Author stuff: Hi. Work continues to kick my behind. I need a vacation.
In other news, I keep looking at the amount of reads I get from all y'all and it makes me so happy to see people coming back to read more. Seriously, thank you so much. It warms this frozen heart and gives me tippy-tappy toes — which makes my coworkers laugh. I'm humbled by how many people keep coming back for more. Y'all are so wonderful.
Really, y'all, thank you.
Chapter 10
In Which Gardening Is Hard
Being a Track-hoe was a lot more difficult than Archie imagined.
Why anyone in their right mind would want to be one, he had no idea. Then again, Zart had him and Graham ducking off into the Deadheads – of all places – for fertilizer. Not to mention they had to do a great deal of heavy lifting. There was clearly a great deal of favoritism directed towards Flossy – not that he hadn't expected it.
Flossy seemed to relish being in the Gardens, surrounded by all the green and earth. It was almost as if she were at home.
"Is it almost lunch time?" Graham said, leaning against a newly installed trellis. It curved under his weight. He instantly straightened, not wanting to break it.
"We've only been working for two hours," Archie said, squinting up at the sky. "Does it ever rain here?"
"Sometimes," a Track-hoe named Chris said. "It rained before you shanks got here. We should be getting some rain soon. Girlie's not doing too badly with those green beans."
"She wants to be a Track-hoe."
"She could be whatever she wants, and Nick wouldn't tell her no, if we're being honest. Well, he'd tell her no for being a Runner, but no one wants to be a Runner."
"That's running the maze and mapping it out, yeah?" Graham said.
"Yeah. Now, slim it and get to work on tilling those rows with the fertilizer. I don't want to get yelled at by Zart." Chris shuddered, as if reliving a bad memory.
"Zart yells at people?" Archie said, looking over to the Keeper – who was looking over his tomatoes.
"Yeah, and don't let him catch you talking to other people and not the plants. It really gets to him. He's jacked in the head, if you can't guess. This place kind of does that to a person. Don't think any of us will come out of here completely sane."
Tilling was… monotonous. And then planting the seeds – turnip seeds – was even worse. Who in the Glade even ate turnips anyway? He couldn't recall even seeing any ever being made by Frypan.
Flossy came over to help with the seeds before being called over by Zart to do something. He was showing her the berry patches, from what he could tell.
Lunch was a welcomed relief. Archie and Graham collapsed on the ground near the Gardens, letting their skin soak in the sun.
"You two want me to grab you something to eat?" Flossy said, wiping her hands on her pants. They left behind dusty, brown finger smears. "Ew. Going to go wash my hands. I like dirt, but I don't think it'd be very good to eat it."
"No, we'll get our own food," Archie said, sitting up. "Thanks though."
She shrugged and headed off to the nearby watering pump to get as much dirt off her hands as she could before she would eat.
"She's annoying," Graham said.
"She's like a little sister," Archie said, kicking his foot with his own.
Graham snorted, though he didn't disagree with the statement. They both felt like it was true. Neither would deny it. They'd formed a sort of… bond, the three of them (probably because they all came up together). It felt normal for them to be together. He didn't know how they were going to handle working apart from one another after all that. Sure, Graham got annoyed by Flossy, but he was annoyed by everyone.
"Oi, Greenie, Greenbean!" They both looked to see Nick calling for them. He waved for them to come over. Together, they got up – much to the protest of their limbs – and went to see what the Leader of the Glade wanted
"Where's the Girlie?" Nick said when they were in hearing range.
Not for the first time, he found himself wondering what Nick did when he wasn't running the Maze.
"Washing her hands," Archie said, jutting his head in the direction she had disappeared. "Got her hands a little dirty. Her thumbs should be green by the time she gets back."
"Right, so," Nick said, "how are you guys doing really? I know I asked you a few days ago, but I feel like I haven't been around as much for you three as I should for Greenies."
"I'm fine," Archie said. "The more I think about it, the more I think I'll take Gally up on the offer to be a Builder. I'm kind of shuck-faced with everything else."
Graham shrugged.
"I'm not sure," he said.
"Hank said you'd be a good Bricknick," Nick said. "And I talked to Clint yesterday. He said that he thinks you'd be a great Med-jack, but you'd have to work on that queasy stomach."
"And what about Flossy?" Archie said.
"She's shown a lot of promise everywhere, and all of the Keepers are more than willing to take her on – even the ones you haven't tried out for yet."
"It's probably because she's a girl," Graham said under his breath. Nick frowned at him.
"It's because she tries hard at everything she does. She doesn't want to slack off."
"She's more than likely afraid of what the other Gladers will think she's weak if she does."
"Or it could be that that's just what she's like," Archie said. "Some people just value hard work."
Nick nodded, though it didn't seem to convince Graham. The subject was, thankfully, dropped when Flossy arrived.
"What's going on?" she said, looking around at their faces.
"Nothing much," Nick said. "Just asking these shanks how things are going. Are you picking up on things, Girlie?"
"Yeah. I think it's confirmed. Track-hoe is for me."
"Good that. Now, lunch?"
The Box came up with supplies later in the day. Everyone circled around to see what they would have to work with for the week. The majority of it was for repairs to a section of the Blood House that was rotting in some places. There were some chickens and some hogs. Zart hoisted up some tools victoriously, handing them to the Track-hoes to put in their shed behind the Builders hut.
But the most curious thing was the bright yellow box labeled "For Flossy" in elegant handwriting. Flossy poked around in it for a moment. He caught sight of sensible clothes that would fit her, a pair of good work boots in her size, and other various toiletries before she snapped it shut. Her cheeks looked a little pink.
"Um," she said, eyes flicking about the curious Gladers.
"Brought to your room?" a Builder said, offering to pick it up. A few others did the same. Archie rolled his eyes. Too many of them were too willing to do something for her in hopes of gaining her favor. He was surprised when Nick hauled it up.
"You shanks have other things to do," he said, adjusting his grip on it. He nodded to her. "Come on, Girlie. Lead the way."
Archie was about to offer him a hand when Zart called him over. They still had work in the Gardens to do.
Author stuff cont'd.: Well, everyone's being placed except Graham. Wonder what he'll end up doing. (No, seriously, I don't remember. Send HELP.)
Before anyone comes at me about turnip seeds, I actually had to look it up whether or not they came from seeds. So, while turnips are a root veggie, they do come from seeds. Tiny little seeds. Like, tinytiny seeds.
What am I listening to? Korean Drama Podcast
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