MIZPAH, tmr | minho

𝖎𝖎. burning pile

BURNING PILE

The Glade.... Why did that sound so familiar to the girl? She looked around at her surroundings and saw that all the boys' eyes were still glued on her figure.

"Are you all done staring?" she tiredly asked them as her plaits bounced on her back, "It's getting rather boring."

There was a murmur of apologies and eyes that turned away in embarrassment.

She stood there, her arms folded and a frown on her face as she gazed upwards at Jake. The height difference was amusing, she was barley up to his chin as e stared down at her, seeing if she would break eye contact first.

And she did.

She turned away and looked at the trees that were swaying behind the overgrowing sea of teenage boys. The trees looked perfect, the ideal collection of trees. The leaves were a perfect shade of green and the girl could make out that all the leaves were the exact same shape.

It was perfect, even too perfect. As if it had been calculated. The whole place seemed perfect, the perfect civilisation for a group of teenagers. It wasn't right, it wasn't normal.

"Right Greenie," it was Jake speaking and he finally knocked the girl out of her thoughts of staring at the trees. He probably thought she was insane. "Don't ask too many questions. You'll get a tour of this place tomorrow by myself or Alex, who you already know. Just try and relax and get some good rest tonight."

The girl asked Jake with a slight waver of panic embedding her voice, "Why can't I remember anything?" Her voice becoming more timid and quiet as her anxiety skyrocketed through the roof.

"Happens to all of us," Alex piped up, resting a hand comfortingly on her shoulder, "you'll remember your name in a day or two."

"A day or two?" she repeated like a distant echo, "What do you call me in the meantime then?"

"Greenie." Jake simply replied as he made a 'shooing' motion with his hands and the rest of the group of boys disappeared to their stations that were dotted around the field — or the Glade as the girl now knew.

"What do I do now then?" she asked the two boys who were still looking at her, although Alex looked rather distracted.

"Well after your tour tomorrow, you'll start trying out for your job." Jake explained, gently pulling the girl away from the box by wrapping his hand around her small wrist.

"Job?"

"Yes, job." Jake said, giving Alex a small nod and he then disappeared to his station. "It'll be explained tomorrow at your tour. I'll probably get Alby to give you the tour actually as I think about it — he's my second in command if you may."

Jobs? Stations? Second in command? This place seems like they're preparing for an army. And who the hell is Alby?

"Right, okay..." she said, slightly confused, "What should I do now then, seeing as I don't have a job yet?"