Be Mine

Chapter 9

   I cried myself to sleep. What have I done?
   I woke up in the morning and my eyes were probably still puffy from crying. I made my way to the kitchen.
   "Good morning, Addi," Frypan greeted me.
   "Hi, Frypan," I said.
   "What's wrong?" He asked.
   "Nothing," I said.
   "Doesn't seem like nothing. Want to talk about it?"
   "No."
   "Okay. Well stay after lunch today. I could use some help with the dishes."
   "Okay," I gave Frypan a weak smile before taking my plate and making my way to an empty table.
   I sat down and started picking at my food. I wasn't hungry.
   "Addison?" Gally sat down in front of me.
   "Hi Gally."
   "What's wrong?" He asked.
   "Nothing," I said. "Can't you see? Everything's just marvelous."
   "Doesn't seem like it," Gally commented.
   Tears threatened to fall but I wouldn't let them. "I'm fine, Gally. Please leave me alone."
   Gally sighed. "Okay but let me know if you need anything."
   "Thanks Gally."
   He got up and left. I looked down at my plate. Now I had no appetite. I went to the Med-Jack hut. Jeff and Clint were there.
   "Hey Addison," Jeff said. Clint waved at me.
   I waved back. "Hey guys," I said with less energy than usual.
   "What's wrong?" Clint asked.
   I felt that I could trust Clint and Jeff. "Well the truth is that I want to be Runner."
   They both looked surprised. "No one wants to be a Runner," Jeff said.
   "Well I do," I said. "But Newt got all upset and won't let me be a Runner and now he's not talking to me and it's driving me crazy."
   "Newt's right, you shouldn't be a Runner, but I'm sorry that he's not talking to you," Clint said.
   "What is so bad about being a Runner!?" I was losing my patience.
   "Well first there's the Maze itself, that no one has ever survived a night in," Clint said.
   "Hasn't anyone told you about the Grievers?" Jeff asked.
   "Grieve-what?"
   "Griever," Clint said.
   "What's that?" I asked.
   "Creatures that live in the Maze. They always come out at night. Of course, no one has ever seen one and lived to tell about it," Jeff explained.
   "Well I'm not scared of no Griever," I said. "I'm going to be a Runner."
   "Good luck with that," Clint sighed.
   "Can I take a break?" I asked.
   "You just got here," Jeff protested.
   "Go ahead," Clint said.
   I ran out of the hut and to my least favorite place in the Glade. Yes, I ran into the Deadheads.