Chapter Text
Nothing.
I couldn't recall a single thing. Not a name, a face, or a familiar sensation. There was only darkness and an overwhelming fear that locked my body in place. The floor beneath me shook violently, but due to my lack of sight, I couldn't tell where I was or where I was headed.
Upwards.
That was as far as I could tell. I wracked my brain, searching for any sort of knowledge I might possess to tell me what was going on. My memories were blank, a slate of nothingness within the recesses of my head. However, despite all of that, a word came to me: elevator.
While I remained oblivious to the rest, I knew that much at least. Although, thinking harder, I couldn't recall any elevator that moved this quickly and with so much turbulence.
As that thought crossed my mind, it jerked to a halt, startling me. I didn't have a chance to even attempt to process what was going on when the ceiling above me split open, revealing a blinding light. Ducking my head, I covered my eyes as voices flitted down, indistinguishable, but undeniably human.
The elevator swayed as something dropped down beside me. I peeked through my fingers, a chill running down my spine as I watched a person walk my way. They stopped beside me, waiting. Perhaps they wanted me to react, to stand up and greet them like we were strangers passing each other on the street.
“Hey, Greenie. Get up and stop crying.”
The voice belonged to a young man, maybe a teenager, but it did little to ease my growing fears. When I didn’t budge or respond, he kicked me. A sharp pain shot through my left leg. He hadn’t bothered holding back.
“Are you listening to me? Stop being a slinthead and get up!”
The boy kicked me again, earning a cacophony of cries from overhead. When he struck me for a third time, I grabbed his ankle and yanked with all the strength I could muster. He went down, sprawled across the metal floor of the elevator, and in that opening, I scrambled to my feet and ducked into the corner on the far side.
“Is your head full of klunk?” he spat, rolling onto his back.
I watched him closely with wide eyes as he got to his feet. He limped slightly as he approached me again, and his eyes burned with a fire that froze me in place. This time, he didn’t attack me, but instead, he reached down and grabbed my arm before wrenching me up to my feet. I winced in pain, but I withheld my complaints as he shoved me towards the center of the elevator.
“You…” The boy trailed off, the fire giving way to confusion. “You’re…a girl?”
His shift in demeanor caught me off guard, almost to the point where I didn’t quite register what he’d just said. I wasn’t sure why the fact that I was a girl was so shocking, but I was also slowly realizing that I wouldn’t get any answers by staying in this box.
As that thought crossed my mind, a rope dropped down beside me. Glancing up, I squinted against the bright light to see a group of boys surrounding the opening, and several of them held onto the other end of the rope. Knowing that this was my opportunity to escape, I wrapped the rope around my arm and started climbing.
Hands grabbed me, helping pull me up into the light. I flopped onto the ground, and the boys took a few steps back as they stared down at me. They were obscuring my view of our surroundings, so that all I could glean at this exact moment was the grass beneath my fingers.
“No shuckin’ way.”
“It’s really a girl.”
Panic flared within my chest as the boys muttered and gawked. Stumbling, I got to my feet as quickly as I could. My vision grew blurry as I spun in a circle, struggling to grasp the situation. Too many sights, too many sounds, too many unknowns, and it all left me breathless.
Utterly overwhelmed, I broke out of the circle of boys and ran. I hadn’t a clue where I was or where I was going, but I just knew I needed to get away, if only for a second.
Stone walls towered overhead in all directions, forming a perfect box. They were covered in vines and showed signs of aging, indicating that they had been there for several years. The area within these walls were grassy fields, dark woodland, and bustling wooden structures. Slowing down, I spun in a circle, taking in my surroundings. The group of boys jogged after me, elbowing one another.
“Your eyes are gonna pop out, Greenie.”
I turned my gaze towards the one who spoke, a dark skinned young boy who stood with his arms crossed. Judging from his posture and the firmness in his tone, I could wager a guess that he was in charge. “Where am I?” The sound of my own voice shocked me, but as much as that emotion suddenly hit me, I also found myself more at ease with the sense of familiarity that greeted me.
“Welcome to the Glade, Greenie.”
Glade. Greenie. Shank. Slinthead.
They were familiar words, yet used in a way that left me baffled and confused.
“And…where exactly is the… Glade ?”
