INNOVATION - CHAPTER THREE

⚘ LOCKED IN ⚘

For the first time since the girl had woken up she was alone. She was truthfully relieved, and yet the silence was slightly off putting.

    Newt had left to go to the Gathering about half an hour ago. He was cautious around the girl, nervous even. Like she was a ticking bomb set to go off at any time. The girl found it frustrating. Nobody was telling her anything, she was just expected to learn as the days passed.

    Now the girl sat on the edge of her mattress anxiously bouncing her leg as she thought. Her mind was spinning like a carousel, pining from one notion to the next.

    What did the mark on her arm mean? Who put it there? Who's blood was it? Why were they all here? What were they saying about her in the gathering?

    The girl felt nauseous. She quickly stood and made her way over to the window. A light breeze blew through, brushing her dark hair back. Outside the sky was beginning to turn pink. It was evening now, the girl felt as though she had already been here for an eternity.

    The boys had stopped working for the day and gone into the homestead. The girl could hear their laughter and conversations from below. The smell of garlic and herbs filled the air. The girls stomach gave a sudden growl and she realized she was aching for food.

    The girl couldn't stand to be inside anymore. She turned away from the window and made her way for the closed door.

    Not knowing where to go, the girl made her way down the stairs. She stayed quiet hoping nobody would notice her.

    Her wishes were quickly demolished however when a boy with long brown hair and a porky build brought his cold brown eyes to where she lurked.

    "Well if it isn't the new Greenie!" He smirked a menacing smile, sending uncomfortable chills down the girls back. "I'm Rod, you should come sit with me." It wasn't really an offer, more of an order.

    The girl stared at him blankly for a moment. Rod held her gaze but began to grow squeamish. "What's wrong baby? This is pretty overwhelming huh? Don't worry, I can help you.. relax." Rod slyly wrapped an arm around her form, starting to lead her to his table.

    The girl didn't think before stamping down on his foot and elbowing him in the gut. "Don't talk to me." She pushed past the boy and made her way to a bar like table against the far wall. Behind the table was a kitchen filled with an oven, dishwasher, fridge, and other necessary products.

    The girl ignored the chuckles and words of incredulity from behind her. The conversations had picked back up allowing the girl to relax slightly.

    There was a boy behind the bar staring at her with wide eyes. He had pale skin and blonde, almost white hair that fell over his ears. He was small, in height and size causing him to very much resemble a twig. His eyes were green, and unlike some of the others they held kindness and understanding.

    "Uh- Hey Greenie, what can I do for you?" The boy asked. He seemed to be about 17. The girl felt sick suddenly, everyone here was a child.

    The girl paused and thought hard. There had to be something in her empty mind that could help her understand. A sliver of a memory, or even a name. But nothing came.

    The girl snapped out of it when she realized she hadn't answered the boys question. "Oh uh, could I have some food?" After a second she added, "Please?"

    The boys face cracked into a wide smile showing white straight teeth. "You've come to the right place. I'm Tyler, one of Frypans best cooks," He introduced while grabbing a plate and piling some chicken and rice onto it.

"Thanks," The girl smiled taking the plate. She stabbed at a piece with her fork and brought it to her lips. The taste of pepper and lemon greeted her taste buds along with a slightly charred tang.

The girl hummed in satisfaction and shoveled more into her mouth. Tyler watched her with a grin, "Hungry Greenie?"

The girl paused hearing the unfamiliar word again, "What is a Greenie?"

"It was we call the newbies around here. Don't worry, you'll remember your name soon. Until then get used to it," Tyler explained.

The girl nodded and decided to try and get some more answers. Tyler seemed nice enough to help her out. "So how long have you guys been here?"

The boy thought for a minute, "About 3 years I think. I've been here about 2."

At the number the girl nearly choked on her food. 3 years was a long time. Why couldn't they leave?

"I know what your thinking, and Newt 'n Alby would kill me if I told you. But there's a reason we don't just waltz out the doors." Tyler lowered his voice. "Theres things out there that most of us wouldn't survive. Creatures."

The girl had her full attention on the boy, grateful to finally have some answers. "What kind of creatures?"

He looked around before saying, "They call 'em Grievers. I've only seen them once, through the window. But let me tell you I hope it'll never happen again. They're horrifying, like a slug mixed with a scorpion. And if they sting you, you'll never be the same."

The girl took in the information like a sponge. She went silent thinking it over.

Monstrous creatures behind the walls? The girl frowned, it didn't make sense.

"If there are creatures out there, why don't they come and get us right now?" The girl questioned looking out one of the homestead windows and seeing the giant openings.

"Because they only come out at night, the doors shut at night for that reason. And thank shuck for that, cause none of us would have lasted a day if they didn't." Tyler told her gravely.

While the girl didn't know much, she knew doors that big weren't supposed to move. "Close? Are you serious?"

"Very serious," The boy smiled.

"But- but they look so old." The girl muttered looking at the doors again. "How can they possibly move?"

Tyler shrugged. "I don't know. You'll learn to stop questioning everything, answers come easy to those who watch."

The girl fell silent once more. She knew one thing for sure; someone took the time to construct all of this, wipe their memories, and send them up. There had to be a reason. It couldn't just be for shits and giggles, there had to be a purpose.

