The keepers were gathered around in a circle, in a meeting regarding Newt. Since they were all essentially clueless it was a general meeting.
"Don't you understand what this means? You guys are short a runner. A good one too," Galley ranted
"Well, what do you want us to do,Gally?" Nick folded his arms, narrowing his eyes dangerously.
"I want you all to get a shucking brain! You've been searching The Maze for two years," he held up two fingers as if to prove his point "Two. And you haven't found a thing!"
"Whoa, Captain Gally. The Maze is a huge place, it could take years to compleat. We need to be patient." Minho mocked
Gally gave a glare of shooting daggers. If looks could kill. "I think Newt finally got this shucking brain that I've been talking about,"
He earned a glare from everyone is time. "And your implying...what exactly?" Frypan questioned impatiently
"Newt had to have done that to himself. He had to have jumped." There was dead silence as Gally waited for a reaction. Then the realization hit them.
It was chaos. They were yelling and talking over each other.
Nick frantically turned to Alby. "He didn't. He wouldn't. Gally is mentally screwed, why are we even listening to him?"
Alby shrugged somberly knowing that that's probably what happened
Nick closed his green eyes, moaning. What is this world coming to?
"Okay, everyone quiet!" Nick said as the Glader's continued to banter. "They won't shut up," he muttered softly. Alby rolled his eyes got to his feet "Shut your traps and sit your butts down! Now!" His voice rang through the council hall making all of the boys glance at him.
"You were saying, Gally?" Alby gestured toward him.
"As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted, I think Newt must have jumped."
Nick stood up and glared at Gally. "Yes. We've established that. Why would you think that?"
Gally shrugged casually "I don't know. Just feel it,"
Alby looked annoyed "While you shanks continue to make whacky false assumptions, I'm actually gonna go talk to him. Med-jacks said that he was awake,"
Alby stood up, still looking annoyed, and walked to where the Med-jacks tent was.
"How is he," he asked Jeff as soon as he saw him "Is he awake? Can I see him?"
Jeff sighed "He's awake, man. Clint is changing his bandages. You can go see him if you want." he paused "under one condition,"
Alby tapped his foot impatiently " Well?" He questioned
"You can't physically or emotionally harm him in anyway. This means no yelling, no slapping, no arguing, no emotional bruising. He looks like klunk, and I'm sure he doesn't need anyone to tell him,"
"Is that all?" He growled, ready to slit Jeff's throat.
"Yes, sir,"'Jeff said cheerfully pretending not to notice Alby's glare as he walked away.
"Newt!" Alby growled, trying to keep the anger and annoyance out of his voice
"No emotional bruising!" Jeff called from where he was working
"Alby," Newt rasped innocently
"Hey," Alby's voice softened when he saw Newt.
He really did look like klunk. He had purple bags under his eyes, but there was something else masking behind his faint smile
"Um," He started, suddenly uncomfortable "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good," Newt whispered
"No your not," Alby said just as softly before sitting down. He rubbed his hands together, wanting more thank anything to get to the point.
"What happened out there, Newt?" He asked, being as gentile as he could
"I don't know," he shrugged cavalierly
"Yes, you do, Newt!" Any gentleness Alby had tried to attain was gone. "You know what happened, and you are going to tell me!"
"I can't because I don't know what happened," Newt felt tears burn his eyes
"Why in hell would you think I would believe that klunk?" Alby spat "Want me to tell you what happened, Newt?"
Newt glared up at Alby from his spot on the bed.
"Gally thinks you jumped, He has half the other Glader's believing that you jumped , Minho is a clueless slinthead who won't make up is mind, and I KNOW you jumped. I'm never wrong," he folded his arms "So here's what happened. You got pissed off that The Maze was complete, you got really depressed, you made a plan, you persuaded Minho to leave you, and you jumped off of a shucking wall. How accurate was that on a scale of one to ten?"
Newt bit the inside of his cheek, tears streaked his pale cheeks. "Pretty accurate." His voice cracked horribly.
Alby's face softened, feeling a bit of sympathy for him. Then he quickly regained his sternness and continued his lecture "Why, Newt?" He waited for an answer, but when none came, he continued " Newt. Some of us are on the verge of giving up, others already have. But we keep living. Newt, this isn't fair to us-"
"This isn't fair to me!" Newt sputtered angrily "Alby have you ever stopped and thought about how I bloody feel?"
"Yes! And we've been there, I'm sure your not the only one who's going through this! What about how we feel. That isn't fair to us! If everyone gave up and died, where would we be?"
Newt just folded his arms and gave a huff of frustration.
"I hope you realize how incredibly selfish that was of you," Alby glared down at Newt
"What are you trying to say? Do you think I feel good about this? Alby there is nothing else to do but die! We're all going to die, sooner or later! Didn't you see the maps? The whole bloody Maze is planned out! Solved! Finished! And we're all. Going. To. Die" he said the last words slowly and with hate.
"We will find a way out, Newt! We'll try harder, there has got to be an exit besides The Maze,"
"I'm not believing it until I see it," Newt closed his eyes as Alby still glared down at him.
"You can leave now," Newt suggested indignantly.
Alby growled slightly "As you wish," he turned to walk away before pausing "I understand, you need your rest. You look like klunk," with that he stormed out of the room
"Is he awake?-" Minho asked making his way to Alby
"Yes, he's awake. But he's being an ass. I'd come back later if I were you," Alby said walking away briskly
Minho sucked in a sharp breath 'okay...' He thought 'not the best time to see Newt...' He swiveled on his heel and decided to come back when Newt was feeling better,