Complicated

Chapter 4: The TreeHouse

I sat staring at the walls, Fred sat beside me, not saying much.

"What the actual hell!" I whispered again.

"It's a lot to take in...I know. Day one..." he said gloomily.

"What..just happened? What's out there?" I pointed at the wall. Finally turning head to look at the red haired kid beside me.

He picked up a blade of grass and twirled it between his fingers. He tossed it away and laid his arms across his knees. He turned his head to look at me.

"Well, like we said before, it's a maze and-"

He stopped mid sentence. His eyes went wide, then clamped his mouth shut, and looked away, like he was scared. I twisted the other way to see what happened. Alby was walking towards us. He stopped behind us. His hands on his hips.

"Girly. Come with me." His voice was gruff and left no room for arguments. I sighed and got up. I followed him across the Glade.

"What do you want Alby?" I asked, walking beside him. I could easily keep up with his long strides. He stopped at the foot of a huge tree.

"Hope your not afraid of heights." He tipped his head up.

I followed his gaze. Above us was the most rickity slapped together tree house I had ever seen.

"Is it stable?" I asked, still stairing at it.

"Enough." Alby shrugged.

"That's not reasuring at all." I muttered.

"Well it's a good place to talk without extra listening ears. So you can either follow or stay on the ground. Choose is yours, Snips."

Alby climbed up the ladder with surprising agility for such a huge guy. I eyed the workmanship, it seemed a little sketch to me. But I guess it can hold Alby, it'll hold me. I sighed and followed. He was already standing at the top when my head popped out of the trap door, he held out a hand to help me, but I ignored it and pulled myself out. He rolled his eyes and stepped away, turning towards the railing. He placed his elbows on the top rail and leaned over. 

"Come here, Snips. Let me show you." He said, not bothering to look back. 

"Snips? That's the second time you called me that " I ask as I step cautiously to the railing. I was to nervous to lean on it, so I stayed upright, crossing my my arms tight across my chest. The wind was a little chilly up here. 

"Ya. Snips, 'cause your snippy attitude." Alby grinned. 

I just hummed. I kinda liked it. If Alby, the grouchy leader was giving me a nickname already then I guess that's a good thing. I hope. 

"So..what is this place?" I asked, maybe he would finally tell what the heck was going on. 

"Well, this here, as we explained is called the Glade." He stood and threw his arms wide. 

I flicked my eyes around, looking around. From up here it was a pretty view. I could see from one end of the wall to the other. Guys working hard in the garden and guys working hard in another corner, chopping wood, and building something beside the sideways building. It looked like hard work, but it looked organized and methodical, like an ant hill.  Alby watch me take in my new surroundings. He cleared his throat and continued. 

 "We eat here. We live  here. We grow our own food. We build our own shelter. Whatever we need, the Box provides. The rest is up to us." He pointed to the garden and some other places. 

"What are they?" I asked, nodding towards some of the buildings. 

Alby leaned back down, elbows on the railing. He pointed towards the sorry excuse of a building.