Dance in the Dark

The begining of chaos

Let me just say, drinking as much of Gally's recipe than I should've was not doing me very well. Hell it felt amazing yesterday, but the hangover was not worth it.

I rub the bridge of my nose as I stare up at the ceiling of Newt and my hut. A few rays of sunlight creeping through the closed window. I yawn and turn my head to see my boyfriend sleeping peacefully beside me. I smile as I look at him. His dirty blonde hair is a mess and his lips are parted as he takes steady breathes, occasionally snoring.

I hear a bunch of voices outside, so I finally decide to get up, even though I really don't want to. I wish I could lay here with Newt all day and listen to him talk in his calming British accent, and kiss him, and.... I laugh quietly, bringing myself back from my daydreams by sitting up. I carefully crawl over Newt (since the small bed is in the corner and I sleep by the wall) and grab a new set of clothes from my chest. Surprisingly Newt manages to sleep through it all and I'm able to leave the room without him noticing.

Frypan is already serving breakfast and I get in line to get my food. Shortly after, I make my way to my usual table with Minho, Chuck, and the greenie.

"Morning YN," Minho, Thomas, and Chuck all said in unison from our picnic table.

"Morning," I rub my eyes, placing down my plate with my breakfast. I seat myself and rub my eyes.

"Bit of a hangover huh?" Minho chuckled, picking at his food.

"You don't say," I sarcastically answer.

"Where'd you and Newt run off to last night?" Minho curiously asks with a giant smirk plastered on his face.

My eyes are glued on my food, but I eventually look at the three boys in front of me. "I was tired," I lie, pushing back my loose h/c hair from my face.

"You got a bruise on your neck," Chuck points at my neck, concerned.

My cheeks turn beet red. Oh shit.

Minho tries to hold in his laughter. Thomas as well.

"Probably just a mosquito bite," I hide my neck with my hair.

"Good morning slintheads," Newt sits beside me.

"Speaking of mosquitos," Minho raises his eyebrows at us, giving us the 'I know what you two did' look. I choke on my orange juice, then kick Minho from under the table.

"Ow," he complains. Thomas let's out a small chuckle from between Minho and Chuck.

"What are you shanks smirking about?" Newt asks about our odd behavior.

"Mosquito bites," Thomas smirks picking up some eggs from his plate. Now it's Minho's turn to laugh. Newt and Chuck look at the two boys clueless, meanwhile I put my hand on my forehead embarrassed, but glad they don't get it. Newt looks over at me giving me a questioning look as if asking 'what's the matter?'. I try to signal from him by rubbing my neck. Newt gives me an 'ohhhhhh' look.

*******

After breakfast Thomas joined me and Newt in the fields to test out the job of a track hoe. The sun was feeling extra hot today and Thomas babbling on and on was not helping. After he suggested a million ideas on how to escape that we told him we had already tried, Newt sent him to get fertilizer from the deadheads, noticing my annoyance.

Once I knew he was far enough to hear me I whisper shout to Newt, "really how'd you manage to leave a hickey?" I push back my hair for him to see the purple bruise he left from last night.

"Hey I'm sorry, I didn't know it would leave a mark," Newt holds up his hands up, pleading his case.

I shake my head grinning, "poor Chuck thinks it's a mosquito bite."

Newt chuckles from beside me, "oh so that's what this morning was about huh?"

I nod, "now Minho and Thomas think we did.. stuff."

"What do you mean stuff? We didn't do anything." Newt knits his eyebrows.

"Sex, Newt." I dig my shovel into the dirt. "I'm talking about sex."

Newt's face glows red, "bloody hell those nosy shanks," he curses under his breath. I cock my head back in amusement.

I'm about to add a sarcastic comment when our little conversation was suddenly interrupted by a screaming Thomas who's running out of the deadheads with Ben right on his heals. Newt and I quickly react run over to where Ben had tackled poor Thomas onto the ground, pinning him down from on top. Newt rapidly swings his shovel at him and hits Ben off of Thomas in an instant.  A few of the boys who gathered nearby help to hold Ben down.

"What the bloody hell happened?" Newt asks the greenie, helping him up.

"I... I don't know he just attacked me then started shouting that it was my fault," Thomas explains, trying catching his breathe.

Alby soon rushes over, and stares at Ben for a moment as he struggles under the boys firm grip. "Quick lift his shirt up," he commands.

"No please!" Ben shouts. The boys who have him pinned down follow Alby's order and lift Ben's shirt to reveal black veins and a sting on his stomach. "I didn't mean to, please Alby." The sick boy continues to try and plead.

"He's been stung!" Alby exclaims, "take him to the slammers."

"No, no no no!" Ben shouts even louder this time.

As the boys took Ben to the slammers a million thoughts crowded my mind. Ben was stung in broad daylight, but how? Will he be okay? Newt seems to notice my concerned expression, so he comes to me and put his arms around me.

"It's gonna be okay love," he holds me tight.

******

But it wasn't. Ben was banished that night. Yet another friend taken by this awful place. I wanted to cry. That was the first Banishing I had witnessed. I couldn't resist, watching from the distance as poor Ben begged for this not to happen. Once the boys grabbed the poles, I ran back to my hut, not wanting to watch any longer as the former Runner suffered.

I hated how unfair it was to watch those around me die. I hated living with fear everyday of my life. I hated this place.

Eventually I couldn't keep the tears in, and I let them spill as I sat alone on the bed, waiting for Newt to come back from the banishment. I didn't want to go in the first place, so Newt didn't make me come, but since he was second in command, he had to.

A few minutes later, Newt walked into our hut."I'm so sorry love," Newt hugs me again. I cry into his chest, wrapping my arms around him.

"It's not your fault," I say between sobs. "It's the shucking creators who ruined our lives."

Newt's POV:

"I know I know," I brush YN's hair with my hands over and over again to try and calm her.

I hated seeing her like this. She was just like all of us, just a scared kid who wanted to be safe. I tried my best to make her happy, but I knew we could never truly be happy in a damned place like this. We lived in fear, consumed by it.

I didn't know what else to say so I remained quiet. There were a few minutes of silence, until YN decided to speak up.

"Newt."

"Yes my love?" I ask her.

"Don't ever let me go, please,"

I knew YN needed me just as much as I needed her, so I kissed the top of her head, looked her in her e/c eyes and responded.

"Never."

****