They found Alby, and the gathering would be after supper, only for the few Gladers Alex listed. They would meet in the med jack hut, wouldn't be too suspicious, they didn't want to draw attention they had a gathering in the council hall.

"Finished with the tour?"

They nodded.

"Good that. Your first job trial is Slicer. I think we're going to skip a few jobs though, no point trying you out for something like bagger- security, and working with the dead", he added as Alex shuddered.

"Though, if you could take on Gally, you might not be a bad Bagger...still, nah, those shanks are a little jacked up in the head. Unless you like dealing with corpses?"

Alex shuddered, "Nope. Definitely not"

"We'll probably skip bricknick too, avoid an unnecessary incident with Chris... Newt, take her to Winston. Lets go, we're burnin' daylight" Newt nodded and gestured for Alex to follow.

At the Bloodhouse, Alex stood by the fence watching the animals, waiting for the kid named Winston. She was watching the cow graze when she felt something small brush her leg. She looked down. To her surprise and delight, there was a young black lab smelling her boots and pant legs. The dog looked at her with intelligent eyes, tail wagging, tongue out, tilting its head back and forth. Alex let out a squeal "Puppy!" and knelt in front of the dog, letting it smell and lick her hands and patting it's head.

"Aren't you a good doggie! What's your name? Huh? What's your name? Wish you could tell me your name! Can you speak?" To her surprise the dog gave a happy woof.

"Huh" said a quiet voice behind her, "She's never done that before. What did you say to her?" Alex looked over her shoulder, it was the quiet boy from the table at breakfast, the boy she never got a name from.

"Uh, I asked if the dog could speak?''

On the word 'speak' the dog barked again. The boy looked stunned, like he never knew what noise a dog made.

"Bark never barks. We named her Bark, as a joke." The boy looked at the dog "Bark, speak."

The dog just cocked her head. Alex laughed as the boy huffed. Alex stood up, "Speak" on que the dog gave a few loud woofs. The boy threw up his hands in a sign of defeat.

"Whatever. Fine. Good. shuckin' dog, not like I fed you and took care of you..." he muttered.

He looked at Alex, "Name's Winston, I'm keeper of the slicers and Bloodhouse. You'll be helping with the animals, and after lunch you'll be helping me butcher a hog for tomorrows supper. Good that?"

"Ya, everything except the butcher part." Alex replied.

"Nah, part of the job. Come on, I'll show you around." Winston wasn't much of a talker, said what he had to and that was it. He showed her where the farm tools and equipment were, where the food for each animal was kept. Introduce her to a few of the other slicers, then left her to do her thing. She was to feed the pigs and collect eggs for breakfast tomorrow. She enjoyed being with the animals, they were calm and didn't oogle at her when she walked past. She talked to them and hummed a song she couldn't quite remember. Bark never left, occasionally she would bring Alex a stick and she would throw it for the dog to go fetch.

Alex straightened up as she heard a bell clanging from across the glade, she saw boys from every direction heading towards the Kitchen. Newt was halfway across the glad, walking towards her.

"LUNCH TIME SHE-BEAN!" he yelled.

Alex picked up the basket of eggs she had collected and made her way to the British boy. He was looking behind her with a puzzled look. Alex followed his gaze, Bark was trotting along behind her. She smiled.

"Good dog!" Alex said.

"Looks like you made a friend", Newt teased, "about bloody time!"

"Shuck ya I did! And she smells a whole lot better than you too!"

"Come here, I'll put you back in a head lock and you can find out!"

Alex yelped and took off running to the kitchen, laughing.

She wove her way through the picnic tables to the counter, dropped off the eggs, she grabbed a plate of lunch, turned to find a table and came face to face with Chris. He was standing way too close, she took a step back, and tried to get around him, but he stepped, blocking her path.

"Excuse me, I would like to go sit." Alex nodded her head in the direction of the table with her friends. Chris was looking at her, with a hunger in his eyes,

"Come sit with me and my friends. We're more fun than them."

