CHAPTER THREE
ADELAIDE
I drop onto the bench and yawn. My eyes are really droopy and tiredness etches on every one of my joints, I drop my head on the table.
No, it wasn't a nightmare. Yes, I'm still in here. Yes, this is a real place.
So, am I really gonna have to live here? Without my memories?
I must have committed some great sin to get God so pissed at me.
Newt places the plates in front of me and sits down, sniggering at me.
"Stop laughing, Satan-spawn." I grumble.
"Can't help it, Greenie. You look like a five year old forcibly pulled out of the bed."
"I think I'm allergic to mornings."
"Perhaps food can cheer you up?"
I pull my head up from the tables and pull the plate of mashed potatoes and chicken strips towards me, shoving a mouthful of the potatoes. My eyes trail around the Dining Hall, seeing almost few of the table filled with small groups of boys, laughing and eating.
"Do you guys have separate groups of friends?"
"Uh.. yeah, you can say that. Basically based on the people you work with. Like all the builders sit together, mostly. Get it?" I nod. "But you can have other friends too. Like Eric- the guy whose toe you stabbed yesterday- has friends from the Baggers and the Cooks too. And he is a Track-Hoe."
"Who comes up with these weird-ass names?"
"The people who came up first. All we did for a first few weeks was cursing, right And then when Minho came, all our curses felt like a toddler learning to speak, in front of his, so to maintain disparity and a little bit of dignity, we created new words and slangs."
Suddenly a large arm is swung around Newt's shoulder, Mr. Spiky Hair, shoving Newt aside easily as he sits beside him, balancing his plate on the other hand.
"Hey, Mama-Noot , already sticking around with Greenie?" He smiles looking at me. Newt shoves Minho's hand off his shoulder.
"That's Minho, the shank-"
"Whose head was a football yesterday." I smirk at Minho.
"That's me." Minho smile, not at all looking offended, " That was the one and only one time that you will ever beat me in your shucking life. I would have met you last night, but I was too busy catching on my beauty sleep."
"Yeah, but you still need it. You look ugly." Newt points out before turning to me.
"If I am ugly then I have to be the bearer of bad news; you look like three week old klunk clogged up in the bathroom."
I and Newt immediately start gagging, groaning at Minho.
I can never unhear this.
Newt bonks his fist on his head, "Jesus! We are eating in here!"
Minho just laughs."So, what were you two talking about?"
"Telling her how pure and innocent mind you had when you came up."
"You all couldn't handle my purity. Those beautiful days." Minho looks ahead, with a faraway look in his eyes, as if remembering the incident.
"I hope no one have as much purity as you." Newt mutters as he gobbles up the last piece of his food. "Well, Addie, if you're done, I need you to show something, before you start the Tour."
"What?" I ask.
"Well, Greenie, it's the thing that keeps us going. Has done for the last one and a half year and will until we get out from here. Which will scare the klunk out of you." Minho says with a serious expression.
"You do know that I have a name right?" I ask, raising my eyebrow.
"Yeah sure I do, Adelaide, but I'm gonna settle for Greenie." He winks at me and I narrow my eyes at him.
"Sure thing, Mr. I-act-all-tough-but-I-got-kicked-on-my-head." I wink him back. Newt snorts but disguises it as a cough. Minho smirks at me and has this playful glare on his dark eyes.
"You know that it's one time right? It was only because you were this lonely damsel in distress in this huge place, I gave you this confidence boost. Like, an immunity. Now all the skinheads will stay ten feet away from you."
"I can see that you are trying too hard to be a smart-ass, but right now, you're just an ass." I toss my hair over my shoulder.
Suddenly a jet of water is sprayed all over my face. For a second, everything is quiet then Minho starts howling with laughter. Newt is coughing and hitting rapidly on his chest. I try not to throw up my breakfast as I wipe the water off my face.
