Trapped // Newt

07: At Least a Try

LONG AFTER THE maze doors open and I watch the Runners disappear into the maze corridor, the Glade starts to wake up. The smell of bacon and eggs reach me where I sit against a lone tree in the courtyard and I can hear the boys laughing with each other. I'm surprised at how loud they are, especially at this early hour.

After Alby explained the basics of how the Glade is run, he left to check on how Ben was doing. This got me thinking about the creature that stung him in the first place and I found that I'm really curious to see what a Griever looks like. When he told me those things were what was killing the boys, I'll admit I was shot through the heart with fear. But after thinking over it, I figure I need to know as much as I can in order to find out how to get out of here. Besides, when Alby said that Minho or Newt could take me to see one he meant it's safe, right?

I stand up from my uncomfortable seat on the cement and start to head back inside for some breakfast. The smells get stronger and the voices become louder the closer I get. I think back to when I woke up and how peaceful it was when they were all asleep. I chuckle at how frenetic the boys are now, enjoying the scene of one chasing another out of the Homestead with playful grins on their faces.

Upon entering, I step into a madhouse. Boys are rushing to get food and others are scarfing down their food so fast they're going for seconds while others still haven't gotten their firsts. There's yelling across the room and some food even flies. Frypan roars across the mass of starved teenage boys at the boy who threw it and tells him to eat the food off the floor or else he's not getting lunch. I take a deep breath and brave a step into the wall of boys to get a chance at some food.

The crowd isn't as bad as I thought but it still makes me hold my breath until I've found an open spot by the kitchen counter. At least a couple of the boys are polite enough to move out of the way when I come up beside them.

"Morning, Remi!" Fry greets over the chatter, he flips and egg with his spatula while using another to stir up some sizzling bacon.

"Good morning!" I call back. "Could I possibly get a plate?" I point towards the pan of frying eggs.

"Anything for the Greenbean," he chuckles. "Don't let any of these shanks steal it from you," he says as he hands me a plate of eggs and bacon fresh off the pan.

"Thanks, Fry." I smile gratefully then hurriedly yet carefully maneuver my way back out into the open area of the room.

I sit by myself at one of the open picnic tables, taking Fry's words seriously and scarfing down my food before anyone could take it from me. I wouldn't put it past these boys to try. Bringing a large forkful of egg towards my mouth, two boys sit across from me and drop their plates down in front of them.

"Uh... Hello?" I curiously greet while I drop the fork back onto the plate.

"Hey," greets one.

"Morning," greets the other.

"My name is Victor," the first speaks again. "And this is Eddie."

Eddie waves at me with a strip of bacon hanging out of his mouth. I've come to notice that table manners don't apply here. To anyone by the looks of it.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Remi."

"We know, you're all anyone's talking about. Don't worry all good things," Victor says before shoveling eggs into his mouth. "Actually," he swallows, his eyebrows drawing together, "I lied, Gally and his goons don't seem to like you very much."