The dark skinned boy extended his arms, motioning to everything around him. “This place is the Glade,” he explained. “And it’s now your new home.”
Home?
The term sounded foreign to my ears. This place felt the furthest thing from any sort of home that came to mind, but even setting that aside, I was crushed by the horrible realization that I didn’t know if I had any sort of home to return to.
And now?
Now I was trapped in a strange place with a bunch of scruffy boys that I couldn’t even be sure if they would tear me apart or welcome me with open arms.
So, logically, what did I do?
I ran.
Within these tall, stone walls were four openings, so I picked the nearest one and bolted. The boys behind me broke out in cheers and laughter, but the moment I crossed the threshold of the giant doorway, it changed to desperate cries and pleas. I slowed down, craning my neck as I glanced down countless corridors. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to their layout.
“Greenie! Come back, please!”
I turned around, watching as the boys gathered by the opening. None of them came any closer, not even the one I figured was their leader.
“Why?” I challenged, throwing my arms out wide. “Is there something dangerous out here? Or is there something you don’t want me seeing?”
The leader clenched his teeth, potentially biting back a curse. “You will die out there,” he warned, carefully choosing his words. “It’s safe in the Glade. Please, come back and let us explain everything.”
I let out a sigh. “You’re dodging my question. Is there something dangerous out here?”
“We call ‘em Grievers,” another boy chimed in. His voice was heavily accented, and he stepped to the front of the crowd, laying a hand on his leader’s arm. “It’s rare for ‘em to come out during the day, but at night, these doors close and they patrol around, looking for their next victim.”
Grievers.
Another word that, while being familiar, was used in a way that I didn’t understand. Either way, from the tone of the newcomer, it was safe to assume that he wasn’t lying.
“Okay, so explain it all to me then.” I waved my hand at them, motioning for the leader to speak, and I plopped down onto the stone floor where I was standing. “I’m not going back until you do.”
The leader let loose a real curse this time, a vein bulging on his forehead. “Slim it real nice and come back here,” he snapped, jabbing a finger at me. “We don’t have time for this. It’s only First Day.”
I tilted my head to one side, arching a brow. “First Day?” I repeated. “Is that some sort of tradition or custom here? What exactly happens on a newcomer’s First Day?”
He opened his mouth to fire back, but he stopped when the blond boy with an accent extended an arm in front of him. “Alby, why don’t you focus on having everyone help unload the supplies? I’ll look after the Greenie,” he suggested softly.
The leader, Alby, hesitated for a moment, glancing between the two of us, but he conceded with a stiff nod. “You heard ‘im. Everyone, back to the Box!”
Slowly but surely, the boys all drifted away, trailing after their leader. All that remained was myself and the blond that I would guess was another type of leader for the boys.
“So what’s your name?” I asked, motioning for him to come sit down with me.
The boy grimaced before plopping down where he was. “Newt.”
I let out a small chuckle. “What? Like a lizard?”
“Hell if I know,” he admitted with a shrug. “I just know it’s my name.”
He knows?
“Was it something you could remember?”
Newt offered me a gentle smile. “It’ll come back to you in a few days,” he reassured me. “That’s how it was for all of us.”
“So…no one here remembers anything ?”
He shook his head.
My heart plummeted. I wasn’t entirely sure why, but that thought drained any optimistic feelings that might have once existed within me. “And we’re trapped here, I assume?”
Newt nodded stiffly. “Normally we don’t tell Greenies on First Day, but…” He lifted a hand to point at the stone walls around us. “We call it the Maze, for obvious reasons. Those of us who were here first, we’ve been here for almost eighteen months.”
“And…no signs of an exit?” I whispered desperately.
“Not one bit.”
Eighteen months of living here without any hope of escape?
The idea alone was enough to start driving me crazy. I wasn’t sure what life was like before ending up here, but one thing I knew for certain was that nothing here felt right. One glance at the boys told me all I needed to know: they were teenagers, which meant we should all be in school, not trapped in a stone prison and forced to find an exit like lab rats.
Lab rats?
“Are you okay?”
Newt’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, not even realizing that I’d gotten lost in them. Clearing my throat, I sat up, nodding. “What else is there?”
