The Maze Girl

Chapter 8

Alex stood at the edge of the strawberry patch and she watched as the light faded from the Glade. The sun couldn't be seen again but the glow made it seem like it was sunset, or at least close.

"Boo!" Hands grabbed her waist from behind and Alex let out a strangled scream as she turned around.

"Dave! Not funny!" She punched him playfully in the shoulder as the boy doubled over in laughter.

He managed to stop for a moment. "You should have seen your face!" Then he burst out into a new fit of snorts. Alex rolled her eyes while he got control of himself.

"So, I need a bed." she finally snapped once the giggles were getting annoying.

Dave wiped a nonexistent tear out of his eye before answering. "Yeah, yeah. Follow me you impatient shuck-face."

The boy had brought her to the Homestead and given her a sleeping bag and an extra pair of clothes. A solid light grey t-shirt with brown cargo pants that both seemed like they would hang baggy on her.

Dave brought her back near a corner of the Gardens where sleeping bags were strewn everywhere. He led her through the small maze before stopping at a less crowded area next to the carrot beds.

"Here ya go." He threw her sleeping bag on the ground and it landed in a small heap. "I sleep right here so I'm close if you need me Greenie." Dave grinned as he laid down on a large brown sleeping bag next to Alex's.

"Thank you." she smiled softly back as she set the clothes down. "I have to go but I'll see you later."

Dave's grin only widened in response and Alex turned swiftly on her heel to leave.

Newt leaned against the side of the Homestead, legs crossed and arms folded across his chest. He smiled brightly as she made her way closer, the left corner of his mouth rose higher than the right.

"Hey there Greanbean. Ready to be clean?" He walked into the Homestead and Alex followed behind at his heels. Newt stopped in front of a faded white door near the back of the building.

Newt grasped the handle and turned the knob before stepping in. The room smelled like bleach and sweat, not rancid enough to make her gag but enough for her to dislike it.

On the left was a train of five sinks that stretched the length of the bathroom. It had a yellow counter top and no mirrors anywhere. To the right were three toilet stalls with old wooden dividers and doors with flaking green paint. Further down the room were two showers both with curtains that looked like they had once been white but were now tinged yellow.

The floor was chipped white-ish yellow tiles. Alex wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Ew."

Newt laughed and pointed to the wooden cabinets that lined the back wall. "You'll find clothes and towels in there. Have fun." He chuckled again and before Alex could protest he walked out the door, leaving her in the bathroom alone.

She stared for a moment, looking at the toilets in revulsion. It took her a full minute to force herself to walk towards the cabinets. She grabbed the smallest pair of brown cargo pants that seemed just her size and she yanked a light white t-shirt off of a rack. In the bottom corner of the far right cabinets was a small box labeled "girl". She opened it to find bras and underwear that again looked like they would fit her perfectly.

Alex took a white bra and a new pair of black undies before piling the new clothes on the floor next to a shower. She took a grey towel that smells awful but looks relatively clean and she hopped behind the curtain to undress.

The shower was warm and she watched the dirt and sweat run off her body and down the drain. Part of her brain nagged at her to hurry up in case one of the boys decided to rinse off too. Instead of rushing though, she took her time to lather up her hair with shampoo and conditioner.

She felt sparkly clean as she dried off, still in the shower just in the off chance that someone walked in, the bathrooms had no lock. I guess, she thought, they're all boys so they wouldn't have anything to worry about if someone were to barge in on them.

Alex had found a bottle of lotion and she put it on sparingly, her skin felt rejuvenated. She finished dressing but she had still found no shoes so she left her feet barefoot as Alex left the bathroom.

Her hair was still wet but she let it air dry as she walked back to her sleeping bag. The grass tickled her feet and she couldn't help but smile. This place, no matter how claustrophobic it felt, was starting to feel like home. Tomorrow she would try to be a Slicer but the girl hoped she would get to be a Runner. At least in the Maze she felt free, in the Glade she felt stuffed up.