❝Everything is going to change.❞
When she comes to, curled up on her side inside some strange elevator of sorts, the only thing Adeline can remember is her name. Anything else about herself - who she is, her childhood, her family - are gone. Her min...
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18 → "W.I.C.K.E.D."
ADELINE watched as the newbie rotated in a circle taking in his surroundings. Like many, she snickered at him. You couldn't blame him for being so curious. She knew how it felt to wake up in the Box with the same confusion written on her face as she took in the surroundings around her.
"Look at the Greenbean." Gally commented, Adeline glaring at him. "Gonna break his shuck neck checkin' out the new digs."
"Shut your hole, Gally." Adeline responded with a roll of her eyes.
"Where am I?" The boy asked.
"Nowhere good." Alby stated. "Just slim yourself nice and calm."
"Which Keeper he gonna get?" someone shouted from the back of the crowd.
"I told ya, shuck-face." another voice responded. "He's a klunk, so he'll be a Slopper - no doubt about it."
Adeline rolled her eyes as Gally made some snard remark about the new kid. She blocked him out for a moment, studying the new kid. He appeared to be sixteen, was 5'9 and had brown hair. Gally continued to talk. "— even do that much, bet my liver on it."
"I said shut your holes!" Alby yelled. "Keep yapping and next break'll be cut in half!" Alby took a step forward. It's a long story, shank. Piece by piece, you'll learn — I'll be takin' you on the Tour tomorrow. Till then ... just don't break anything." He held a hand out. "Name's Alby."
The boy refused to shake his hand. He turned away from Alby and walked to a nearby tree, where he plopped down to sit with his back against the tree. Adeline shared a glance with Newt in confusion, until she heard the Newbie call out across the Glade.
"Then tell me." He called out. "Tell me the long story." Alby glanced at Newt and Adeline, rolling his eyes. Seriously. Where am I?"
Alby walked over to him and sat down; the group of Gladers' followed.
"If you ain't scared ..." Alby said. "... you ain't human. Act any different and I'd throw you off the Cliff because it'd mean you're a psycho."
"The Cliff?" Newbie asked, blood draining from his face.
"Shuck it." Alby said, rubbing his eyes. "Ain't no way to start these conversations, you get me? We don't kill shanks like you here, I promise. Just try and avoid being killed, survive, whatever." Alby paused for a moment. "Man." Alby said, then ran his hands over his short hair as he let out a long sigh. Newt stepped forward and playfully slapped Alby across the head.
