Quiet is Violent {Newt | The Maze Runner}

15. Runner or Glader

The sky was still a clear, bright blue as they made their way to the Glade, their little party of six runners being tailed by Tasha, who was the last one to make it back. She had barely broken a sweat, running at a pace convenient for those who weren't actually runners. The mystery device in Minho's hands had not stopped it's constant beeping for that entire duration, which she had used to sync the rhythm of her footsteps and her breathing. None of them questioned Minho as he kept pace, heading into the Gathering building. Tasha and Thomas were close behind him once they had entered the Glade, Tasha speeding up to catch up with the Keeper while the other were slowing down, their fear of the maze slowly draining as exhaustion at such exertions overtook them. Thomas seemed agitated, taking the device from Minho once they had entered the Gathering hut, but he waited good-naturedly for the others to arrive, along with Gally, who still seemed awfully suspicious of Thomas, before beginning.

"Hey, we found this." He handed the device over to Newt, who turned it over in his hands, inspecting every inch. "It was inside a Griever." He added. Newt wrinkled his nose at the information, but did little more to show his discomfort as his attention was drawn to a small yellow sticker near the base of the cylinder.

"These are the same letters we get on our supplies." W.C.K.D. The letters, as if burned into the back of Tasha's skull, swam in her vision; long days spent running through the maze, the word painted thickly onto each and every wall. World Catastrophe: Killzone Department. There was something menacing about it, perhaps it was simply the words 'Catastrophe' and 'Killzone' which sounded foreboding and... well, wicked.

"Whoever put us here obviously made the Grievers." Thomas's voice was quiet and he focused on Newt in front of him, before gaining a new energy as he addressed the room at large. "And this is the first real clue, the first anything you've found in over three years -" he turned, gesturing sharply, turning to face the Keeper of the Runners, "right, Minho?"

"Right." Minho's voice was quiet, as if he could hardly believe it himself. Just when Tasha thought that she had begun to adjust to the changes, something new throws her for a tailspin. Adapting was difficult and she didn't always manage it.

"Newt, we gotta go back out there." Thomas implored the second in command. "Who knows where this might lead us." The unspoken promise of opportunity was enough to convince some of the others, shifting nervously as they waited for the official decision. There was silence as Newt evaluated the statement, the other Gladers hovering behind the Keepers. He eventually huffed out a sigh and looked to Gally, whose frown was so deep that Tasha could have planted seeds in it - and wasn't that an odd thing to consider at that moment.

"You see what he's trying to do, right?" Gally growled, his gaze locked with Newt's. "First he breaks our rules and then he tries to get us to abandon them totally? Wh-" There was barely a moment of tense silence, following Gally's enraged word fumble, before he steamrolled ahead. "The rules are the only thing that have held us together, why now are we questioning that?" He asked, his voice raised, catching the attention of the gathered Gladers. As if it was a last ditch effort, Gally bit out, "If Alby was here, you know he'd agree with me." He sighed, shaking his head, "This shank," he pointed at Thomas, "needs to be punished."

Newt looked away from Gally, to Thomas's horrified expression. Tasha remained painfully impassive, but an angry retort pressed itself to the back of her teeth, waiting to be spat at the Keeper of the Builders. Newt looked... uncomfortable, as if in pain, and Tasha's anger dissipated as he handed Minho back the device.

"You're right. Thomas broke the rules." Tasha shut down at Newt's words. They were going to kill Thomas, they couldn't, she wouldn't let them-! Her thoughts stopped short, the anger hidden to the rest of the Gladers, being thoroughly doused at Newt's command. "One night in the pit and no food." She couldn't help the beaming grin that spread over her features. Punishment was punishment, but at least he didn't die.

"Oh, come on, Newt!" Gally snapped, his reaction almost the polar opposite to Tasha's. His emotions were easy to read and overinflated, but he didn't apologise for them. In some weird, twisted way, Tasha admired that about him. "One night in the pit; do you think that's going to stop him going into the Maze?" The distress was evident in Gally's voice and she could see where he was coming from, but she also knew that he didn't understand, that he wasn't curious like Thomas was, like she was.

"No." Newt said, simply, making the gathered company frown, "and we can't just have non-Runners running into the Maze whenever they feel like it." He said.Gally waited impatiently for Newt to finish his thought, ignorant to anything else in the room. The happiness in Tasha's heart threatened to explode at Newt's next words. "So let's make it official; starting tomorrow, you're a Runner." He said, his gaze locked with Thomas's. The tension in the room heightened and Tasha could almost taste Thomas's anticipation. Tasha could see Minho nod in approval, and her own restrained smile communicated as much, despite everyone's focus on Newt and Thomas.

"Wow." Gally scoffed sarcastically, shaking his head in disbelief. He stormed out of the room, past the other Gladers. He sent Tasha a withering look, to which she sneered at him, but his attention was drawn away by Frypan trying to grab his arm.

"Gally..." Frypan muttered, to which the Keeper brushed him off, icily.

"No, Fry." He huffed, leaving with a slammed door, Frypan following in his wake. There was silence as those who were gathered tried to comprehend what had happened, and Tasha could see the broken look on Newt's face. As much of a shuck-face as Gally was, he was also a cornerstone of their society, trusted, Keeper of the Builders; if they had lost him, who knows who else they had lost.

"Thanks, Newt." Thomas said, quietly thankful for Newt's support. Newt looked torn, unable to respond to the new Runner. Minho looked to Tasha, who nodded once as Newt began to retreat. Tasha gave Thomas a small smile as she passed, Thomas looking lost and confused, which honestly, was pretty much his default now. At least this time he had a bit more reason.

Before he could get too far away, Tasha caught Newt's sleeve, and he huffed out a weary, "What?" But she didn't answer, she pulled him into a tight hug. He froze for a moment, before relaxing into her grip. He nuzzled his head into her neck, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She could hear Minho telling the others to leave, that he had to show Thomas something. They don't move for a long time, don't speak, just stay wrapped in each other. Newt holds her like he's afraid she'll slip away if he doesn't pin her down, threads his fingers through her hair and presses kisses to her neck like he wants to drown in her embrace. He's the first to pull away, neither of them let go because they can't, not now. He holds her face in his hands and there's an indescribable pain in his eyes; he cares, he cares so much it hurts and she feels like crying because he shouldn't have to feel like this, shouldn't have to feel so alone. He kisses her and there's so much longing she can taste it on his lips; they don't speak about it, because it's not what they do, but in that instance, they both understand. I'm not alone, I've got you.

They don't say a word, but Newt's wearing a weak smile as he wraps his arm tightly around Tasha's waist when they leave the Gathering building. The sky's still blue and the sun doesn't shine, but he pressed a kiss into her hair and things felt alright.