“Well, let’s see…” The boy fell silent, mulling it over for a few moments. “The most important thing is to follow our rules.” He held up his fingers as he went through each one. “Never attack another Glader; nothing works out if we can’t trust each other. Do your part; slacking isn’t tolerated around here. Never go out into the Maze; believe me when I say you don’t want to find out what’s lurking in there.”
I couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Well, what if I already broke one of your rules?”
He gave me a comical grin. “Doesn’t count,” he insisted with a shrug. “Greenies don’t know the rules when they come up in the Box.”
“Fair enough,” I agreed with a smile. “I suppose this is the part where you drag me back?”
Newt shook his head. “Even though I’m second-in-command, I still have to follow the rules. Personally, I do hope you’ll come over here before it’s too late.”
I rested my chin in my hands, pursing my lips in thought. It would probably be most logical to listen to him, as much as I didn’t want to admit it. Footsteps echoed down the stone corridors, and my body tensed in response. Jumping to my feet, I whirled around, ready to confront whatever monster was coming my way. Much to my surprise, however, I was greeted only by two more boys jogging my way.
“Minho! Try to be gentle with her, but bring her to me!”
Newt’s voice startled me, but I recovered as the muscular one in the lead lunged for me. Ducking under his arms, I scrambled towards the nearest wall to prop myself up. My chest was heaving, heart thundering my ears as my breath came in rapid spurts.
“Hey, we’re just trying to help.”
I recoiled from the other boy as he tried to reach out to me, and I smacked his hand aside. “Stay back!”
“Take it easy!” Newt shouted. He was on his feet, still standing by the doorway as he warily glanced between the three of us. “Let’s all calm down and just…talk this out.”
Both of the boys who had come running out of the Maze listened to him, giving me space as I laid a hand over my heart. I wasn’t sure why I was freaking out so bad, but it didn’t change the facts at all.
I needed to relax. I needed to come back down. I needed to be rational.
A dizzy spell hit me, and I stumbled, falling to my knees. Voices called out to me, but they were muffled and indistinguishable. My eyes burned as all sensation in my limbs left me. No longer could I tell where I was, who was with me, or what was happening. Even though I knew, logically, I was on the stone floor of the Maze, my brain failed to comprehend what that meant anymore.
“Hey! Greenie!”
An inkling of feeling came back into my limbs, just enough to feel someone gently shaking my shoulder. I reached out a hand, making contact with soft grass beneath my fingers, and I forced myself to sit up.
“Take it easy. Slow movements.”
The hand remained on my shoulder, supporting me as I shook my head, struggling to clear the mist that clouded it. After several more moments, I came face-to-face with Newt and the two boys from the Maze.
“What…happened to me?”
The muscular one let out a sigh of relief. “That’s what I wanna know.”
“You started buggin’ out and then collapsed!” the other one said, his eyes wide.
“How are you feeling?” Newt cut in.
Lifting a hand to my head, I shrugged. “Like shit, but that’s not new. I think. Dunno, I think this is pretty normal for me.”
Newt gave me a weak smile, probably glad to not have the new kid die on him when he just promised his leader he’d look after me. “Do you want to lay down for a bit?”
“That sounds awful,” I insisted as I shakily got to my feet. “There’s still a lot you haven’t explained to me. Most likely.”
He chuckled, jabbing a thumb at the other two boys. “These shanks are Minho and George,” he introduced. “They’re Runners, which I’ll get into later. The Runners are the only ones allowed to go out into the Maze.”
Minho flexed his arms with a smug grin. “Go on, Newt. Tell her I’m a Keeper.”
“That’s not gonna mean anythin’ to her,” Newt said, rolling his eyes. “This idiot is basically the head of all the Runners, but if you ask me, I think his head is just full of klunk.”
“Watch it, slinthead,” he shot back, lightly punching Newt’s arm. “Don’t be late for dinner; I wanna hear about all the klunk I missed today.”
Minho and George jogged off, leaving me standing with Newt. Clearing his throat, he motioned for me to follow him. “As you know, this place is what we call the Glade. Our home,” he reiterated. “That big building over there is the Homestead.” Newt pointed towards a two story building that was a mix of brick and wood, like the boys had added onto it with some shoddy construction. “That’s where we Keepers sleep and hold meetings we call Gatherings.”
