The scream had come from beyond the Glade and in between the gap of the foresty walls that surrounded us.
Without hesitation Newt darted off toward the noise and I so desperately wanted to run after but I glanced at Sam not wanting to leave him behind.
"Go greenie, I'll catch up eventually." He didn't sound the tiny bit interested in the outburst, like he already knows what's happening. My mouth pressed in a thin line questioning what to do. Upon seeing the growing annoyed expression Sam wore I ran after Newt catching up to him rather quickly.
Panting I placed my hands on my knees before regaining my breath and glancing through the gap not seeing anything.
"What's out there?"
"The maze." Newt answered automatically.
"Ha-ha mess with the new girl." I rolled my eyes.
"We don't joke about the bloody maze dear."
Noting the hard tone in his voice I continued to look through the gap catching a glimpse of two distinct human figures running toward the group that had formed around Newt and I.
"He's been stung!" One of the boys shouted, picking up his pace barely carrying the other guy.
"Ben has been stung!"
Stung? Like from a bee?
I hadn't noticed my feet moving automatically forward toward the maze until Newt grabbed my arm with a stern look in his eyes.
"Non-runners aren't allowed inside the maze greenie."
"Someone has to go get them." I try to break his grip wanting to run and help but it's futile.
"They'll be fi-" a whirring clicking sound echoed through the ivory walls cutting the boy off.
"Great what the hell was that?!"
"You ask too many questions." Newts grip had gotten tighter to were it was painful.
"Newt." I say his name lowly attempting to hide my discomfort. His eyes weren't on me however they were focused on the boys running toward us or rather past them.
He seemed to be looking for something but it wasn't there.
The two boys finally made it to us, outside of the walls, and nearly collapsed on the grass ground. Ben, I believe that's the one who was injured, appeared to be ghostly pale.
"Get the med-jacks!" Alby called out before he knelt beside the boys whispering quietly so no one could hear.
"Newt." Gently I place my free hand on the one he's constricting me with. The skin to skin contact snaps him back to reality instantly and he releases my arm. Automatically I rub the painful spot.
"You, you do not try and run again, got it?" Is that anger in his voice?! Why the hell is he angry at me!
"Excuse me for wanting to be useful, asshole."
"We have rules here greenbean, rules you better learn quickly or die trying."
Guess the boy who joked around with me earlier is gone, and to think I was starting to cozy up to him.
"As for being useful you can learn how to be that tomorrow."
"I sure as hell ain't going anywhere with you comrade."
The corners of his lips turned into an amused smirk. "Slim it princess, I won't be babysitting you. So any volunteers?" Newts voice grew louder at the last part. The med-jacks had already taken the injured boy away into one of the buildings, Alby had disappeared along with the other runner god knows where, which left Newt and I with a handful of lustful boys.
Immediately their hormonal little hands shoot high in the sky.
"I'll take care of her." Gally stepped forward with a wicked grin giving me chills.
Wicked...why does that bring something back? My brows furrowed together as I thought about the word. However before I begun to remember anything the feeling went away.
"Gally, perfect-"
"No. I want Sam." I spoke causing Newt to raise a brow and the other boys to chuckle.
"Sam? You want Sam to teach you how to be useful?" A short young boy snickers.
"Nothin' useful 'bout a cripple greenie." Another one piped in.
I opened my mouth to defend the boy but Newt beat me to it,
"Shut it you klunheads! Sam is better than the whole lot of you or did you forget that? I'm sure he'll be overjoyed to remind you when he's all healed up."
With that everyone fell silent growing my curiosity of Sam's injury. I didn't dare ask Newt considering he never answers what I want him to.
Newt was leading me toward the Homestead in silence.
Other runners came from the other sides of the Glade all ignoring everyone else and heading into a shack-like structure.
"That is where they make the maps." Newt says having saw my face reeling with curiosity.
"Maps for what?"
"You didn't think we just sent guys running in there for fun did you?" His tone is teasing again making me smile.
"It may have crossed my mind as a game... Why do you need maps?"
"Why does anyone go through a maze greenie? Come on I know you have a brain in that pretty little head of yours."
To find a way out..
"You're saying we're trapped."
"I'm not saying we're here for a vacation."
That was the last we spoke before entering the Homestead. He took me up the stairs and we stopped walking when we approached a door.
"Open up shank." Newt says knocking on the door.
I hear the clanking of Sam's crutches and seconds later the door gets opened.
"What's up?"
"Your turn to babysit."
"It's almost nightfall, shouldn't the greenie be getting her sleeping situation..situated?"
"Kinda why I brought her to you Sammy boy."
"Wait, what?" Me and Sam said at the same time bewildered by what Newt was suggesting.
"You're more than welcome to sleep outside with the other slintheads, I thought you'd prefer to be with someone you took a liking to and who won't try anything."
Does that mean he doesn't trust himself not to try anything?
Sam and I shared a look, although he did protect me from Gally that doesn't necessarily mean I don't doubt the boys intentions.
He looked at Newt and nodded opening his door so I could enter.
"Good that." Sam smiled closing the door behind me as Newt left.
Awkwardly we stood in his room not knowing what to do.
I was first to speak,
"Where were you earlier?"
"Huh?"
"You said you'd catch up to us but you didn't.."
With a sigh Sam leaned on his crutches, "did Newt inform you of the maze?"
I nod waiting for him to go on.
"Everything we do, our whole life greenie revolves around the maze and finding our way out...that's what the runners do it's what I use to do."
"Is that how you got injured?"
He looks up at me with a flash of anger in his eyes before it vanishes.
"You can sleep on the matters."
"Where will you sleep?"
"I got a sleeping bag, I'll be fine."
"No I'm not taking a-"
"A cripples bed?" He sounded insulted.
"I was going to say anyone's bed."
He seemed utterly shocked as if he's come accustom to harshness. Considering the way the other shucking boys talked about him I can't blame him for being hostile.
Did I just say shucking? Now I'm turning into a Glader, soon I'll be growing bulging muscles like Sam and Newt. Fantastic.
"I don't mind resting on the ground unless you want to share the bed with me." I wink making his cheeks go bright pink.
Nervously I runs his hand through his dark hair. "Only if the girl insist." Sam hops around on his crutches then grabs a dark blue sleeping bag and drops it on the ground. He seems to be struggling with flattening it out for me.
"I got it Sam." With a kind smile I kneel on the ground and fix it myself.
"Sorry greenie."
"You don't have to apologize."
Sam winces in pain as he sits on his mattress. With some effort he heist his legs up on the bed then lays down.
"Night Sam."
"Good that greenbean."
"It's Rose."
"Good that, Rose."
I close my eyes, tugging the sleeping bag so it covers my head completely.
Being left with my thoughts brought back my earlier questions.
Why am I here?
Why can't I remember anything?
What the hell was that thing I heard from inside the maze?