𝐖𝐚𝐫 𝐎𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 - TMR, Gally

034 - A Late Greenie

He nodded. I opened the Slammer and let him out, then took a better look at his face. A few moles dotted on there, a cute nose where the top curved up, brown, deep eyes, and furrowed, dark eyebrows. His hair was brown, matted on his forehead. His blue, long-sleeved shirt was covered in dirt and sweat already. He was obviously taller than me, just as everyone. Long, slim legs. And not so bad-looking, as Newt wished.

"Okay. You were a bit late, so I don't have time to explain everything, because you don't want to miss dinner either. Yeah?" I started walking, he followed. "Over there is the Box. That's where you just came up in. They sent the Greenies through that."

"Who's they?"

Questions were Greenies their favorite things. "We call them the Creators. They-."

"What's a Greenie?"

I nearly rolled my eyes. "Someone new, like you. Once a month, a new Greenie comes up. Ones a week, we get sent supplies. We call this place the Glade, and we're the Gladers."

"What's your name?"

"Valerie." I replied. "Over there's the Homestead. You'll be sleeping there. The Bloodhouse is-."

"What's over there?" He pointed at the Doors, the giant gap in the maze walls.

I sighed. "None of your business, so far. No offense. Moving on. The jobs."

"Is this a prison?"

I scrunched my nose. "I don't know. It's not like I remember anything else."

"Was I a criminal?"

My jaw tightened. Maybe I should have left this to Alby after all. "Stop asking questions for a bit, okay? By the looks of it, you weren't a criminal. I suppose I wasn't, either. Back to the jobs. We've got plenty. Builders, Baggers, Brick-nicks, Sloppers, Cooks, Med-jacks, and Slicers."

I left the Runners out for a bit, so he wouldn't ask even more. He was the first Greenie that was so curious about the maze, according to the glances he kept giving the Doors.

"You'll be spending a few days trying out the jobs. We'll decide what's best for you."

"What's your job?"

"Third-in-command."

"Who's-."

"There he is, our Second-in-command." I cut the boy off the second I saw Newt coming closer, a smile on his face. "Newt. He's in charge most of the time when Alby, our First-in-command, isn't around."

"Well, it's a good thing he's always around then." He held out his hand for the Greenie to shake. "That was some dash you made earlier. For a second, I thought you had the chops to be a Runner... 'till you face-planted."

I laughed slightly at that, but the Greenie was confused again. "Wait, Runner?"

"Look." Newt rubbed his forehead. "I'll bring you to Chuck. Valerie and I need to talk."

He didn't reply to that, just nodded. Newt left to find Chuck, and in a second he was back again, pushed Chuck toward the Greenie, and told him to help set up his hammock.

Then we were left alone. "You said we needed to talk."

"You should've handed him to me, to do the Tour." He muttered, taking my arm so we started to walk. "He's the first good-looking one."

I chuckled. "I'm happy you finally found your love."

His cheeks filled with red. "I don't even know that kid. He's not my love. I only said he was nice-looking."

~

"HEY! Calm, calm, calm!"

I looked up, finding a struggling Greenie, an angry yet worried-looking Gally, and an awkward Chuck by the side.

"Don't touch me!" The new boy crawled off the ground, giving Gally death glances.

I ran over to them, worried what the hell happened now and what either Gally and his anger issues or the Greenie with his confused face did.

"Take it easy!" Gally shouted. "Just relax."

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" He twisted and turned around.

"Just calm down, all right?" Newt came running by, holding his arm out to stop the Greenie. He stood close to the Doors.

"Why won't you tell me what's out there?" He panicked.

"We're just trying to protect you." Alby said. "It's for your own good."

"You guys can't just keep me here!" He gave everyone that by now surrounded him a glance.

"I can't let you leave." Alby replied, calm, as always.

"Why not?"

And then it happened. The Doors started to close. The ground shook, I nearly fell, and the giant stone moved closer to each other.

The color drained away from the Greenie's face as he stared at the walls, confused again. Then, with a boom, the Doors closed.

"Next time," Gally started. "I'm gonna let you leave."

Lovely boyfriend I have.