I hummed in acknowledgement. “So I assume everyone else sleeps outside?” My gaze fell upon the hammocks strung between the trees near the Homestead.
“Yeah,” he confirmed with a stiff nod. “Though…I figure we’ll probably give you a room at the Homestead.”
“Why is that?”
Newt paused, glancing over at me. “Well, I mean…” He motioned to me from head to toe.
“Ah, I see how it is,” I replied sarcastically.
“N-No! That’s not--”
I raised a hand, silencing him as I grinned. “Relax. I appreciate the thought. Honest.”
Newt gave a stiff nod. “Good that.” He led the way around the Glade, pointing things out as we went. “We call that little clump of trees the Deadheads. That’s where we bury the ones we’ve lost. Well, if there was anything left of ‘em at least. Then there’re the fields where we grow our food. The Track Hoes are the ones who work ‘em, and Zart is their Keeper.”
There were several expansive fields with rows of crops that swayed in the gentle breeze. I recognized a few, from corn and beans, to squash and cucumbers. Several boys dotted the fields with baskets in hand, harvesting the ripe vegetables. My stomach rumbled slightly at the thought of a fresh meal.
“That barn is where the Slicers work,” Newt continued. “They look after any animals we get sent by the Creators, and butcher ‘em when needed. Winston is their Keeper.”
Several names came and went. It was difficult to hold onto all of them, especially without a face to put to them, but I figured I would learn as I adjusted to life here.
“Gally is the one in charge of the Builders. They’re a bit of a lazy lot, but I think they just don’t quite know what to do with themselves,” Newt admitted with a shrug. “At least when Alby gives them a new project to work on, they get it done without complaint.”
“Are you sure you can trust their work?” I asked in a small voice.
Newt shot me an amused look before waving me down. I bit back a chuckle as he motioned to a small structure by itself. “That there is the Map Room. Only the Runners, Alby, and me are allowed inside.”
I cocked my head, intrigued. “So you have physical records of the Maze?” He nodded. “Yet there still hasn’t been an exit?”
“It’s pretty hopeless,” he said wearily. “But we can’t just give up yet. Not when newbies keep coming up the Box Hole.”
The expression on his face was taut, practically reeking of pain. I couldn’t quite identify the look in his eyes, but I had a feeling that, somehow, I understood what was going through his head at that moment. Instinctively, I reached out to grab his sleeve, gently tugging to get his attention.
“There’s an exit,” I swore, my tone wavering as I spoke with uncertainty. “We can find it.”
Newt smiled. “Thanks,” he murmured. “C’mon, let’s go grab some dinner. I’ll introduce you to our cook.”
Grateful for the suggestion, we headed for the last building he hadn’t told me about yet. Judging from the strong smell of food and the flood of boys going in, I reckoned it was a kitchen of some sort. Inside, there was a small corridor, and on the right side was what resembled a buffet line. Boys shuffled down with trays in hand, calling out and asking for whatever was on the other side of the glass.
Newt handed me a tray as well, and we joined in. A few scrawny kids were on the other side, scooping up spoonfuls of food to plop onto our trays. At the end of the line, Newt greeted the dark skinned boy across from us.
“Greenie, meet Frypan. This shank does all our cooking for us.”
While I didn’t quite enjoy the nickname I had been slapped with, I did exchange a polite nod with the boy in question. “Hello.”
“Nice to finally meet ya,” he replied with a wide grin. “Oh, and you can just call me Fry. Everyone does.”
With our trays loaded up, Newt led the way back outside. Several wooden tables and benches were set up, most already filled with boys as they laughed and wolfed down their respective meals. We headed towards a table that only had a small handful of boys and sat with them.
“How was First Day, Greenie?”
I glanced over, recognizing the dark skinned leader from when I had first arrived. “It was…fine,” I mumbled.
“That’s Alby, the one in charge around here,” Newt explained to me. “Your best bet is to listen to whatever he tells you to do.”
At the thought, I wanted to wrinkle my nose in distaste. He couldn’t be much older than me, if at all, but he was calling all the shots? If anyone were to ask me, no one here really seemed fit for that type of position. We were all immature kids, prone to make mistakes, and there wasn’t anyone to teach us right from wrong.
Well, even if that was the case, it wasn’t my place to argue.
