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"The ‘wait-and-dive thingy’?" Tho his eyes "Any idiot on the planet would’ve done that"

"Don’t get all hu unbelievable You and Minho, both"

Thory "Then why do I feel so crappy, Chuck? Wanna answer me that?"

Thomas searched Chuck’s face for an answer, but by the looks of it he didn’t have one The boy just sat clasping his hands as he leaned forward on his knees, head hanging Finally, half under his breath, he murmured, "Same reason we all feel crappy"

They sat in silence until, a fewlike death on two feet He sat on the ground in front of them, as sad and worried as any person could possibly appear Still, Tholad to have him around

"I think the worst part’s over," Newt said "The bugger should be sleepin’ for a couple of days, then wake up okay Maybe a little screaine how bad the whole ordealwas still ahis best to be casual "Nehat’s he going through up there? Seriously, I don’t get what this Changing thing is"

Newt’s response startled Tho his ar them back down on his knees "All we bloody know is if the Grievers sting you with their nasty needles, you inject the Grief Serus out and shakes and your skin bubbles and turns a freaky green color and you voh explanation for ya there, Tommy?"

Thomas frowned He didn’t want to make Newt any more upset than he already was, but he needed answers "Hey, I know it sucks to see your friend go through that, but I just want to knohat’s really happening up there Why do you call it the Changing?"

Newt relaxed, sees back memories Just little snippets, but definite meoes through it acts like a bloody psycho when it’s over--although usually not as bad as poor Ben Anyway, it’s like being given your old life back, only to have it snatched away again"

Tho "Are you sure?" he asked

Newt looked confused "What do you ed because they want to go back to their old life, or is it because they’re so depressed at realizing their old life was no better than e have now?"

Newt stared at hiht "Shanks who’ve been through it’ll never really talk about it They get … different Unlikable There’s a handful around the Glade, but I can’t stand to be around the strayed to a certain blank spot in the woods Thoht never be the saain

"Tell me about it," Chuck chi new on the girl?" Tho the subject He was in noback to her "I saw the Med-jacks feeding her upstairs"

"No," Newt answered "Still in the buggin’ coma, or whatever it is Every once in a while she’llShe takes the food, see pause followed, as if the three of theirl Tho of connection with her, though it had faded a little--but that could have been because of everything else occupying his thoughts

Newt finally broke the silence "Anyway, next up--figure out e do with Tommy here"

Thomas perked up at that, confused by the state about?"

Newt stood, stretched his arms "Turned this whole place upside down, you bloody shank Half the Gladers think you’re God, the other half wanna throw your butt down the Box Hole Lotta stuff to talk about"

"Like what?" Thoht he was some kind of hero, or that some wished he didn’t exist

"Patience," Newt said "You’ll find out after the wake-up"

"Tomorrow? Why?" Tho And you’ll be there You’re the only buggin’ thing on the agenda"

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Tho was needed just to talk about hi, Tho in a chair, worried and anxious, sweating, facing eleven other boys They were seated in chairs arranged in a semicircle around him Once settled, he realized they were the Keepers, and to his chagrin thatthem One chair directly in front of Thomas stood empty--he didn’t need to be told that it was Alby’s

They sat in a large room of the Homestead that Thomas hadn’t been in before Besides the chairs, there was no other furniture except for a small table in the corner The walls were made of wood, as was the floor, and it didn’t look like anyone had ever atte There were no s; the room smelled of mildew and old books Thomas wasn’t cold, but shivered all the same

He was at least relieved that Neas there He sat in the chair to the right of Alby’s empty seat "In place of our leader, sick in bed, I declare this Gathering begun," he said, with a subtle roll of his eyes as if he hated anything approaching formality "As you all know, the last few days have been bloody crazy, and quite a bit seems centered around our Greenbean, Tommy, seated before us"

Thomas’s face flushed with embarrassment

"He’s not the Greenie anymore," Gally said, his scratchy voice so low and cruel it was almost comical "He’s just a rule breaker now"

This started off a ru of murmurs and whispers, but Newt shushed them Thomas suddenly wanted to be as far from that rooin’ order, here If you’re gonna blabber your shuck o ahead and bloody leave, because I’m not in a very cheerful mood"

Thomas wished he could cheer at that

Gally folded his arms and leaned back in his chair, the scowl on his face so forced that Tho a harder and harder tiuy just a day earlier--he seeave Gally a hard stare, then continued "Glad we got that out of the way" Another roll of the eyes "Reason we’re here is because almost every lovin’ kid in the Glade has co about Thoe We need to decide e’re gonna do with him"

Gally leaned forward, but Newt cut hi

"You’ll have your chance, Gally One at a ti until we ask you to Good that?" He waited for a nod of consent froave it reluctantly--then pointed to the kid in the chair on the far right "Zart the Fart, you start"