ASUNDER (I) : tmr newt

11: I'm Annoyed

11 Michelle

My stomach burns, but so does my skin from where the sun touches it. There isn't any sunscreen here, nor are there sunglasses, and when I scrunch my eyes to see, I can feel my skin pulling apart. Maybe being a Builder wasn't the best idea.

It's not like it particularly matters. I've been hammering in planks of wood to make walls practically since the sun rose. Now, it is so high in the sky it has almost sunk, and this new addition to the Homestead is no closer to being done than when we started.

I roll up the sleeves of my shirt, as I struggle to hammer in the end of the plank. Not because I'm not strong enough, I'm plenty strong. I'm also plenty exhausted. Is this what it is going to be like every day in the Glade?

It doesn't help that I can feel his gaze on me. That tomato boy continues to stare at me. Eyes linger on my shoulder, following down my spine until they hit the ground beneath my feet. I wonder what it must be like for him to sit back and bite his tongue while I press my hands against his structure. It seems like they have been working on it for weeks, but the wood is still flimsy.

It is light weight, like I don't know. A plank of wood that isn't heavy? I am not very good at metaphors.

You know, the wood is bending so easily I could probably snap it in my fingers. Just a little pressure, or a tilt of the hammer head, and the entire frame would be reduced to nothing but splinters littering the ground. It would be easy, and it would make a point.

Is that the point I want to make? As much as I dislike Gally, and am content to have him dislike me back, I know I shouldn't. There is a voice inside me, one I barely listen to, and don't particularly care about, that is telling me to stay on my toes. I will listen to it. Not for any reason, at least not one I am aware of.

The longer he stares, the less I want to adhere to that promise. Barely anyone has gotten any work done today. They've been too busy staring at me, and dropping things like themselves left and right. It's a surprise that this space has any boys left at all. Smart is not something I would use to describe any of the boys here.

In fact, I wouldn't even use that to describe any of the girls.

"Gally, are we going to break for the night or what?" Someone I don't care to even look up to asks.

The boys doesn't answer, or maybe he does and I've just gotten better at tuning him out. When the other boys let go of the construction, I figure he agreed to the break.

"Or what." He spits.

I roll my eyes. He certainly thinks he is tough. What is he supposed to be anyway, some shape or form of leader? All he has is a team of idiots following him around, who have all managed to injure themselves at least once today.

"Soon the sun will set." Someone else calls.

"And when it does, then you can be done." I can hear the smirk on his lips though I can't see them.

Why did I sign myself up for this? Being a Builder all day in the sun didn't even sound exceptionally appealing to begin with, and I can't seem to fathom why I was I chose to work for this nut job. At the beginning, it was just so that I wouldn't have to clean the bathrooms, or the Bloodhouses. At that meeting though, as soon as he objected it, suddenly I really wanted to be a Builder.

In retrospect, I don't know why I thought this would be better to the alternative, and I don't know why I fought for it so hard. All I do know is those boys are going to regret not trusting me, as well as shoving me off into a corner. I am powerful, and not just a problem.

Someone trips, and I can hear the structure cracking before me. When I look up, it's just to the left of me that he fell into the wood. It doesn't just crack; it concaves and splits entirely. The whole frame shakes and shatters, before falling towards him. Falling towards me.