Newt's face is all red and the front of his shirt is wet. I am trying my level best not to laugh, keeping a hand over my mouth.When he stops coughing, he starts laughing hysterically, pointing at Minho.
His laugh is so contagious that I start laughing out loud too. The others around us are probably looking at us as we are circus freaks but I don't think I care. It is nice to laugh and I love it.
"You have to steer clear of these shank, Greenie." A well built, tanned boy with wavy black hair smiles at us. He has leafy green eyes, the corners of which crinkles when he smiles.
"These are the trademark trouble-makers of the Glade." He says, looking at Minho and Newt. Minho looks quite proud, regarding the title as a compliment.
"I'm Nick." He thrusts his hand forward to me.
The leader.
I hurriedly shake his hand. "Adelaide." I say.
"I know Greenie, you're the talk of the Glade. But you do know that everyone is gonna call you Greenie until the next month?"
I nod, hating the name already.
"I think you know by now that you're the first girl in the Glade, and uh, to tell that people are apprehensive and confused about this would be an understatement, but," he taps his fingernails against the wooden table, "Since you've stepped into the Glade, and you've remembered your name, you are one of us now. Don't worry, I've told the boys to behave."
"Thank you."
"Did Newt give you the pre-Tour?" Nick asks. I shake my head.
"Addie, here, is apparently cranky without her food. I'd rather not get my head bitten off by her." Newt says tilting his head at me and I roll my eyes.
"Fair point. From what I remember, girls without food are dangerous than Grievers." Nick smiles at me.
"Funny, the Creators left an integral part of your memory intact."
Nick's eyes widens. He glances at Minho and back to me. Minho smirks, for what it seems, for the hundredth time. "Don't worry, I remain the sass king in here. I'm the reigning sass king!"
"There's a competition for you, buddy." Nick says, before wishing me luck for the day ahead and leaving us alone .
After we've both changed into something drier and Minho had gone for his job, I walk beside Newt, enjoying the faint rays of sun hitting my face. Despite of all the ruckus in the dining hall, it is still too early for all the Gladers to be awake.
I had taken off my shoes, and decided to dangle them by their laces and I walk barefoot on the grass, enjoying the soft mud and tingling by the blades of the grass.
"Where are we going?" I ask Newt.
"To show you what the Glade revolves around." He says solemnly but doesn't elaborate.
He takes me by the edge of the woods. He walks till we reached a vine covered wall.
"Come here." He beckons and I inch closer. "It's actually late but I think you can still catch a glimpse of it."
"Of what?" I ask.
He pushes back a few vines to reveal a small glass window. I peek through the window to the dark abyss. I can see grey walls like those surrounding the Glade.
"This, is the Maze." Newt whispers beside me. "Give it a few seconds." Newt rapidly taps his finger against the glass.
From the depths of the corridors of the Maze, suddenly a gigantic creature jumps out.
Whirrrrrr.. cllliiiickkkkkkk.... Whhhiiirrrrr..
It looks like a bulbous, dark creature, with many appendages such as spikes, shears, and rods. It is almost the size of a cow with metallic legs like spider. It also has a metallic tail like a scorpion.
It looks so so disgusting and revolting.
It catches the sight of us and it's small dark eyes, narrow. It lets out a huge screech and darts towards us.
I want to move. I want to run. Desperately. But I can't. It's like my whole body is cemented in place and I can only stare at the creature rushing to me with only one thing in its mind- to kill me.
It thrashes violently against the window. I stumble back immediately, grateful to the seven heavens that I can finally move. Newt steadies me.
The Griver gives a vicious snarl, it's pitch black eyes boring into mine. Newt quickly draws the vines back. The creature keeps screaming in protest.
"See, that's the Griever. Repulsive creatures, eh?" he pulls me away from the window and the screeching creature.
I nod unable to say anything. I am flabbergasted by the thing I'd just seen.
What the hell is that?
"Why the hell would anyone waste so money to create that?" I ask, taking in a huge breath.
