❝Everything is going to change.❞
When she comes to, curled up on her side inside some strange elevator of sorts, the only thing Adeline can remember is her name. Anything else about herself - who she is, her childhood, her family - are gone. Her min...
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25 → "SOMETHING'S DIFFERENT 'BOUT YOU"
ADELINE followed Newt and Thomas down the stairs and out of the Homestead. Nobody said a word for a while. Newt led them both out the front door of the Homestead, Adeline trailing behind Thomas, even Newt with his limp. The pain in her cheek had been a forgotten thought for a few moments after Alby's insane behaviour minutes before, but Adeline soon realised that the pain was still very much throbbing and reached up to caress her cheek.
I can't believe that Gally would do such a thing.
"Hungry, Tommy?" Newt asked, and Adeline snapped back from her thoughts to realise that they were already outside of the Homestead.
"Hungry?" Thomas' face scrunched up into a look of fights. "I feel like puking after what I just saw — no, I'm not hungry."
"Well, I am, ya shank." Newt grinned. "Let's go look for some leftovers from lunch. We need to talk."
"Somehow I knew you were going to say something like that." Thomas muttered. Newt seemed not to hear him, because he ignored Thomas and turned himself around to turn to Adeline.
"The lucky thing is there's also an ice pack in the fridge." Newt muttered, turning to Adeline. "The bruise on her cheek only seems to be getting worse."
"Blame Alby for the second slap to the same cheek." Adeline grumbled, reaching up to caress the bruise on her cheek; the throbbing had died down, but the bruise still gave off some pain. They made their way directly to the kitchen, where Frypan was lenient to allow Newt and Thomas to make themselves cheese sandwiches and raw vegetables. Adeline declined on food, settling down in a chair. Newt grabbed an ice - pack from the fridge, placing it gently to Adeline's cheek. Adeline took it from his hand, wincing slightly at the pain and the coldness of the ice pack brought to her bruising cheek.
"Ever seen that happen before?" Thomas asked after a minute or so. Adeline settled down in between them, icing her cheek. Newt looked at him.
"What Alby just did?" Newt shook his head. "No. Never. But then again, no one's ever tried to tell us what they remembered during the Changing. They always refuse. Alby tried to — must be why he went nuts for a while."
And the last two times someone has gone through a Changing, they've gone batshit insane and attacked people. Adeline thought bitterly.
"We have to find Gally." Newt said, changing the subject. "Bugger's gone off and hid somewhere. Soon as we're done eating, I need to find him and throw his butt in jail."
"That shank threatened to kill you and we have to make bloody sure it never happens again. He also slapped Adeline across the face and probably threatened her too." Adeline could see the anger in his eyes, despite the fact she attempted to conceal the anger from his face. "That shuck- face is gonna pay a heavy price for acting like that — he's lucky we don't Banish him. Remember what I told you about order."
"Yeah." Thomas muttered.
"Here's how it'll play out, Tommy." Newt said. "You're with me the rest of today — we need to figure things. Tomorrow, the Slammer. Then you're Minho's, and I want you to stay away from the other shanks for a while. Got it?"
"Sounds beautiful." Thomas commented. "So Minho's going to train me?"
"That's right — you're a Runner now. Minho'll teach ya." Newt said. "The Maze, the Maps, everything. Lots to learn. I expect you to work your butt off."
They sat in silence, the boys finishing their lunches, until Newt finally got to what he really wanted to talk about. Crumpling his rubbish into a ball, he turned and looked straight at Thomas. Adeline, meanwhile, debated if she should let them both be to talk.
"Thomas." he began. "I need you to accept something. We've heard it too many times now to deny it, and it's time to discuss it."
Adeline had finally reached a decision and was going to get up and leave, considering the fact that this was between Newt and Thomas, but as soon as she got up from her chair, Newt pulled her back down.
