Minho’s POV:
Neither of us wanted to eat dinner that night. So, we didn’t. Instead, we went to my keeper room, and lay down in my hammock. We just lay there, enjoying each other's company for the first time in the last couple of days. That was, until Newt asked me a question.
“Minho, what did it feel like?”
“The worst pain I’ve ever felt.”
Newt nodded
“That’s what I thought.”
With that, Newt snuggled closer, and we fell asleep together. We woke up to the jarring sound of the box siren. I just lay there, confused and groggy. Newt’s response was basically the opposite. He bolted upright, only to tip the hammock over, spilling us both onto the hard wooden floor. My response to this was to rub my eyes and sit up, while Newt’s response was again, the complete opposite. He bolted upright, and stood at attention, swiveling his head back and forth. The box siren had stopped by now.
“What the bloody hell was that?”
I groaned and got to my feet
“I think that was the box siren. . .”
This just made Newt look more worried
“But, that already happened this month. . .”
I was fully awake now, and grabbed Newt’s arm, pulling him out of the room
“Well, I guess it’s happening again.”
When we got to the box, there was already a large crowd of people, all looking exhausted. Thanks creators, for choosing the one day everyone is sleeping in for sending a new greenie who isn't even supposed to be here. The box hadn’t arrived yet, but you could hear the grinding of some hidden mechanics. It will be up soon. Newt forced himself to the front of the crowd, me following. Newt was like the unofficial welcome committee to all the greenies. I looked around at everyone. They all were still in whatever they had slept in, and they all had worried or confused looks on their faces. I glanced over at Newt. Shuck, was that a mistake. He was still in the oversized shirt he slept in, that the creators sent by accident. He was wearing his normal pants. His face was a mix of curiosity and concern. His hair is messed up, and extra fluffy from sleeping. I could have been content to just look at Newt for ever, if Thomas hadn’t come over to me and started rambling questions.
“Are you okay? What’s happening? What was that noise? What is everyone looking at?”
I stammered, unsure how to start
“I, I, well-”
Luckily Newt saved me
“Ah, slim it Tommy.”
I looked back at Newt, and made eye contact, silently thanking him. Newt smiled, and looked back at where the box would come. I didn’t look where everyone else looked though. I looked at Newt. His face was slightly tilted to the side as if he were deep in thought. He probably was. He brought up a hand, and ran it through his hair. Then I was interrupted again, but this time not by Thomas. This time by the clank of the box, that meant it had arrived.
Newt’s POV:
It was always the same with the box. You could tell someone was in there, but they were almost always in a shadow. I jumped down into the box, and walked over to the figure. As I got closer, the shadow receded. Once I got closer, and saw the figure, I almost gasped. It wasn’t another boy, like always.
It was a girl.
But, something was wrong. She wasn’t moving.
She had something in her hand. I reached for it, still in a daze.
A girl.
It was always boys.
But now it was a girl.
I felt the crinkle of paper as I pulled whatever she was holding out of her hand. It was a folded piece of paper, and when I unfolded it, I’m pretty sure I did gasp
She’s the last one. Ever.
What was that supposed to mean? No, I knew what it meant. It meant exactly what it said. She was the last person coming. Ever. Minho had climbed down next to me, and put a hand on my shoulder. He looked concerned. He hadn’t seen that it was a girl yet. He gave me a quizzical look, asking with his eyes what was wrong.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
“It’s a girl.”
Some of the boys took a step back from the box lip, while some took a step forward. Minho glanced at the note
“What does that say?”
“I-It says she’s the last one.”
“Shuck, shuck, shuck.”
Minho shot me a worried look, before pacing back and forth behind me. The others had started muttering and talking under their breaths. I started to advance towards her. I got close to her face to see if there was any sign of breathing. I was leaning over her, my face only about a foot away from hers. Suddenly, she sat up, gasping for breath, looking around. I immediately jumped back, startled, and lost my footing. I fell into Minho, who helped me up, before both of us stared at the girl. She gulped air before saying something.
“Eerythings going to change. . .”
Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed again. Shouts came from above, all asking if she was dead. I took a breath, and advanced on her again. As I got closer, I saw her chest rising and falling. Barely. My heart still pounding from her sudden awakening, I yelled back up at all of the others, who were just staring.
“Hey! Med-jacks! Come help her!”
They came down without a word, before carting her away. Soon after, everyone else wandered away, except for Thomas. He just stood there, a dumb-founded look on his face. He almost looked pale. Minho climbed back over the edge of the box hole, before helping me up. Minho walked over to Thomas, and I followed, but let Minho do the talking.
