Threads of Hope | A Newt x Reader Story

The Greenie was a mess.

He stumbled behind Alby like a lost puppy, eyes darting to every corner of the Glade, mouth slightly open like he couldn't quite process anything he was seeing. I didn't blame him. 

Newt and I jogged up to them, Alby introducing us officially. 

"Green bean, meet Newt, when I'm not around he's in charge." Newt shook his hand, offering. smile. 

"It's a good thing you're always around then." Newt laughed, "Listen, that was some dash you made earlier, almost reminded me of our Y/N here, except she didn't face-plant."

I elbowed Newt in the side, muttering to be nice. Giving the Greenie a smile, I offered him my own hand.

Alby led us through the center of camp, his usual commanding presence keeping everything in check. Newt walked beside me, arms crossed, glancing at the Greenie every now and then with mild amusement.

The Greenie's eyes flickered around wildly, taking everything in. The fields, the wooden structures, the pens filled with livestock—it was overwhelming, I could tell. His hands flexed at his sides like he was fighting the urge to grab onto something solid, something that made sense.

"This place?" Alby gestured around. "It's the only home you're ever gonna have."

The Greenie blinked, clearly not liking the sound of that.

Alby kept going. "At least, as long as you can survive here." His tone was blunt, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

The Greenie finally spoke, his voice cracking slightly. "What—what is this place?"

Alby didn't even blink. "Told you, it's called the Glade."

I could see the frustration creeping into the Greenie's face. "But... what's out there?" He pointed toward the towering stone walls that loomed over us, their sheer size enough to make anyone feel small.

Alby followed the Greenie's gaze, looking up at the walls like he had done this a hundred times before. "Out there?" He exhaled. "We call it the Maze."

The Greenie's brow furrowed. "The Maze?"

"Every morning, those doors open," Alby continued, gesturing toward the massive stone gates at the far end of the Glade. "Every night, they close."

"And every day," Newt added, stepping forward slightly, "the Maze changes."

I watched the Greenie closely, waiting for the moment it would really sink in. The moment when it hit him just how trapped we were.

Alby turned back to him. "No one's ever made it out."

Silence.

The Greenie swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. His breath hitched slightly like he was fighting off panic.

"At least, not alive," Newt added, smirking grimly.

I shot him a look. "Helpful, Newt."

"What?" He shrugged. "Might as well rip the Band-Aid off now."

The Greenie's breathing picked up, his fingers twitching slightly at his sides. I had seen this before. The slow creep of realization. The understanding that there were no easy answers, no way to wake up from this nightmare.

Alby sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before fixing the Greenie with a hard stare. "Listen, the only way we all survive is if you do your part. We all have jobs, and we all follow the rules."

The Greenie glanced between all of us, his gaze lingering on me, like maybe I had a different answer. A better one.

I crossed my arms. "You listen to Alby, you'll be fine."