"You need to stay." Newt said. "I feel like Gally did more than just hurt you. He wouldn't do that to you unless he had a reason, and I'm guessing he threatened you too because of everything that has happened." Newt sighed, turning to Thomas. "Gally said it. Alby said it. Ben said it." Newt continued. "The girl, after we took her out of the Box, she said it." Newt looked away for a moment, then turned back. "That's right. And Gally, Alby and Ben claim they saw you in their memories after the Changing — and from what I gather, you weren't plantin' flowers and helpin' old ladies cross the street. According to Gally, there's somethin' rotten enough about ya that he wants to kill ya."
"Newt, I don't know — " Thomas started, but Newt didn't let him finish.
"I know you don't remember anything, Thomas! Quit sayin' that — don't ever say it again." Newt snapped. "None of us remember anything, and we're bloody sick of you reminding us. The point is there's something different about you, and it's time we figured it out."
"Fine, so how do we do it?" Thomas looked impatient. "I want to know who I am just as much as anyone else. Obviously."
"I need you to open your mind." Newt stated. "Be honest if anything — anything at all — seems familiar."
"Nothing — " Thomas started, but stopped, as if lost in thought.
"I can see your wheels spinnin'." Newt said, quietly. "Talk."
Thomas hesitated. "Well ... I can't put my finger on anything specific." He spoke slowly. "But I did feel like I'd been here before when I first got here." He looked at Newt. "Anyone else go through that?"
Adeline shook her head and Newt's face was blank. Newt simply rolled his eyes. "Uh, no, Tommy. Most of us spent a week klunkin' our pants and bawlin' our eyes out."
"Or questioning why the hell I was the only girl there and attempting to disregard the stares." Adeline added.
"Yeah, well." Thomas paused. "It all seemed familiar to me, and I knew I wanted to be a Runner."
"That's bloody interesting." Newt said. "Well, keep lookin' for it. Strain your mind, spend your free time wanderin' your thoughts, and think about this place. Delve inside that brain of yours, and seek it out. Try, for all our sakes."
"I will." Thomas closed his eyes.
"Not now, you dumb shuck." Newt laughed. "I just meant do it from now on. Free time, meals, goin' to sleep at night, as you walk around, train, work. Tell me anything that seems even remotely familiar. Got it?"
"Yeah, got it."Thomas answered.
"Good that." Newt said. "To begin, we better go see someone."
"Who?" Thomas asked.
"The girl. I want you to look at her till your eyes bleed, see if somethin' gets triggered in that shuck brain of yours." Newt gathered his lunch trash and stood up. "Then I want you to tell me every single word Alby said to you."
Thomas sighed, then got to his feet. "Okay."
Adeline rose to her feet, still holding the ice pack to her cheek. It had lost its coldness, causing Adeline to place it back into the fridge. Newt seemed to wait for her as she did so. Adeline followed the two boys out, but turned the other way to check out the bruise. Before she could walk away, Newt grabbed her by the arm.
"Did Gally threaten you?" He questioned her. Adeline nodded.
"Threatened to kill me. And threatened to kill Thomas." She answered. Newt sighed.
"When we find him, he'll be put in the Slammer no doubt about it." Newt said. "Go rest, keep that ice pack on your cheek. Alright?"
Adeline nodded and Newt released his grip on her arm. She watched as both boys headed towards the Homestead before heading to the bathroom to check out the bruise on her right cheek.
—
The next morning, Adeline woke up to find the bruise on her cheek had started to heal. As she stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, she realized it was no longer as big as it was the day before. After dressing into fresh clothes, Adeline stalked out of the bathroom to find Newt sitting at a table alone. Dropping her dirty clothes onto her hammock, she headed towards the table and slide into the seat. Newt looked up from his food, giving her a somewhat forced smile.
"You should eat something." he said. "It's not good to barely eat anything in days."
"I'll be fine." She reassured with a shrug. "Besides, you look like there is something wrong."
"Maybe because there is something wrong." Newt replied, dropping his fork.
"And that is?" Adeline questioned.
"It's Gally." he said, his voice strained again. "A few Gladers saw him run into the Maze yesterday."
"Wait, are you serious?" She rushed out. "Why would he do that?"
Newt shrugged. "We have no clue but all we do know is he won't survive out there."