Perhaps he just knew the most about the Glade and the Maze.
“What sort of work am I going to do?” I asked after a few bites of food. “Do I get to pick?”
“You’ll shadow the Keepers starting tomorrow,” Alby explained, his tray already clean. “Then, we’ll gather and decide what suits you best.”
Great, I don’t get a choice in the matter.
Newt cleared his throat, pulling my attention to him. “Don’t worry too much about it,” he murmured. “Just know that anywhere is gonna be better than the Sloppers.”
“Sloppers?” I repeated.
A collective groan went around the table.
“They’re our more… unskilled members,” Minho cut in. He was seated on Newt’s other side, mostly obscured from my view, but he leaned forward as he spoke. “Their work consists of cleaning up the bathrooms and the Slicer Hut.”
I grimaced, struggling to stomach my food.
“Don’t ruin her bloody appetite,” Newt snapped.
“I’m fine,” I insisted. “If I’m shadowing the Keepers, then I’ll have to see it anyway.”
Minho huffed, crossing his arms. “Speaking of.” He tapped the table to get Alby’s attention. “We’re short on Runners. Again.”
The leader gave Minho a troubled look. “Did someone else quit?”
“Teddy chickened out this morning,” he explained. “So nobody ran section three.”
“Section six has been unmapped for the past week as well, right?” Newt added with a huff.
I leaned closer to the conversation. “Are they dropping out because they’re scared of something?”
The trio exchanged wary looks. “I don’t think we should include her in this talk,” Alby suggested.
“Hey, hold on,” I cut in, grabbing Newt’s arm in case he thought about running off. “I’m already a part of it, so let me in on it. Is this about the creatures that patrol the Maze?”
Minho arched a brow at Newt. “How much did you tell her, slinthead?”
“Not much!” he insisted. “I didn’t even bring them up! I don’t even know how she knows something’s out there!”
“Actually…” I shrugged, feeling a little guilty for what I was about to do. “You did kinda tell me there was something in the Maze. When you were going over the rules.”
Newt went still, likely running back through the scenario himself. “Oh, klunk…” He dropped his face into an open palm, muttering more curses under his breath.
“Nobody’s perfect,” Minho reassured his friend with a hand on his shoulder. “So you made a mistake, and now she wants in on secrets kept between Keepers. No big deal.”
He really needed to work on his sarcasm.
Alby let out a frustrated sigh. “All of you, slim it,” he ordered. I figured, from context clues, he was telling us to shut up. “It probably wasn’t going to be a secret for long anyway. We’ve had two Runners quit in the past week because one of ‘em got Stung last month.”
“Stung?” I repeated. “Is that what the monsters do?”
A single glare from Alby was all it took for me to understand that if I interrupted again, he’d boot me from the table himself.
“Ruth has gotten better,” Minho argued, more to himself than those gathered. “Gave him the Grief Serum and everything as soon as we could. What more do they expect us to do?”
Newt shook his head. “It’s tough, but we can’t force anyone to run the Maze if they don’t wanna.”
So there is a job you can choose? One that isn’t forced on you?
“What happened to the backup Runners we had selected?” Alby asked.
Minho threw his hands up. “Shuckfaces refuse to show up. Always got some excuse that they’re needed for work with their main job.”
The trio fell silent, mulling over the situation with frustration.
“I can fill in,” I suggested, raising my hand.
“Absolutely not,” Alby shot down.
Newt was already shaking his head. “That’d be against the rules.”
“Your rules never mentioned anything like that.”
“The big three don’t,” he insisted with a scowl. “The other rules we have aren’t as important, so we don’t throw it all on you on First Day.”
I scoffed. “How generous of you.”
“Nobody is allowed to become a Runner unless they’ve been here at least six months and they have their Keeper’s permission,” Minho explained.
“Have you considered that perhaps those strict rules are the reason you're short on Runners?” I suggested. “Maybe you could at least be more lenient on the amount of time.”
Minho huffed as Alby firmly shook his head. “The rules are in place for a reason,” he insisted. “If we were to disregard one, then any Glader could argue against any rule they please.”
I frowned, not quite following. “The whole point of leadership is to make decisions for the good of the whole,” I pointed out. “And that includes rescinding or adjusting the rules set in place. No community will ever remain stagnant, so why should our rules?”
