The Brave and the Broken

Second in Command

Discombobulate: disconcert or confuse

     I was taken aback and took a step backward, almost falling back into the box but catching myself. There were so many of them. So many boys. I looked past them and saw a giant stone wall covered in vines. The whole thing had me feeling uncomfortable and claustrophobic. There was one of me and at least fifty of them and seemingly no way out. I realized then that my hand was still resting in the tall boy's and immediately jerked it away. He looked at me but didn't say a word. The others were staring at me as well, some whispering among themselves, but I didn't really care enough to pay attention to them or what they were saying.

     I spun slowly in a circle so that I could look all around the place the tall boy had called "the Glade". It was very large, hard to compare to anything. Much larger than even a football field or concert stadium. Probably multiple times the size of each. There was a small concrete building near what he had called "the Box" and multiple wooden buildings in the middle of an area with old cracked stone for the floor. On another corner, were gardens and pins to hold animals. I could hear them from here, along with the barking of a dog. The other animals all seemed to be for food, so I wondered why they had a dog. Maybe for herding? I guessed. Or just a pet? I hope so. I continued looking around. I then realized that the walls did not close us in completely; there were four openings, one on each side. I pushed through the crowd of boys. Someone tried to grab my shoulder from behind me, but I shrugged them off and started walking across the grass towards one of the openings in the walls. I heard the boy's deep voice telling the others to leave me be for now and that he would handle it.

     The walls seemed even bigger up close; well over a hundred feet tall. I heard someone walking up to me and glance behind me, somehow knowing it was the same tall boy with the eyebrows before I even saw him.

     I was terrified but I couldn't allow myself to show it. I had to play pretend, get on their good sides. I had no idea what any of them were capable of or why I was here. I put a smile on my face to hide the fear I felt inside.

     "You know, I don't believe I caught your name," I said, turning back to face the opening.

     "It's Gally," he replied. He was next to me now.

     I suddenly heard an odd clicking sound from the other direction and looked over to see a small silver and green object on the wall, moving.

     "Beetle Blade," Gally said.

     "Right, sure. Whatever," I said, shaking my head. "And I assume you're the one in charge, judging by the way you talk to them," I said, trying to get back on topic and maybe lighten the mood; just because everyone else here seemed so moody, doesn't mean I have to be.

     "That's right."

     "So, like a captain?" I asked, smirking.

     "Sure," he said questioningly.

     "Okay, Captain Gally," I joked, laughing as I gestured to him with a mock salute. His face reddened slightly, but he was smirking, too.

     "Okay, Marie." He chuckled.

     Looking between me and the opening in the wall, his smile suddenly fell.

     "And just so you know, you are not goin' in there," He stated, pointing towards the opening. And my gaze returned to it for a few moments.

     "Oh, yeah? And who's going to stop me?" I teased, looking over at him, but all of the humor that had filled him just seconds ago was gone now.

     "Don't make me do somethin' I would regret."

     "Oh please, you wouldn't," I said, rolling my eyes.

     "And how do you know?"

     "If you were going to do something to me, you would have done it by now."

     "No."

     "Oh?"

     "Yeah, I haven't had reason to yet."

     "Sure. And why is it that I can't go in there?" I questioned.

     "Well Greenie, if you went in there, you would be breaking the number one rule here and then you would have to be banished-"

      "In other words," came another deep voice from behind, startling me, "you would have to be killed."

     I turned around to see a dark-skinned boy that looked quite a bit older than Gally, yet shorter, though still taller than me. Of course, it seemed that everyone here was taller than me.

     "What did I say about lettin' me handle it?" Gally said to the older boy.

     "You're not handling it, you're just scarin' her."

     "You're the one talking 'bout killing her"

     "And I'm not scared!" I said, "I'm perfectly fine. Other than the fact that I wish I could be left alone." I glared at Gally then the dark-skinned older boy.

    "Sure," the older boy said, obviously not believing a word of it.

     I looked back at the opening. It would be so easy to just slip in there and get away, as long as I could lose these two idiots.

     "Don't even think about it," Gally said, eyeing me. I groaned and rolled my eyes. He smirked; but still no real smile.

     "This," He said to me, gesturing to the other boy, "is Alby. He's kinda Second in Command, I guess."

    "Kinda? You Guess? I am Second in Command, Shuckface," He said to Gally, rolling his eyes. He seemed to be joking, but there was no smile on his face. Then, turning to me, he added, "Nice to meet ya, Greenbean."