The Ignition - TMR Group B

Part 7

Over the next couple of days I stay in the med bay falling in and out of consciousness always with one of the girls there when I wake up and fall asleep. It's really nice having them with me.

Sonya will talk to me for hours on end sometimes just about the most random things. Harriet checks on me from time to time but she's not the typical caring type. Artemis will always put extra food on my plate and it's the best stuff too, like the bacon or Mac and Cheese. Kim and Val bring me daily reports of what goes on in the glade keeping me up to date with the latest gossip.

After two weeks in the med bay Marina finally gives me the go ahead to go back to work. But only as a track-hoe. It will be a while before I can get back into the Maze.

As I leave the Homestead, heading out into the Glade. I cross the threshold of the door and I am greeted by the most glorious sunshine, the rays kiss my face. It feels so good. I head over to the showers by the dead heads and am greeted by waves, smiles, even some applause from the girls.

I smile and open the door showers. In the shower I peel off my bandages.
I look down and see a giant ragged scar from just above my hip bone to my belly button. The skin is red and tender with fifteen little black stitches that run along it. I am lucky I'm alive.
The shower feels amazing. After staying in the med tent for almost three weeks the shower feels lovely. I rinse off all the cobwebs, feeling refreshed.

I head back to my hammock and check over my stuff, making sure it's all there. I sit down and relax in my hammock looking at the bright blue sky filtering through the treetops casting a halo across me. It's an amazing feeling.

"Em." I sit up startled by the voice.

It's Sonya.

"Yeah Sonya?"

She looks at me concerned. "You have a trial to decide what job you get. It's in like two minutes."

I nod. "Do I have anything to worry about?" I'm scared that I might not get to be a runner after all.
"I think you'll be fine."

Everyone is in the council hall sitting on the benches that span the semi-circular building. I sit at the back of the room facing everyone. I sit with my hands in-between my legs, nervous.

Harriet calls the meeting to order. "This gathering is to determine the Keeper who will take Emelia as their ward. First the reports from the Keepers."

Alice, the keeper of the Track-Hoe's goes first. "She was okay. If there was something she was better at that would be preferable." I try not to grimace at the statement.

Relatively same things are said for the Keepers of the Slicers, Builders, Cooks, Bricknicks and Sloppers.
Marina is next. "She is good. I will take her, if Kim doesn't have first dibs."

I smile the first good news I've heard all day.

"I want her. She has done some crazy klunk but she is one of the bravest shuck faces to ever walk the glade. I want her as a runner." Kim says directly to Harriet.

"Then it'd decided, Emelia will be a Runner. However until she is strong enough she will work as a Track-Hoe."

I breathe a sigh of relief. I am a runner, thank God.

               ❖❖❖

Over the next couple weeks the Glade stays the same, aside from the fact that Beth and I get to know each other pretty well. You could even say we became friends but let's not push it.

On the day that new greenie comes up we prepare for the bonfire. Everyone has the day off from Harriet.

Artemis makes so much food that we will be feasting long into the night. Val, Kim and I help Artemis in the kitchen. We clean up the sleeping area and the deadheads. Beth makes more of her special drink, which I take a couple of sips of.