Lost in the Ocean

Part one - walls

Tyler squinted his eyes and held a shaking hand out towards the blazing sun, his chest heaving quickly with raspy, panicked breaths as the smell of cut grass washed over him in waves. The sound of boys chuckling surrounded him as he came to his senses and pushed himself up onto his elbows. He could taste copper in his mouth and started to cough harshly and braced his hands out flat on the ground, the blades of grass tickling his trembling hands.
"look at what the cat dragged in." More laughter, another comment was made, one he couldn't quite understand which made the laughing boys start again.
"Alright you lot that's enough, get back to work," a tall boy, probably seventeen, with dark brown hair and large arms, pushed through the crowd of grumbling boys and crouched down to hold out a sweaty hand. His green eyes were dark and sunken like he hadn't slept in days, but he had a comforting smile which made Tyler instantly trust him as he shook the boy's hand.
"I mean it," he turned around to snap at the remaining crowd and he stayed around until he watched the last boy slump away.
"Welcome. I'm Benjamin, Benji to most and I run the place to a certain extent, they don't really answer to anyone," he gestured to the boys who were surrounding Tyler, as they got back to work, they kept occasionally glancing over in his direction.
"I'm sorry about them, they haven't seen a newbie for ages," Benji stood up, his knees cracking, and offered Tyler his hand. He pulled Tyler up off the ground and his breath was stolen by his surroundings.
"This is the cove," the crashing ocean waves echoed around the four giant cobblestone walls that loomed way above any normal skyscraper, ivy snaked down the top of the walls and grass climbed up from the bottom, it appeared as though they were reaching for each other with outstretched arms. There was one large gap in one of the walls to the East, where one or two of the boys where now gathered. Tyler pointed to it and tried to find his voice, but Benji understood what he was asking.
"Out of that gap is the Ocean, we have three boys swim out each morning trying to search for the closest piece of land to us, they haven't found anything yet but I trust they will, I mean the stamina those lads have is insane," Benji clapped Tyler on the back and called out two names Tyler hadn't yet heard, Olly and Beach. One tall lanky boy with dirty blonde hair and a grin started jogging towards them with a confident swagger, he arrived and nodded at Tyler.
"Hey newbie," he leaned in and shook Tyler's hand, "Olly. Second in command," he turned and saluted towards Benji, who just shook his head and smiled.
"I bet we could make a searcher out of him," Olly spoke fast in a subtle English accent like he needed to be somewhere, Benji said nothing but kept solid eye contact with Tyler the whole time.
"Anyway," Olly said after getting no response, "nice to meet you newbie." He nodded at both boys before turning and jogging away, his hair bouncing with each stride. Benji watched him run away before turning to Tyler and taking a breath as if he was going to speak but thought not to. Tyler saw a young boy, possibly eleven or twelve, walking slowly towards them.
"Beach hurry up I have things to do," Benji called out, the boy walking towards them sighed and started jogging slowly. Tyler had slowed his breathing down but was still trying to take in his new surroundings, the numerous wooden buildings stacked up like playing cards, the animals in one corner, crops in another. The bustle and organisation inside the giant box were amazing, it shocked Tyler that these boys had managed to keep the place so under control. His thoughts were disrupted as Beach came up beside them, breathing heavily and red in the face.
"Hello Beach," Benji said slowly as the boy glared at him.
"Hi Benji," he turned to smile at Tyler, "hey newbie." His smile was surprisingly warm compared to the look of cold death he had just shot Benji.
"Beach take the new guy round, like a tour," he paused and locked those deep eyes onto Tyler, "what is you name by the way?" Tyler swallowed and spoke in a shaky voice for the first time since arriving.
"Tyler," after a pause he added, "hi Beach." Beach beamed at him and took his wrist.
"I like this once," Beach said as he marched Tyler away from Benji, who stood there with his arms crossed watching the two boys walk away before wiping his upper lip and starting off towards the gap in the East wall.