Silence

Chapter 16

The next morning was quiet. The newbies hadn't seen George and kept asking questions about him. Nick had walked away from everyone and was currently sitting by the Box. Minho and Gally tried to keep everyone from asking questions as Alby and Newt walked to check on George.

I sat by the gardens, looking at the last living bush of raspberries. It was wilting as well and it looked like it wouldn't survive the night. Why do you all die? I thought as I plucked one of the berries. It tasted sweet and fresh. I sighed and looked at the bush again. The leaves was turning brown and it was very dry. I decided to pick the last berries and started to walk around the Glade, handing them out to the Gladers.

With two berries left in my hand, I reached the Homestead just as Alby and Newt went out the door. "He seems worse than before" Alby said to me and took on of the berries. Newt took the last one and ate it in silence. "I'll go update Nick, prepare him of what might happen"

Alby left me and Newt alone. "We can't let him into the maze" Newt looked at me, fear showing in his face. After breakfast, Alby had talked to the ones present during yesterday's gathering. If George didn't get any better by the end of the day, we would banish him into the maze. If he survived the night, he would be able to return to the Glade. "He's just a kid" Newt shook his head. "We can't do this"

I placed my hand on Newt's shoulder. He took it in his hand and gripped it tightly. "I know we have no choice" He whispered and lifted our entwined hands to his lips, placing a small kiss on it. He let go of my hands and removed his white hooded shirt. "I know you're cold" He smiled as he draped it over my head.

After this gesture, Newt let go of me and walked towards the gardens. But that gesture was all I needed. I raised my hands, Newts long sleeve reaching over my fingertips, and placed them over my heart, it was beating so quickly. It finally dawned on me, I was in love with Newt.

I loved everything about him. His wonderful smile, his amazing laugh and beautiful eyes. His way of taking care of everyone, of making us stick together. My heart was slowly slowing down. I felt my chest getting warm, confirming everything. I loved Newt with everything I had. I just wondered if he felt the same.

I walked after Newt, reaching the gardens. "Your bush is probably not going to make it" Zart said as he stopped watering it to wave at me. I waved back and took out my chalkboard before writing to him, one has died every week, I'm not surprised. Zart looked at my message before nodding. "Just wish we could've kept it longer. The berries are really sweet and tasty"

I smiled at Zart and took up another can to water some of the lettuce. It had grown quite a bit since I had planted it all those weeks ago. "Tonight, we feast on greens" Zart smiled. Newt walked away from our conversation, heading to the kitchen.

"Something wrong?" Zart leaned on his rake and looked at me. I shook my head, he didn't need to know. Not just yet.

I turned to the building area and saw Gally working in the distance. I turned again and saw Minho sitting by Newt in the kitchen, Frypan by the stove. Alby was talking to Winston by the Blood House, a new building Gally had finished a few days ago. It was the new place were we could slaughter the animals sent in the Box.

My eyes scanned the Glade. Clint and Jeff sat in the shadow by our hammocks. They waved at me when they saw me looking and I waved back. My eyes finally stopped at Nick. The boy sat to himself by the Box looking down. I decided to walk over to him and sat down next to him.

"If we had just gone down this hole, maybe George would have been okay" He said quietly and looked down the dark hole. "Maybe, we would have been out of here". I shook my head, we never saw this coming. "Just maybe" Nick whispered, his eyes not leaving the Box hole.

"I want to try to go down there. You can tie me with a rope to make sure I don't fall, but I want to do it. That is the only possible way out of here that I can see". Shouts could be heard from a corner of the Glade and I looked up to see Alby and Newt carrying George in between them. Nick rose quickly to his feet and ran over, me not being far behind.

"George, are you still in there?" Alby asked. George's only answer as a high scream. "George!" Alby hit him in the face, but George only screamed higher. By now, a crowd had began to form around the boy. Gally and Minho stood in front of the rest of the group, determined to protect them if that would be necessary.

"George" Alby hit him again, but George's screams wouldn't stop. "George" Alby sank down in front of the boy, Newt locking George's arms behind his back. "Are you in there? Show me a sign that you're there" George screamed higher and tried to lung at Alby, Newt using all his power to hold him back.

Alby rose and hit George in the face again. No sign of anything human was shown as George continued his screaming. Alby rose his hand to strike again.

"Stop it" Nick interfered, making Alby lower his hand. "He's my friend, our friend. He's in pain, leave him alone. Never hurt another Glader, right?". Alby turned to face Nick. "Right now, he is no Glader"

"I found something with the supplies a few days ago" Frypan rose his voice to be heard over George's screams. "A syringe with a blue liquid. It said serum" Frypan recalled the strange syringe I had given him the last time we had gotten our supplies. "Get it" Alby said and Frypan ran to get the syringe he had hidden in the kitchens.

He returned with the metal needle and handed it to Alby. "I'll do it" Nick volunteered and Alby gave him the syringe before taking a better grip of George. "Everyone stand back" He demanded as Nick injected the blue liquid into George's neck.

The serum seemed to have angered George, because his screams got even louder as he tore himself free from Newt and Alby and ran for the trees in the Glade, shoving people in the process. Jeff, Winston and I were all knocked over. I rose my head from the ground and looked after the running boy.

*******

"Remember, he is dangerous" Alby handed each Glader a sharpened wooden stick. "Only use this if you have no other choice" Alby handed one stick to me and turned to Nick. "He's your friend. You stay here, this is hard for you as it is" Nick nodded and looked at the others, sharp sticks in hand. "Spread out to cover more ground" Alby said and we turned to the forest.

For the Glade, the forest was quite big. As I entered the cold shadows of the trees, Gally and Newt disappeared from my sides, visible only a moment ago. I felt a shudder go down my spine and I felt the hair on my neck rise.

After walking for a while, I heard a branch snapping from behind me. "Who's there" I called out, my voice high. I stopped in my tracks, my voice. "What?" I whispered, hearing my voice again. I could talk? I didn't understand. I had been walking around in the Glade for almost three months without saying a word and now I could say anything I wanted.

"I don't believe it!" I laughed feeling my throat and the vocal cords vibrating inside. "This is amazing, wait until I tell the others". I could hear shouts from outside the forest. "He isn't there anymore, he must have escaped while we weren't looking" I heard Minho's voice, although it sounded far away. "Em!" Alby's voice was high. "We're searching the Homestead, maybe he's hiding". I was about to call out an alright but another branch snapped behind me.

"Who's there?" I asked again, raising my stick. "Stung" A voice mumbled and George stumbled out from the shadows. "George? But how did they not find you?" I asked the boy on the ground. "It's a test" He said, his words not making any sense.

"What do you mean?" I asked, lowering the stick. "It's a test, it's all a test" George looked up at me. "What's a test?" I had lowered the pole so that the tip was pointing at the ground. "W.C.K.D isn't good" He started to laugh, sounding crazy when he did so.

I decided to raise my stick again, George's laughter dying out quickly. "I don't think so" He grunted before attacking.