Hope for Us (NEWT) [COMPLETED]

Ch 16 - Accidents Galore

Working in the gardens turned out to be better than Sara had thought. Although Alby and Minho said she'd begin working when her leg healed, Sara didn't mind starting sooner. Her leg didn't hurt as much anymore, and she needed something to do either way or she'd go crazy.

Sara loved the feeling of taking care of living things. Things that provided the Glade with food and oxygen, a remote but greatly appreciated relief from the confinement of the place. It made her feel somewhat more alive, giving her a purpose to continue working there. As if the plants and crops were a symbol of hope. She didn't even mind the bending down, and the part of getting her hands dirty while working the dirt. At least she felt occupied, useful, and maybe even free.

Back at WICKED HQ, she felt like a prisoner dying to get out of there. She was gleefully looking forward to entering the Maze to be reunited with her friends, only to realize she ended up in a different version of the prison, where none of her friends remembered her, and where WICKED had control over all of them. Essentially, she escaped one prison to get trapped in another one.

"Whoa there, Greenbean. Careful," the Keeper of the Track-hoes, Zart, warned her. "You don't wanna pull the plants along with the weeds," he said, smiling at the intensity with which she worked.

"Sorry." Sara chuckled sheepishly. She hadn't noticed how much her thoughts had angered her.

"That's alright, Sara," he said kindly to her, "you'll get the hang of it soon. Usually doesn't take too long. Just be careful next time."

Sara liked Zart. The Keeper of the Track-hoes was one of the few people that had the patience to explain things carefully, and he wasn't rude or short-tempered like pretty much everyone else. Well, Chuck and Zart. And quite possibly, Minho. They were the only people she felt she could trust, and who didn't always wish to throw her to the Grievers.

"Hey, Zart?" she awkwardly began, unsure how to bring up the question as she continued working on the task in front of her.

He didn't pause his work either, but he simply glanced at her for a brief second. "Yeah?"

It embarrassed her, but the need to know was greater. "Do you have any clue why Alby laughed at me when I said I wanted to work as a Track-hoe?"

He stopped to think for a moment. "Hmm. Well, what was the reason you gave him for choosing the job?" He raised an eyebrow. A peculiar feeling told Sara that Zart probably had an idea.

She shrugged. "Uh, well, I said being a Track-hoe was probably my thing."

"Nothin' else?" He continued to work the tomatoes, trying to have a casual conversation.

Sara furrowed her eyebrows. "Yeah, um, that I... wanted to get away from certain people. Find other people to talk to that wouldn't be yelling at me or complaining about me."

"Oh." He knowingly smiled.

Her eyes widened. "What—you know? What did he mean?" she desperately tried to get him to say more.

This time he stopped what he was doing and laughed. "Greenie, I'd gladly tell you, but I'm sure Alby would wanna drag my shuck butt off the Cliff if I did. It'd be best to see for yourself in a couple of days, or maybe weeks."

It was annoying how no one gave her answers but it was so easy for her to be the talk among those guys. She'd revealed her name only to Newt and the Med-Jacks, and then everyone was calling her by her name the next day. Rumor got to Alby pretty quickly and for some reason, he seemed to dislike her more. And then he always had a bipolar attitude; it was difficult to tell whether he was joking or not.