The Huntress Descent

The Labyrinth: Chapter Eight

The next morning I was reassigned back to the Gardens. Not so much as the work I was doing the previous day (Newt had made that very clear upon seeing my look of disapproval in the morning). This time I was spent with the 'nuts and bolts' of the operation. To really know what there were two sides to the Gardens.

"You're lazy," was what I told to him. I knew what he was doing. The Greenie was spending the day in the Gardens, so in Newt's head it must have made sense to stick me there as well. Why make a whole new timetable when he could shove me with the Greenie. Here's to repeating days again.

Newt huffed and ignored my comment, leaving the room with the intention of me following. I stuffed my feet into my boots and chased after him. I knew where I was going, but after last night I was intent on staying near people that I trusted. Gally was a character that I didn't want to mess with again. Spending all night trying to stop myself shaking was one night too many. That was something I wouldn't go through again.

The repetitiveness of my task kept my occupied most of the day. The Keeper of the Gardens – Andy – had me sorting through the different seeds that they had and placing them into the correct jars for future use, planting squash and courgette seeds and picking the various different fruit and vegetables. He informed me that the Glade grew their own fruit and vegetables, and it was his responsibility to make sure that there was enough for Frypan to use in the Kitchen. It was the one of the few things that was not delivered in the weekly supplies which made sense as there was nowhere to store them even if they did arrive.

The Greenie was completing the work I had done the previous day. There was some enjoyment gained when watching him struggle with the tasks that Zart had instructed him to do. He worked hard, but you could see in his grubby face that he did not want to be there.

I kept my distance from the Greenie. Ever since seeing him in my dreams, I felt there was something odd about him. Something that he wasn't telling us. Not like he knew what to say, his memories were gone like the rest of us. Well, that's as far as we knew. The Greenie hadn't noticed my sudden disdain for him. He barely acknowledged anyone in the Glade unless they were important to him. I clearly was of no importance, so it meant staying away was far easier.

Despite my complaints about the actual job, it was far less strenuous than working with Zart. It required very little amount of physical labour that the Track-Hoes did. That I didn't mind. It meant that I sweated less and could almost enjoy the day. The Gardens were still not for me, but my aptitude for it didn't go unnoticed. I had overheard a conversation between Zart and Andy about how much I was able to do without instruction. The comment I heard was that I was a natural at this job.

That made my heart sink. I knew deep down this wasn't where I was supposed to be. I just couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do. Whatever I was doing seemed more like a side job than an actual job that I enjoyed. Something I did on the side than actually put full effort in. That is if I did this type of thing before the wipe. I had no clue.

I was on my second run of the afternoon with fruit and veggies when I spotted Newt hunched over himself chewing his nails furiously. I balanced the basket onto my hips and bent down to face him. His hair was crumbled to one side, his eyes bloodshot, the creases on his forehead deep. Newt, simply, was a mess.

Newt just stared at me. His fingers now bloody from the relentless chewing of them. I dipped my hand into the basket and pulled out a fresh apple for him. He shook his head and I replaced it.

"What's got you like this?" I asked him as I lowered myself onto my knees, the basket now resting on the ground. "You don't seem the type to worry."

"Everythin'," he muttered. He stared off into space for a long moment. I almost pushed him with another question, but Newt continued. "You turning up as you were. Ben sayin' he's seen Tommy before. The note that came with him. Coma-kid. And you're warning. I'm tellin' ya, something's not right at the moment."