Forgotten Glader

Chapter 2

I wake up in a room surrounded by a bunch of strangers, one of them is supporting my head trying to get me to drink water. It's feels so nice, so refreshing. I close my eyes again.

Wait... I shoot upwards. "Who are you people?" "Woah, calm down!" The one who was holding me says. "No! You're gonna tell me who you are!" I demand. "We found you in the building across the street unconscious from dehydration." The same guy explains. "Ok... He could you tell I was dehydrated?" Another one speaks up. "I used to be a doctor. With the state you were in it was obvious." As their done explaining I realize that the burning starvation in my stomach is gone too. "How did you... Feed me?" I ask as my body eases a little bit. "One of the few things we have here is a kitchen, there's Blender as well, we just pureed some food and fed them to you the same way we did water." "Th-thank you. You saved my life." I say. "Also, how long was I out for?" "I believe about a day. We heard a thud and went to check and you were just passed out on the ground, so we took you here and fed and gave you water." He stated. "Now, what's your name son?" What appears to be the oldest one asks. "My name... My name is Winston."

"Winston?" A new voice says, the tension easing. Its another male but it's gruffer this time. "That's no name for a crank like us. I think we'll call you Winnie." He says his voice sounding a weird mixture that I can't quite read, he sounds confident as if he's just came up with the coolest name ever but also disappointed that my name wasn't already Winnie.

"Umm. Ok I guess that's fine. Have you guys seen a group of people come through here?" I ask, "Boys. A groups of boys come through here? A few of there names are Thomas, Newt and Minho?" I correct trying to sound polite because I know if these people are anything like those shuck faces outside the windows at the dorm they could pounce at any given moment. "Are you with them?" One asks loudly as the eyes on me turn more serious but also kinda concerned. "I was. Until they left me." I say my voice dropping. "They left us too." This one's voice high pitched and squeaky. "They took Jorge and Brenda and left us to fight over the few rations we have left." The squeaky voice continued their emotions unreadable by their voice. "Then they crashed our neighbors party." This came from a woman with a powerful and booming voice. Then the oldest guy who also seems to be the one who took over speaks up. "I knew those kids were nothing but trouble. They even left behind one of their own!" He says his tone weird. "And now he's one of us!" The squeaky voice chimes back in. "But he's not past the gone yet. He just caught the flare." Another new voice states. "But he looks like a gone crank! He looks as rough as we do!" The squeaky voice says in my defense. "I-I've had a rough few days." I mutter. "We know how that feels." Their leader says joining back in the conversation. "And it doesn't matter how gone you are, were all cranks here. It won't be long until we're all way past the gone. So welcome to the community Winnie."

"Um thanks, do you know where the other boys went?" I ask. "Do you wanna follow them?" One asks in response. "Yeah I do." I say. "But they left you to die!" This comes from an older man and it feels like a kick in the gut. "Yeah... they did." I respond a mixture of pain and anger in my voice. "They why do you want to go back to them?" The guy continued getting mad. "I just want to know why. Why they left me." I say trying to stabilize my voice. They left me... They left Jack, he was alive when they ran away, I saw him. I saw them. I saw them run. "They left about a day ago." Their leader says snapping me out of my thoughts. "Right. Which way did they go?" I ask. "North." A quite voice adds from the back of the small crowd. "Right... Thanks." I turn to leave but one grabs my shoulder. "It's too hot to go now, rest and we'll leave tomorrow night and go with you." Their leader states. "I hesitantly walk forward and stick an arm outside but the burns on my arm suddenly feels as if their on fire and I instinctively pull it back in and turn around to find somewhere to sit until tomorrow. "Good choice Winnie." "Thanks." I say.

I find an empty corner to sit in when a crank walks over too me with a raggy pillow. "Thanks." I melancholy say. Then they happily skip away but theirs something off putting about their skip. It's clear that none of these people are fully there but this one feels more cherry more gone than the others. I guess I know what they mean by "gone" or "past the gone" now.