Sadie woke up to find herself nuzzled against and slightly drooling on Newt's shoulder. She yelped and jumped out of her chair knocking it over and waking up Newt in the process.
"What? Who-?" Newt blurted knocking over his own chair. Oh god. Sadie thought in embarrassment. Oh god, what was I thinking? What. Was. I. Thinking! Sadie could feel her cheeks burning as she mumbled an awkward
"Good morning." To him trying to look anywhere else but directly at his tousled hair or sleepy eyes. Shuck. Shucking shucky shuck. Why did I do that? What could possibly possess me and make me think that was okay? Sadie thought her mind scrambling in an embarrassed stupor. Thinking everything from God I'm such a slinthead to Dang his shoulder was comfortable.
"Um thanks for- for that." She stuttered dumbly. Newt scratched the back of his head and scuffed his shoe against the floorboards.
"Oh um, no problem love. We should probably get going." He responded coughing awkwardly and leading them towards the door. They walked together in an uncomfortable silence. This is exactly what Sadie had been worried about, now she'd gone and blown everything. The morning was crisp and cool but Sadie didn't see the usual Gladers rushing around. Strange. She thought, usually everyone was already at work. They found everyone gathered around the East entrance talking loudly and excitedly.
"What's going on?" Sadie asked pushing her way to the front, shoving people out of her way and giving a glare or two to the ones who tried to call her out on it.
"Alby and Minho, they're going to go search for the bugging Griever." Newt explained tailing her as she finally made her way to the front of the group. Alby and Minho were already gearing up, pulling on their backpacks and running shoes before facing the Maze. Every boy in the crowd quieted watching in silence as Alby gave a curt nod to the group and ran after Minho into the Maze, rounding a corner and disappearing from sight. And just like that the short excitement was over, sending everyone walking off to go do their jobs.
"Sadie, Newt!" A familiar voiced called out to them. Sadie searched the crowd and spotted Thomas followed by Chuck working his way through the dispersing Gladers towards them.
"This is a bad idea." Newt mumbled looking out into the Maze with a hollow and worried expression. His arms crossed and his stance tense.
"They'll be fine Newt." Sadie assured resting her hand on his shoulder, all awkwardness from before forgotten. He grabbed her hand with his opposite one, completely enveloping it with his calloused palm and held it in place on his shoulder causing Sadie to blush again.
"I hope you're right love." Newt muttered as Thomas and Chuck finally made their way to them. Chuck was practically skipping besides Thomas a huge smile plastered on his face. Thomas of course seemed both annoyed and amused by this as he rolled his eyes at the boy's cheeriness.
"You'll be working with me today Greenie!" Chuck announced trying, and failing to keep his excitement from showing. Sadie laughed loudly and raised her eyebrows.
"What did you call me Chucky?"
"Oh- um I meant Sadie." He coughed turning beet red. She chuckled and gave him an approving nod.
"Good that's what I thought you said." She gently slid her hand off of Newt's shoulder and smiled at him in reassurance. "See you later." And with that she jogged off her and Thomas trying to keep up with the overly excited Chuck.
The day went by quickly, well not quick enough in Sadie's opinion. She spent most of the day scrubbing floors and toilets alongside Thomas and Chuck. Her boredom was only broken up by the simple pranks her and Chuck continued to pull on Thomas, much to his annoyance. When the bathhouse was finally as clean as it was ever going to be, considering boys used it daily, they hurried out and away from any and all cleaning supplies.
"Ugh I never want to do that again." Sadie complained trying to stretch her back that had grown sore from bending over dirty sinks all day.
"Hey! That's my job and you should be one to talk! You're terrible at it!" Chuck argued shoving at the laughing Thomas and Sadie.
"Okay okay! So cleaning isn't my strong suit. So what?" Sadie chuckled sticking her tongue out at Chuck in return. They trio continued to laugh and goof around until they saw a pacing and disgruntled looking figure by the Maze doors.
"Newt?" Thomas called out, causing the boy to look around. Sure enough it was Newt with an agitated and grim look painted across his face. "What's up man?" He asked leading them towards the worried looking Glader.
"They should be back by now. They shoulda been back bugging hours ago." He muttered scowling down at his wristwatch.
"They probably just got side tracked." Thomas said Chuck nodding in agreement.
"Yeah they probably just found some interesting klunk and decided to have a look around. And have some fun yah know? I'm sure they'll be back any second." The boy added trying to sound upbeat. But the seconds quickly stretched into minutes, which stretched into twenty, which stretched into almost an hour. The sun was quickly sinking turning the sky a bloody red orange. They should have been back hours ago. Newts voice echoed in Sadie's head. She looked out into the Maze hoping to catch a glimpse of the boys rounding the corner. But nothing happened and no one came.
