Newt x Reader || A13

03 | wall

Without another thought, I pull the hatch open and descend the tower as quickly and quietly as I can, hoping no one sees me; I successfully make it past the fight circle without being noticed by anyone.

Beyond the path to the homestead, there's the north wall. Looming yet beckoning, what lies behind is still unknown.

I had half the mind to faint again as I watched them move not longer than an hour ago. As I watched the close in to trap us.

The others told me it was normal. That it happens every night.

The thought fills me with unease.

Before long, I find my legs carrying me away from the fight pit and towards the massive stone wall.

Ivy runs halfway up the smooth surface, which is flat against the palm of my hand.

I'm examining the stone beneath my fingers when, put of the corner of my eye, I catch an unnatural marking in the wall, then another, then another.

They're letters, engraved in jagged lines with some sharp edge.

No, they're names.

The first I see is carved in thick, bubbly letters. CHUCK. The little curly haired boy, I think with a smile.

ALBY. The leader.

The names go on and on, scattered haphazardly across the surface, each belonging to a Glader.

But there are crossed out names too.

There's ALFRED, struck through with a line, then there's...

STEPHEN. My eyes linger on these etched in the wall. The writing is smooth and unfamiliar, but I catch myself staring at the name.

Something stirs.

It's a muted feeling: a feeling I know I should be able to identify, but nothing surfaces. I bring my hand up and run my fingers along the thin lines. Stephen.

"Y/N!" An accented voice sounds from behind me. I turn and find myself staring right at Newt; his face is half illuminated in the gentle orange torchlight. "Shouldn't you be at the celebration?"

"Why is everyone so worried about that?" He just gives a shrug, bringing his arm up in an attempt to discreetly cover the wall of names.

"We're just confused- is all."

"I was there," I step towards him, "but these are far more interesting." I carefully place my hand on his arm and push it to the side, revealing the names once again.

"Oh, those-" he sighs in defeat.

"What are they?" I ask, staring at the names scored through as unease settles in. Who are they?

"Back to the fight circle, then." His eyes flicker from mine, "guys are askin' for ya." He turns to leave

"Newt." At his name on my lips, he stills, half turning back towards me. I cock my head in invitation for the explanation.

"Bloody hell," he curses, "okay, look." He points at his own name, engraved in messy, slanted writing. "This is us: all the gladers. It's the wall." He looks at me again, then points to JUSTIN, a crossed out name. "Some of us have been through darker days, some of us haven't made it."

"Haven't made it, as in-"

"Died." Newt finishes, his voice emotionless. "Out there." He finishes, gesturing towards the wall.

"Out there..."

"It's a maze, y/n." He says my name with a defeated tone. I hate the slice of regret in his voice.

"Is that what's behind these four walls?" I ask, holding my breath.

"Yes." Newt says, pausing before continuing, "and beyond the maze, we don't know." My heart beats in my throat.

"We're trapped in here, aren't we?" Newt's silence is answer enough.

"How long-?"

"Almost three years. Maybe more." I suck in a breath.

"But if it's a maze, then there's got to be a way out, right?" Newt looks at me with an unmistakable sadness in his eyes.

"That's the thing-" he says, "the runners haven't found one yet."

"As in Minho and Julian?" Newt nods.

"They run every day, mapping, memorizing. And one day, they're going to find a way out, and we're going to be free." But even I can hear the emptiness in his promises.

"And until then?" Silence again, then, through the dark and from the depths of the maze, a shrill cry pierces. I stumble backwards, and Newt reaches out to wrap his long fingers around my forearm, steadying me once again.

"Those... complicate the process."

"Those? What are those?! You need to st-"

"Y/N." he interrupts, grip a vice on my arm as he leads me back towards the Gladers. "We're going to find a way out. In time."

I slacken in his grip, capitulating for now.

I'm not so sure I believe him.