It was Newt who found me, I have no idea how long I was sitting there, but it had to have been a while because the sun was casting it's final rays over the Glade.

"Hey...," he walked to me slowly.

"Hi," I tried to give a smile, but it faltered.

"It seems to be a habit of yours to sit against this wall," he said while sliding down beside me.

"Is...Is he-..." I tried to ask, but I couldn't form the words. I felt the tears come once more, but wiped them away.

"Is he dead?," Newt finished. I shook my head in agreement, to scared to answer. "No... not yet."

Not yet... but soon. I don't even know Nick, we met only this morning, but now he'll be dead soon. That's how quick it can happen.

I turned to Newt," H-How... How did-d..."

"Its being said he tripped while running through the blades and it cut him in two," Newt was staring into the Glade and sounded like he was just reciting a fact and nothing more.

I took a deep breath," I don't w-want to be a Runner," I told him.

He then turned to me," I used to be a Runner, you know."

My eyes widened," Really? I didn't know you could quit."

Newt looked back to the Glade," You don't. I was the exception to the rule."

"What happened?"

"It was about four months ago, I had been here for a while. I've been here for a little less time then Alby and it was rough in the beginning. We had no order, people were fighting and dying. We were losing boys faster then we were getting them, I couldn't take it. I was losing everyone I cared about, it was too much. One day, the maze opens and I go in with Alby. We spit up briefly and I knew it was time. I had lost all bloody hope; the maze, the glade, nothing had meaning anymore. I felt like I had no control," Newt paused. "So I did the one thing I thought I could control. I climbed a vine up the side of the maze, made it quite a ways up, too. I looked down and felt at peace, so I let go."

My hands flew up to keep the gasp from escaping my mouth. Newt... tried to kill himself?

"Apparently, I didn't control that either" he scoffed. "Next think I knew I would up in that bloody Med hut. Alive, with broken legs."

Newt tried to kill himself.

"It's not one's fault what happened to Nick. He knew the risk when he left, bloody shank... Sometimes the maze kills us, other times it makes a stronger. You don't have to be a Runner, Greenie, but the maze is still going to change you."

I let out a sigh, "What happens now?"

"Clint and Jeff are taking care of him, best they can. One he does... pass, the Baggers will bury him, we'll say goodbyes and maybe take the day off."

"How often does this happen, Newt," as he opens his mouth to respond, but I add, "Don't lie to me."

He waits a moment," It happens more than we like it to."

"That's not a real answer."

"It's not a fair question," Newt said, looking back to me. " You can't judge this place by the bad times, you have to revel in the good if you want to survive."

"Maybe I won't survive...," I whisper.

Newt shifts his body," Don't say that, Greenie. I understand it hasn't been the easiest of days, but believe me, you can survive this." I nod and lean my head back against the cold hard wall. "Don't get comfy, Greenie. Time to go and eat, I'm bloody starving."

How can he even think about food, right now?

Newt stands up and extends his arm, I take it and we both walk towards the dining tables. Unlike previous nights, the Glade is silent. Everyone is chewing their food quietly, I follow Newt trying to avoid meeting anyone's eyes. Newt sits next to Alby and I sit across from them and next to Zart, no one speaks.

I chew on the charred meat, thinking of what to say, if I should say anything at all. Probably not. Jeff passes me quickly, then leans into Alby's ear and whispers. Alby's head falls, Nick must have died. Alby relays the message to Newt, both of them stand and follow Jeff. He must have died. I finish eating and leave without a word, almost everyone has cleared out anyway. I just want to go to bed, I think as I leave the tables

"Greenie, wait up," I clench my fists as someone calls out to me. I turn and see Gally running to me. "So, I heard you were with the Runner's today? With Ben?"

"Yeah," I shrugged, the drowsiness starting to kick in.

"It's all good, I understand. But I've got good news," he smiles.

Good news? No one has good news right now.

"Tomorrow you get to come with us, help us build."

"I thought tomorrow, people took the day off, out of respect to Nick?"

"Well, yeah, of course. I meant the day after tomorrow."

"Okay, great...," I yawn "I'll see you then."

"Oh yeah, see you then. Goodnight."

"Night," I say as I turn from Gally. Oh god... where am I going to sleep tonight? I stop walking and decide to just sleep on the tower, no one else will be up there and they have safety-guards so I shouldn't roll off. I really need a new place to sleep, maybe while I work with Gally he can teach me how to make something so I can make myself a little shelter. Should I shower before bed tonight? No, just forget it. I climb the stairs to the tower, ready to pass out, almost tripping twice. To my surprise, there's someone on the top. What the fuck? Who the hell is this?

The person hears me and turns, I freeze, it's too dark to tell who they are, so maybe they can't see me.

"Hey Greenie," the voice greets me.

"Uhm... hi..."

"What are you doing up here? Especially so late?"

"I could say the same to you...," masked person whom I'm not sure of your identity.

"Yeah, but with my job, you work nights."

I slowly advance towards the shadow, they are peering out over the Glade, watching as everyone makes it back the their bunks. The look up to me and I see who it is- JACKSON!

"Well don't look so surprised," he smiled and patted the space next to him. I sat beside him and looked out over the Glade, the trees in the distance swaying in the forces wind. "What are you doing up here, Greenie?"

"Nothing," I sigh." I'm not really sure why I came up here..."

"Well, it's good to have company," he nudged me.

"Why are you up here?"

"It's my night to watch over the Glade, all the Baggers take turns." A loud rumble draws my attention, what the hell is that? "Don't worry about that, it's just he maze. It changes at night..."

Oh yeah, I remember that now.

"I don't think I've ever heard it before," I admit.

"You learn to block it out." A chill pushes past us and I shiver, this was bad idea, its too high, the wind is wicked. Jackson sees my shiver and opens his coat, offering to share its warmth. I hesitate, That's a bad idea... but why? Another sweep of the wind, makes me forget my internal conflict as I slide next to Jackson and his pull his coat flap tight around my right shoulder. He is surprisingly warm, like I'm sitting in the sun, the sudden heat makes my eyes droop. I feel his arm wrap around my shoulder, it feels normal, but I stop myself from wrapping my arms around his torso.

"Did you know Nick?," I ask Jackson, watching the torches go out one by one.

"Of course. Most of us know him at the leader of the Glade."

"Wait! What?!," I sit up astonished.

"You didn't know? It was a few months back, maybe six? I'm not sure," I slowly lean back towards Jackson as he talks, unsure of what to do with my hands, I place them in my lap. "Nick was first in command, he kind of just announced it one day and we all accepted it. Nick is a good man. He was strong leader, so we all we surprised when he stepped down and offered Alby the job."

"Why Alby?"

"Alby was the first Glader here, he managed to live by himself until the next guy came." First Glader? Alone!? Poor Alby. "I guess it just made since to have Alby in charge, he's doing things his own way, but it's good. We're all doing good," Jackson smiled at me.

We talked a while longer before laying back and looking at the stars. They were so pretty and bright against the dark sky, I feel asleep trying to count them.