➊ 𝐑𝐮𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 - 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐨, ᵗᵐʳ

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟏: 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐲

The boy kept my mind preoccupied for the rest of the day. I showed him around the best I could, but his attention was off. I knew what he was thinking, he wanted to get out of here.

I couldn't help but set myself back to my first day here, not the most glorious one I'd known. I still remember punching Minho and hiding in the woods like it was yesterday.

The Greenie and I sat by a tree as he continued asking questions. Around us, the Gladers prepared for the bonfire that was close at hand. The sky had already darkened, and torches were being passed around.

"What's all this for?" He asked, motioning to the fire.

"For the bonfire." I started just as Zart handed me a wooden stick that burned at the top. "Every time someone comes up the box, we throw this little party to celebrate. Only happens once a month so you'd better get used to it now, starting from tomorrow you'll have to try out the jobs.'

"What kind of jobs?" He continued.

"Alby explained didn't he?" I asked with a laugh, I knew Alby's speech to the newbies, I was the last one to have heard it, and I knew he talked about the roles you occupied in the Glade.

"Maybe he did." He only nodded. "How long have you been here?"

"Just a month, I was the last Greenie just before you." I smiled, anything to earn his trust.

"But how are you in command then?" He looked up at me. Great thinking.

"Well, things move fast here. Bette ever used to it." I gestured to the crowd circling the pile of wood that was only waiting to be lit up.

"It's about to start, you don't wanna miss it." I enthusiastically said, waiting for him to stand up to make our way to the group.

All the Keepers waited for Alby to transfer the flame to their stick, staying in front of the other Gladers. Once that was done, they threw the flaming spear into the fire.

"Light him up!" Alby screamed, followed by a crowd of cheering.

Applause continued as the fire roared to the ground. Everyone was included, no one was to be left behind on those kinds of nights. We were all Gladers no matter what, rules or not. We were a family. Maybe 50 children and annoying siblings, but there was still a sense of belonging that stayed among the group.

"To the Gladers!" Newt cheered with Gally's mysterious liquid in his right hand.

༄༄༄

Everything flew the same way it did on my first night, only this time my throat swallowed the alcohol better. Chuck wasn't allowed to taste, but when he begged to have a sip, it didn't bother me. We were all teenagers at most, and we still weren't of legal age to drink. In the real world at least.

"Come on! Just a sip!" He pleaded, holding his hands together.

"Fine, but you better not go drunk on me." I handed the child my drink. He urgently took a sip, casually drinking from it.

"It's not that—" His sentence was abruptly interrupted by a cough. He covered his lips with his elbow as he tried the best he could to forget the burning sensation.

"How the klunk do you guys drink this?!" He asked between wheezes.

I shook my shoulders, laughing as I took the drink back. "It changes your ideas."

"Yeah, not just a bit." He continued choking. I kindly patted his back to help him the best I could.

I stared at the builders throwing each other to the ground. Gally always won, of course, but probably because the others feared for their lives if they even dared punch him back.