Secrets | TMR | One

3:5

It all started with a shoe.

Or rather, the absence of one.

Young Adeline was mostly set for her first day back in the maze in, well, she does not quite know.

It has been a long while since she has stepped foot in the labyrinth of concrete walls that barricade the Glade in from the outside world.

What with Alby and her having to take over for Nick after Hank's death, and dealing with her own issues such as her nightmares and the constant taunts from her new friends, Adeline found that she did not have the time, nor the energy, to venture out.

On this day, however, her body held nothing except the feeling of excitement at the thought of it. The air whipping through her bright orange locks, the freshness of having a small change of scenery - no matter how repetitive the view of the maze walls are.

Of course, there is always the odd griever here or there, but as long as she makes no sound, Adeline finds them easy enough to shake.

In her mind, the freedom of escaping the Glade for a few hours far outweighs the risk of running into one of the creatures.

Unfortunately for the young girl, it would appear as though she will not be entering the maze today - or any other day.

Not until she finds her shoes, anyway.

Adeline had her bedroom completely torn apart while she searched for her trainer. Every piece of clothing had been emptied from the drawers beside the door and discarded on her bed. Gally's bed had been shifted down to the bottom of the room so she could hop up and check on top of the shelving he had built.

But still, the missing footwear is nowhere to be found.

Adeline releases a small huff as she jumps down from the boys bed. Her body turns in slow circles, her eyes scanning over every inch of the room.

Finally coming to the conclusion that her shoes are not here, the girl decides to head over to the kitchen, for yet another day of dealing with the builders.

Grabbing her watch from the top of the drawers, Adeline leaves the room, swiftly closing the door behind her. "I'll tidy that later."

The girl is entirely lost within her own thoughts as she lightly strolls towards the kitchen, her brain going a hundred miles an hour, trying to pinpoint the exact moment she last remembers her shoes being in her possession.

Henry almost immediately notices the confused expression on her face as she takes a seat across from him. "You okay?" he asks.

"Yea" the girl mumbles in response, not tearing her eyes away from her hands, which are clasped together just on top of her thighs.

Adeline says nothing more, but Henry does not direct his attention elsewhere. Instead, he keeps it glued on the girl in front of him, his brows furrowed and his lips pulled into a thin line, completely patching the other boys as they speak to him.

"It's just" Adeline eventually pipes up, her eyes dotting up to Henry. She shuffles herself forward on her chair, keeping the sides of her knees pressed together and her back straight. "I lost my shoes."

Henry casts a sideways glance to Dan who, upon hearing the girls words, has turned his head away, facing out towards the Glade with his hand covering his mouth.

An action which Adeline does not appear to notice.

"What do you mean?" Gally questions, a small smirk playing on the side of his lips as he kicks Dan under the table.

Another movement that Adeline is completely oblivious too.

"Well, not all my shoes. I've lost the right one from every pair I have."