The Box

I woke up to the sound of chains and metal crashing. I opened my eyes and couldn't see anything; the place I was in was pitch dark. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the blackness and saw that I was inside a metal box that was going upwards.

"Where am I? What is this place?" I tried to come up with an answer, but nothing came. Suddenly fear crept into my mind because I realized I couldn't remember anything, not even my name. I tried to focus my vision to take a look around my surroundings, there were at least a dozen boxes of all sizes and that was it. Without any warning the metal box came to a halt sending me backwards, landing on my butt. "Ouch!" I yelled, "What the hell?" I looked up just as the doors in the ceiling were sliding open. I had to shield my eyes as the light coming from above was too much to bear.

I tried to stand up, but it was useless since my body was shaking from head to toe. I hadn't realized but I was frightened. I felt someone jump into the box and I attempted to crawl towards the back of the box to go unnoticed.

"Hey, there" I heard a guy say. Damn, he noticed me. I didn't say anything but slowly turned around and came face to face with a lanky teenage boy with messy blond hair.

"Bloody hell" He squealed in a British accent. All I did was stare at him in shock.

"What's taking you so long, shuck face?" Someone from above yelled to the boy standing in front of me, and not in a very nice tone I might add.

"It's a girl" was all he responded. Apparently the fact that I was a girl was a big deal because hell broke loose up there.

"What?!" I heard at least ten different voices shouting at the same time.

"Is she hot?" another voice said.

"I call dibs" added a different person.

I was very confused with what was happening in that moment, but what really caught my attention was the fact that all the voices I heard were masculine, making me feel even more terrified than I already was. What is going on? Where am I? Who are these people? I started hyperventilating; my breathing labored and I could feel my heart thumping in my ears. The blond boy must have noticed that something was wrong with me because he stepped forward to try and reach me causing me to take a step back.

"Hey, it's okay, love. I'm not going to hurt you; I just wanna help you." He said as he extended his hand for me to take. He sounded sincere, his eyes confirming that. I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. Once I was standing I realized I was looking at his chest, he was taller than me by a head, I looked up at him and mumble a simple thanks.

"Name's Newt. Can you tell me yours?" he asked. Newt? What kinda name is that?

"No" I whispered looking down. "I can't remember anything." At that point I was on the verge of tears for not remembering something as simple as my name.

"It's okay, Greenie. We all went through the same. Your name will come back in a day or two."

"Oh. Okay."

"Wanna get out of this bloody box and come meet the others?" he asked. All I wanted was to get out of that dark box and see where I was, but I was scared of what I might encounter.

"Plus, I bet your starving." Newt tried again, and his comment must have triggered something in my brain because my stomach started to complain that it was empty and I just could not let it pass.

"Fine. Let's get out of this dump box." I found myself saying. I was shaking from fear and I didn't like feeling like that, vulnerable, so I straightened up and looked up at Newt with determination in my eyes. He just smiled at me and gestured me to follow him.

I thought that I had adjusted to the sunlight while I was taking to Newt inside the Box, but when someone pulled me out, I had to protect my eyes from the sun. Once I could open my eyes again I wished I hadn't, there were at least thirty teenage boys surrounding me, eager to take a look at me. Apparently the only girl here. Fear crept back into me and I was getting very tired of this feeling, like I was not used to being scared. Some fragments of memory wanted to come back, but just as fast as they came, they slipped away.

"Okay, shanks. Get back to work. Your scaring the poor girl." A voice in the crowd said. The tone he used was full of authority making it impossible to disobey. The boys started to dissipate and only three of them stayed behind, one of them being Newt. The other two were complete opposites; one of them had dark skin, and dark eyes, I took one look at them and sensed that he was a serious kind of guy. He was very buff, but not extremely muscular and just a few inches taller than me. The other one had fair skin, big green eyes and long brown hair held back in a ponytail. He was taller than Newt by half a head, that meant he was taller than me by a head and a half… Damn, both of them made me feel like a gnome; and also, he was double the size of the dark skinned boy, I had to admit that he intimidated me, a lot. Everything about the tall guy screamed leader.

"Nice to meet ya, Greenbean." He said. "Welcome to the Glade." So, he WAS the leader.

When he spoke those words I dared to take a look around.

The Glade was amazing, a big square of maybe 3 or 4 football fields. How did I know what a football field looked like? I have no idea. I remember the size, shape and green grass but I don't remember ever being in one. I did a 360º turn to take the place in. I took a deep breath to calm myself down as I watched four gigantic stone walls encircling my, now, new home. In the middle of each door was an opening and I felt an urge to know what was out there.

"Why are you still here if there are four doors to get out?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Look, shuck-face. Don't ask any question, alright? Not till I give you the shucking tour." The shortest boy said angrily.

"Okay, sorry." I looked down ashamed. Why was he being so mean to me? I haven't done anything to him and he was treating me like trash. I already felt like I did not belong here and never would. I was the only girl here I was sure of that now, I didn't know any of these people and on top of that, I had no memories of my life, my family or who I was. I felt completely alone.

Newt must have sensed my uneasiness because he looked at me with pity before saying, "Alby, look at her, she's scared. No need to be a slinthead." Then he referred to the guy with the ponytail. "Nick, I think it's better if you give her the tour 'cause it's clear that this shank, right here, can't bloody do it." I decided right then that I didn't like this Alby guy, his eyes showed annoyance and hostility and just by on look, he made me feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed.

Relief flooded my body as Nick agreed with Newt and motioned for me to follow him.

"Alright, greenie. Let's go take this tour." He concluded and took off. I took one last glimpse towards Newt and Alby and walked silently behind Nick.