It was hot the next day. As if to spite me. My hair was a mess and it didn't matter if I put it in a braid, it still puffed up. Sweat hung to the back of my neck and I wanted nothing more than to be standing in a cold shower. But instead I was sitting in a room bigger than my own. It was big enough to fit the keepers and hardly feel claustrophobic. They sat in a horseshoe shape and I sat in the middle, fiddling with my fingers.
"Jane." Nick's voice wasn't soft. It was as firm as he tried to sound when I first came up. I had no other choice but to look up at him. "Do you know why you're here?"
Because you all think that I killed someone. But I couldn't say that, not with the attitude I thought it with. "Because my attacker was found dead."
"Would you like to tell us the events that led to that?"
I blushed and stared at him wide eyed. "In front of them?"
"If you have nothing to hide, then that shouldn't be an issue."
I looked at Newt, who was taking Minho's seat since it was his day to run. I didn't want to tell anyone. I didn't want to relive it.
"Nick, maybe we just have it more private."
"That's not how a gathering works. Go on Jane."
My eyes burned and I stared down at my lap as I stuttered out my story. Closing my eyes and wincing when I felt the pain of the rope around my wrist. They were still bruised and sore, but they were really faded now. I showed them to the keepers, reminding them that I was bound.
I didn't want to look at them as I spoke, but I knew I had to if I wanted them to believe me. "I don't know what happened after he untied me and took off. I just know that I wanted to be out of them as soon as possible. And then I bumped into Nick." I looked to Nick, hoping he remembered how I looked when he saw me. I was sure I looked rough, but I didn't have any other wounds on me, or blood.
He was quiet as he studied me, his eyes unreadable. "I went back to study the body this morning and it was gone. The area looked like it was trampled by heavier feet than we have here. So whatever is going on, it's bigger than us. But I don't remember seeing any visible wounds on him. He was just dead. No indication of how he died. Now saying that, I don't believe you killed him." When Nick looked at me, his eyes were kind and oh how I missed them. "You had nothing on you that indicated you killed him either. So we can just call this gathering off." I sighed and sagged forward. "But we still have the matter of choosing your job. So go sit outside and we'll discuss your career future." I nodded and left the room, ready to not be in the stuffy room.
I played with the sleeves of my hoodie as I sat against the wall next to the door. That could have gone horribly wrong if Nick didn't believe me and he seemed to be the overall vote. I wondered if the rest of the keepers believed me too.
There was a loud voice from the room and I knew whoever spoke was angry. When the door slammed open, I jumped up and away from it. Gally stomped out of the room, only sending me a glare. I frowned.
"Jane." Nick called from the room. I walked slowly into the room, holding my hands behind my back. "You don't have to come all the way in. Will Jane's keeper please step forward?" Clint stepped forward and I smiled. I enjoyed trying out for the Med-Jacks and thought that I had done a pretty good job. "Starting after the first break you are a Med-Jack. Keepers you can leave now and get back to work." They nodded and left the room. Now it was just Nick, Newt, Alby, and I.
"Someone got rid of the body." Was the first thing Alby said. "But we don't know who or why." Alby didn't look at me, but it felt like he held something against me.
"We would have heard if someone new came into the Glade wouldn't we have?" Newt asked.
"Jane, where were you last night?"
