Empty Promises

2

"Only in the darkness can you see the stars"

-Mlk jr

∞

Y/N's POV

The rest of the boys had walked away, leaving Alby and me all alone. Gally and Minho were unloading the crates from the cage I had come up in.

"That we call the box," Alby said while pointing at the cage. "Comes up once a month, we think, and brings us supplies and I think a new person."

"You think?"

"Well, we're not positive. We've only been here about two months, but last month George came up with a bunch of supplies we needed. And now you, exactly one month apart. One can assume."

"You've been here for two months?"

"Yep, the rest of the boys and I came up in that thing to the glade," gesturing to the place we were. "Let me show you around," he said walking towards where it looked like a group of tents was and one unconventional building.

"We haven't got much right now, just this big hut. The homestead. And then those tents over there, and the kitchen."

Frypan, I think his name was, waved at us as he was chopping up vegetables. Alby placed his hand on my back and steered me over to what looked to be a garden. George was currently the only one there and gave me a small smile.

"This is the garden where we-"

My attention turned to large stones that surrounded us, they must have been at least 300 feet tall. There was an opening on each side, but it looked as if the stones made a box around us. Alby realized my focus was turned and sadly said,

"Those are the walls"

"What's beyond them?"

"We're not sure. Haven't explored past them yet."

"Why not?"

"Curious shank aren't you. Probably because we've been too focused on surviving here."

Before I could say another word a large rumbling spread throughout the glade, and I looked up at the walls. They were moving, but how? The openings were closing, trapping us inside. Alby must've seen the panic on my face, so he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry, they reopen every morning," I let out a soft sigh. "But that also means it is dinner time for us, let's head back to the kitchen."

George, Alby, and I all headed back to the tent area and joined the others at a couple of makeshift tables put together. I ended up sitting next to Gally and Alby, and across from Newt and Minho. The three boys seemed to be having a serious conversation before we sat down, not even noticing our arrival.

"Don't you feel like we've met her?" Minho asked Newt.

"But how is that pos-" but Newt was interrupted by Alby clearing his throat.

"Well if it isn't the lady of the hour" Minho laughed.

I gave a tiny smile and looked down at my food, using my fork to play with it.

"Minho, give her a break," said an accented voice.

I looked up, meeting Newt's brown eyes again hoping that he noticed my appreciation. He gave me a slight smile before saying something to another boy. For the rest of that dinner, I stayed pretty silent, just focusing on eating my food.

By the end of the dinner, the boys were starting a food fight, Gally and George had covered themselves in food. I used my hands to shield any oncoming food, finally getting up and silently walking away. No one had noticed, or so I had thought.

I could feel the grass under my feet, I wasn't sure where I was heading. The laughter of the boys was getting fainter and fainter as I walked farther. After some point, I sat down in a field of grass that seemed suitable for thinking.

My brain felt like it was spinning, I didn't remember anything yet everyone felt so familiar. Especially Minho. But I couldn't remember them, I had no memories.

Everyone else knew their names, but why didn't I know mine?

I looked up at the sky, seeing the stars.

"They're nice aren't they?"

My head snapped towards the direction of the voice, seeing Minho only a couple of feet away.

"Can I bless your company with mine?"

I chuckled and nodded and looked at the stars again, enjoying their beauty. I felt Minho sit down next to me, his shoulder brushing against mine. I glanced over and saw him looking at the stars as well.

"Why can't I remember?" I asked meekly.

"None of us can, the only thing they let us keep is our names I 'spose"

"They?"

"Whoever sent us up here. The same shucking people who let us see those," he said pointing at the stars.

"But I- I don't know my name"

I looked over and saw that Minho was looking at me, his eyes full of sympathy.

"It will take time, it took me several days to remember mine."

Those words didn't comfort me in the slightest, and my tenseness must've been noticeable. Minho moved closer to me and laid down on the grass. I followed suit, laying down beside him, our shoulders touching. He continued to look at the stars but kept talking. He told me all about the past two months, everything they had learned and done.

∞

An hour or two must've passed, I had stayed silent the entire time. Just listening to him talk, his words calming my mind. I knew we were trapped, but being trapped with Minho didn't seem all that awful. Suddenly he stopped and I realized he was staring at me. I sat up and he did the same, facing me.

"I'm sorry for talking for so shucking long, I just felt like I was talking with well, never mind it doesn't make sense."

"An old friend?" I offered up.

Certain happiness filled the boy's eyes as he looked at me, the sides of his mouth crinkling upward.

"You feel it too?"

"Like you're familiar"

"Yes, exactly. And to think that Gally thought Newt and I were going crazy."

"I think we were friends before this, Minho"

Immediately I felt a pair of arms pull me into a hug, I first stiffened against it but soon softened in his embrace. I could feel his chin on my shoulder and his hands rubbing my back. My head found itself in the crook of his neck, it wasn't the first time I had hugged this boy.

Although I didn't know it at the time, it was the first time Minho had ever been hugged since he came up in the box. Minho was unfamiliar with any touch or compassion, especially from the opposite gender.

"I've missed you" he whispered.

I pulled away from the hug and scanned his face, taking in every detail of my old friend's face. He seemed to be doing the same.

"Let's get back to the others before they send out a search party."

We walked back to the homestead laughing and talking, like any other pair of friends. It didn't matter that we didn't have concrete memories, but we remembered we were friends.

As I settled into sleep, in a room in between Newt's and Minho's, I tried to remember anything else. Nothing came to me, all I wanted to know was my name. But I couldn't think of anything, I couldn't remember anything.

The frustration set in as silent tears rolled down my cheeks. The realization sinking in, I couldn't remember a single thing before the box.

But I could remember Minho.

∞