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— ❝ he's still in there. ❞
THEO'S FIRST DAY WORKING was in the Blood House like Alby had told him earlier. The Keeper of Slicers, Winston showed him around their usual daily tasks.
The job didn't have any sort of appeal to Theo, raising animals they received in the box only to slaughter them later was not something he wanted to partake in. Though he told himself to put up with it for one day, in hopes of getting some answers to the questions that had been rattling his mind.
Winston had given Theo the task of cleaning, which he didn't mind. Anything was better than chopping a fat pig to pieces. Winston guided him around, showing him what to do and what not to do. "How long have you been here?" Theo asked, trying to make small talk.
"Almost two years." Winston replied, sounding uneasy.
"Shit, that's a long time." Theo frowned. He hadn't enjoyed his time here and he was only on his second day. He couldn't imagine trying to live here for more than a few months without going crazy.
Winston had to fight the urge to tell him that he had already spent months in the Glade and was seemingly happy, despite their circumstances. "You'll get used to it." He said.
Theo sighed. "Do you know why we're here? Did we do something bad? Like are we brainwashed criminals?"
Winston almost laughed at the concern in the other boy's voice. "Nobody knows why we're here. And my guess is that we'll never find out. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if you were a criminal." He tried for a joke.
Theo scoffed playfully. "Oh yeah? What makes you say that?"
"You've got the whole emo look goin' on. All black, pale skin and dark hair with shuck scars." Winston let out a small laugh.
Theo dramatically held a hand to his heart, pretending to be hurt. "Hate to break it to you, but you're the one who slices animals on a daily."
Winston huffed. "Fair enough."
The two said nothing else as Theo dipped his cloth in a bucket of soapy water, scrubbing the makeshift countertops. He was grateful that at least the boys were nice in a place that was anything but.
"Do I get to try and be a Runner like I get to try every other job around here?" Theo spoke up again.
Winston laughed as if the boy was a complete idiot. "No. You don't. I don't mean to crush your fantasies or anything, but you're not going to be a Runner."
Theo opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. He didn't like this feeling of protection most of the Gladers were giving him. He was being treated like a fragile newborn, a baby who would break with the slightest hit.