"Where are they?" She wondered aloud worry clouding her own voice. Every other Runner had already returned and finished in the Map room. The Maze doors would be closing soon…
"Why don't you just send some guys in after them?" Thomas suggested. Newt whirled on him and gave him a look so harsh it made Sadie shrink into herself.
"We can't! It's against the rules Tommy! It's one of the most important goddamn rules we bloody have here! We can't. We just can't." He finished slumping, his eyes shinning with anger… and fear. Sadie would never mention it out loud and she vowed never to ask Newt about it, but she knew. She could tell he was scared, no terrified of the Maze. Every time Sadie or Newt had brought it up his eyes seemed to grow a little darker, a little sadder. She dared not ask him, but it didn't stop the seed of curiosity from taking root inside of her. Another Glader had told her Newt used to be a Runner before his leg. What happened to you? Sadie asked quietly watching the boy grow more morbid and worried by the second. And what happened to your leg?
"But why not?" Thomas asked breaking her out of her thoughts. " I mean you can't just leave them out there! We have to do something!" He pushed before Sadie could silence him.
"Shut up you bugging Greenie! Do you honestly think I wouldn't risk my own bloody life to find those lugs if I could? I don't want to shucking leave them out there but there's not a damn thing I can do about it!" Newt yelled Sadie stepped forward hurriedly placing a calming hand on both Newt and Thomas's shoulder.
"Cut it out! This isn't helping anything." She urged trying to settle them down. But she couldn't help but think Thomas had a point. Why couldn't the just send some people in after them? They could be in trouble or worse, she understood it was dangerous but still… wouldn't it be worth it if they found them?
"We can't Tommy. Sending more Gladers out into the Maze is a bloody death sentence." Newt continued trying to keep his voice level. " We'd just end up losing more shanks. If they aren't back by now then-" But Newt didn't have to finish. Everyone lapsed into a grim silence that seemed to stretch on forever. The doors would be closing any minute now. Any minute. It was finally Chuck that broke the silence.
"Then they're probably shucking dead." He choked out tears starting to form in the corners of his eyes. "There's no use pretendin' they aren't coming back!" He wailed turning and running off leaving the three of them in a stunned silence as they watched him go. After a minute or two Newt let out a long and miserable sigh.
"The shank's right. They aren't coming back." Newt mumbled turning to look at Sadie with grief-stricken and defeated eyes. He looked out at the Maze one last time before stalking off leaving only Thomas and Sadie. She frowned sadly as she watched Newt walk farther and farther away. She'd only been her for less then a week and she already felt close to the Gladers. They already felt like family. Admittedly a weird and slightly twisted family, but still a family. Sadie could already feel the loss of Alby and Minho starting to squeeze her heart. And it finally did when the grinding sounds of the closing doors started. She felt like crying but no tears came. She'd have to stay strong and find Newt later. I have to stay strong for him. She commanded herself. But she was suddenly thrown out of her turmoil when Thomas let out a startled yelp and clapped a hand roughly down on her shoulder.
"They're back!" He cried pointing out into the darkening Maze. Sadie looked in amazement and saw Minho running towards them half carrying half dragging another boy that could only be Alby.
"Newt!" Sadie screamed her voice filled with relief. "They're coming!" Newt had already made it to the front porch of Homestead but at the sound of her screams he had spun and broke out into a limping sprint. He'll never make it. Sadie realized looking back at the gap that was slowly closing off the Maze. They'll never make it. Thomas must have realized it too because he quickly grabbed Sadie by her shoulders and shook her.
"We have to do something Sadie, they aren't going to make it!" He shouted his eyes wide in terror. Sadie felt like the world was slowing down, it almost felt like Thomas was yelling at her down a long tunnel along with Newt shouting at them in the background.
"Don't you even bloody think about it!" Newt ordered as he neared them. Thomas shook Sadie roughly again snapping her out of her daze.
"We need to do something!" He yelled.
"Do something?" She parroted her mind racing trying to find a way to save them without doing the obvious, running in after them.
"Sadie!" He screamed again as the doors grew closer. 10ft, 8ft, 5ft. She locked eyes with Thomas and a silent agreement passed between them.
"Don't you bloody do it! Don't do it!" Newt roared. But it fell on deaf ears as Sadie clasped Thomas's hand and went sprinting into the Maze narrowly sliding through the doors. She could her Newt shouting her name behind her but it was soon all cut off with the echoing and foreboding boom of the Maze doors closing behind them.