Hi readers! :D It was a while. I'm sorry, the illness attacked with new force. But I am totally okay now :D And to celebrate that I finished ch 10 now :3 2 chapters ago I thought I'll have 10 chapters and the Prologue and that's it, I am finished. But it seems I wasn't right about that. Oh my God, this is the 10th chapter! Who would thought that before? :D I definitely not. And oh my, your reviews are sooo great and so nice, I am always happy when you write one :3 And even Christmas is coming! :D Cannot wait :D I am literally in love with Christmas, I am totally hardcore. Watching Christmas movies, listening Christmas songs, I also bought some extra ornaments... I am horrible. Whatever! Back to the Glade, one of our favourite places :3
Newt and Sam hurried back at the Glade with Zera as fast as they could. She was totally unconscious and lost so much blood... Newt feared she cannot make it. When they stepped into the Glade he shouted after the med-jacks. Clint and Jeff ran toward him.
"What happened?"
"We found her in the Maze, wounded and unconscious." Sam answered. Clint nodded.
"Take her into the house Newt."
"The others found someone else?"
"Yes, there are three other girls. They are still alive, but in a very bad shape too."
The med-jacks led them into their building which worked as some kind of hospital in the Glade. They mostly dealt with broken arms, and big cuts, which needed to be stitched. They laid Zera on the back.
"Let's see what we have here." and with that Jeff pulled up Zera's shirt. Under the fabric on her stomach was a big and deep scar: the Griever clearly wanted to stab her, but it missed, probably because of Ava.
"That's nasty. We have to disinfect it and then stitch it together."
"And then?" Newt asked.
"And then we wait. Trying to keep her alive... but she lost so much blood. She has really bad chances Newt. Probably she doesn't make it."
Newt looked at Sam. She was a Runner also; she knew how badly Zera's injury looked like. She knew that her friend will be dead soon. But Newt didn't want to accept that.
"You have to do everything for her and the others. Keep them alive."
"We do what we can, but Newt this is not a shuckin' hospital and we are not shuckin' doctors. Probably she needs blood transfusion, but we cannot give her that. This is the Glade. If she dies, we didn't have any real chance to save her at all."
Newt knew that of course. Sam knew that too. And everybody else knew that too. This was their world. Zera and the others knew what wait for them out there and what will happen if things turn bad. But the thought he can lose her simply hurt too much. He had to leave and leave now. He stood up and simply walked out from the building. Sam followed and in the next moment Newt could felt her hand on her shoulder.
"She is a fighter Newt. Never forget that."
Four girls were alive from the whole Night Runner team. This news shook the whole community. These Runners were the girls' best fighters. The strongest and fastest girls, who were run outside and kill Grievers for a whole year without really serious harm. And now almost the whole team was dead. And they didn't find everybody, some of the bodies simply missed. The Grievers took them somewhere. Newt didn't want to think about what they did with the bodies.
The days passed and nothing changed. The daily runners went out every day, but nobody wanted to go out at night. Nobody volunteered to organize a new Night Runner team. Newt couldn't blame them. The Runners were also afraid. They tried not to show it, but Newt could see it. He saw it in Minho's eyes. Not fear exactly. But his friend worried for his Runners safety and Sam too. They were extra careful and took more weapons with themselves and also hid some more in the Maze. It was hard time for Sam; she also worried for her friends too. Harriet tried to comfort her, but it didn't work. Soon Sam was totally exhausted and couldn't deal with her daily tasks. Surprisingly, who could actually help her was Minho. Newt accidentally saw them together, how Sam shattered totally and cried on the boy's shoulder, meanwhile Minho tried to calm her down and whispered something to her.
He also had his own problem. First of all; he was Alby's co-leader and now everybody needed him and Alby. The boys and the girls were afraid from the Grievers, more than ever. Some of them even refused to walk close to the gates. But work needed to be done and he had to convince everybody to keep going with their lives. The other thing was the girls. Unfortunately one of the four survivors passed away. The med-jacks tried everything they could but like Jeff said days before: they were not doctors and the shaky building wasn't a hospital. They buried the poor girl next to her friends in the forest.
Newt headed toward the med-jack's building. He always came here, when he had the time for it. The things slowly started to settle down and everything was a little calmer. He sighed as he sat down next to the bed and he just watched the girl.
