ASUNDER (I) : tmr newt

05: I'm Confused

"Lock up?" I ask, as my head flies over to the giant concrete block. "What exactly is it that she did at the party?"

"Beat up a boy," she answers. "Pretty bad. The med-jacks had to give him stiches I heard."

"Med-jack?" I ask. Is that her funny accent?

"They heal the boys around here," she answers. "Get where the med comes from but not so much the jack. They probably know jack all is what it is."

She begins to move, and it takes a second for my feet to figure out they ought to be following her.

"She's alright though?" I demand, trying to move so I can look at the blonde. "The ginger, I mean, she is fine?"

She stops, looking me up and down. When her head cocks to the side, the long braids move along with her. She bites her lip, before a snicker leaves her mouth. A hand takes my hand, and I shake back before I can even process what is happening.

"I'm Dawn." She tells me.

Right, we don't know each other's names. I don't know the first thing about her, yet Dawn seems to be my closest ally in this whole field. The little quiet girl is more reclusive than anything, and the fiery one is a little too brutal to be trusted. From what I can tell, I'm not like either of those girls. That isn't to say I am like Dawn, but maybe that I wish I was.

"Leo," I answer.

She snickers, and her nose crinkles at that. "Right, Leo."

When she turns on her heels, I continue after her. I'm still not entirely sure where we are going, but hopefully she will be able to find some clarity in the mess.

"So, what are you looking for?" I ask.

"Man, everyone here is all questions aren't they?" She rolls her eyes, playfully shoving me sideways.

"That would explain why there aren't many answers." I remark, and she can't help but laugh.

"Well, maybe Alby will be able to provide us with one." She tells me. "He's the one in charge, right?"

I shrug, raising my hands in defense. As if I would know. He is the one who calls the shots, but that other boy, Newt, seems to be high up in their order as well. Only he isn't allowed in the maze. That Minho kid was though. They're hierarchy is all out of whack, and I can't really wrap my head around it.

"Anyway, he told me to come find him in the morning, with the others," she says, "and I am assuming by others he meant you and the tiny girl. Did you ever catch her name?"

I shake my head. "None of us caught each other's names. You are the first I managed to grasp."

"Right," she answers. "They said you were hiding them from those blokes, or whatever. Shanks? I don't really get your slang."

"It's not my slang," I mutter. "I'm just as lost as you."

Dawn pulls open the door to the house we have approached, and as I look amongst the sleeping boys outside, I don't catch an eye on the small girl, or any boy who I really recognise.

When I enter the room, my feet stop dead beneath me. There is a circle of boys in front of me, each firmly occupying a chair, and each whose head turns to stare at me. Dawn casually moves to a chair, and pats on the one next to her for me to move on it.

It takes a second for me to move forward, sitting in between her and the small girl. The flame is still gone, probably still in that prison they held us in only hours ago. Why would she go and beat up a boy?

"Glad that you are finally up." The red-faced boy remarks. "We've been waiting for you."

"I thought you'd have been out, after how you behaved last night." Dawn retorts, and a few of the boys in the circle chuckle at this.

"We aren't here to talk about the bonfire. That has already been discussed." Alby notes, trying to maintain some sort of order.

I will give that to the boys around me. Order is something they manage to maintain. Surprisingly, a group of teenagers can behave in an organised, respected system. Somehow I feel as if I'm messing up a whole way of life. As if I'm not supposed to be here.

Why am I here?

"I am not taking them on, end of story." The red boy mutters.

"Oh thank you!" Dawn sighs in relief.

Take us on? I thought we were here to pick what it is we are going to do here.

"So, like," I begin, "what is happening?"

"Did no one give them a tour?" Newt pipes in from across the circle.

Everyone looks at each other, as if they are expecting one or the other to say yes. We haven't been given a tour. I barely know where I am, let alone what is happening around me.

He stands up, rolling his eyes. "Alby, we can't expect them to pick jobs unless they know exactly what goes on in the Glade. We should reconvene after dark."

Alby looks puzzled as if realising he has left us all without any information. "Another gathering?"

"That way Minho can be there, and we can get a fair vote." Another boy pipes in.

"I don't want to come back again." Someone groans.

"Well, maybe you should let someone else be keeper in your place, shank."

"Enough," Alby says. "Let's just make a formal decision."

"On what?"

I'm the one who asks the question, and no one answers. Either because they don't know how to answer me, or because they don't want to. I doubt it is the later though, seeing as everyone seems confused.

"On if we should give you time to decide," Alby says, "and to save the time and trouble, I am going to assume we are all unanimous?"

No one speaks.

"These shanks won't last long. We might as well stick them somewhere for the meantime and wait for them to take care of themselves." The red faced boy remarks.

He is so unpleasant.

"It's just you on that Gally," Alby notes. "So we'll reconvene after dark?"

No one argues further, but no one gets up and moves.

"So, then get off to work." Alby stands up, shewing off the boys. "And I'll give these ones a tour."

Everyone is quick to get up, and I follow suit. Dawn moves from beside me, closer to Alby. I follow her, until we are in front of the boy.

"Alby, here, I'll take them," Newt says. "You should probably talk to the Gladers about the new changes that are coming."

Alby stares at Newt for a second, but the blonde boy stands firm. The leader nods, moving out with the rest of the boys.

Once they are all gone, it is Newt, Dawn, the quiet girl, and I left in the room. He smiles at me, before glancing around the room.

"So, I'd better show you around the Glade."

~~~~~~~~~~

Leo is so sweet and kind. Unfortunately the world is crashing down around her.

Who is your favourite Glader?

Be confused until Sunday.