Error | The Maze Runner / Newt ? ?

{1.6}

I waited until the count of three. I lifted my brother up. I watched him pass out.

-/-

Thomas drifted in and out of consciousness for hours. He woke in awkward intervals, said something incomprehensible, and then drifted back off. It was starting to worry me about how often he was passing out, but Jorge assured me it was normal because of how much pain he was in. I doubted that.

We had stopped on the outskirts of town, back in the desert once again. There was nothing but dry, orange dirt instead of sand. It was a relief. I didn't think I could handle trudging my heavy brother with my feet falling back two inches with every step.

I sat on an old log away from the others. Watching Jorge remove the bullet was not something I wished to witness, especially when he warned us it would involve a lot of screaming on Thomas' part. So, I sat on the log with my hands clamped over my ears as his screeches of agony swirled around my head, trying to block them out.

My hands shook and I clenched them into fists to try and make them stop. Forget knives- now I knew I'd probably picture Theo every time I picked up a gun.

Someone's crunching footsteps approached with an uneven rhythm. Newt. I knew before he even came into my line of vision, so when he sat down next to me on the log, I wasn't startled or expecting anyone other than him.

"Are you okay?" he asked even though he most likely already knew the answer.

"Fine," I lied once again, not looking at him and instead staring down at my clasped hands. "Totally fine."

"You know you can't lie to me, Dylan," he said in a blank tone that made it impossible to read his emotions. "I know you too well. Memories are foggy and I don't remember everything you did, but I know enough. You're not fine."

A pause as I sniffled. My voice came out quiet and crackling. "Of course I'm not." My head tilted up to glance at the setting sun at the horizon, melting into the orange ground. "I just got my brother back and now he's been shot. Jorge said it was infected badly- the bullet wasn't clean. Newt, do you know how bad that is?"

I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye. "I know. But Tommy's a strong one."

I decided not to counter that. Thomas was strong. It was a thought to ease my aching mind.

My entire body hurt from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, along with everything inside. I still felt like my heart was caving in on itself until it was bruised. Every bone weighed much more than I should've. I was tired - so, so painfully tired - but more in a physical way than mental.

I needed a distraction, something to keep me from wallowing in my pool of misery. Newt was right beside me. With a turn, me moving his head, and a lean forward, my lips were on his. He breathed in deeply through his nose in surprise. However, he complied and slid a hand up to my cheek to rest it there. Our mouths moved in slow synchronization with each other with my heart about to burst.

I wanted to tell him so badly. The words almost fell from my lips in haste, but I just managed to stop myself. I love you.

Newt pulled away so he was mere inches from me and his breath fanned my face when he spoke. "You're hurting, Dylan. I don't think—"