I follow Zart through the forest, dodging trees. He seems to know exactly where he is going. Obviously I have questions, but I can't be bothered to ask. It would only lead to more confusing explanations and then more questions. I'd rather learn as I go along. 'How you feeling, Greenie?' Zart asks, making me jump slightly. 'Tired, I guess,' I reply, forcing a short laugh. 'So, what do you do around here, Zart?' 'Jobs. You'll probably be taken out to do a few tomorrow.' 'Jobs?' 'Yeah. To keep things in order around here, all the Gladers, us, we have jobs to make sure things are going smoothly. Well, as smooth as it can around here. You have the brick- nicks, the runners, the sloppers, cooks, med jacks, slicers, baggers, then the track hoes, like me. We work in the Gardens. Planting, harvesting, weeding, all that stuff.' 'That seems nice. Simple, no hassle.' I muse. 'I guess. Willing to take advice?' 'Sure.' He turns to face me and grins. 'When they are trying you out for jobs, even if you turn out to be good, suck at building.' 'Why? Is that what the bricknicks do?' 'That's what the builders do. And the keeper, leader, of the builders happens to be your friend Gally.'
I fight the overwhelming urge to kick him right there and then. Gally is not and will never be my friend. You could say I'm quick to judge, but I never want to be friends with him. Unfortunately, we're already acquaintances. But I'll take Zart's advice. I will suck at building, and hopefully never run into him.
'So can you tell me the basics of this place? It would save me from asking any further questions.' I say. 'Sure. So, we are stuck in this place. Nobody knows how or why we're here, and out there is the Maze. That's what the runners do. They go out there and try to find a way out before the doors close.' 'Doors? What, someone closes the doors? Why?' 'Nobody closes them. They do by themselves. Just as well. The monsters Gally was telling you about. He's not kidding. They come out at night. If the Runners aren't back before the doors close, they're goners. Nobody survives a night. And we've got evidence.' Zart explains. I shudder. I'm not even going to ask what the evidence is. 'How do the doors close by themselves?' 'Nobody knows, Greenie. Nobody knows anything.' 'But it shouldn't be possible for them to close by themselves.' 'You seem to be more interested about the doors than anything else,' Zart mutters. 'Well it shouldn't be physically possible. There's got to be some kind of science behind this.' I tell him. 'You sound like one of the med- jacks,' Zart laughs. I've come to a conclusion. I think I like Zart. 'Right, train stops here.' He stops in front of, well, nowhere, really. It's a small space among the trees. 'This is where you'll be spending your nights. I'll set up the hammock.' 'I'll do it. Can't be that hard.' I insist. 'Nah, it's fine, don't worry about it. Alby told me to anyway.' I stand for a moment, not doing anything. 'So, shall I just stay here for the rest of the night?' 'Looks like it.' I nod, biting my lip, reaching my hand up to scratch my head. 'I'm done here. I'll get back to the guys.' Zart says. 'Ok. Thanks, Zart.' 'No worries.' He raises a hand before leaving the forest, and I am left alone.
Time is dragging on.
I don't know if that's because I'm in a different place, or if I'm just bored as hell. I've been sitting in the hammock for who knows how long. The sky above me is pitch black, with stars in the sky, like glitter spilled across a black page. I decide to get up from my new bed and leave the forest, just to do something. I'm bored, I can't sleep, and I need to take everything in. I'm not even sure if I'm going in the right direction, but I'm going somewhere. I'll probably find my way back. Probably. Who cares if I do? Judging from the walk with Zart, it's gonna take a while, I'm guessing. Who's bright idea was it to put me all the way back there anyway?
I walk and walk, until I get out of the forest. I see a gigantic figure made out of some kind of hay with some of the guys surrounding it. They're all holding long sticks, the top of them alight with fire. 'Light 'em up!' Alby shouts, and all the guys throw the sticks into the figure and cheer. I can only guess that the figure is meant to represent the people who put them here.
Us, here. This is my new home. I'm one of them.
I'm not gonna ask why this is happening, question anything. It's better if I just learn by seeing things happen. I wrap my hand around the trunk of a thin tree, watching. Some people are still gathered around the burning fire, some have separated into groups, and some are surrounded by two people fighting. I don't know what I'm supposed to do, exactly. I guess I'll just stand here and watch. Maybe I'll go over to the fight scene? Should I try to initiate conversation? No, it's better if I just stay here, right? I feel so out of place, but hey, who can blame me?
I stand there for a while before sitting down, back against the tree. I prop my knee up, elbow resting on it as I bite my already gnawed nails. Surprisingly, it's more comfortable than the hammock. With everyone looking fairly happy, the noise of chatter, I find myself feeling less uneasy and relaxing a bit.
