A/N: I know 3 chapters in a night is a bit much but i have the inspiration so... well here you go Chapter 3
Chapter 3
The familiar groaning of the walls opening wakes me that that morning. I roll over (not very glamorously), in my hammock and cross off another day on the tally I have started to keep. 30 days. 1 whole month. I have been alone in the Glade for a month. 'Feels like it' I grumble to myself. Stretching out my muscles, I walk across the Glade to see the progress of my tomatoes. I had found some seeds when I finally decided to look at the objects in the box with that arrived here with me. With the constant sunlight and the constant water supply I had found in the woods they grow amazingly well. I sit down and begin to pick the ripe ones of a small vine. Carrying them back in the bag I had also found in the box, I put them in the house I have started to build. It took me a while to realise that the people who have put me here obviously wanted me to survive as they have given me seeds and the wherewithal to make shelter for myself. A loud claxon interrupts my thoughts. That isn't a sound I have heard before, and it seems to be coming from the box?! More supplies? I creep up to the outside of the box once the claxon has ceased and opened the lid. I jump as a voice from inside says 'Please don't hurt me!' Sitting on the floor of the box… is a boy.
Another human! Oh, I might cry! He looks terrified.
'Hey, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm Kira. What's your name?'
He looks up at me with confusion morphing into panic. 'I, I don't know. I can't remember. Why can't I remember anything!?' I see him starting to panic. I need him to calm down.
'Don't worry, your name will come back to you soon. Mine did! The rest,' I pause 'Not so much.'
I offer him my hand to help him out the box, however as I reach down a cage shakes next to him. I yank my hand out, gasping. Slowly I pull away the cloth covering it. A pig.
'It's a pig?' I say in confusion. 'Where am I supposed to put animals?' I shout at the heavens. Jumping down into the box I begin to search through the remaining contents of the box. More seeds, more weapons. 'Nice!' I say pulling a machete out from behind the boy. I swing it about a bit getting a feel for the weight.
'How long have you been here?' the boy asks.
'A month.' I say not really paying attention to him. Then something hits me. 'A month', I say 'Exactly a month!' The pieces slot together in my head. The size of the Glade. The increase in weapons, too many for two. The increase in supplies. 'There are gonna be more. More people!' I shout. Jumping out of the box, I help the boy out and hug him. 'More people!'
'Right,' he says looking at me strangely. 'Have you been alone this whole month?'
'Yeah, well not if you include the Grievers!' I say walking away to the homestead thinking about where to put the boy.
'Grievers!' he shouts 'What are Grievers? Kira!' He runs after me. I whirl around and he has to halt quickly to stop himself from running into me.
'Rules.' I say. 'I need to tell you the rules.'
'Rules?' he questions.
'Yes rules. Okay rule number 1: do your bit. If we are expecting new people we are going to have to expand this place massively.' I say pointing at the homestead and gesturing at the Glade around me. 'Tomatoes just ain't gonna cut it.'
'Tomatoes?' he whispers.
'Yes tomatoes, stop repeating. We are gonna need somewhere to put the animals and somewhere to cook and sleep the others and…' I trail off. The boy is looking at me expectantly. 'What?' I say.
'The rules.' He reminds me.
'Right, um, rule 2: don't hurt me or any other...' I stop trying to think of a work to call ourselves? 'Glader.'
'Glader?' he says.
'That's what I'm going to call us. Gladers. People that live on the Glade. That's where you are. The Glade.' I ramble.
'Okay' he nods.
'Rule 3,' I say leading him to the hole in the wall. 'Rule 3 is that you don't go out there.' I say pointing down the passage.
'Why not,' the boy asks.
'Because I said so.' I snap. He looks at me.
'Have you been out there?' he says softly. I look down at the floor.
'Yeah.' I whisper. 'Let's build you somewhere to sleep,' I say walking off to the homestead. The boy stays staring at the passage. 'Oi,' I shout. He pulls his eyes away from it. 'Come on, I want to show you how to build a hammock.' I say. He nods and follows me into the homestead. That night as I lay in my hammock listening to the boy's soft snores, I think about the last month. The silence. 'Never again,' I whisper with a smile.
The next morning I hear the boy shouting. I run as fast as I can to him and see him with a huge smile on his face.
'ALBY!' he shouts. 'I'M ALBY!' He runs towards me and hugs me. I laugh pulling away.
'Its very nice to meet you Alby,' I declare.