"Don't hurt yourself Greenie, eat some more rice," Tyler refilled her plate.

The girl smiled weakly in thanks and ate the food again, this time with less gusto. "Where's Newt?" She asked realizing it had been a long time since he had left.

Tyler shrugged, "A Gathering can take a while. He'll be out soon with the others."

    The girl forced her mouth shut and finished off her plate. New questions had taken over her mind.

    What did the Grievers do that freaked Tyler out so much? How was it possible that doors that big could close?

    As if the universe was listening in on her thoughts, a deafening boom sounded through the fields and into the Homestead.

    The girls heart nearly stopped as the noise was followed by the sound of rumbling cement and the slight squeal of metal against metal.

    It was as if an earthquake had struck them. The tables shook, trees swayed, and the ground trembled.

    Yet nobody seemed to be bothered with the commotion. Everybody carried on with their conversations, hardly sparing the event a glance.

    The girl stood and made her way out the Homestead doors, leaving her food behind.

    To her upmost surprise and horror the doors were closing. Each of the four openings slowly moved to meet in the middle, locking the children away for good.

    The girl could barely breath as she watched the massive walls firmly close, leaving whatever lay past uninhibited. It should have been impossible. Walls like that weren't supposed to be able to move. Yet they did.

    The girl didn't know whether to be grateful or dejected. What if the doors didn't open back up? What if now she was really stuck forever?

    That thought alone nearly made the girl yack onto the half dead grass.

    "Bizarre isn't it?" A British voice said from behind her. The girl turned to see Newt staring off at the walls with a unidentifiable look in his eyes.

    "Yeah, you could say that." The girl wiped her sweaty palms on the legs of her pants casually. After a beat of silence she said, "So how'd the Gathering go?"

    Newt stared at her, "It was fine,"

    The girl didn't buy it, but after a long day of pestering people for answers she was quite fed up.

    "Intense is a better word for it I suppose. Lots of different opinions." Newt explained, the girls ears perked back up.

    "Like what?" She asked as they began walking back to the Homestead. Night had fallen now, leaving a plain dark sky covering their heads like a blanket.

    The boys who had been previously eating dinner were now leaving the wooden house and making their way over to a shack with dozens of hammocks hanging on the pillars.

    "Well-" Newt paused as if thinking of a soft way to explain it. "Most of us think you're normal. Just like us. To be treated the same. But there are a few who disagree. They think you should be locked up. Or worse."

    The girls stomach flipped and suddenly she didn't feel very safe in the Glade.

    "Its nothing you need to worry about. You're perfectly safe here, but if you want some advice, keep your head down. Try to avoid drawing unwanted attention to yourself. If you can disappear then so will the complaints." Newt said leading her into the now empty Homestead and up the stairs.

    The girl thought it sounded easy enough, but something from within herself told her that she wasn't the type of girl to 'keep her head down'.

    Newt cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So tomorrow you'll be gettin the tour and most of your questions answered."

    "Who's giving me the tour?" The girl asked curiously. She hoped it was Newt. Or Tyler. So far the two seemed like the only decent people in the prison.

    "Alby will. He knows the most about the Glade, just don't interrupt him and you should be fine." Newt smiled as he watched the girls expression shift to sour. She wasn't the biggest fan of the rude boy.

    The two were now standing outside of the bedrooms. "I'm right across from you if you need anything. There are some spare clothes and stuff in the trunk," Newt awkwardly scratched the back of his neck as they turned and faced each other.

    "Thank you," The girl smiled lightly, the feeling still foreign to her. But if felt good to do something other than question.

    In the dark lighting the girl could barely make out Newts features, but she could see the way he quickly licked his lips and said, "No problem, have a good night Greenie."

    And at that he turned and shut himself away in the room across from her.

    Now alone again the girl stepped back into the room feeling slightly calmer than before. She made her way over to the trunk and saw that sure enough there was a pair of black cargo pants and baggy jeans, a sage green sleeved shirt and a black T-shirt, and a pair of tennis shoes along with black boots.

    The girl removed her shoes and sat back on the bed with a heavy sigh. She felt way older than she had hours ago. In just a short amount of time her life had drastically changed.

    As she lay back on the poky mattress the girl was struck with an aggressive feeling.

    Hate.

    The emotion was strong, like a shock wave coursing through her blood. She hated the Glade. She hated whoever put them all here. She hated the fact that she couldn't remember anything. She hated that nobody bothered to tell her anything. She hated the fact they were just kids. But mostly she hated the fact that there was not a single ounce of hope in anyone she had talked to. Nobody believed they could escape.

    Her hate quickly turned to anger as she rolled to her side and stared at the wall. She didn't care if it took an eternity, the girl was going to get everyone out. No matter what.

    And as she started to give in to the need for sleep the girl had one last lingering thought.

    She remembered something.

    A name. Her name.

    She was sure of it. The sound of it in her head felt right. It felt familiar. It made sense, it fit her like a glove.

    Kalisa.

Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter! Is there anything you're hoping to see in the future? As always thanks to everyone who reading, and leaving reviews! It means the world! I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas Eve (if you celebrate)!

12/24/23

2241 words