The Huntress Descent

The Labyrinth: Chapter Fourteen

"This Gathering seems a waste of time," I grumbled into my food the next morning. There wasn't enough bacon and eggs that I could stuff in quick enough. "What is the point of it anyway?"

"You did break the number one rule," Jeff answered.

I placed the fork on the table at the comment. "Not intentionally."

"That's up to the Keepers to decide."

I huffed at the response. I cleared the rest of my plate. The adventures of the previous night had really made me think that I needed to be always prepared. I didn't know when my next meal would be. That was a situation I didn't want to be in again.

In the process of putting my utensils down, the biggest yawn ripped through. My whole body shuddering. I struggled to sleep that night. Along with Alby's screams piercing through the Glade, a part of my believed that if I closed my eyes for a second, then I would end up back in the Maze alone. I reckoned I only had at least two hours sleep.

"Done?" Jeff asked, snapping me out of my daze.

"Yeah."

He took the plate from me and stood up. "I'll put these back, you get ready to go."

Jeff was annoyed. That was very evident. I wasn't demanding in any way. It's just there was only so much I could do on my own. For instance, the showering had become far more complicated. I insisted, with great demand, that he kept his eyes clothes when he helped me change trousers. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he really didn't want to be there. I didn't want him to either, but it was the best we had since Newt apparently had to run the Gathering with the Council. If anything, I would say that Jeff and are we're closer than ever.

Jeff returned swiftly and helped me to me feet. He handed the crutches to me and both of us slowly made our way to the building.

"Why does it have to be so far?" I grumbled. Going slow was not my thing I discovered.

"Quit moaning, you have to get used to them." Jeff insisted that I get used to the crutches. You could imagine my response.

The minutes passed and soon we were in front of the building, the same two boys guarding the entrance again. Jeff walked up to them, opened the door and gestured for me to enter. I let in a deep breath, exhaled it and went in.

Once through the doorway, eleven boys stared at me. Even the thought of going any further almost made me back out. It was the sight of Newt that made me stay. Mainly because I was half certain that either he or Jeff would pick me up and put me on that chair themselves if I even attempted to run. Not like I could.

The room was shaped as an arena of some sort. The ceiling high and the walls low. It was a strange place to be in. I crossed the room, no one bothering to help until I came to Thomas, who clearly had better manners than some. He jumped from his chair, guided me to mine and assisted me in sitting down. He gently placed the crutches to one side and darted back to sit on his own chair. Newt glaring all the same.

The floor was dusty, covered in grains of sand. The type that always finds a way into shoes. The ceiling was held up by various long, wooden poles that twisted in odd shapes. Leaves and vines made up the roof of the shack, allowing cascades of little sunshine to fall through the room, lighten up the dusty air that we all breathed in.

One chair directly in front of me stood empty – I knew all too well who sat there in these Gatherings. Beside the chairs sat no furniture, except for a small table situated in the corner. There were no windows. The room smelling of mould and old books. I wasn't cold, but I shivered all the same. I gave a nervous glance to Thomas, who seemed too just as scared as I was.