INNOVATION - CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

⚘ MINHOS DISCOVERY ⚘

Kalisa poked at her eggs solemly. All night she had tossed and turned, mind refusing to think of anything other than Winston and Henry.

    She couldn't believe Winston would do something like that. She couldn't believe nobody had bothered to tell her. She couldn't believe after all that had occured, Nick, the leader at the time, had still placed Henry as a Slicer.

    Between this new information, the girls arrival, and Ben's death, Kalisa could barely keep her eyes open. It wasn't until a soft hand grasped her shoulder that she glanced up from the table.

    "Huh?"

    Newt frowned, "I just asked if you would mind showing Thomas around the Blood house today. It's his day to try out being a Slicer."

    Across from the two Thomas was chewing his food silently, shifting his gaze from Kalisa to Newt.

    "Oh- sure." Kalisa forced a grin, "I hope you have a strong stomach Newbie,"

    "Me too," Thomas muttered.

    "Are you alright? Does your head still hurt or somethin'?" Newt murmuered so only she would hear.

    "I'm okay, just- tired I guess." Kalisa reassured him quietly.

    "Good." Newt paused. "I'm sorry about running off yesterday, I- I wanted to stay."

    Kalisa blushed, "I"- She was cut off by Winston shouting across the Glade, "Kalisa- get your shuck butt over here!"

    At his voice she flinched, Newt sent her a worried glance and she played it off as rolling her eyes. The last thing she needed was to bring about old problems to the Keepers. She would watch Winston, and if there was ever a situation where he felt threatening, then she would act. But for now she would wait.

    "That's our cue, you ready Thomas?" Kalisa grabbed her still full tray, tossed it, and stood.

    "As I'll ever be." He sighed and stood up, starting off for the Blood house.

    "Kalisa," Newt called before she could turn away. "Find me after work. I need to talk to you."

    "Yeah- I will." Kalisa nodded, swallowing nervously. What could he possibly want to talk about?

    When Kalisa and Thomas arrived at the Blood house Winston and Henry had already set to work on feeding the animals. Henry sent Kalisa a pointed look that clearly said to play it natural, the girl just sighed and rolled her eyes in responce.

"Ah, there you two are. I'm Winston, Keeper of the Slicers if you haven't heard." Winston greeted, setting down his pig slop and shaking Thomas's hand.

"And I'm Henry. If you want my advice run while you still can." Henry joked, though there was an underlining of seriousness beneath.

Thomas went pale and looked at Kalisa nervously. "He's joking, ignore him." She scoffed, putting on her familiar apron and handing Thomas his own. The brunette crinkled his nose in disgust as he examined the blood stains.

"Today should be a pretty easy day, we're gonna kill a few Hogs if thats alright Greenie." Winston explained as if Thomas had a choice in the matter.

"Great," Thomas managed.

"But we'll start you out easy like every other Greenie and introduce you to some animals. Kalisa- do you mind?" Winston asked her. She faltered for only a minute under his gaze before quickly nodding and leading Thomas out back to begin his tour of the Blood house.

    While she showed him the animals Thomas spoke. "I don't think I can do this. Whoever I was before all this- I don't think they were good at... killing."

    Kalisa chuckled, "Well I would hope not Thomas." Her gaze softened at his worried features, "But it's not too bad I promise. And if it makes you feel any better I doubt you have what it takes to be a Slicer."

    "Uh- thanks?"

    "You're welcome, now move it, we gotta feed the chickens." For the next several hours Kalisa showed Thomas how to tend for the animals.

    It was a lot more work than most people expected. Along with feeding they were also in charge of cleaning, scraping, fencing- the work was never ending. Bark the black lab seemed to like Thomas and stuck at his heels for the entirety of the work day.

    By the third hour they had begun to slaughter. Thomas stood in the back, apron hanging loosing, knife clutched firmly, watching with concerned eyes as Kalisa brought her large axe down on the Hogs neck. She flinched as its blood splattered over her, giving one final squeal before falling silent for good.

    Once she had ended its life, Kalisa showed the newbie how to clean it out, and do all the other gorey parts such as removing the eyes and hooves. Thomas looked slightly green so Kalisa decided to hold off on the tounge removing explanation.

    By the time Henry, Winston, and Kalisa had shoved their Hogs in the freezer it was nearly time for dinner.

    "I think thats good for today, I'm gonna stick around for a bit and clean, you all can go," Winston dismissed. Thomas couldn't seem to leave fast enough.

