Welcome to chapter 20!

Thank you very much if you have made it this far. As you could probably already tell, this story is very vaguely based on the books. If anything, it is closer to the film but I've been making up characters (like Elias), changing some of the OG ones completely (like Nick) and taking things off in different directions. Also, I am developing Lyla's relationships with the boys in general. Romance will come eventually (I think) but right now I'm more focussed on building friendship!

Please feel free to comment on what you are enjoying about this read. I do love building on ideas and feedback.
I would also be very encouraged to write faster!

Thank you for being patient for this chapter.
Enjoy.

She came in and out of consciousness.

She heard bits and pieces of conversation now and then. Perhaps she imagined them.

"..can't let her stay here all night."

"she not up yet? Soup's gon' get cold.."

"I'll stay here with her. Don't worry."

"Is Jeff around? Can he check her again?"

"Has the box gone down yet? ...can you go put down medication requests?"

"Looks like she's having a tough night."

"has she eaten anything?"

"She has bruises on her neck.. look."

"..shuckin' fever won't drop..."

By the time it was well into the night, she was wrapped up in multiple blankets still on the kitchen ground with a small fire that they kept going from dinner. Minho and Newt took turns staying up and keeping guard. Nick soon joined them, announcing that he had finally sent Clint and Jeff to bed.

Lyla's condition got worse as the night deepened. She tossed and turned in her sleep, moaning and whimpering through a losing battle against her own dreams and deliriums. At this point, the boys couldn't do much for her.

She woke from time to time, drenched in cold sweat and panting shallow breaths with no focus in her eyes.

When she jerked awake again from a dream, nearing dawn, she was aware of her body tense and shivering. Her coughs rang deep, causing her to curl on her side and clutch a fist into the raw ache of her chest.

"That doesn't sound good.." Minho murmured as he got up from his spot sleepily and moved toward Newt who was sitting up beside her.

"Lyla, can you hear me?" Newt whispered, wiping lightly away at her clammy forehead.

Whether she heard him or not, she didn't answer. Instead, she closed her eyes slowly against his cold hand, swallowing as she regained her breathing.

Minho began to gather the blankets around her but Newt stopped him, softly whispering, "think we should keep those off, mate."

"but look at her... she's freezing?"

"I think it's the fever," Newt replied. "We need keep her temperature from getting too high until the meds come up."

At this Minho nodded and plopped back down beside him. They sat in silence for a while watching her fall back to a restless sleep.

"She's been having it pretty rough since she arrived here," said Minho in a low voice.

Newt gave a small sigh in agreement.

"Do you think they sent her up for a reason?" Minho continued.

"Dunno what the bastards are playing at but they shouldn't have sent her. A maze full of bloody teenage boys... what are they playing at," Newt muttered.

"...Elias did something to her."

At this, Newt looked at Minho with a small frown.

"I heard the shank talk about it a few times around... but I didn't think he actually meant it," Minho explained through gritted teeth.

"Did Lyla say-?"

"She just said that he touched her. I couldn't ask further, she looked like she was gonna puke."

Newt frowned angrily and said, "they'll be asking for a trial, if not a banishment. You know how Elias's buddies can get. Nick and Alby are already having a hard time containing them."

"Shuck..." Minho breathed.

They both looked around at Nick. He looked exhausted even in sleep.

Never in the few years that they could remember in the glade had they imagined such a situation involving a girl; that they would have to struggle for something other than their own survival; to think of the safety of someone within their own group of gladers.

The next few days were a blur for Lyla. She was moved back into the med-hut after they had taken care of Elias's body. The ground had dried up again after the rain. She was kept alone in a room incase whatever she had was contagious.

At some points, her fever was so bad she began hallucinating. She heard voices coming from the corners of the room when no-one was there. Jeff found her in alarmed tears a couple of times. Since then he mostly stationed himself outside her door.

And then the box came up. They got their supplies.

Inside, there was yet another box labeled LYLA. In it was a carefully wrapped injection needle and two small bottles of clear liquid.

There was no new greenie.