Chapter Three

3rd Person POV

How long were we unconscious for?

"About two days apparently. Everyone was worried. Alby told me people thought you tried to kill me." Newt whispered, making sure no one heard him. "Though that's far from it actually."

He gave her a cheeky grin which she returned.

So you're a runner?

He nodded. "Second fastest after Minho of course. The bloody shank likes to rub it in all the time."

Mae laughed but held back a frown. The words were very similar to the ones she heard in her weird dream.

"Have any ideas what you're gonna get, greenie?" Newt asked.

Mae shook her head. Maybe a track hoe or med-jack or something. I don't think I could be a runner. I run out of breath quickly, so exercising is not my thing.

He nodded, understanding what she meant. "I never would've thought that I was going to be a runner. But look at me now. But being a runner is risky. Grievers can roam during the day, it's rare, but not uncommon."

Mae nodded. Alby told her about grievers. They were ugly monsters with a stinger that would bring you immense pain if stung. Alby told her they called the process the Changing, for you were never the same after you were stung.

How long have you been here for?

Newt stiffened before answering crisply, "Almost two years."

Two years?! And you haven't gone crazy yet?

Newt laughed, his posture relaxing. "Nah, not yet, love."

Mae blushed at the new nickname. She didn't bother to correct him, though. She found herself actually liking the nickname. It was better than greenie.

"Want some dinner before the Gathering tonight?" Newt asked.

Mae nodded and followed him as they went to the kitchens. Many of the boys stared at them as they walked by, not even bothering to hide it.

Newt noticed this and gave anyone who stared at them a glare, placing his hand on her lower back as he guided her. Mae ignored the sparks she felt at the contact.

"Newt! Greenie! Welcome back to the land of the living!" Frypan greeted as he was serving two people their dinner.

"Yeah ya shanks!" One of the boys said chuckling.

"Hardy har har, guys. Funny." Newt rolled his eyes. "Mae, this is Zart and Winston. You already know Fry."

Fry looked surprised. "Remembered your name, huh, little lady?"

Mae nodded. At least she knew something about herself.

"Well it's great to meet the girl who knocked Newt out!" Winston laughed before going to sit down to eat.

"Yeah, great job by the way!" Zara agreed before going to accompany Winston.

Was that a compliment or an insult? She couldn't tell.

"Don't take that to the heart." Newt whispered to her, seeming to just know what she was thinking. "They were messing with me more than you."

Mae nodded. It feels like she's been doing that a lot lately.

"What do you have for us today, Fry?" Newt asked the cook.

"We are having tomato soup and salad on the side." Frypan states, getting them each a plate and bowl.

He handed the food to the two and Newt thanked him for the both of them.

"Anytime Newt, see ya Mae."

Newt and Mae both sat down at one of the wooden tables. Newt dug in and Mae paced herself. She doesn't know the last time that she had food.

The tomato soup was delicious! Frypan was a great cook! But it was missing something.

I'll be right back.

Newt nodded and watched as she left. She went straight to Frypan, notebook and pencil in hand as she began to scribble something out for him. She showed him what she wrote and Frypan nodded happily.

Newt watched as Frypan added a few things to the soup before trying it himself. He's eyes almost popped out of his head. They had a short conversation before Mae came back with some cilantro and pepper.

She pulled the leaves off and put some in both of their bowls before putting some pepper in there as well. She stirred it around a bit before holding up a spoonful for Newt to try.

"What are you-" Newt was caught off by Mae shoving the spoon in his mouth.

It somehow tasted better. Frypan's cooking always was the best here in the Glade and Newt didn't think his food could get any better. He was wrong.

Newt swallowed the soup. "I think you might've just found yourself a job, love."

Mae blushed. Thanks Newt. That means a lot.

They sat at talked for ages. Mostly about random stuff. She found out his favorite color was green and he was probably seventeen. His best friends were Alby and Minho, obviously, and he said that if he wasn't a runner he'd be a track hoe.

She told him about herself as well. Her favorite color is sky blue and she was either sixteen or seventeen. She didn't have many friends yet but she counted Newt and Alby to be one of hers.

"Glad to know that we're friends, greenie." Newt said.

She nodded. Well I can speak inside your mind, Newt, so I hope we would be. Otherwise there would be some issues.

He laughed and nodded.

I'm sorry about what happened the other night, Mae sounded sad to him as she spoke in his mind. I didn't know any of this was going to happen.

Newt stopped her from continuing. "Hey. It's fine. I survived and now I can hear you inside my head."

Newt paused. "Never thought I'd say that before."

Mae gigged and Newt felt accomplished.

XXXX

The Gathering is a meeting of all the Keepers along with Alby and Newt, which happens usually in life threatening situations when something extremely serious needs to be sorted out or when there is a punishment needed to be sorted out due to someone's actions.

Newt and Alby are sort of like the judges and the Keepers are the jury.

The person in trouble is the one on trial.

