Injured Feet & Rickety Hearts {Book 1 Completed}

//Chapter 5//

"well to get to where we are now... two years. Alby and some other people were the first ones here"

... my jaw hit the dirt, I gapped at him... they had been here, for two years? why hadn't they left or figured a way out? Tried to scale the walls or something? I mean I get that they are Trapped here, but why haven't they left? Why were they still here living like animals?

Newt saw my shock and forced a chuckle slightly, he looked like he was trying so hard to make things simple, it wasn't working though. Two god damn years, how has no one tried to drown themselves... or maybe they have, was that what the graves were for?

"uh, I get everything's a bit of a muddle but trust me, once you have a job and you settle in everything will be a lot better. If I had the answers you were looking for I would happily share them, but I don't. All we know is that we were put here and now were stuck, we spend every single day surviving until we find a way out... I have work, your welcome to tag along but I won't force you"

He changed the subject quickly as he flipped a thumb over his shoulder. I had to gather myself up, relocating my jaw back in place as I calmed myself back down. Freaking out will not help me, I just repeated that over and over in my head. This was all so surreal, I was really trapped here with these guys, and if they haven't found a way out for two years, how is it likely that they will find it soon.

I looked at Newt with a blank expression before I sighed and nodded, going with him is better than wondering around on my own, I can defend myself but I honestly don't like my chances at fending off a group if they decided to band up against me. Newt was my safest option until I figured everything out. besides, he is kind of nice.

Newt smiled before waving me along to where he was before, by the garden bed where the potatoes were being difficult, ok so my first day awake and I'm pulling potatoes, that's laid back. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.

I looked around the field, everyone was doing their job, they all seemed so content, their mind filled with a distraction to keep them sane. But I guess that's the best way to deal with stuff.

I looked up at Newt who was scouting the fields, looking around at people. He looked in the direction of the deadheads where the shacks and shabby picnic benches were before he sighed. What's Newts job? Was he one of the gardeners? He seemed like he was, why else would he be here?

"Newt? What exactly is your job?"

I asked calmly and he looked down at me for a few moments before looking away again. We reached the garden bed and he crouched down, digging his hand in the ground to try and pull the vegetable out by its roots, instinctively I did the same. Leaning down and helping him.

"I'm second in command, I'm in charge when Alby's not around. But now, while Alby's here, I just wonder around, I make sure everyone's doing their job and give a hand wherever its needed"

He said relaxed and I nodded, helping tug the vegetable, it really is refusing to be eaten. So, Newt was second in command? Alby must really trust Newt then, I guess it's a big flag that Newt was a good guy, Alby didn't seem to trust anyone. It sounded like a good job anyway.

I fell into a silence as I directed off into absent minded thinking. I wasn't thinking about anything in particular, just everything, a lot about where we were going from here, if I was stuck here forever. Stuff like that. Newt grunted with strain as he tugged at the root, he did his best to speak through that strain.

"got your eyes on any particular job yet malay- can I just call you Laya? it's gonna get bloody finicky saying your whole name all the time?"

He said suddenly and I scoffed, just shaking my head in amusement, I've never thought of that before, I slightly recognised Maya as a nickname but Laya, it didn't seem the slightest bit familiar. I like it thought.