Serendipity || Newt TMR || Book 1

Petrichor

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Petrichor
(n.) the pleasant, earthy smell after rain

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It was the next day when I woke up, I must have slept for a good while. I sat up in my bed inside the Med jacks room; practicing and repeating words over, to try and build up the strength in my voice. "My... name is... Avery. I... live in... the Glade...." It was the only thing that I could think of repeating. After a while, I made my way downstairs and got dressed. I changed into a pair of black jeans and an orange long sleeve working shirt. I carefully undid the braids that were in my hair and placed the sole hair tie around my wrist; putting the small vine in a small box that I had beside my hammock.

I combed through my hair with my fingers, making sure there were no knots. Then, I walked out of the Homestead and out into the Glade. "Hey! Bug!" I heard someone say from behind me, as I turned, I realised it was Gally. I recognised the nickname he gave me; he gave it to me once when I called a butterfly a bug and it just went from there. I nod in his direction as he falls in foot with me. "How's your voice going?"

I mentally pause for a second, preparing my throat, "It's getting there...." I breathe, small voice cracks were still scattered throughout my words. "How's Ben going?"

Gally stopped walking, causing me to stop a few steps ahead of him. "You don't know?" He asks causing me to give a look of confusion.

"What?"

"Ben... He got banished yesterday. At sundown. Just as the doors closed." Gally explains.

"Oh." I breathe.

Ben. He was a really good friend of mine, he was an amazing runner, and it was only a few days ago that we were having a normal chat, as friends. And now he's gone. Gone forever.

"Avery, I know he was a good friend of yours." Gally says, bringing my attention back to him. "But you have to know, he nearly killed you.... and Thomas. We can't have someone that uncontrollable living in the Glade."

"I know..." I say as my hand made its way up to my throat. The memory of Ben sitting on top of me, strangling me, was imprinted into my mind. I flinched at the memory, taking my hand back and away from the bruises.

Gally eyed me for a second, studying my expression, he looked as though he was going to say something it decided against it, instead chose to say something else, just as someone began to yell his name. "Newts over at the tree line. Thought you might want to know." He says before walking over to wherever he had heard his name being called.

I nod and begin my trek over to the tree line; I had only just realised how much it hurt to breathe. It felt as though Bens hands were still wrapped around my neck and every time I blinked; I could see him. Pale faced, with dark veins sticking over everywhere, hands tightly gripping my throat. Choking me.

I shook the thought out of my head as I saw that again, Zart, Newt and Thomas we're together, now accompanied by Chuck. "Thomas..." My voice sounded better but it was still a little raspy, "You, you okay?"

"I'm okay, I was more worried about you..." he said as I sat down beside him and Chuck. "I should be asking you if you're okay."

"I'm fine." I breathe, I move to get comfortable on the log that we were sitting on, and I decided to sit cross legged. "Just a little bruised..."

"More than a little." Zart said as he began to hack at the tree stump with a machete.

I looked down at the comment. Yeah, I was more than a little bruised. I looked up as I felt someone looking at me, and I realised it was Newt. He had a worried look on his face, a sad look. I gave him a small smile and a soft nod to him, as to tell him 'I'm okay, trust me.' Which he nodded back in reply.