Into the Maze

Chapter 9

I looked around and sighed, running a hand through my hair, trying to take in all the events that just unfolded.

"I'm gonna go find Alby and ask him some things. You guys coming?" Thomas spoke up and asked once every boy had gone back to work, looking at Chuck and I.

"Sure." Chuck smiled, and looked back at me. My gaze shifted from Alby, to Ben's pit, as I weighed who I wanted to talk to more.

"I think I'll pass, but I'll catch up with you later." I said, as they headed for Alby. I watched the boys clear from Ben's pit, and smiled. Now was my chance.

I started walking casually, like I was just going somewhere. I dunno why I was acting like it was a crime to talk to Ben, it wasn't, right? It wasn't a rule, there were only three. Never did Alby say anything like: "Don't talk to people in the pits."

I got close to his pit and ran over, kneeling down beside the door. I looked inside, he was in the corner, completely still. He was crumpled in a ball and whining, but he wasn't moving.

"Ben?" I asked quietly, as the boy shifted. He didn't look at me yet, just turned a little more towards the wall. "Ben?" I repeated.

This time, he looked at me, and when he saw my face he freaked out. He started screaming inaudible stuff, and banging his head against the dirt wall.

"No- Ben stop. I need to talk to you." I begged, but he didn't stop. He really has lost his mind, and I felt bad for him. "Please if you could just-" I started, when someone gently grabbed me by the arm and lifted me up, pulling me away.

I looked away from Ben and over at Newt, who was staring ahead and pulling me a couple feet, getting me a good distance away from the pit.

When we finally stopped walking, he let go of me, and turned to my face. His expression was his normal calm one, except it was slightly tinted with something. Anger, concern, frustration. I couldn't quite tell.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" He asked, his voice tainted with the slightest bit of definable anger. Was he angry with me for trying to talk to Ben?

"When?" I wondered, that was the only word that came out. I didn't like thinking that he was mad at me, it made me a little frustrated.

"Just now, talking to him. And back there tackling him. What are you thinking right now?" His tone was vaguely stern, and a little frightening. I felt like I was being yelled at, but he wasn't yelling, which was slightly scarier.

"I dunno, he had a rock over his head, he was gonna kill Thomas." I explained softly and watched him lick his lips, his hair blowing in the light wind.

"He could've killed you, he was jacked." Newt stuck out his hands. This time, I sensed more of the concern. I couldn't help but smile, but I tried really hard not to. I didn't want to make him any more mad than he already was. "What are you smiling for?" He softened his voice, I think he noticed that I was a bit scared, or worried.

"I'm smiling because I didn't die and you're stressing over nothing." I spoke glancing down as he looked away, back at the pit, then around again.

"You didn't die because I hit him over the bloody head with a rock for you." He stated calmly, as I remembered that part. He did, but it wasn't for me. He would have done it either way, Ben needed to be stopped I guess.

The conversation ended and the mood switched, a small silence passing over us. I looked up at him. He looked back. His face was filled with a few different emotions, none of which I could completely read.

There it was again, that feeling, like I knew him before. Not just knew him, but was I with him? I wonder if he felt it too, I mean, I think Thomas felt the same family feeling as me, so maybe Newt felt this one feeling too.