    Before following Kalisa looked back to see Henry watching Winston carefully. When the boy with the scar met her eyes he gave an encouraging nod. He would be okay.

    Kalisa took a breath a turned her back to the Slicers, speeding after Thomas who had discarded his apron on the way towards the East Door.

    When she caught up she took a moment to catch her breath before asking, "So what did you think newbie? Slicer life suit you?"

    "No." Thomas shivered. "I don't know how you do that. Its like you- disappear or something, I don't know."

    Kalisa faltered in her movements, "What are you talking about?"

    "It's nothing! Just watching you kill that Hog was... weird. You were almost good at it?" Thomas winced as he realized how it sounded. "That sounds bad, what I mean is you're very intimidating."

    "Gee thank you Thomas." Kalisa frowned. She wasn't good at killing. That was ridiculous, Thomas didn't know what he was talking about. The only thing she was good at was spacing out, completeing her task, and moving on. There was nothing more to it.

    She was not a killer.

    Suddenly Thomas halted, staring off at something with wide eyes. "Who's that?"

    Kalisa turned to see where he was looking and saw Minho running back into the Glade from the Maze. He looked winded, as if he had just completed running 100 miles. He was drenched in sweat and had dirt and grime all over his arms and face.

    "That's Minho, Keeper of the Runners. He just returned from his daily run and is probably in a bitchy mood so I wouldn't"- Kalisa didn't finish before Thomas started off for the Runner, determination clear in his steps.

    "What a slinthead." She groaned before following.

    But before they could reach Minho, his knees gave way, and he collapsed to the ground with a grunt.

    Kalisa and Thomas blinked in shock, both taken aback by the sudden action. Kalisa had seen Minho enter the Glade dozens of times, and she had yet to see him in such a vulnerable state. Something was wrong.

    She broke free of their trance first, dashing forward and kneeling by Minho's head. "Thomas get help." Kalisa ordered, noticing that Minho wasn't passed out, but just overcome with exaustion.

    "Minho, can you hear me?" Kalisa asked clearly, heart thumping rapidly as Thomas yelled for Newt and Alby.

    "Loud and clear shuckface. Who's that?" He motioned over to Thomas was looked like a lost puppy.

    Kalisa faced Minho again, "Thats Thomas, he's the new Greenie- er, well he was until the girl arrived. Thomas meet Minho, Minho meet Thomas."

    "Hi?" Thomas waved unsurely.

    Minho rolled his eyes and gave her a look, "You aren't gonna beleive this,"

    Before she could question him further Alby arrived, pushing Thomas out of the way and kneeling beside Kalisa. "What are you doin' back Minho? What happened?" The boy questioned hastily.

    "Calm your wad Alby," Minho grunted, sitting up. "Make yourself useful and get me some water, I dropped my pack out there somewhere."

    Alby looked furious as he kicked Minho's leg hard and asked, "What happened."

    Kalisa would have cracked under the preassure, but Minho seemed unbothered. She had to admire him for his backbone, he really didn't care what anyone thought. "I can barely talk shuckface! Get me some water!"

    Kalisa snorted and Thomas looked as if he would be witnessing a second slaughter that day. Alby faced the two with the smallest hint of a smile, "Minho's the only shank who can talk to me like that without getting his butt kicked off the Cliff."

    Then Alby stood and ran off to fetch Minho some water. Thomas looked shocked and faced Minho with wide eyes, "He lets you boss him around?"

    "You scared of pip-squeak? Dude, you gotta lot to learn." Minho scoffed.

    Thomas looked confused, "Isn't he the Leader?" Kalisa couldn't help but grow confused as well, she had always assumed that after Nick had died, Alby had taken over.

    "Leader?!" Minho gave a bark of laughter, looking as though that were the most ridiculous thing he had heard all year. "Sure, call him leader all you want. Maybe we should call him El Presidente," Minho snickered. "Nah, nah, Admiral Alby." Minho looked to her expectantly. "What do you think, Admiral Alby?"

    "General Baldy." At this the two of them began laughing, leaving Thomas confused and flushed.

    Once they had calmed down Thomas asked, "So if he isn't the Leader, who is?"

    Minho sighed as if he were bored, "Greenie, shut your mouth before you confuse yourself more. Why do you shanks always come in here asking stupid questions? It's really annoying."

    Thomas looked very offended at the statement and looked to the girl for support. Kalisa shrugged and gave him a look, Minho was a complicated boy.