Mae sat in the last chair of the thirteen that were there. There are ten for the ten Keepers, two for the leaders (Alby and Newt), And the last one, AKA the one Mae is sitting in, is for the person in trouble.

Mae doesn't think she's in trouble. At least, she hopes she's not. It's not her fault that she accidentally caused a telepathic relationship with Newt.

Mae only recognized five of them. She obviously knew who Newt and Alby were, but the Keepers that she recognized were Winston, Zart, Frypan, Gally, and Minho.

"What's going on here, Alby?" Gally asked.

Instantly people began to talk.

"Yeah Alby!"

"What happened to Newt and the greenie two days ago?"

"Is she standing on trial?"

"Are we going to banish her?"

Newt went into defense. "Nobody is going to be banished!"

The Keepers went quiet, finally stopping.

Thanks. Mae said to Newt, who nodded in return.

"Alright." Alby began. "Everyone here obviously knows the new greenie, Mae, who is our very first girl and cannot, ah, speak, yes?"

Everyone either nodded or stated their agreement out loud.

"Well two days ago, when Mae was being introduced to Newt, something happened. We don't know exactly what happened," Alby said, "but it caused a weird outcome."

Alby motioned for Newt to take it from there.

"Well," Newt began, "I was feeling pretty good two days ago. I'd didn't have anything wrong with me. I wasn't sick nor was I becoming sick. But when I went to shake Mae's hand when us runners were being introduced to her, I felt incredible pain."

Mae grabbed her arm, remembering the pain she felt shooting down her arm that day.

"It was terrible. I suddenly had a banging headache and before I knew it, I was out. I woke up to Alby talking to Clint while I was laying in bed earlier this afternoon." Newt leaned up against one of the beams supporting the structure. "I don't really remember much else."

"So what did she do to you?" Gally asked, his face turning red. "Obviously you wouldn't call a Gathering just for that?"

"Of course not, Gally," Alby said. "We called this meeting to show you what happened because of her."

"Minho, come here." Alby said, causing the Keeper to stand up and walk over to him.

"I want you to write something down. A sentence preferably." Alby handed him a pencil and paper. "Let no one see it. Mae, you know what to do."

Mae nodded and walked to Newt, having him sit back down so she could tie a mask around his eyes.

"What are you doing Alby?" Gally asked, his patience wearing thin.

"Trust me, Gally, you'll want to see this." Alby said. "You done Minho, Mae?"

They both nodded and Mae walked over to Alby and Minho.

"Now, Mae here, seems to be able to speak to Newt, in his mind." Alby said, deadpanning it only a lot.

"What?" Gally asked. "Are you kidding right now?"

"Yeah, what do you mean, she can speak in his mind?" Winston asked, scratching his head.

"Let's just watch and listen, yeah?" Alby asked. "Minho, you haven't showed anyone what you wrote, yes?"

Minho nodded, holding the paper close to his chest.

"Okay, good. Now we are going to have Mae read the paper and tell it to Newt. Minho, show her the paper."

Minho nodded and showed her the paper. Mae held back a laugh when she read the sentence before saying it to Newt.

"Well, Newt?" Alby asked.

"I didn't really know what to write but this is a really weird Gathering." Newt recited from what Mae told him.

Everyone turned back to Minho who's mouth was open partially. He turned the paper around to reveal those exact words.

The Keepers began to whisper. They couldn't believe their eyes and ears! Mae can actually speak to Newt telepathically.

"How are we supposed to know this is real?" Gally asked. "That this isn't some trick?"

"She's been talking to me this way all day." Newt said, pulling of the mask and turning back around to face the group.

"I did see you nodding your head at her at dinner." Frypan admitted. "And she didn't have anything to write with. So how could they have been communicating then?"

Mae gave him a grateful smile.

"We can have you do it if you want, Gally?" Newt suggested.

Gally nodded with a smirk. "Yeah. Okay."

Minho sat back down an Gally got the paper and pencil. He wrote something down and handed it to Mae after she tied Newt's mask on.

She gave Gally a smile as she read what he wrote. 'I don't believe this klunk for a second.'

Newt repeated this out loud once Mae told him and Gally's smirk fell. He sat back down in his seat as Mae showed everyone what he wrote.

I don't believe this klunk for a second.

More gasps came out of people this time around. If they didn't believe them before they surely believed them now.

"Is Newt the only one she can speak to?" Zart asked.

"As far as we know." Newt answered.

"Is this the reason why she can't speak? So she can speak to Newt in his mind?" Minho asked, his face scrunched up.

Newt shrugged. "Maybe. The creators might have done this to her and I. We don't really know."

"But we do know, that this cannot leave this room. No one outside of this room can know." Alby said. "Good that?"

"Good that." Everyone answered.

"Good." Alby nodded. "Dismissed."

Everyone gave her a few weird and in awe glances as they walked by her. Minho came to her and sling his arm around her.

"Well, that was an interesting Gathering."