Greenie

Chapter 5: Track Hoe

When you woke up the next day you were on your cot in the homestead. You couldn't remember how you had gotten there until you spotted the broken crutch laying on the other side of the room. The previous night came flooding back to you and you smiled remembering how it had ended.

You had broken one crutch last night but the other was laying next to the bed and you grabbed it and pulled yourself up. Careful not to put any weight on your leg you scurried across your room to the crate Newt had brought in yesterday.

You opened it eagerly, inside there was a stack of clothing on the top: girls clothing. You slipped into work clothes and pulled your hair into a loose ponytail. It felt good to be in clothes that fit right. You glanced at the guitar leaning against the wall but decided it could wait.

Once you were dressed you wobbled over to Frypan and the other gladers having breakfast. You grabbed a tray from Frypan and told him thank you.

He returned your smile and you turned, looking around for familiar faces.

Balancing the tray on one hand, you used the other to maneuver yourself through the crowd and over to Newt. You slid in next to him and smiled brightly,

"Good morning."

He smiled back at you "Good morning love."

He turned to the boys he was eating with "Guys this is the new greenie, Y/N. Y/N, meet Minho and Chuck."

You smiled shyly and waved. The boy to the left, Minho, as Newt had introduced him, looked asian. He had dark almond shaped eyes and black hair that looked like he had been styling it all morning. He was wearing a navy blue shirt, grey pants and running shoes.

Newt continued, "Minho is the keeper of the runners, today's his day off." Minho shot you a smile.

"Hey there greenie."

"My name's Y/N"

"I know" he said smiling smugly "but until some other unlucky shank comes up in that box you're the greenie. Same with everyone, isn't that right Chuck?"

You looked over to Chuck, he was short and kind of pudgy. He couldn't have been more than 11 or 12 and was wearing all different shades of brown and tan. He had curly brown hair and a round boyish face. You felt like you should know that face from somewhere but just like everything else you couldn't remember.

He was smiling brightly, his big brown eyes locked onto you. He reached out a hand to shake and you took it.

"I'm Chuck!" the boy told you "I was the greenie until you showed up."

"Yup" Minho said, "But now you're here so I'm calling him Chuck."

Chuck beamed as Minho stood and ruffled his hair.

"I'm heading to the dead-heads for some firewood, wanna come with?"

"Absolutely!"

Chuck cheered as he bounded after Minho into the trees, leaving you and Newt alone.

You glanced up at Newt and then looked away quickly when he saw you staring.

"Well Y/N" Newt started, seeming kind of nervous, "Today you're gonna start trying out jobs, and while your crutch seems to be working great I think it would be best if you weren't on your feet all day."

He made a good point so you nodded and asked "What jobs can I do without standing?"

"I don't know, every job requires some sort of manual labor but I guess you could be a Track-Hoe with me."

"What do those do again?" you asked.

Newt had explained all of the jobs yesterday but the names were strange and you got them mixed up.

"We work in the garden, you would still have to work but we could give you jobs sitting down."

He looked at you with a hopeful expression. You realized that if you both worked in the garden he could keep an eye on you, he was trying to protect you.

You smiled at him and said, "That sounds perfect."