I watch Newt finish off my leftover meat. As soon as he finishes, he looks up and says, "I don't get why you can't eat the bloody meat. It tastes fine."

"It's not about the taste," I reply. "It's the fact that I practically witnessed the slaughter of the animal," I try to explain.

Shrugging, he says, "You'll get used to it."

Pursing my lips, I say, "I don't know..."

Lunch break is over soon and it's time to go back to work again. Sighing, i ask Newt in a hopeful tone, "I don't have to go back to work in the Blood House again, do I?"

"Nah, I think we'll spare both you and Winston that trouble. I'm pretty sure you proved that your aptitude is not being a Slicer. i'll go talk to Alby and we'll find something else for you to work on as a substitute for the rest of today."

I sigh, relieved, "Thank you. Thank you sooo much." Smiling, I reach out and hug him.

"Uh, no problem," he replies, his face slightly pink as he scratches his back awkwardly after I let go. He then gets up and presumably goes to find Alby.

I practically skip out of the dining area, ecstatic that I don't have to go back to that horrid place. Around 5 minutes later, I see Newt and Alby walking towards me. Alby has a not so happy look on his face, with his seemingly permanent scowl plastered on his face, looking like he's glaring at me.

I laugh awkwardly, "Hey... What's up?" My voice is a few pitches higher that it usually is. I can't help it. A glaring and angry looking Alby, after all, is not something anyone wants to see or looks forward to seeing.

"Adelynn," Alby responded. "Newt tells me that you don't want to go back and work in the Blood House."

"Uh, yeah," I fidget a little and reply, uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. Abby just keeps staring at me, as if expecting an explanation. "I can't help it!" I burst out. "It's just not fair how we have to kill innocent animals. It's not like they're doing any harm." I see Newt standing behind Alby, smiling at my outburst and slight rant about the innocence of animals. "Uh, I might be a lover of animals or something," I add on, thinking that I might have enjoyed having pets in my life before the Glade that I don't remember.

Alby sighs. "Alright, we'll find you something else to do. Just don't expect us to do this for every job, or else you're going to end up with the Sloppers. Got it?"

"Yes," I smile happily. "What can I do for the rest of the day?"

Alby's frown deepens. "You can just go help out in the Gardens or go help the Med-Jacks or something. Just don't laze around. Find something to do that's actually helpful," he says.

"Okay!" I say cheerfully, glad that my time in the Blood House is up. 'I'd be willing to put up with 100 glaring Albys if I don't have to go back to the Blood House,' I think.

Alby walks away, muttering about how troublesome Newbies are. I look at his retreating figure and turn to Newt. "Well, I'm going to the Gardens. I've got work to do," I singsong.

"Well someone looks happy," he says.

"I am! I don't have to go back to the Blood House!" I reply.

"Alright. Come on. I'm going to the Gardens to work too," he says.

We start walking towards the Gardens. After we get there, I talk to Zart, the Keeper of the Track-Hoes, and tell him about my arrangement of working there for the afternoon, and apparently again the next day. The rest of the day flies by quickly. All we do at the Gardens is plant, weed, and harvest. I spend the afternoon planting, and apparently I have to weed and harvest tomorrow. Soon, dinner time comes, and all of us workers in the Gardens are let go to go to Frypan's Kitchen. I think word has spread about what happened with me at the Blood House, because when Frypan hands me my plate of food, there is no meat on it, while there are extra vegetables.

Newt, who is standing right behind me in line for food taps me on the shoulder and says, "It seems that news spreads fast here, eh? Ol Frypan here has even heard about it."

I pout a little and turn to walk towards a table. "It's not such a big deal. It was probably noticeable how I started the day off in the Blood House but ended up working in the Gardens," I say while I sit down.

Newt sits across from me and laughs at my still pouting face. "Okay. Okay. Just eat your vegetables."