Newt and Alby we're sitting with their backs to her, she didn't see Jeff or Clint, Fry was in the back of the kitchen, and Minho was in the maze.

SHUCK IT!

She tried to take another step back, Chris had reached out and placed a hand low on her hip almost at her butt. At the same time his hand made contact, Bark appeared at her side. Her haunches were up, ears down, and she let out a low growl. Chris jumped at the sudden appearance of a dog. The picnic area went silent, eyes on them. Bark let out another low growl, she took a step forward, stepping in front of Alex. Chris took a step back.

"What's going on?" demanded Alby, him and Newt were making their way over.

Alex's eyes narrowed, "Chris here, was just getting acquainted with my new friend. Bark, speak!'' She commanded and like Alex had trained the dog from a puppy, she gave a threatening bark, making everyone jump, including Alby and Newt. Alex gave a satisfied smile, and said quietly, her narrowed eyes never leaving Chris.

"When I say no, I mean no. I have now told you more than once. No. Don't ever touch me again. Leave me alone. Bark didn't bite today. I won't stop her in the future. Alby. Newt. Would this fall under the rules? I won't hurt another Glader, however after this last warning it's self defense. Correct? All three of you heard it. If this guy ends up with bite marks or a black eye, Bark and I will not be held responsible."

She did not ask permission, she stated it, as fact. Alby nodded solemnly, agreeing. He admired her quiet confidence. Newt tried to hide the smirk on his face, he also nodded in approval. He was proud of the girl in front of him, demanding the respect from the Gladers, and earning respect from Alby. Chris took another step back from the growling dog. He put his hands up in defense.

"Look I didn't do anything wrong, just trying to be friendly. No need to get feisty." his voice oily with a fake smile, not reaching his angry eyes. He turned and left the picnic area. She had a feeling that won't be the last of him.

Alex let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She reached down patting Bark's head "Who's a good girl?" her voice was shaky after what just happened, her heart was also beating really fast. Bark waged her tail. They walked over to their table and sat down. Alby was looking at the dog, it was laying on the grass beside Alex. He had never seen the dog leave the barn, never listened to Winston, and everyone thought the dog was mute. He shook his head.

"Is this a thing now? Winston?" he asked.

Winston shrugged his shoulders, "honestly, the dog was kind of useless at the Bloodhouse. Didn't really do much. She-Bean showed up, dog does whatever she says." nodding in Alex's direction, "She's all yours."

Alex squealed, she leaned down scratching her new companion behind the ears, "hear that girl? You're mine, we'll be besties forever!" then whispered for only Bark to hear "Thank you! For being there for me!" The dog sat up and rested her head in Alex's lap. Alex took a bite of her sandwich and gave Bark a piece of her ham and cheese. She definitely deserved it.

Alex was dreading the afternoon. She really did not want to go into the slaughter house. Winton made her put on a big apron that was stained with blood. He came in with a loud squealing hog. He hefted it up onto the table, told her to hold it down so it wouldn't escape. She did her best, trying not to think about what was going to happen next. Winston grabbed a big cleaver and in the blink of an eye, the sound of squeals stopped and there was blood everywhere.

Alex's ham and cheese sandwich made an appearance.

Nope, Slicer was definitely not the job for her. Winston made her take a break to get some fresh air, she almost lost the rest of her stomach contents. But she was determined to finish the day. She hated every minute of the afternoon, it was hard, bloody work, the heat from the afternoon mixed with blood and boys sweat and other barn smells was probably the worst thing in Alex's life right now. She didn't mind Winston, he was quiet, respectful, good at his job, a little too eager at times, but someone had to do it.

She said good bye to Winston at the end of the day. She was exhausted, sweaty, covered in blood, and hungry, but for a salad.

"Now I am in desperate need of a shower, huh girl?" she muttered to her furry companion. She made her way up to Minho's room. She knocked on the door, just in case.

