Newt’s POV:

It’s been what? Three days since I saw Minho? Yeah that seemed about right. Three days since I saw him. Three days since I heard his voice when it wasn’t screaming. Three days of Minho suffering, and me not being able to help. My whole body felt weighed down by the feeling of loneliness.

Minho had always been with me.

Always.

And now. . . he wasn’t.

Alby and some of the cooks had brought me food, but I didn’t eat. I just left them on the homestead floor next to me. It has also been three days since I’ve spoken to anyone. When someone brings me food, I ignore them. When someone walks by, I ignore them. When Alby comes and checks in with me each day, I ignore him. In fact, it was that time now, and I heard Alby’s footsteps coming up the stairs.

“Hey there Newt!”

I don’t reply. Why is he so cheerful? I don’t think I even had the strength to speak anymore. Why should I speak, when the person I would die for is screaming in the next room?

I suppose it was a silent protest.

Literally.

Minho had to suffer and scream, so I would suffer and stay silent.

For as long as it took before I could see him again.

See Minho again.

“So, how are you doing?”

Oh my shucking god. How does he think I’m doing? The person I’ve been closest to just got stung, and I can hear his screams in the next room, but I can't even go to him! What does he want me to say?

Oh yeah, I’m just peachy?

Fat chance. Alby kept going

“I see you have stockpiled quite a bit of food. Are you ever going to eat that?”

I glance at the many full plates of food next to me, and then look back down at the floor. Well, gee Alby! That's a tough question! Here's my answer for you.

Will I ever see Minho again?

Alby kept on going

“The track-hoes were wondering when you’re coming back.”

Hmmm. Let me think. Maybe when my boyfriend isn't about to die anymore I’ll come back. Maybe.

“Well, good talk, as always Newt.”

Alby turned and walked back down the stairs. This was basically what happened everyday. I went back to sleep. When I woke up, it took me a second to realize something. There wasn’t any more screaming. The door was closed. There was no sound.

Did he die?

I didn’t know if that thought was true or not, but just the idea of Minho dying crushed me. I put my knees to my chest, and my head in my hands and started crying once again. I hear more footfalls coming towards me. I didn’t have the energy to look up, but I knew who it was. Alby’s daily check in. But this time, I was wrong.

Minho’s POV:

The pain had stopped. Either that, or I had gone numb. One minute I was screaming, the next everything just stopped. It was so sudden that I took a sharp breath. The med-jack who had been watching me walked over to the bed.

“Why did you stop screaming?”

Because I can you slinthead.

“Because the pain stopped.”

The med-jack nodded like I had just uttered something incredibly deep.

“Looks like the worst is over.”

“Can I get up?”

Another nod

“If you can answer some questions.”

My voice sounds raspy compared to the med-jacks. Probably because I’ve been screaming day and night for who knows how long.

“Why the shuck do I need to answer questions?”

The med-jack sighed like it was obvious

“So we can see if your mind is clear enough that you won’t try to hurt anyone.”

I nodded. Sounds reasonable enough.

“Okay. First question. What job do you have here?”

“A runner.”

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“Good that. Second question. What happened?”

“I got stung.”

The med-jack looked right at me.

“Okay, you seem sane enough. Time for round two.”

“What's round two?”

He made it sound so, so. . . ominous.

“The questions we ask for research. So we can try to make a better serum.”

Uh huh, like that was going to happen. We can’t solve a shucking maze, but you want to try to recreate a better serum than the people who put us here. Good plan. I nod again. I just want to get this over with.

“Okay. What memories did you see? Don't say you didn't see any, because I will know that is a flat out lie.”

“Well, I saw a ton of boring things. Like a white room, a white bed, bland food, and a doctor wearing a white coat.”

He looked skeptical

“Is that all?”

Uh, no it wasn’t, but I wasn't going to tell him of all people about the image of Newt.

“Yes, that’s all.”

Besides, it probably wasn't important. Just some stupid dream or my mind imagining something. Probably. Hopefully.

“Mhm. Okay, what did you feel?”

“Pain, you slinthead, I felt pain.”

“I know. But what did it feel like?”

“Like I was being splashed with waves of pain over and over again.”

“Okay. Now, usually during the time of the changing, you feel a longing for someone. It can be friend, enemy, anyone really. Who was it for you?”

I replied immediately

“Newt. It was Newt.”

Oh my gosh. What about Newt? Where was he? Was he okay? Was he still alive?

“That's what I thought.”

I was internally screaming for Newt, but managed to dial it down to a frantic series of questions. A very, very frantic series of questions

“W-Where is Newt? Can I see him? Is he all right?”

