Burn; TMR ➵ Thomas

Two | ✓

Thomas wandered to a nearby tree. He refused to shake hands with a boy whose name is Alby, who Thomas assumed was the leader.

Alby was dark-skinned, bold and frightening in his opinion. The older boy didn't seem phased by the panicked looks on Thomas' face. His expression was stern. He seemed to be the type who would kill without hesitation.

"Where am I?" Thomas asked. Alby walked over to the new boy and sat down cross-legged beside him. The crowd of what Thomas estimated to be fifty to sixty boys followed and packed in behind.

"If you ain't scared," Alby remarked, "you ain't human. Act any different and I'd throw you off the Cliff because it'd mean you're a psycho.".

He continued to talk. But his string of words just went through one ear and out the other. Alby stopped talking upon realising that he was making it worse. "Shuck it, I'm not good at this. Amelia, Newt, one of you take over.".

One boy - dark blond hair and probably a year or so younger than Alby - had stepped up. He was a bit taller than Alby as well. Thomas' hazel eyes drifted from his face to the sheathe with a weapon (presumably a machete) in it.

One girl followed him. She had chocolate brown hair that ended at around her shoulders or armpits. She was a little shorter than Newt and beautiful in Thomas' opinion. Mud dirtied her tawny-beige skin. There was a badly wrapped crêpe bandage around her ankle but Thomas chose to ignore it.

What was strange to him was that she appeared to be very familiar, he just could not point his finger where. He could have sworn he heard her mutter something similar to "since when were you good at this".

"Name's Newt, Greenie, and we'd all be right cheery if ya'd forgive our klunk-for-brains new leader here." The blond boy bent down and extended his hand towards Thomas. He gave a half smile.

Thomas gladly shook his hand. He seemed a lot nicer than Alby. The girl, Amelia, faked a cough, causing the boys to turn their attention to her. "Don't forget me, lizard boy."

She rolled her eyes. Newt moved aside, allowing her to stand in front of Thomas. She gave him a lopsided grin as she introduced herself. "This place is what we call the Glade. We eat, sleep and work here. We call ourselves the Gladers. We can't tell-"

"Who sent me here?" Thomas demanded answers. Fear finally gave way to anger. Alby's hand shot out as fast as lightning. It's only Thomas' first day and he already has been scared shitless by their leader. Alby dragged Thomas up to his feet.

"Calm down, Albs. It's not like the boy came up with a machete. He's harmless," Amelia claimed. She seemed confident with her statement as she smirked and crossed her arms. Another boy pushed his way to the front of the crowd.

"These were in the box," he reported, holding up two machetes. Thomas watched Amelia face the boy and turn back around in defeat.

"Ignore what I said," she told. "Jackson, go put them with the rest of the weapons in the shed."

"Alby, lay off a bit. You're hurtin' more than helpin', ya know?" Newt reached out and grabbed Alby by the shoulders. He let go of Thomas' shirt and stepped back, his chest heaving with breaths.

"Ain't got time to be nice. Old life's over, new life's begun. Learn the rules quick. Listen. Don't talk. You get me?" Alby snapped. Thomas nodded, although he fumed and had the will to punch somebody.

"Good that," Alby spoke. He gave instructions that Thomas didn't understand to Amelia and Newt. Alby's eyes returned to the new boy, narrowing. "A few weeks, you'll be happy, shank. You'll be happy and helpin'. None of us knew jack on the first day - you neither. A new life begins tomorrow."

Alby pivoted and pushed his way through the crowd. He headed straight to a slanted wooden building in the corner. Most of the other kids have wandered away then. Thomas sighed and slouched on the bark of the tree. "What did I do?"

"I got this. Go back to work." He heard Amelia say to Newt. In the corner of his eye, he spotted Newt nodding hesitantly then left them alone. Amelia clapped him on the shoulder.

"Sorry that we can't tell you anything 'till tomorrow, Greenbean. Alby's orders," Amelia informed with a smile. Her smile was calming but it didn't calm him down enough to stop that beating in his chest.

"What's a Greenbean?" Thomas asked. Amelia snorted and shook her head slightly.

"Means new kid. You'll catch the slang soon enough," Amelia laughed. "Chuckie will be a good fit for you. Stay here, I'll be ba-"

A piercing scream cut her off. Amelia sighed heavily, muttering some words under her breath. "Stay here. I'll send Chuckie to look for you, yeah? He's in charge of your sleeping arrangements."

Thomas watched as she dashed in the direction of the building Alby had gone to. She paused, talking to a short boy before continuing her run. He slid down the tree until he sat on the ground again. He closed his eyes, wishing that he would wake up from this nightmare.

[Written 2 January 2017]

[Edited 12 March 2018]