought, but she didn't voice those words. "Come on, Newt. Let's go to the doors. We might be able to see them."

It was obvious by Newt's expression that he didn't believe her, but he followed her to the east door anyway. A crowd of Gladers had already gathered at the doors, the crowds silent aside from a few hushed predictions. Chuck and Thomas stood near the front, both looking scared and pale. Chuck's usual content smile was gone. Newt pushed past the boys, tugging Riley along with him. The boys parted respectfully, making it seem horribly like a funeral.

"Five minuets." Someone near the back muttered.

Thomas shuddered. "Can't we send someone after them?" He asked, tugging absentmindedly at his sleeve.

"No. It's against the rules. They either make it back or they don't." Gally muttered from his crouched position as he squinted out into the maze.

"We can't risk losing anyone else." Newt muttered, his words bitter.

Suddenly, two figures rounded the corner of the dark, gloomy corridors.

"There!" Someone cried.

"Wait, something's wrong!" Riley shouted, pointing. Alby's arms were draped over Minho's shoudlers, and the runner was dragging him along, his face contorted with the strain. A scream of agony or fear- Riley couldn't tell- ripped from his mouth, echoing around the maze walls.

"You gotta leave him!" Gally shouted, and all chaos errupted.

"Run, man!"

"Leave him!"

"C'mon, Minho!"

Newt's face grew paler by the second, and, all of a sudden, the huge doors began to slowly close, sending a deep rumbling through the glade and the maze. The cries from the gladers became more desperate as Minho struggled on, refusing to leave his leader to die alone in the maze. Thomas twitched, agitatedly.

"They're not gonna make it." Gally murmered. The doors would close altogher in mere seconds. Minho locked eyes with Riley, and it was like someone had sparked a fire inside her. All the emotion she had been building up for so long, began to slowly seep out of her. And then a look of recognition passed across Minho's face, as if he'd finally seen the younger girl in a new light. Newt tensed beside her. The doors were fractions apart.

And, suddenly, with no warning, Thomas pushed past everyone, squeezing inbetween the closing doors. Riley gasped, desperately reaching out for the boy, trying to grab his shirt- but it was too late. The gladers shout turned into angry, worried cries of 'what are you doing?!' and 'come back!!' and then swiftly tranformed into, 'don't stop!' and 'keep going!' as Thomas wriggled through the gap.

And then the doors snapped shut.

The crowd soon cleared, leaving with muttered comments of sorrow and regret, and Chuck was sobbing- with only Newt and Riley left behind. Newt was slumped against the wall, staring listessly at his palms.

"Newt?" Riley's voice was shaking badly.

"Just go away, Riley." Newt muttered. "Please, just leave. Please. I'll be okay. I just need to be left alone for a while, okay?"

"Okay." Riley turned around, despaired, and walked away. She felt nothing. Not pain, not sorrow, not angry. Just kind of empty, like she was no loner able to feel things. She'd lost Minho when she'd only just found him- and Thomas. Whatever Thomas may have done or may have not done, that was all in the past. He was a nice enough guy- he didn't deserve a fate like that.

"I feel sorry for you, shank." A boy- one of the guys she'd seen but not much spoken to- snorted as she walked past. His tone was sharp and scornful. Riley turned round.

"And what's that supposed to mean, huh?" Her tone was almost as empty and cold as she felt.

"I mean, your stupid shank friends are as good as dead. Those guys are worthless. Won't survive five seconds out there, I'm bettin'" The guy sneered, kicking at the dirt.

Riley pressed her lips together, her hands balling into fists. "You wanna repeat that, shuck face? You wanna say that again?"

The guy smirked. "You don't scare me, kid. You're just a scrawny girl who's only made it so far here because Newt's all smitten about you." The words stung, but not as much as they would have a few days ago.

"Yeah, okay. You're not scared, so say it again. I shucking dare you." Anger bubbled inside Riley. She knew it wasn't a good idea to get into an argument with one of the Gladers, but she didn't care about that at that moment.

"I said your little friends are worthless, good as dead. Won't survive five seconds." He repeated, smirking in victory.

There was a short hesitation wherein the two stood nose to nose, glaring at each other in a silent stand off.

And then Riley punched him in the face.

The blow wasn't very powerful- it startled the guy more than anything. He was sent stumbling back a few feet, falling hard to the ground, clutching his nose.

Before Riley could decide to do anything else that would get her in deep trouble, she turned and began to walk away.

Unfortunately, she only made it a few feet before she was tackled to the ground by the Glader she had punched.

"You shucking slinthead." The guy growled, pinning her.

"You started it." Riley cried, realising she sounded like a five year old but not caring at all. She brought up her knee and kneed the boy hard in the crotch, rolling over and jumping to a standing position.

He gritted his teeth, advancing on Riley. He swung a punch at her stomach, but she jumped away, only to have the boy punch her square in the jaw, before shoving her to the floor.

Riley blinked at the ground beneath her, pain flaring in her jaw as anger flared inside of her. She had managed to throw her hands out to stop the fall, but that had sent a wave of agony shooting up her wrist. She pushed herself up, and ran at the boy, feigning left and then sweeping her leg beneath him, literally sweeping him off his feet.

He cried out in pain, his head slamming into the floor, before falling silent, his body becoming limp and motionless.

Oops.

[a/n

Okay, okay, not that long- sorryyyyy! Anyway, in about two or three more chapters there WILL be a super long one. Please don't kill me.

With Glader love and all that

-Delirious]