Things We Lost In The Fire

Beetle Blades

I sat at my respective cubicle, typing away like I usually did, searching for any signs of life in the glade. Once I tapped into one of the beetle blades, I relaxed in my seat, only touching the key circle on my desk to move my new being around. This was my job, day in, day out. This was what WICKED assigned me to do, watch them. Watch them and report what they were doing.

They told me I was important, which was hard to believe considering this was what I did all day. They told me I would be needed one day. Ava, the chancellor, told me I was smart, which I couldn't help but deny since I designed the beetle blades.

"Florence?"

"Hm?" I perked up, turning to my name being hollered, my brown hair falling across my chest as I swiveled in my chair.

The assistant director, Mr. Janson, strutted towards me, papers in hand. "Are they awake yet?"

I shook my head, turning to the screen that was implanted on my desk. Dawn had just made an appearance in the glade, and only the sound of the farm animals and the snores of the gladers could be heard. "Not yet."

"Let me know when they're awake." He dictated as he walked away from me, towards Thomas.

"Will do," I smiled, although he couldn't see me. I used my key circle to roam the glade through the eyes of my beetle blade, searching for any signs of liveliness.

I scaled across the wall of the homestead, making my way to the second floor and crawling through one of the open windows to Alby's room, the leader. He was just waking up, preparing to exit his room and wake up the runners. I followed closely behind, going unnoticed as he made his way through homestead.

"Alby's awake," I called to Janson.

I glanced up briefly, making sure Janson caught what I was said. He was in the middle of the room, what we called The Brain. The Brain was the life of WICKED. It was the control center, working on the most important aspects of WICKED. There were at least twenty people working on the Brain, including Thomas and Teresa, my roommates. Chuck was also a roommate of ours, but today was the day he was sent into the glade. They had been preparing him for the last few weeks, sending him through various tests. He was scheduled for the insertion of the swipe in an hour, erasing all his memories. He was probably still asleep in his room, getting his last peaceful sleep.

I wondered if Chuck would change. They always did after entering the glade and having their memories wiped. Ben, Adam, Nick, Bill. Those were the only gladers I knew from group A. I was assigned to group A, not even knowing anyone group B aside from Sonya and Aris, who were entering soon. As far as I knew group A and B were tied in their escape efforts.

"Group B's awake," I heard Aris yell from the cubicle next to mine, closer to The Brain. He was watching Group B, not that he would remember any of it. In the next month, he was being sent up to Group B, forgetting anything and everything that was WICKED.

It was tragic, really. Aris, one of my closest friends, would forget me in time.

I sat up in my chair, hoping to catch site of Aris. Our eyes met briefly, and he grinned. I grinned back before turning back to my work pad.

I continued to stalk Alby, who was always the first one awake in the glade, until he arrived in Minho's room. He shook the runner off of his hammock. "The doors open in ten minutes, shank, wake the shuck up."

Minho groaned, but flopped out of his hammock to get ready for the day.

I scurried past Minho, and headed out the window and scaled down the wall. Most of the runners were awake now, getting their gear ready for the long day ahead of them.