Newt looks at me with a taken aback and an amused expression.
"What?" I snap at him.
"You know," he tilts his head at me and shoves his hand in his pocket as we walk away from the window, "all these months and so many Greenies, and no one asked this question before."
I smile at him, removing my hair from the front of my eyes.
"I don't know," I pretend to think, "They do say that girls have better brains than the boys."
Newt, chuckles, "Okay, Miss Smarty-pants."
So these boys aren't lying then. We actually are all stuck in this place. The Creators are real and all the boys are just like me- amnesiac and scared and waiting for a way out.
"Who will give me the Tour?"
"Alby. The second in command."
"When?"
"I don't know. He's usually very busy."
"You know, I'm very impatient, why don't you give me the Tour?"
Newt blinks at me once, twice. "I'm not allowed to. It's Alby's job."
I roll my eyes, "Do I see Alby here anywhere? No. But do I see you? Yes."
"I understand, I really do but-"
"Please, you promised that you'll tell me everything in the morning-"
"I didn't exactly-"
"Unless you have something important work to do. Then this can wait." I give him the best puppy dog eyes I can.
Newt groans, tilting his head back, "Fine! God! Okay! You win! But if you don't act as a confused cow when Alby gives you the Tour, then I will somehow, wake you up early every single day."
"Deal." I nod. "Okay, my guide, lead the way."
"And don't bloody interrupt me! Like ever."
"Why? Do you hate it?"
"Yes!"
"Sure thing." I say, but I know that from now on, I will always use this to wind him up.
Newt sighs, "Let's start this illegal Tour, shall we?
"The Glade is divided into four sections- the Homestead, where all the Keepers sleep, mostly. Rest of the guys sleep in the open. The second floor has two rooms where the sick are kept. The Med-jacks, the doctors treat them. There is a little hall for Gathering, only Keepers are allowed.
"And of course there are bathrooms. There is the gardens to grow food and all. The Bloodhouse is there where animals are sliced. The Deadheads is the forest where you spent your first day." He smirks at the end. I snort audibly.
"I would advise against doing those stunts in future though." He says, waving his finger in the air, "You hurt the Gladers and if you weren't a Greenie, then you could have been banished."
Banished.
"From where?" I ask.
"Of course, from the Glade, duh." He doesn't elaborate and something tells me that I won't like to know. That word itself gave me the creeps.
" You know, I wouldn't have done it if some you guys didn't make me feel like I was some rabid animal!" I say instead.
"I know. Nick told that to the boys too. Made them shut their traps about your punishment."
He resumes the Tour, and I listen to him like a background music while I feel every blade of grass, I trample under my feet and feel the warm sun rays on me. I pull my sleeves, unconsciously. The only reason why I forced Newt to give me the Tour was that he is an easy going person and will answer me everything that I need to know, which will help me to escape this place.
I look at the humongous walls surrounding the Glade. At least up to 75 feet tall, ivy veins crawling almost to the top of the walls.
These Creators must be ridiculously rich.
"Starting from tomorrow, you'll have to try for each job, understood?" Newt finishes, I nod quickly.
"But today," he rubs his palms together, "There's a bonfire and you're the guest of honor."
"Bonfire? For what?" I cock my eyebrow.
Newt smirks, "For welcoming you in his hellhole."
TOTAL WORD COUNT: 2145 (EXCLUDING A/N)
A/N:
online school and tuition sucks! my head hurts so much!
i swear im a perfect homebody and this whole stay at home thing has benefited me the most. so i can say that 2020 was a blast for me.(dodging flying shoes and rotten eggs being )
I want to show oc's bonding with other gladers apart from the main characters too. though i have a couple of them in my mind, i would love to know what do you want.
THIS IS AN EDITED CHAPTER BUT IF THERE IS ANY MISTAKE, PLEASE DO TELL ME.
comment and vote if you've loved this chapter. please dont be a silent reader :)