Greenie was with Newt and I in the gardens. I wasn't sure how he got it on his first day, Alby is more relentless than Nick was. Maybe Alby was giving him slack as it's his first month as leader. Whatever it was, I'm not going to complain. It didn't hurt to have more hands in the weeds.
Thomas took the opportunity of being with us to ask questions. And they got old really fast. "Has anyone tried climbing to the top?" This was pertaining to the vines on the wall. I won't lie, I have had this question many times, but after getting to the top, what would your next move be? Newt told him this. "What about the box? The next time it comes up-"
"No, we've tried that. The box won't go down with someone in it." Newt didn't even look up from his work, answering with half his attention it seemed.
"We'll what about-"
"We've tried it, twice. Alright? Anything you think of, we've already tried. Look, you want to be helpful, go dig us up some fertilizer." He tossed Thomas a bucket and the greenie just barely caught it. Zart and I laughed as he walked off and tripped on a rope stabilizing the grape vines. Then I had an idea. I knew the best spot for fertilizer and I needed an excuse to go into the deadheads. Not that I actually did, but more to trick myself into going in.
"Hey, I'm gonna go with him, make sure he doesn't die or what not."
"You sure?" Newt knew how much I avoided the deadheads, but I was starting to feel guilty.
"Yeah, we'll be right back."
"Alright." I caught up with Thomas as he just entered the first rows of trees. "You sure walk fast greenie. Might have to call you Speed Racer."
He frowned at me. "Who is that?"
I drew a blank. I wasn't sure where I had got the name from or what the reference was so I just shrugged. "Made it up."
"Why was Newt being so hard earlier?"
I stepped over a thick root, almost tripping and thought of it as karma from laughing at Thomas. "I don't know. I've only been here four months and I'm not sure when they stopped looking for other ways out."
"How long have they been here?"
"Well I'd say about two and a half years."
Thomas grew silent and I wondered what he was thinking. Usually, I would enjoy the sounds of the deadheads, but I have one too many bad memories here. After a couple minutes he spoke and it made me jump. "Why did you come out here with me?"
I felt my heart in my throat. I had to swallow hard just to get it back down. "I have business here. Did anyone tell you why it's called the deadheads?"
"Alby wasn't very detailed in the tour. He just said a bunch of stuff I didn't understand."
I nodded. "He's never had to give the tour before, it ain't an easy thing."
"I've been meaning to ask...what happened to your old leader?" The question took me by surprise. I should have known, sooner or later he would ask. I just wished it was later. I cleared my throat and blinked away the tears. "What?"
"Uh, that's the business I have in here today. Nick and I were...close. I was actually there when he was-killed." God I wish this was easier to talk about. If only he had died a different way. Or not at all.
"Was it a griever?"
"Another Glader actually." The smell of the forest started to turn sour and I knew that we were close.
"What happened to the other Glader?"
"I killed him." Thomas fell silent again, surprised by the new information. If anything he took a step away from me, probably feeling threatened. I cracked a dry smile. "You don't have to worry your pretty little head Tommy, I won't kill you." I had heard Newt call him that earlier and I guess it brought the greenie some peace. He still stayed a bit farther, but he relaxed. The temperature dropped and a chill ran down my spine. I shivered and held my arms against me. I wish I had brought my sweater. "Here we are. You can grab some fertilizer while I pay my respects."