“Hey, what's wrong Thomas?”
Thomas looked from Minho to me, then back to Minho.
“Do, do you think it would be weird if I recognized that girl?”
Minho looked unsure
“Well, did you?”
“I-I think. . .I don’t know.”
I rolled my eyes
“Bloody hell, Tommy, it’s yes or no.”
Thomas looked worried
“Um, well, yes. I do.”
Minho shrugged
“It’s probably nothing.”
Thomas nodded and walked away.
“Do you really think it’s nothing?”
Minho turned his attention to me
“Well, it could be another trick of the creators, it could be he used to know someone who looked like her, so, it could be nothing.”
I nodded
“Yeah, it’s probably nothing.”
Minho turned his full body to me, and smiled. God, why was he smiling? I didn’t know, but I couldn’t help but smile too.
Minho’s POV:
Life went back to normal, or as normal as you could get after the girl came. She was still in a coma after almost a week. Same stuff. Running, eating, hanging out with Newt. That was, until she woke up. Me and Newt were sitting on the edge of the deadheads, just talking, when we heard yelling. We both jumped up and started running to the yelling. I got to the med-jack hut first, because of Newt’s limp.
God, just mentioning it. . .
Clint was screaming for Thomas
“Thomas! Get over here!”
I walked over to Clint
“What is it?”
Newt ran up behind me
“Why the shuck do you need Tommy so bad?”
Clint gave us a few rushed sentences as a response
“Well, she’s up. The girl. She said she wanted Tom, and we assumed that she meant Thomas.”
Okay, so it wasn't a coincidence that Thomas recognized her. . .
Just then, Thomas ran up
“Yeah, what do you need?”
“The girl, she wants you.”
Thomas nodded, before going in. Clint looked at us, before following Thomas in.
“Well, I guess that means that we aren’t wanted.”
“I guess not.”
Newt turned, and started walking away. I followed him. Everything was still relatively normal. That was, until the next morning. I had slept in the keeper room, and Newt had slept outside. One of the few times we weren't together. I woke up, and was just about to head out, when my flimsy door flew open, and Newt came bursting in, his face pale. He ran into me, and he stayed there, pressed against me.
“Newt, sweetie, what is it?”
“The-The sun. it isn't there. . .”
Wait, what?
“What?”
Newt looked at me, panic in his eyes. He was almost never like this. At least, not in front of the others.
“Like I said. The sun isn’t there. It's all gray and blank.”
Okay, this was bad. Very, very bad. I wrapped my arms around Newt.
“It’ll all be okay. . .”
Newt pulled away and glared at me.
“No. It. Won’t. The suns gone. The plants won't grow. The animals will have nothing to eat. We will starve. Does that sound okay to you?”
I took a step back
“I- no, it doesn't.”
Despair replaced the panic in his eyes.
“Minho, I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it. . .”
He looked down at the floor
“I was being stupid. Again.”
I walked a few steps over to him, and cupped his face in my hands, and raised it so he would have to look into my eyes.
“No. no you weren't. You never were.”
Newt gave me a joyless smile. We stayed in the room together for as long as we could, before I had to leave to run. When I started walking out of the room, Newt looked confused.
“Where are you going?”
I turned to look at him
“Running. Like I always do.”
Newt's face changes so suddenly, I actually felt a little stunned. First, confused. A furrowed brow, eyes that ask you a million questions with just one look, and a slightly down turned mouth. That was before. Now, he looked desperate. Pleading eyes, a sad looking mouth, and slightly downturned eyebrows.
“But, Minho, what if something happens?”
“Like what?”
Newt had gotten closer to me, but I didn’t feel threatened. I just felt a growing sense of sadness and hopelessness.
“Wh-What if the doors close early? What if there are more grievers? What if-”
“Newt, I don’t think that will happen.”
“But, what if it does?”
I don’t answer that. I keep walking.
Newt follows me.
“Minho, you said you wouldn’t leave again!”
Yeah. . . but Newt, I’m doing this for you.
Almost all I do is for you. . .
I step outside, and almost stumble from shock. The sun was gone. I mean, I guess I knew that, but I didn’t know what I was expecting. Whatever I was expecting though, this wasn’t it.The sky was just a vast expanse of nothing. I keep walking. The walls are in sight now. I knew I had to go, but what if Newt was right? What if something had changed?