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pathsofoak · 2 years

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The Night Winds: WIP Excerpt

Context: Newt had an issue where a sound bothered him so much Minho had to keep his ears covered. Teresa didn't know how to fix it, Minho got really angry and hit her, letting go of Newt in the process, which hurt Newt.

Double context: Newt is still sick with the Flare, just not contagious, and also as far as everyone knows, still dying. Teresa ended up with them because she's the only one with the skill set to take care of Newt. And also because she's done with WCKD but no one really believes that yet.

Anyway, Minho ends up saying a few things to the others he didn't mean to say out loud...

“Congrats, you pissed Vince off,” Gally muttered.

“Seriously?” Minho snapped. “Is everyone just going to act like she didn’t have that coming?”

“Oh, she did,” Gally said, “nice punch, by the way. Next time maybe wait until Newt’s out of trouble?”

“Right,” Minho said sarcastically, “I completely forgot about that, I’ll be sure to make a note of it.” He kicked off his shoes and lied down. He tried not to look out the back window, where Teresa tried to fix the cut on her own hand. “It was just a lot all at once, all right? It won’t happen again. Newt, I mean.” He glanced over at him. He hadn’t fallen asleep yet, judging by the way he gripped his headphones, but his eyes were closed as he leaned against Frypan’s chest.

Chuck leaned on his toes to look out the back window from where he stood. “You think she’ll be okay?”

“She’ll be fine,” Brenda said. She sat on the passenger’s seat, fiddling with the little silver box she kept around. “And Vince is just pissed because whatever plan he and Jorge keep going on about isn’t one they agree on. She just froze, it happens when everyone’s yelling at you.”

Minho sat up. “Yeah, I’d know, WCKD’s guards don’t like it happening to innocent kids either. I think the lack of sleep is getting to you. It would be nice if people stopped acting like I can’t be pissed at her.”

“Everyone’s pissed at her,” Frypan said. “You’re not. You’re scared.” He held his hand up before Minho could say anything. “Thomas isn’t that stupid, he trusted her to be alone with us for a reason. She can’t hurt you.”

Now all the eyes were on him. “No, she’ll just call whoever can.” He lied back down and turned away. “And I’m not scared, thank you very much, I’m a Runner.”

“All Runners get scared,” Gally said softly. “You taught me that.”

“Fine, Keeper, then.” He could feel Frypan give him a look.

“I don’t care what happens to her,” Frypan said, “I really don’t, but if you don’t tell anyone what the nightmares are about, or every time you wake up mumbling to yourself, it won’t go away.”

“You know what, Fry, why don’t you take your own advice for once,” Minho snapped, “because you’re hanging on by a thinner thread than I am.”

Gally came up for him. “That’s not—”

“Stop it,” Minho hissed. “No one else is going around putting all their issues on the table.” He looked at Gally. “You won’t trust the only people out there with the resources to help us.” He turned to Frypan. “You’re shivering in your sleep if you sleep at night, like you’re a Greenie fresh out the Box.” He turned back around and glared at Brenda. “Something’s wrong with you and you keep acting like no one notices you only pretend to sleep. Honestly I don’t get how you’re still standing.” He turned to Chuck. “You have a brother, a real brother. You cry at Alby’s for nights about wanting your family back, now you have it, and you won’t even look at him. You do realize you’re the only one who’ll ever get that chance, right?”

He regretted those words as soon as he said them, but he’d gone too far to scramble back. “Honestly the only person not hiding what the fuck is wrong with them is Newt, and that’s because he can’t, he’s dying.”

“We know, it’s kinda obvious,” Gally said quietly. “Thanks for the reminder.”

The camper went quiet. Chuck yanked a sweater from the drawers and climbed into the bunk. Minho heard his breath hitch up there.

He didn’t dare lie and say he didn’t mean what he said. He didn’t mean to say it, though.

“She can say she’s done with WCKD all she wants, even if that’s true that doesn’t mean I have to be buddies with her all of a sudden.” He stared at the outer wall of the camper. Gally and Frypan didn’t say another word. Chuck got quiet again above them.

Minho lowered his voice. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” Frypan said tensely.

Brenda just glared at him and climbed up to the bunk, after Chuck.

“For the record,” Gally said in a cutting tone, “Vince and Justin are probably the only ones pissed you hit her, we’re pissed hitting her got more important than Newt’s life. No one’s making peace with her anytime soon.”

He knew that. Extra stress ate at the very little amount of time Newt had left, and Minho just heightened it the second he started yelling at her. He took a breath and rubbed his face. “I didn’t mean for that to happen, I wasn’t thinking, I’m sorry.”

“No, I know.” Gally pulled at his shoulder to make him look at him. Behind him, Frypan turned away. Gally pointed up to the bunk with his gaze. “I wasn’t either. And innocent people got caught in the middle.”

“That’s not the s—”

“Trust me, Minho, in the moment it was, it certainly felt like it.” He plucked his nose and lied down next to Newt and Frypan. “Good night.”

#maze runner #wip: the cold half #wip: the night winds #excerpt wip: the cold half #excerpt wip: the night winds #char: Minho

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