𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐍 & 𝐄𝐂𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘-𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮

FOUR

I had stayed up a bit late and told Newt that it would be fine if he closed his eyes for a bit.

I wasn't sure when I had joined Newt in sleeping. When I woke up though, it was bright and cold. I shivered and tried to pull the blanket tighter around me. But my hands grasped at nothing. I groaned and opened my eyes.

I half expected Newt to be in the chair beside me, but the person who sat in it shocked me. It was Gally. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his chin was practically on his collar bone. I smiled and sat up, the sounds of me shifting causing him to wake up. He sucked in a breath and sat up.

"Did you sleep well?" I teased.

"As well as you can on a shuck chair." He grumbled, stretching his arms. Then he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. "How's your head?"

I reached up for the bandage, tapping the spot that was tender last night. It didn't really hurt that much anymore. "It's okay. No harm done." Gally looked to the side, looking at a spot on the floor. I noticed he had a dark spot on his cheek. It looked red, but was growing darker. "What happened to your face?" It wasn't there last night.

His hand went up to the spot I had noticed. He let his hand fall and sighed. "Jackson didn't go into the Slammers without a fight."

"You guys have a jail here?"

Gally nodded. "How else do we keep these shanks in line?"

I shrugged. "I assumed everyone knows what to do and what not to do."

"Usually. I should have known not to let Jackson into the ring. He doesn't know when to stop." He actually looked distraught.

"I'm fine. And hey, one good thing came out of it."

Gally sat up straight. "And what's that Florence?"

I narrowed my eyes at him and smiled. "Well you already know, now don't you?"

He laughed. "Yeah, I do. That means you get to put your name on the wall."

Footsteps cut off our conversation and I turned to see Newt walking in. "Morning Greenie. How's your head?"

"It's okay."

"It's Florence." Gally said. I turned to him. "We can't really call you Greenie anymore."

"Take away the fun then." Newt joked from the foot of the bed. "Are you ready to see some buggin' Grievers?"

"You're taking her to see the Grievers?" Gally had stood up, getting ready to leave, but stopped.

"Yeah, apparently someone told her about them and it got her curious." Newt gave the builder a pointed look.

"Right. Well, I should be heading to work." He left without another word.

Newt gave Gally a weird look as he left and then shook his head. "That is one weird shank. Come on then, Florence."

The window that Newt was talking about last night was tucked away in the corner of the Glade, hidden behind some thick vines that were growing all over the Maze walls. Newt pulled the vines aside and motioned for me to stand in front of the window.

My heart was pounding as I did so. What kind of monster would be given the name, Griever? Or better question. What kind of monster would put other monsters in a place filled with children?

Through the dirty glass, I saw twisting walls that led down separate paths. It was dark and there were even more vines that covered the walls in the Maze. But it was empty and silent. "There's nothing there." I wasn't sure why I whispered it, but I felt I might call on the Griever if I spoke louder.