"Ya?" Came a voice from the other side.

"It's me, can I come in?"

"Yeah" came Minho's voice.

Alex opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks, in the doorway. She saw a shirtless Minho standing in the middle of the room, holding a shirt in one hand and a towel with the other.

Eyes wide, mouth hanging open a little, she felt the heat rise up her bloody face. She tried to run a hand through her messy hair, forgetting she was covered in blood. Minho raised his eyebrows and smirked.

"Like what you see She-Bean?"

"What?" she asked stupidly.

She was too busy staring at his chest and abs, she was pretty sure he was flexing.

Holly Shuck! Dude is a chiseled fine work of art! Shuck, I hope I'm not drooling.

Minho took a step closer to Alex, looking down at her. Man he had beautiful eyes, and such long eyelashes. It was only then that he gestured at Alex, "What happened to you? What the shuck? Why is there a dog with you?"

Bark was smelling Minho, trying to lick his hands. Alex snapped her eyes away from his torso, her cheeks flaming red, but not too noticeable due to the hog blood that was drying to her.

"You miss a lot while out there, don't you? I really really need a shower. Like really bad. Then I'll fill ya in. Where are these showers I was told about and please tell me they lock?"

"Nope" he said, popping the p. Alex's face went pale.

"Never needed 'em. I can stand outside the door. Grab what you need." He took a step back and pulled his tight shirt on as Alex grabbed her shampoo and soap, and clean clothes. A few towels from the shelf in the med jack room along with some laundry soap and headed to the showers.

Minho stood leaning a shoulder on the door, arms crossed over his chest trying to make his arm muscles even bigger, trying to be even more intimidating than he already was. Bark sat beside him, on high alert.

"So She-Bean. You gonna tell me why the shuck you're covered in blood and why you have a four legged bodyguard?" He called through the shower door.

As Alex washed the blood sweat and grim away she filled him in on everything that happened in her day from the second he left the breakfast table to the minute she walked in on him shirtless. Except she brushed over the Chris situation. It felt so good to stand in the warm water, feeling the weight of her day wash down the drain with the other grime. It was also nice to be talking to Minho, it was easy to talk to him. He made her laugh, he was a good listener and kept the mood light.

Minho let out a low whistle, Bark cocked her head looking at him, gave a woof as if agreeing. "Man there She-Bean, that's quite the day" He looked down at the dog who hadn't left, and had her head cocked looking at the Asian boy. He squatted in front of the dog, "you're pretty smart, aren't ya?" he scratched her head. Bark licked Minho's cheek

"UHHHH NOO! Not the face!" Bark woofed and jumped, putting her paws on his shoulders making Minho fall backwards, wagging her tail, she barked and jumped around, licking anything she could. Minho was laying on the ground, arms around his head yelping "NO! BAD DOG BAD DOG! NOT THE HAIR! NOT THE HAIR! BAD DOG! NOT THE HAIR!"

Alex stood in the doorway of the shower watching, wet hair in a lose braided over her shoulder, in clean fresh clothes, laughing at the ridiculous sight before her. Minho rolling around on the ground, and her dog jumping all over. There are things in this shucked up world that could still make her smile. She was still stuck in the middle of a maze, with blood thirsty killing monsters. She thought back to what she saw in the Deadheads, all those wood crosses, all those boys who were never going to grow up, they never even got a chance. Her smile slipped and she felt her heart squeeze. Would she end up like one of those boys? With no chance of growing up? Would she have to see more crosses in the forest? Would one of the boys she was becoming to care about end up like that? She wanted to grow up, she wanted to know what was outside, wanted to know what the world was like. Her chest started to tighten, tears threatened to fall.

Minho had finally gotten to his feet, and saw Alex in the doorway. She pulled a smile back on her face, whipped her tears, though her heart was feeling heavy. Together the two friends walked off for supper. The dog running around them. Minho trying to fix his hair muttering about how long it took to make it look just right and how he's going to need more gel.