Minho raced along the steel grey maze walls, with his head held high and only passing subtle breaths. You wouldn't of been able to tell he'd already been running for hours on end.
"Come on Em, jeez !" He shouted back over his shoulder with a winning grin. And there, struggling to lift her feet off the ground was a clearly disoriented Emmeline. Her mousy brown waves bounced against her shoulders and face as she prodded along. Beads of sweat littering the surface of her skin, emphasising her flushed cheeks.
Don't get me wrong she was a brilliant runner, great stamina but just like anyone else she hits a point, which in this case would be after 5 hours of non-stop speed, where she had reached her breaking point and could not push her body any further.
"UGH! Come on Minho!" She shouts back as she heaved a heavy sigh and tightened her jaw.
These last few twists and turns they had to run were always Emmeline's worst, and that's why she's not an actual runner, she could never do this job everyday it would kill her. She only runs when she needs to, if someone's ill or injured, she takes their place.
So if she's not killing herself sprinting around concrete walls all day, she is the keeper of the medjacks, taking care of all her fellow gladers with great pride, as she likes to say.
The thing about Emmeline is that she has always been the one to take charge, which is quite ironic considering she isn't actually 'in charge'; Alby is. But since she came up in the box at the beginning, she has always put everyone else first and took care of them and made sure that they're okay. Making sure their getting enough food, sleeping well, talking with these new people that are coming up each month. All the gladers admire her for her constant upbeat spirit that helps to build courage and strength within the glade. They always say, without her, they wouldn't be anywhere; which she like to disagree against but they all know it's true.
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one hour later
"Alright, I think I'm good to go" Emmeline said finally standing up from her seat on the concrete floor, brushing of the dust off of the back of her trousers with her hands and reattaching her water bottle to her belt, after many minutes of her heaving and chugging water whilst Minho stood and waited for her to be done.
"Thank God for that, we're literally back anyway, I don't get why you couldn't of just waited." Minho responded as he started jogging again, now next to Emmeline.
"Well Minho it's because I don't want to go back into the glade looking like a drowned rat, I need to regain my composure" she replied with a 'matter of fact' smile. "Also you know that today a new greenie came up in the box, so I gotta be looking my best " she said as she gave a wink and flashed a smile towards him.
Minho let out a loud laugh but while still shaking his head disapprovingly at her antics.
Soon enough the pair were turning their last corner and had reentered their home of the glade, and she saw the young boy that she knew very well, he was like her little brother.
The day Chuck came up in the box was certainly one to remember. Obviously like anyone else coming up in the box, he was absolutely petrified, having zero memories and not a single clue where he was, and that didn't help with the fact that when he woke up all he saw was what looked like a million different faces looking down at him, one of them being Emmeline's.
"Alright guys we've seen who it is, get back to work" she called out to all the gladers surrounding the box, no one took any notice. "I said get back to work!" she exclaimed, significantly louder.
At this the gladers took note and dispersed from their positions and back to where they were before the alarm sounded, except for Newt.
"You sure you wanna do this?" he asked, knowing that dealing with a new greenie can be incredibly difficult.
"Yea, yea I got this." she reassured him and making sure to send him away so their wasn't any added pressure to the young boy. Emmeline then climbed down into the box and sat down with the greenie, who was huddled into a ball and backed up into a corner.
She made sure to keep her distance and respect his space. "I know how you're feeling... I know you may not believe me, but trust me when I say that everyone who you saw up there has been in the exact same position as you, even me." she started, speaking softly and slowly.
At this, he started to lift his head and show his face, you could see how his cheeks were dampened by the tears that had fallen.
"You're safe here, I promise".
After a few more minutes of reasoning with him, Em managed to get him to come out of the box and go on a walk with her. The pair were taking a stroll through the plains of the glade, Em explained the different buildings and the jobs you could have and she helped him set up his hammock. And from then on in, Chuck has looked up to Emmeline as not only as a dear friend but as a big sister, you could even go as far to say he saw her as some sort of a mother figure.
"You alright Chuck?" she called out to him while she jogged closer.
"Yep, I'm good." he gave her a self-assured nod and a grin as she neared, which she reciprocated.
"New greenie, huh?" she said as she passed them, making direct eye contact with the new older boy. A new addition to the glade. He was quite tall, with brown hair that covered his forehead. Sporting a light blue longsleeve and dark grey trousers. Looking understandably perplexed and nervous as he looked at Emmeline. Em holding onto his gaze for as long as she could, before Minho caught up with her.
"Hey, Chuck. How's it feel to be promoted?" Minho said whilst pushing the older boys arm forwards slightly to turn his body away from being able to stare back at Emmeline.
"Feels great Minho" Chuck replied, delighted.
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It was now a couple hours later and night had begun to fall."Alright guys, food's ready!" Frypan yelled from his spot behind the make-shift table, which was covered with stacked up metal food trays, pots and pans filled with food, and piles of cutlery. The last few sun rays had wilted away, and the trees had become silhouettes against the newly navy silk that was positioned above, looking down on the glade. White clouds still emitting a gentle glow that bounced off the faces of the gladers who were getting ready to settle down and enjoy a moment of peace before the bonfire. Two uniform lines started to form at the front of the table, the eager boys waiting for their tray of food to be handed to them.
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"Did I miss it ?" A very disoriented looking Emmeline came walking from the Homestead and up to the kitchen, where many gladers were standing around, finishing off their dinner. Rubbing her eyes harshly with her hands, still not adjusting to the feeling of being awake again, she was now wearing a more comfortable attire to what she would normally do during the day. A very worn, dark blue hoodie, with some loose fitting light, stone grey cargo trousers, also paired with some old trainers that she found in the bottom of one of the crates that came up in the box one month.
"Miss what?" Fry replied with a slight snicker.
"Dinner, do you have any left?" she said hopefully, noticing everyone with their trays in hand, her voice still quite raspy from not using it in a couple hours.
"Yea of course I do, I wouldn't of left you to starve Em." he answers with a cheesy smirk, plating up her food and handing her, her tray.
"Thanks Fry." she returned with a sheepish grin, while he gave a nod.
"And her she is! Where have you been, huh?" Minho asked Em with a laugh, as she came over to him and Newt. She only gave him a harsh stare, as she took a bite of her food.
"Minho don't be rude, we all know how exhausting a day of running can be." Newt added, also receiving a stare for his unnecessary sarcasm.
"Well I just feel ganged up on now, theirs no need to be so rude is their." she replied, with a smile pulling at her lips as she went in with another bite.
"Emmy have you spoken to the greenie yet?" Newt changed the subject, nodding his head towards to the boy who sat at the side of Chuck, who undoubtedly was talking his ear off.
"No... have barely had the chance to even look at him, been too busy sleeping." She grinned, carrying on eating.
"Well seemed like you got a good enough look at him earlier, you couldn't draw your eyes away from him." A laugh arose from Minho and Newt, causing Emmeline to look up at them in shock.
"Woah, what?!" She tried to dismiss but couldn't help but grin.
"Emmeline just face it you've got the hots for the greenie," Minho carried on like he was stating facts.
"I mean I don't blame you-" Newt added before being cut off by Emmeline.
"Guys it's been like, what, 3 hours..." She replied, not believing what she was being told by her friends.
"And that's enough time to get a look in." Newt laughed.
"Okay I've had enough, I'm eating my food with Ben." Getting up from her spot and walking away with flushed cheeks.