"How is she?"
Jeff answered him as he wiped off the sweat from her forehead.
"She still has fever. This will be some kind of infection. We requested some antibiotic and it finally arrived. I hope it is not too late and the pills will help."
Newt nodded and then just watched Zera, who was still pale and thinner than before. She was shaking from the fever and didn't open her eyes since Sam and he found her in the Maze. The med-jacks tried to give her some food, but if she doesn't feel herself better soon, she will also die because of the infection and starving. Newt leaned onto his knees and couldn't understand the situation. How could this happen with them? He hoped when Zera will be better and finally awake, she can tell what happened that night in the Maze. And... he also hoped he will not lose her forever.
Newt couldn't tell why he felt that way. She was his friend, yes. But two other girls were in bad shape too and he still cared for them and hoped they don't die, it didn't felt the same with them as he felt for Zera. Would he feel the same if Sam or Alby or Minho was in Zera's place? He just didn't want Zera to die.
Newt kept going to visit Zera and always asked how she was and Jeff or Clint always answered the same to him. Nothing changed, maybe the medicine will work. But soon Zera's condition changed positively. Her fever went down, her injuries healed well, even her color started to return slowly. When she woke up Clint ran after Newt and told him the news and he dropped everything and just run to her. He felt happiness inside him: she will not die. Sam was right; she is a fighter after all. When he saw her as she half sat in her bed and Jeff offered some kind of food from beetroot to her, he relieved. For a moment Newt wanted to push aside Jeff and hug Zera, but he didn't do it. When Jeff heard Newt and Clint arrived, he changed a look with Clint then said softly to her:
"We leave you two alone for a moment, but you have to eat the beetroot. You need blood and it will help you."
"Ok Doc, I'll be a good girl and I'll eat it all." she smiled then watched them leave. Zera sat in silence for a moment or two, then looked at Newt.
"Hi Newt"
"Hi Zera"
"Sam was here before you. Oh my, she almost cried and also told that you and she find me out there. You came out for me, but you didn't have to. Thank you."
"I didn't have to? You are my friend Zera and I couldn't leave you out there." he answered as he sat on the bed's edge. She looked so weak now. "How do you feel yourself?"
"The truth is... I never felt myself worse before. I couldn't climb out from this bed and don't speak about running. Even you could outrun me now."
"Thanks, that is flattering."
They laughed softly, than fell in silence. Newt didn't mind at all. It was a comfortable silence.
"Hey Zera" he started quietly. He didn't know is it the right time for that question, but he had to know. When her brown eyes were again at him, he continued "What happened there? That night? Do you remember anything?"
Zera looked away immediately. It was clear, she was remembering the things what happened, but it was too painfully for her.
"Something horrible. How many girls survived?" Newt didn't know it is okay to tell her the truth, but why he would lies to her? She will know sooner or later.
"Three including yourself too."
"Three." she repeated quietly "From the whole Running group?"
Newt nodded. He knew this will be really hard for her. Zera struggled to hold the tears back, sighed slowly to calm herself down. Newt knew she didn't want to allow herself to cry in front of him. That would be... too girly from her and she hated that.
"And what about Ava? Is she alive? She made it right?" now she sounded desperate.
"I am so sorry Zera, but..." he watched her. It was too much to Zera and her tears started to fall down on her cheeks.
"No..." she whispered.
"I know she tried to protect you... to save you. And she did. Think to that Zera. She knew what she chose and she did this for you."
But that didn't help Zera at all. She started to cry first, then it turned to sobbing. Newt didn't give a fuck how will it seem, he hugged her tightly, but didn't wanted to soothe her. For now that was the best if she let it out.
"I'm so sorry" whispered into her hair, but he wasn't sure she heard it at all.
Oh Zera is still alive :D That is good news. And my she is also acts like a girl! Like: feel things and she also cried! And Newt is like: "What the shuck is wrong with me, man? These strange... feelings... are strange..." Boys never be so smart, but we like them anyway :D Aaaand what now? What about the Night Runners? And Zera? Will she recover 100% or not? Could she run again? And what if she doesn't want to run outside again? The fear is a tricky feeling...