'Hey, Greenie!' I jump, my hands balled in fists dropping to the grass at the sudden break from my thoughts. I look up to see Zart grinning down. 'What are you doing?' He asks. I take a deep breath, blowing my fringe upwards. 'Nearly sleeping.' I grin tiredly, dragging the back of my hand across my eyes. 'You coming over?' He says, gesturing towards some other guys. I sigh. 'Yeah, sure, why not.' I shrug and push myself off the ground, Zart grabbing my wrist to help steady myself, and brush down my jeans with my hands. I take another look at what I'm wearing. The light blue jeans are cut off in the middle of my shin and my green shirt is too long at the sleeves but like the jeans, slightly baggy. I shove the sleeves upwards roughly and quickly scan the scene, feeling slightly uneasy again. 'I do not fit in.' I say, not even trying to pretend it was a joke. 'We were all a Greenie once. You'll get used to it.'
As we approach, a group of guys walk over. 'Greenie, these are the other track hoes.' Zart tells me. I give them a brief smile. I hate being called Greenie. I wish I remember my name. 'How long will it be till I get my name back?' I ask. 'It varies,' one of the guys replies. 'Some get it within a day, some nearly a week.' 'Yeah. Won't be green bean for long, chick.' One guy adds grinning sheepishly, elbowing me in the ribs. 'Good,' I say. I give him a light punch in the shoulder, smiling back. I'm starting to gain confidence, and I think I like these guys. 'Wonder what my name is anyway. Hope it's nice.' I wonder aloud. 'If it's prettier than your appearance, you're in luck.' The same guy tells me. 'Oh shut up.' I laugh, giving him a slightly more forceful shove. 'You seem to enjoy hitting things,' he says, rubbing his arm. 'Oh, shit, did that hurt?' 'Nah, but if you want to try inflict some damage, they're fighting over there,' he says, pointing at a large crowd. 'Hey, Al, come on you're not being serious.' Zart insists. 'Why not?' Al replies. 'That over there,' Al tells me, swinging an arm around my shoulders pointing at the cheering crowd. 'That's where the fight is. It's just for fun.' 'Oh, no, really, I don't fight.' 'You sure? You can prove to us that you're not just a typical shy girl.' 'And what if I am?' I ask, grabbing his arm and pulling it off my shoulders, twisting it to purposely inflict pain. 'Ow. What was that for?' 'You being an asshole.' He glares at me.
'So you don't wanna do it?' 'No, I don't.' 'Tough luck.' He shoves me with powerful force in the chest and I fly backwards, bumping into a few guys. What did he mean about tough luck anyway? I'm not in the fight. I mumble my apologies as I desperately try scramble to my feet, reminding myself to never speak to Al again. Although, feeling completely drained, I seem to have no grip and as much as I try to push myself off the ground, it's to no use. I stop trying and put my head on the ground closing my eyes, ignoring the people around me poking me as if I'm a dead animal.
'Look what the cat dragged in.' I hear a voice say, immediately knowing who it is. 'What the hell do you want.' I groan. I try to get up into a sitting position, but my muscles feel like twigs. This can't be good for me, really. 'Need a hand?' He offers. 'No,' I moan, slapping his hand away weakly. 'As a matter of fact I can get up myself.' 'Then go ahead. Do it.' 'Why do you give a shit?' I ask, raising a hand and opening my fist the immediately drop it. I shake my head. 'Who says I want to get up anyway?' 'Because you're in the fight ring.'
My heart sinks.
'Wait, what?' I ask hurriedly, getting up and stumbling trying to keep my balance and turning to face him. 'Thats right, Greenie. Have to say, didn't think you'd expect a fight just yet.' Gally says, getting a few jeering agreeing noises from the guys. Someone shoves me from behind and I stumble into the middle of the ring. 'Do you not think I've been bloody shoved around enough?! Shit, aren't you a lovely group of lads?' I shout, trying to throw as much sarcasm as I can muster into the last sentence. 'Chick, you fighting or what?' Someone yells.
Fight? They really expect me to do that? Are these guys genuinely stupid, or would these boys be so idiotic to go through what I just did and go ahead and fight some jerk. 'No.' I say, more quiet and shy than I intended. 'Why not?' A guy asks. 'Because I don't want to. Is that so hard to understand? I don't fight and I don't want to and I probably never will, ok?' I turn to face everyone while saying this, to make sure everyone gets the damn message. 'Aw, is the little girl scared?' Yet another voice teases. 'You know what, I wasn't. I was kinda freaked out but now, I'm scared as hell. I don't want to be here, and it know none of you do, but so far, I've been introduced to the biggest jerk, sorry, two of the biggest jerks,' I shoot Al a glare, making his skin pale slightly. 'And now I'm being pressured to fight. And I'm weak and I'm scared and you can say whatever the hell you want to me...' I trail off, unsure of what to say next. 'Just... Everyone, stay the hell away from me.' I mumble, biting my lower lip and letting my hands stay by my sides. I nod, breathe out deeply from my nose and walk back over to the trees.
And I punch the hell out of one in fury.
