How I survived in an all boys glade

Chapter Fifty-four

- Not the best condition -

"Hey, what's that sound?" Chuck asks as he helps me collect the eggs. I turn around, my ears catching the familiar, loud beep of the Greenie alarm. I quickly put the basket down, my heart racing a bit as the sound grows louder. "It's the new Greenie, coming up," I explain to Chuck, glancing at him briefly before turning and running over to the box. Chuck follows close behind, his footsteps quickening to match mine.

"Hey, Lizard," I call with a grin, walking up beside Newt, who stands by the box, his eyes focused ahead. "I- Hi!" Theo interjects, clearly irritated, his voice rising a bit, "Hi, Theo," I chuckle, waving at him as I glance at the other side of Newt, where Theo stands, his arms crossed over his chest in a defensive stance. He looks more annoyed than anything, but I let it slide. Turning back to the box, I watch the green light flicker on, and the box opens slowly. Tyrell and Alex stand nearby, their faces half-lit by the soft glow from inside, grinning as they look inside.

Inside the box, the new Greenie looks disoriented, wide-eyed, and clearly overwhelmed. The boys gather around the box's edge, their laughs and chatter mixing with the growing sense of curiosity and excitement. "Okay, go get him," one of them calls out, and before I can react, Gally jumps into the box, landing beside the Greenie with a thud. "Day one, Greenie. Rise and shine," Gally says with a grin as he grabs the new kid and pulls him out, the Greenie stumbling as his legs struggle to keep up with the sudden motion.

I instinctively push Chuck back behind me to keep him out of the way, not wanting the new Greenie to trip over him as he falls to the ground. The kid's face twists with confusion, his eyes darting around in panic. The group of guys circles him, inspecting him closely. "Kid looks like a Slopper to me," one of the boys comments, his voice laced with amusement. The others laugh, stepping in closer, while I pull Chuck a few steps away from the group to give the Greenie some space.

Fry, standing on the edge of the crowd, calls out to me, his grin wide. "I could use some help in the kitchen," he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm, but I can't help but smirk. Before I can respond, the Greenie, overwhelmed by the attention, takes off running, much to the surprise of everyone standing around. The boys freeze for a moment, watching the Greenie sprint off. "Hey, we got a runner!" Zart yells, breaking the silence. Without thinking, I push past the boys, already moving toward the maze, trying to catch up to the Greenie before he makes it that far.

"Not again..." I mutter under my breath, already dreading the thought of another Greenie disappearing into the maze. My legs pump harder as I chase after him, determined not to let him get away like the others. But before I can close the gap, the Greenie stumbles and crashes face-first into the dirt. 

"Ow! That's gotta hurt," I say, slowing my pace as I near him, hearing the boys behind me laughing loudly at the mishap. "Watch it there, Greenie," one of the boys yells, his voice a mixture of amusement and mockery. Another one chimes in with a sharp, "Nice!" as the others hoot and holler in response, enjoying the spectacle. "Take it all in. You'll be here a long time," someone adds, their tone dripping with irony.

I catch up to the Greenie, panting slightly, my hands resting on my knees as I try to catch my breath. "Hey... God, you can run, huh?" I say, still a little winded. The Greenie doesn't answer, his eyes wide with fear as he looks up at me. The boys are closing in now, and Tyrell, Alex, and Gally each grab a hold of the Greenie, pulling him roughly to his feet. The Greenie doesn't resist, his legs shaking beneath him as they drag him toward the slammer.

As they lead the new kid away, Tyrell comes up behind me, his hand resting briefly on my back. "Hey, you good?" he asks, his voice soft but concerned. I exhale sharply, still trying to calm my racing heart. 

"I-... yeah... yeah, I'll live," I tell him, breathing heavily. I stand back up, straightening my posture as I look around at the boys. "God, I don't have a good condition," I complain, feeling the exhaustion setting in. Tyrell chuckles lightly, shaking his head as he walks beside me. "Yeah, I can tell," he teases, and we both share a laugh as we walk toward the stables, the commotion of the new Greenie fading behind us.