“He’s right outside the door. Yes you're fine, and are free to go. I don’t know.”

Right after he finished, I got up, and quickly ran halfway to the door, before the med-jack called out to me.

“No running for today! Walking only!”

I groaned but changed my pace to walking. I opened the door, and saw Newt sitting across from the entrance to my room. His legs were bent and his arms were covering his head. He looked so helpless. So sad. I started walking towards him. I knew he heard me. His body tensed up, and he just shook his head.

“Hi Newt.”

Almost the instant I got the words out, Newt was looking up. Something in his eyes registered, and he jumped at me, hugging me tighter than he ever had before. I wrapped my arms around him. Then Newt spoke, and his voice sounded unused and rusty

“Minho. Oh, Minho.”

I let go of him

“Yes, Newt, yes. It’s me. And I’m never leaving again.”

Newt had let go of me now, and was standing, looking at me. Suddenly, he swayed on his feet, and almost fell over. I caught him, and he regained his footing by holding onto one of the chipped homestead walls.

“Newt, are you okay? What's wrong?”

Newt smiled weakly at me.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.”

Newt started to let go of the wall, and took a few steps, but nearly keeled over and he had to grab the opposite wall for support. What happened to him?

“Newt, you're clearly not fine.”

“Yes, I am!”

Then I noticed all the still full food trays.

“Newt, have you eaten anything since I got stung?”

“Well, uh, maybe, I. . . No.”

I walked over to Newt, and eased him back in a sitting position. I put his head in my lap, and moved his hair from his eyes.

“Why?”

He had begun to cry now, his eyes filling with tears. I knew he would try not to let them fall.

“I, I don’t know Min. I don’t know. It-It’s just that, I couldn’t h-help you. I felt so stupid. Y-You couldn’t eat, so I d-didn't want to eat.”

No, Newt, sweety. No.

“I-Is there anything else you did?”

I couldn't swallow. It felt as though something was in my throat, choking me.

“I-I didn’t talk. You were being forced to scream, so I decided I wouldn’t talk.”

My heart managed to break yet again. How many times has it done that in the last few weeks?

“Newt, I think we need to agree on something”

Newt nods, waiting for me to keep going.

“We need to stop blaming each other when the other gets hurt, okay?”

Newt nods again.

“Alright.”

We sit in silence for while before Newt give me a bittersweet smile

“Look at us. When's the last time we were happy?”

I start laughing. It wasn't even funny. That laugh dies in my throat and turns into a sob. Another comes. And another. I looked down at Newt, and saw he was crying too. I kissed him. I pulled back. Newt was smiling through the tears now. I think I was too. Newt reached up a hand and brushed my tears away. I did the same for him.

“I guess the last time we were happy was right now, Newt.”

Newt’s POV:

After me and Minho had just, I don’t know, sat there for a while, Minho dragged me to the kitchen, much to my protest.

“Newt, you have to eat.”

“No. It takes at least a month before starving, I only went a couple days.”

Minho rolled his eyes and kept dragging me along. We finally made it to the kitchen, and Minho burst open the door, and started making way too big of a deal about me not eating for a few days. He got a plate and started loading it with all the food in sight.

“Bloody hell, Minho. I think you know I’m not going to eat that.”

Minho completely ignored me, and continued to add food. He finally finished raiding the kitchen, and walked out and sat down at the spot we had occupied only a few weeks ago. Before I decided to ruin everything by jumping. I sat down and Minho plopped the plate of food onto my lap, before sitting next to me.

“Eat.”

I obeyed, and started eating the odd assortment of foods. Carrots, meat, mashed potatoes, apples, berries, and some type of cake. I only got half way through, before I couldn’t eat anymore.

“Here, Minho, you eat this.”

I slid the plate onto his lap. He pushed it away

“The thought of eating food right now is even too much. I’m not eating that.”

I sighed. Of course. He had just been through the worst pain in his life. Duh, he doesn’t want to eat.

Stupid

Stupid

“Well what do we do with the food then?”

Minho shrugged

“I don’t know. Use it for compost or something.”

I laugh

“I don’t think that's exactly how it works.”

“Well, just toss it in the bushes then.”

Good enough for me. I got up and shoved the remaining food off the plate and into a nearby bush.

“I told you I wouldn’t eat all that.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Then why would you get all that food for me?”

“Because I wanted to make sure you had enough.”

I smiled and walked over to the bench and sat back down leaning my head on Minho’s shoulder.

“Just being with you is enough.”