Run

Chapter 7. The Unwelcomed Guest

I woke up out of breath, trying to make sense to everything I just drempt.

Labs, test results, Blayke, Chancellor Paige.

My name was Eliza.

What could everything possibly mean? I wanted to write these things down and make sense of them, but being in the Slammer you had nothing to do.

At least I knew my name.

I noticed the stone walls had opened again, and a few people were running out into wherever it lead while others worked in the rest of the Glade.

The smell of bacon and eggs wafting in the air and me hungry. I reached my arm between the bars on the window and felt the grass and dirt underneath my hand and nails. Moving my arm to above the window to see if there was anything to help me get out.

Someone grabbed my arm.

It was Gally.

I quickly pulled my arm back and backed up to a wall across form the window.

"It's me Shank" I didn't like his tone.

I slowly came back to the window and looked out at him.

"I'm Gally, you remember your name yet?" He asked.

I hesitated, only wanting to talk to Newt at the moment, but it would have been rude not to answer and ignore him, even though I wanted to, so I said,

"Eliza" the name felt weird and off on my lips but correct at the same time. It was the only name I knew to be my own.

Gally had a small smirk plastered on his face. "Hello Eliza! Newt will be here in a few minutes with your breakfast so I'm here to keep you company."

Company

I hated Gally already.

We didn't really talk much, and I didn't particularly want to answer him in many questions.

After about 10 minutes of Gally sitting there with me, Newt came and brought me breakfast: bacon and eggs with toast and another water bottle.

Gally told Newt I had remembered my name and left, leaving us alone.

"Eliza, must be short for Elizabeth." Newt said opening the door and giving me my food and going back to the window.

I nodded. "And what could Newt be short for? Newton?" Asked with a smirk.

His face blushed a bit and I giggled. "Nobody's ever called me by my full name Newton before, sounds kinda weird hearing it out loud. Nobody calls themselves by their full name, usually just a nickname if the name has one." He said picking at a bit of grass.

"I see" I said eating my food.

After I had finished Newt took the empty plate and water bottle.

"Ya know, people who are put in the Slammer usually only have one meal a day." Newt said, back at the window.

"Then why feed me three?" I asked.

"Because you did nothing wrong. Boys who step out of place and cause trouble get punished, but you did nothing wrong. I talked with Alby and he said the only reason he decided to put you here is because he was unsure about what exactly to do. When you do get out he wants to meet you officially. We just have never had another girl arrive and were confused." Newt explained.

"Other people are exited about meeting you too, our cook, medjacks, runners, and others too."

"Oh, hey can I ask you something?" I said as he was standing up to leave.

"What is it?" He said hesitant.

"Do you ever have any... weird dreams when you arrive?" I asked quietly.

"What do you remember?" He asked suspicious, raising a eyebrow.

"Umm, just little things like a lab or names, n-nothing in particular!" I blurted, trying to sound convincing.

Newt tilted his head and thought for a second, analyzing my face as he did the question.

"Sometimes," he said slowly. "Visions may appear in dreams. Just little things like places but never full faces of people."

"But if you ever have anything you want to say, anything that could be important, tell me immediately." Newt warned.

I nodded.

He started walking off before stopping and turning around again.

"I almost forgot, tonight you are getting out and Alby and I have to talk to you." He called to me.

After that he left and I looked at the sky, it was probably about 9 am even with no sun for time patterns.

I slumped back down and sighed, waiting for the day to end and I could finally leave this stupid cell.