I spent the rest of the day with the Med-Jacks (who were essentially like the Medics), Clint and Jeff. They were nice enough, re-wrapping my wrist and checking on my leg, but Clint creeped me out a bit, to be perfectly honest. I wasn't sure why.

"So," Jeff said as he knotted the bandages on my wrist. "You coming to the Bonfire?"

"Bonfire?" I repeated. "What's that?"

Jeff laughed. "It's amazing, you really should come. Only night when we're allowed to take a day off to prepare for it, except for the Runners. Those poor shanks have to be out in the Maze every day, no exceptions. Anywho, you'd love it."

"I'll think about it," I said carefully. "When does it start?"

Jeff flashed a smile. "Sundown."

Ten minutes later, Jeff let me out saying, "Your leg should be good in maybe two more weeks, but watch out for that arm, alright?" I nodded, not paying attention to him, and started walking away before I even knew where I was going.

I turned around, ready to ask, but Jeff had already gone. I frowned and turned back, wondering who I should ask.

"Lost, Greenbean?" Someone appeared beside me and I turned to see Alby pointing toward a bundle of small hammocks. "Already tied up a new hammock for you next to the nicest shanks we have; just don't mind if Chuck snores a bit."

"Chuck?" I asked and Alby nodded.

"Yeah, Chuck. Actually, he was supposed to meet you out here, wonder where he is." Alby scanned the Glade and called out, "Hey! Chuckie! Where are you?"

A small boy came sprinting out of the Kitchen with something wrapped in a blanket in his arms, the sound of yelling following him out. He slowed down in front of Alby and I, his chubby face flushed with the effort of the run.

"Hey - Alby -" he said between gasps, still holding the bundle. "What - is it?"

"Can you show the Greenie around? I've gotta check on the Builders." Alby raised an eyebrow at the food in his arms and Chuck smiled sheepishly. "I was hungry," he defended. "And the croissants smelled really good!"

I sniffed the air for the first time and realized that the bundle Chuck had been holding had been full of pastries and that they did smell pretty good. Alby sighed but I could see the smile tugging at the corners of his mouths. He left quickly and I waited until he was out of sight before throwing away the corners of the blanket and biting into an airy pastry.

I groaned as the buttery bread filled my mouth and I stuffed the rest of the croissant into my mouth while Chuck watched with an amused expression on his face.

"So," said Chuck, his voice still high-pitched with youth. "You're the new Greenie."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, my tone a bit defensive.

"Nothing," said Chuck quickly. "Greenie's just a word we use for the Newbie, ya know? Dunno why, we just do."

I scoffed. "You sticks have even weirder words than I do."

"Sticks?" Chuck asked, looking interested. "What does that mean?"

I shrugged, stealing another pastry from Chuck's pile and said, "That's what we call people. What do you call 'em?"

Chuck's nose scrunched and he said, "Shanks, I think. At least, that's what I hear people say. But anyway, I have to show you the Glade." He jogged over to the knot of hammocks and I followed him, still limping.

As we neared the hammocks, Chuck stopped and jerked his head toward the one to the left of us. "That'll be yours," he said, dropping the food into the one next to mine. "Zart sleeps there, and Oliver there, and Mason there. Oh, and that one -"

A long, thrumming sound vibrated in my ears and a broad grin split Chuck's face. "That's the horn; time for the Bonfire."

Ten minutes later, I was in a circle of about forty boys around a towering pile of firewood. Torches were passed around until each person had one. Alby held his up and yelled, "Light 'em up!"

Cheering erupted as the torches were lobbed into the giant stack and the firewood caught. Flames sprang into the air, sending heat every way as boys clapped. Large jars of an amber-colored drink were passed out and the glass clinked together loudly. Chuck offered his glass jar to the boy next to him, looking a bit sick, and the boy eagerly accepted.

I looked doubtfully at the liquid, watching it as it sloshed around noisily.

"It's Gally's secret concoction." I turned to see Minho grinning with one of the jars in his hand and I frowned.

"What's inside?" I asked and Minho shrugged, still grinning.

"It's secret for a reason," he said and took a swig from the jar. "Go on, Greenie; it's not that bad." I tipped the jar back and swallowed the liquid, choking and coughing and sputtering as the drink burned my throat and I spat it out, tears starting to prick at my eyes from the fiery drink and pointing an accusing finger at Minho.

"You - stop laughing, you moron - you knew that would happen!" I felt an urge to slap him but pushed it back.

Minho was doubled over, hands over his stomach and tears also forming in his eyes, but from laughter. I felt my face flush and I clenched my fists.

"I said, stop laughing! Freaking bastard!" Before I knew what I was doing, my hands gripped the almost-full jar of "Gally's secret concoction" and turned it upside down onto Minho's head!

Minho's mouth dropped open as he stood, dripping and a look of utter surprise on his face. Now it was my turn to burst into a fit of roaring laughter, and before I knew it, his arm had reared back, preparing to chuck the drink into my face.

I ducked just in time and the liquid flew through the air, landing on a shocked boy behind me who in turn threw his drink back at Minho. But his aim was terrible and it ended up on another brown-haired boy.

Soon, it was a full-blown fight. Laughter and playful threats filled the air as the colored drink was hurled back and forth, sometimes even landing in the fire. But the flames just grew higher and higher, providing light for aim.

"Guys - guys, for real! Stop it! STOP IT!" Newt's thickly accented voice rang over the bustle, but no one payed attention to it. "Listen to me, you stupid shuckf -" His voice was cut off as a jar's worth of amber liquid soaked him and the entire Glade froze, fearful and waiting. Except for one boy.

Alby was bent over, practically howling with laughter and everyone stared at him before realizing that his jar was empty and pointed toward Newt.

The fight lasted for the entire night before we finally ran out of Gally's drink and Alby made us hit the showers. Naturally, being the only girl, I went first and showered quickly, borrowing some clean clothes from the boys. When I left the showers, the other boys went after me and I headed toward the hammocks Chuck had shown me.

I rested in my hammock, my leg wrapped in a cast hanging over. There weren't any trees blocking my view so I could see the entire night sky sparkling with bright stars. I saw Chuck sit down in his hammock out of the corner of my eye and slowly, the other hammocks filled up with the shapes of boys. Except one.

"Hey, Chuck." I pointed toward the empty hammock. "Who sleeps there?"

Chuck smiled and looked toward the bathrooms. I followed his gaze, noticing a boy jogging toward us. As he got closer, I squinted, trying to see his face.

When he was about five feet away from us, the stars and moon suddenly illuminated his face and I let out a small gasp.

"Thomas?"

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WORD COUNT: 1463

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From Wikipedia:

"Charles Robert Darwin FRS FRGS FLS FZS was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. His proposition that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors is now widely accepted, and considered a foundational concept in science."

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HI!!!! :D I'm pretty happy with this chapter cuz it's pretty relaxed, pretty fun. And hey! Thomas is here! We got to 130 reads too which is awesome. I noticed that I'm getting less and less reads each chapter, so is there any chapter or scene you want to read? If there is, comment or message me and I'll try to make it happen! Anyway, Vote, Comment, Follow, Share!