Before Her

Newt 33

Newt
I gave Jane what I hoped was an encouraging smile before doing what I dreaded every month, opening the box to find another frightened kid, scared out of his mind. Eyes wide with fear, and worst of all, the haunting memory that wasn't really a memory at all, the haunting fact that you remembered nothing at all. That your memories had been wiped clean, that you remembered nothing at all except your name.

I knew what Jane hoped, that the person inside was a girl. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect, now that they had sent a girl, maybe there would be more, maybe they would send more until we had an equal population. But as Jane had said, these people, they were watching us, why send us seeds and other supplies? They were watching us. So why send us girls after all these year when it had only been girls? What if the only reason they sent us Jane was because they wanted to watch our reaction?

I reached down, crouching on all fours. Moving to push my fingers though the small opening and pull the doors back. Once the doors open, I stand up and stretch my arms, those doors were heavy, the other gladers who had helped opened the doors did the same. I looked down into the box.

Crouched in the corner, hugging his or maybe her hands over his or her head. Slowly, their hands were lowered to reveal a boy, definitely boy.

I looked at Jane, there was a look of disappointment on her face, she caught me looking and gave me a smile though I knew it was fake.

'Look at that shank.'
'Shuckiest shuck-faced shuck right there.'
'Looks like klunk in a t-shirt and shorts.'
'Man it smells like klunk down there!'
'That's because you klunked it!'
'Hope you enjoyed the one way trip, ain't no going back.'

'Alright, come on guys, pass the rope.'
The rope we had always used to hoist the greenie was passed around until it reached me, I grabbed the end and threw the other end, the one with the loop down into the box to the greenie.
'Climb in greenie.'
The boy slowly stood, giving everyone a clear view of him. He was tall with buzz cut, His blonde hair cropped so short I almost couldn't see it. He stepped through the loop of the rope holding on tight as several of us pulled on the other end of the rope.

I knew what to do next. It happened every time. Calm the greenie. Give the greenie a run down on the rules of the glade. Put the greenie to bed.

'Alright, alright, back to your jobs everyone.' The gladers slowly dispersed, the greenie stood beside me, staring in wonder and horror at the walls, and the rest of the glade.
'What am I doing here? Who are you?' he asks in a voice I knew all too well. It was used when you were scared klunkless, but you wanted answers, and you tried to act tough.
'Look greenie it's alright. You're in the glade. I'm Newt. Can you remember anything? Anything at all?' Even as I asked the question I knew he wouldn't, no body ever did, but it was something Alby told me to say, just in case they did remember.
I knew what he was thinking I knew the look the kid was giving me right now. It was the kind of "the shuck are you talking about" look, but then realisation dawned on him, the way it does on everyone. He can't remember anything. Not his house, not his family, not where he came from, not his childhood. Nothing at all. Nothing but his name.
'I can't, I can't remember anything. Why can't I remember anything?!'
'Look greenie, stay calm, it okay, okay?' No it wasn't, it was never okay. 'It's happened to all of us, none of us can remember anything either. Just our names. Can you remember your name?'
'My name, my name, my name, it's, it's, it's Gally. My names Gally.'
'Okay Gally, you're in the glade, you were sent up here by people we call the creators, okay? We haven't found a way out yet, but we're trying okay? But right now, you gotta follow our rules, right? Order. We keep order in the glade okay? Got it Gally?'
He gives me a slight nod, still staring at the glade and the walls with frightened, curiosity. I knew he wasn't listening to me. No one ever did, they were all too caught up on the fact they were in a weird place with boys and that they remembered nothing. He's started crying, not the hysterical kind, but the kind with tears and puffy eyes, the kind when you're yelled at and you can't cry too hard or you'd get yelled at even more. They reduced to small quiet sniffles, but they were definitely still there. I continued to talk, because we had to keep order in the glade, and because it somehow comforted the greenie's, to at least here about the place they're in, and what it was gonna be like, maybe for the rest of there lives. It also helped to know the rules, you know, so you don't get thrown into the maze on your first day.

'Right now, there's still a lot to explain, but you must be really scared and in shock so we'll give you the tour tomorrow and let you rest. But there are a few rules you need to follow:
1. Never go out of the walls into the maze unless your a runner.
2. Don't pick fights with any of the other gladers.
3. You do your part in the glade, once you are given your job, you don't complain or whine or anything like that.

If you have any questions or need anything. Just ask me or Alby. Got that?'
He gives me another nod. I guess that was all I would get tonight.