The Garden of Heathen

Discovery

*Note* the last third of this chapter has been changed, please re-read it.

Aussie often felt that she might have a mental problem as it seemed to her like there were two people living in her mind. She could swear you were just supposed to have one and, frankly, she was afraid to ask. One half of her mind was optimistic and positive, quite reactionary and prone to whimsy. The other half was a bit more clinical and logical, usually showing up to squash the other half's whimsy. Normal or not, it felt very weird being able to argue with herself.

Aussie laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling, preparing for her brain to begin the debate. It was very difficult for her to do, after all, impartiality is quite difficult for those who are ruled by their hearts. But she tried her best to take her anger at Thena and put it in a box, place the lid on tightly, and push it away. What was harder to do was the very same thing, but with Gally and her conviction that he was completely innocent. Her natural inclination was to start with Gally's innocence, so she fought it and forced herself to think of things from Thena's perspective first.

For three years things had run on a tight and predictable schedule. Supplies, Newbies, all girls, few major incidents. But now- now they had a boy and a major incident. To be fair... that didn't feel like a coincidence.

The logical side had presented its case and yielded the floor to The Devil's Advocate. She had been with Gally all day and, unless he managed to do something from the latrine, she could attest to the fact he didn't do anything to have caused today's events.

Besides, if there was a way to control the maze from the Garden, wouldn't they have found it by now? No, the truth was no one in the Garden had control over anything. They didn't decide when the supplies would come or what they would get for sure, and they had no control over the Newbies either. This place was controlled by the makers, they sent the supplies they chose, the girls they chose, on the days they chose. So they must have chosen to do this as well.

Aussie's eyes widened. A thought had popped into her head, one that she thought was too clever to have come from her own mind. She had to ask someone first, and she wished she could talk to Joan. A runner would be preferable, those girls not only knew the maze but they were smart as whips in ways Aussie couldn't even comprehend. But the majority of girls here were semi genius if not full blown savants, surely there was someone in this very house who could help her, but who?

Georgia! Aussie flew off the bed, tripping herself as she lunged for the door. As she sped down the hallway she wondered if maybe she was just really slow in coming up with her idea and maybe every other girl had thought of it already.

"Obviously, Aussie," she imagined them saying to her with an exasperated eye roll.

That's why she wanted to talk to Georgia. Georgia was just plain mean, it was impossible to take it personal from someone who hated everyone equally, but she was also wicked smart. So, despite the anxiety sitting in her chest like a stone and the hope that was tied to it like a balloon, Aussie looked for her. She poked her head in a few rooms and asked some girls if they'd seen her, many girls giving her weird looks as if to say 'why the heck would you want to talk to her?' But finally someone told her they'd seen Georgia go down to the basement. Aussie's blood ran cold when she heard that, memories of the basement coming back to her like cold fingers up her spine.

Gertie had come downstairs after tending to the still unconscious Gally, and noticed Aussie standing in front of the basement door, her fists clenched. Gertie halted mid-step, curious as to what was going on. She turned on her heel and came up behind the older girl.

"Whatchya doin?" She asked, making Aussie jump out of her skin.

She turned to look at her and she saw that Aussie looked to be on the verge of tears.