Newt shrugged as he tilted his head. “Greenie makes a point.”
“You can’t be…” Alby dragged a hand down his face. He got to his feet, giving Minho and Newt pointed looks. “Call the other Keepers. We’re holding a Gathering.” He walked away without another word, leaving me glancing between the two Keepers beside me.
“Wait, does that mean he’s considering my suggestion?” I asked.
Newt shrugged as Minho scarfed down the last of his food. “He’ll probably put it to a majority vote,” he explained. When he turned to look at me, I could have sworn there was a hint of respect in his eyes as he regarded me. “It’s not everyday someone is able to convince Alby like that, let alone a Greenie.”
“Ugh, can we cut it out with the Greenie stuff?”
With a laugh, Minho stood, looking down at me from over Newt’s head. “Until you remember your name, what else are we supposed to call you?”
I flipped him off as he walked away. He responded with his own vulgar hand gesture that had me rolling my eyes. “Honestly, I’d prefer being called Spot or Fido over Greenie,” I murmured bitterly.
“What’s with those generic dog names?” Newt got out between bouts of laughter.
“Generic or not, it’s better than this shit!”
He patted my shoulder as he stood. “I’ll come find you after the Gathering,” he said. “Try to stick around here or the Homestead until then. I still have to take you to your assigned room.”
Mumbling a soft agreement, I watched him jog off. It was then that I noticed something was off about his gait. When he walked, it wasn’t so apparent, but now I realized he had a limp.
For a moment, I wondered how he’d gotten it. Whether it was something he’d had from the first day he arrived in this place or if he had been injured somehow. But the longer I mulled it over, the quicker I came to remember that it wasn’t my place to inquire. If it was something I needed to know, then he’d tell me. Until then, I should keep my curiosities in check.
“Hey, Greenie!”
I arched a brow as someone new sat down in front of me. He was a tall and scrawny kid with a faceful of acne and dark, scruffy hair. Judging from his posture, he didn’t exactly look like he wanted to be here, hugging his arms close to his torso as his eyes roved about, avoiding me.
“What’s your name?” I prompted, waving my fork at him.
The kid flinched. “M-My name?”
“Yeah. That’s how introductions work,” I reminded him. “So, tell me your name.”
He swallowed thickly, dropping his gaze to the wooden table. “I-It’s Ben,” he murmured. “I’m Ben of the Builders.”
Offering what I hoped was a sweet smile, I nodded in return. “It’s nice to meet you Ben. I would tell you my name, but it wouldn’t exactly be possible without remembering it, huh?”
Ben cracked a small smile, and I was grateful my attempt at humor was enough to lighten the mood.
“So, which dumbass forced you to come talk to me? Not that I really mind,” I added quickly when his expression fell. “I was starting to feel a little lonely eating by myself.”
Ben glanced over towards another table. It was filled with a group of boys who were watching us closely, and when they noticed me looking, they instantly broke out into a bout of laughter while some pulled back their sleeves and began flexing.
I groaned, lips curling upwards in disgust as I turned back to Ben. “I think I understand, even without you having to say a word to me.”
“S-Sorry,” he whispered.
“Hey, don’t sweat it,” I insisted, weakly waving my hand at him. “Are they always treating you like this?”
He shrugged. “N-Not really…”
I didn’t buy it, but I held my tongue.
“Gally and the Builders just…don’t like being challenged by others,” he explained in a small voice. Ben hunched over even further, as though even just thinking about it made him feel inferior to the group. “Gally was among the first group to be sent into the Maze, and he’s been collecting followers ever since then. Most of his guys are the Builders who work under him, but his influence also spreads across the other professions.”
“And what if you’re a Builder who isn’t in his group?”
Ben grimaced. “We…get treated like klunk,” he whispered.
I wasn’t entirely sure what klunk meant, but I could probably safely assume it wasn’t anything good. “Try to hang in there,” I said. For a second, I considered reaching over to pat his shoulder, but I thought better of it. “Things may be changing around here. And soon.”
His eyes lit up at the prospect. Though he didn’t say anything more, I could tell he was doing a bit better.
