CHAPTER 6

The next morning at breakfast, the air was thick with tension. As I sat down next to Newt I noticed the lack of conversation.

"Good morning boys" I said anxiously not knowing what to expect back

"Hey" Newt said staring at his food.

Alby cleared his throat breaking the silence

"So I've been informed by Newt that you've failed all of your job trials" The leader said in a low, even tone. "It seems that you're left to join the sloppers, but don't worry it's not as bad as it sounds and they're all nice kids"

"She hasn't trialled with me?" Minho said from across the table

"Or me" This was from Winston

"Me either" Gally "Not that I really want to waste my time with her, but I was just making a point"

Newt sighed "Minho, there's no way we're letting her out in the maze. You of all people know how dangerous it is. Gally, she trialled with you on the first night when she tried to set up her hammock and it was a disaster and Winston do you really think I'd let her trial with the slicers?" he said all of this in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Why can't she trial with the slicers?" Winston asked. I was fairly eager to find out the answer myself surely there was a reasonable explanation.

"Well because" Newt said hold his head up slightly higher than usual "First the whole job is centred around killing and chopping up dead animals which I don't think greenie here has the heart for. Second there's all the blood and guts she would have to put up with and third, it's not a very suitable job for a girl. She would be running for the hills after five minutes"

"You don't think I can handle it?" I asked, the hurt was obvious in my voice.

"I'm sorry greenie" Newt said softly, putting his hand over mine on the table "I'm just trying to look after you and trust me you don't want to be a slicer"

"How would you know that?" I asked moving my hand away from his. "You haven't even given me a chance"

I was on the verge of tears, but I couldn't let them show. It would only prove to them that they were right about how weak I was.

"Listen" Alby's deep voice rumbled over any other conversations that were taking place, ceasing all talk at the table "We're not trying to say that you're not capable, we're just trying to look out for your safety"

"I still think she should get a chance" Zart said looking around the table "I mean all of us had to trial each job, why should she be an exception?"

While Alby and the rest of the table were turning this over in their heads I mouthed a "thank you" to Zart which he returned with a nod.

"If I knew there was going to be this much fuss over it, I would have called a bloody gathering" Newt muttered

I wasn't a huge fan of the whole table talking like I wasn't there

"Alright I've had enough of this. Today she can trial with Winston and if it doesn't work out she will trial with Gally tomorrow" Alby declared

The leader nodded to me and in return he received one back.

Line break-

The slicers worked in an area located near the east door. It looked just like a farm, full of pens and animals, hay and flowers. If you didn't know the truth behind it, it would seem like the nicest part of the glade.

The slicers worked in a barn behind the pens. It consisted of two large rooms. One for the actual slaughtering and the other for slicing to meat ready to cook.

After Winston showed me around it was time to get to work.

"Okay so I'll start off by showing you how to kill and prepare a chicken and then I'll show you the other jobs we do around here. Tell me if it gets too much and I'll stop"

"Thank you, but I think I'll be okay" I reassured him

A few moments later Winston brought a chicken into the slaughter room. It was clucking and clearly in distress. Winston held it down against a stump while holding a small axe above it with the other. For a moment I thought I wouldn't be able to bear it and I closed my eyes. A second later the panicked clucking stopped.

"It gets easier" Winston said looking up from the dead chicken

"Probably not for someone as weak as me" I said looking down

"Are you kidding? None of the slicers came in here with the same mind sets they have today. A few of them even wet their pants when they saw a knife" the keeper said laughing

"Really?" I looked up

"Yeah" he said a serious tone washing over the boy as he looked out to the animal pens "People think it's all blood and guts, but this job makes you stronger. It makes it easier to deal with the sad stuff"

"What sad stuff?" I asked

Just as he was about to open his mouth, Newt walked in.

"I just thought I would see how all the slicing is going" he said as he approached the other two.

"Well she hasn't ran for the hills yet, so I'd say greenie here is doing pretty damn well" Winston replied giving me a pat on the back.

"that's good. Well I just came to see how it was all going and I'll see you later" Newt said now talking to just me.

"Alright well we don't have long left, so I'll show you what we feed each of the animals and then we'll be done for the day" Winston said as soon as Newt left.

He took me by each fenced area each containing a different animal and showed me what they all ate. Slops for the pigs, grain for the chickens and when we got to where they kept the cows he stopped.

"We feed the cows hay that the track-hoes grow" he said as he held a hand of hay out and a cow took it.

"Do you wanna give it a try? All the cows here are pretty friendly" he said handing me some.

I held my hand out unsteadily for the cow. She sniffed before eating it out of my hand. She then sniffed my empty hand and paused for a moment before she nudged the top of nose against the back of my hand. It was the most comforting thing anyone or anything had done for me since I arrived in the glade and for a moment it felt like I wasn't even trapped anymore.

"I think that's her saying she wants you to come back tomorrow" Winston said from behind me.

"Don't worry" I said still patting the cow's nose "I will"

Line break-

That night I skipped dinner (we were having chicken) which I wasn't quite up for yet and instead went straight back to mine and Newts room after my shower. Newt returned a few hours later

"I didn't see you at dinner" he said as he entered the room

"sorry about that I wasn't feeling very hungry" I apologised

"Don't be. Anyways, how did it go? Will you be going back tomorrow?" Newt asked

"Yeah I think I will. I had a really good time and Winston said I did alright" I answered

"Listen…. "The blonde said looking down at his feet. "I'm sorry about this morning at breakfast. I didn't mean to offend you I swear. I was just trying to look out for you"

"It's okay"

"No I'm serious" he was looking up at me now "I don't want you to think that I don't think you're capable because I do, and you're so sweet and innocent I didn't want you to get upset with what comes with some of those jobs, but I was wrong and I'm sorry"

"Newt, it's okay" I said taking both of his hands in mine. "I know you were just trying to look out for me. Next time can you please just tell me first before you go making decisions about me like that?"

"Okay" he said not taking his hands away from mine.

A/N: So sorry about the late update! I have been absolutely swamped with exams, but here it is and i'd love to know your thoughts on Charlie finally finding a job? and the chapter itself :)

P.s Charlie will be remembering her name very soon btw