Complicated

Chapter 13: Mood Swings

"Wait ...Gally?" I blinked a few times, "Gally went through the changing?" I sputtered.

Frypan nodded, looking solum. He ran a hand down his face. And then shook his head, his shoulders slumped.

"Yeah. And he's doing pretty shucken good considering."

Well that would probably explain his flipping moods. Every once in a while when his eyes would soften, that must be who he really is. I felt like I sort of understood now, though not fully. I had never seen the changing, and I had never know him before. Maybe he was always up tight and a bit of a bully. But now I had a reason for his mood swings.

"Thank you Fry. Thank you for answering my questions." I said quietly, with a small sad smile.

"They weren't happy answers, but you seem like the gal who needs straight answers, no beatin' around the bush." He nodded and turned back to the stove, throwing the towel over his shoulder.

I slowly turned back to my job. I heard a sniff and out of the corner of my eye I saw Vinny scrunch his face. I felt my stomach drop, this Harley must have ment something to him. I didn't know what to say, so I just reached out and gently placed my hand on his biecep. I gave him a gentle squeeze, he glanced up, and with glassy eyes and gave me a small sad smile.

"He was my best friend, I came up the month after him. He was the shank who showed me the ropes my first month." He explained quietly.

I just squeezed this arm again, "I'm sorry. That's awful."

He patted my hand, "Not your fault, Kid. It's the damn creators. It's them." He growled.

We both went back to our work, lost in our own melencoly thoughts. It was a quiet afternoon until the supper bell rang.

Supper seemed to be the busiest, and the most chaotic. Breakfast and lunch the Gladers came in shifts, slowly trickling through. Supper was a different story. The work day was over and everyone was hungry. the line of Gladers was loud, full of pushing and shoving. I kept my head down and plated food, avoiding looking up. I focused on breathing slowly and not cracking my teeth when I ground them so hard.

The line of boys was finished and it was finally quiet. Fry and Vinny plated their food and went to go eat. I was feeling overwhelmed with everything that had happened in the few days I was here. All the horrible information and realizations. I didn't want to be the centre of attention, either with the blatant avoidance or the degrading treatment and comments. I stayed in the back of the kitchen, and cleaned up. The Sloppers would come and help with the dishes later.

It was getting dark and the dinning area was quiet and empty when I finally emerged from the kitchen. I had made some tea and sat down at one of the tables.

I couldn't get the voices out of my head. They bounced around my mind. And Alby's words saying no one had ever remembered anything. And then Frypan's words about the changing, only guys from the changing had memories. Then how come I'm hearing voices?

I sat at the table with the hot tea staring at the huge stone walls. It was the first day the opening and closing had scared the klunk out of me. Gally was right, I'm getting used to it. I didn't want to get used to it though. Some of these guys had been here a full year! And still trying to find a way out, a way home. But...why were we sent here in the first place. I didn't understand. But I wanted out. I wanted to go home. What if I had a mom and dad somewhere? What about brothers or sisters? What if I had a boyfriend? I snorted to myself, nah, I'm too much of a snippy grouch to have a guy like me in that way. The only one snippy and grouchy enough to match me was Gally. And I snorted again. Good one Charlie.

I finished my tea; glad for the quiet and time to decompress. I got up and nodded at the guys who were finishing up the dishes. I grabbed my stuff and headed to the showers, hoping I could find Newt or Fred or Minho or Alby to stand outside. But I had no idea where they were. I growled in frustration, trying to figure out what my next move would be, giving up and going to bed sweaty or roaming the Glade in the dark. I spun around ready to trudge back to the Homestead.