    "What do you expect us to do?" Thomas snapped. Minho glared back, "Do what you're told. Keep your mouth shut."

    Thomas retracted at Minhos cool glare, clearly intimidated. Minho smirked in satisfaction. After a beat Thomas stood taller, finding his composure, "Yeah, I'm sure thats exactly what you did as a newbie."

    "I was one of the first Gladers slinthead. Shut your hole before you know what you're talkin' about." Minho said deadly calm.

    Kalisa shifted in the now uncomfortable atmosphere. She really hoped Alby would hurry up.

    Thomas looked almost fed up and made a move to stand and walk away. Minho's persona cracked and a wide smile broke on his tan face, "Dude, sit down, I'm just playin' with your head. It's too much fun, you'll see when the next newbie..." He trailed off thoughtfully. "Well I guess there won't be another newbie."

    It was a weird thought to consider, one that Kalisa had been trying to avoid. But now that it had been spoken, ignoring it was no use. If that girl truly had been the last of them... what now? What made her different? And what would her effect be on the Gladers?

    Thomas sat down looking relieved. "I guess not."

    Minho looked struck with a rememberance as he began studying Thomas, "You saw the new girl right? Everyone says you probably know her or something."

    "I saw her. Doesn't really look familiar at all."

    Lie.

    Kalisa didn't know how she could tell, but she just knew. Thomas's figure grew shifty, his eyes were wide with innocence yet there was a certain nervousness beneath them. A secret.

    "She hot?" Minho asked, cutting Kalisa out of her thoughts. She would worry about Thomas later.

    Thomas paused and racked his brain, as if searching for the right answer. "Yeah, I guess she's hot."

    "Hotter than Kalisa over here?" Minho teased. Thomas stuttered and his cheeks turned pink. The girl groaned and kicked Minho in the leg, "Cut it out,"

    "Yeah, yeah. Doesn't matter anyways. Any shank with eyes can see that she has a thing for Newt." Minho smirked at her flustered state.

    Kalisa kicked him harder for that. "Shut up, you don't know what your talking about."

    "Sure, deny." Minho layed back down. "Real original klunkhead."

    There was an awkward moment of silence before Thomas decided to ask the dumbest question Kalisa had ever heard. "So, did you find anything today?"

    Kalisa stared at him appalled and Minho looked surprised. It was an unspoken rule that you never ever asked a Runner about the Maze.

    "You know what Greenie? Thats usually the dumest shuckfaced thing you could ask a Runner." Minho closed his eyes. "But not today."

    His words stuck out to Kalisa. Usually? What was different about today? "You mean you found something?" Kalisa didn't dare to get her hopes up, but she couldn't help the question from slipping out.

    "Just wait until General Baldy gets back. I don't like saying stuff twice. Plus he might not want you two to hear it." Minho explained. That was a long shot, Alby lived for secrets. The chances of him allowing the two to listen in on an important conversation like this was lower than the graves dug in the deadheads.

    "Well at least tell me why you look so tired. Don't you run out there everyday?" Thomas pressed.

    Minho groaned and sat up once more. "Yeah, Greenie. I run out there everyday. Lets just say I got a little excited and ran extra fast to get my bee-hind back here."

    "Why?" Kalisa had a sense that Thomas was about to get slapped by the Runner.

    "Dude! I told you, patience. Wait for General Baldy." Minho ordered.

    Thomas sat back in the grass, seeming a bit more calm. "Alright I'll shut up. Just make sure Alby lets me hear the news too."

    Minho studied him for a moment before nodding in satisfaction, "Okay Greenie, you da boss."

    Just a second later Alby ran over, holding a large glass of water. Minho snatched it and gulped the whole thing down, not coming up once for air.

    "Okay, out with it." Alby demanded impatiently.

    Minho raised an eyebrow towards Kalisa and Thomas, questioning silently for aproval before continuing.

    Kalisa was prepared to put up a fight in order to stay, but she was surprised when Alby brushed it off, "They're fine. I don't care what those shanks hear, just talk!"

    Minho set his glass down and struggled to his feet, clearly weak and worn down. "I found a dead one."

    Then he smiled. "I found a dead Griever."

I'm already so done with school ughhh- Anyways the good news is it's currently snowing really hard and I love snow! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, hopefully I'll have time to get another out tomorrow but we'll see! Happy reading!

1/9/24

2468 words