Once I had finished my dinner, we bid each other goodnight before I made my way over to the Homestead. A few boys stopped to introduce themselves to me, and I did my best to try and memorize the faces and names. The Homestead itself was eerily quiet, save for a cluster of voices coming from one of the rooms. Light slipped out from beneath the door, spilling out into the hallway.
Against my better judgment, I leaned closer, hoping to make anything out.
“So you’re just going to trust the words of a girl Greenie? And for what? Aren’t you the least bit suspicious of all this?”
“Sit down an’ slim it, Gally,” Newt’s voice snapped. It was harsh enough to make me jump.
“Greenie or not, girl or not, she’d made a valid point,” Minho cut in. “We don’t have any hope of finding an escape if the Maze isn’t being mapped daily.”
The one that I assumed was Gally scoffed before speaking up again, “The whole thing is already mapped! You told us that yourself over three months ago. So what the shuck are you looking for out there, slinthead?”
“If we give up now, then we don’t have any hope,” Alby said in an even tone. “And if the Gladers lose hope, then we’ll all fall apart and everything is destroyed.”
Silence descended over them for several moments.
“The Gladers are aware of the risks that come with being a Runner,” Minho said. “We can’t prevent any deaths, yeah, but we can do what we can to prepare them for it.”
“Gally, believe me when I say I’m not a big fan of the idea,” Newt chimed in. “But it’s looking like we don’t have much of a choice anymore. If we don’t get more Runners, then--”
“Whatever.” A sound resembling a chair scraping across the floor rang out, making me wince. “Do what you want. You already know my opinion on the matter.”
Footsteps came closer, and I scurried across the hall, leaning against the wall on the opposite side. When the door swung open, I prayed I didn’t look guilty to high hell.
A tall, buff kid with sharp eyebrows paused in the doorway. His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say a word before storming off.
“Greenie?”
I glanced over at Newt, offering him a small wave. “You told me to hang around until the meeting-- er, Gathering, was over.”
He let out a small sigh. Newt turned to Alby, whispering something, before exiting the room. Closing the door behind him, Newt motioned for me to follow him down the hallway.
“Minho, Gally, Zart, and Winston all sleep upstairs,” he explained. “Down here we have Alby, me, Clint, and now you.” Newt opened a door at the far end, waving me onwards. “Alby’s already agreed to add a few rules in regards to you, as our first girl.”
“Oh, joy,” I said with exaggerated excitement. “Are you allowed to enlighten me, or is it still too soon since it’s First Day?”
He shook his head, a grin on his face. “Firstly, no one is allowed in or near your room,” he stated as he crossed his arms. “Secondly, no one is allowed to touch you without your consent. Lastly, we’ll let you request any supplies you think you’ll need.”
I arched a brow. “We can request supplies?”
“We found out a few months after we first arrived. Some shank tried writing something down and throwing the piece of paper down the Box Hole. The next shipment came with what he asked for,” Newt explained with a shrug. “We’ve been doing that ever since.”
“I assume they don’t give us everything we ask for.”
He chuckled. “Minho tried asking for a map of the Maze,” he said with an amused glint in his eyes. “That slinthead…”
“It was worth a shot,” I countered with a shrug. “Are you gonna babysit me again tomorrow?”
“Seems that way.” He didn’t even try to argue the “babysitting” part. “Alby isn’t confident we can trust the last Greenie to look after you.”
I nodded in thought. “I guess being stuck with the second-in-command isn’t so bad. I can put in a good word for myself and bribe my way into a good job,” I added with a sly smile and a wink.
“Alright, that’s enough out of you, shank.” Newt shooed me into my room, but the smile on his face told me he wasn’t even close to being annoyed by my comment. “Keep that up and I’ll assign you to the Sloppers.”
With all the dramatics I could muster, I clutched a hand over my chest. “You wouldn’t dare .”
“Oh, I dare, alright,” he challenged. “Now get some rest. You’ve got a long day ahead of you--”
The ground rumbled as an ear piercing scraping noise filled the air. I jolted, taken aback by the sudden interruption, but Newt didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. It went on for a whole minute before going silent again.
“What…was that?”
All the humor and amusement drained away from his face. “Those were the Doors. Closing,” he explained in a stiff tone. “Every day, at the same times, they open and close. When they’re closed, the Maze changes.”
A chill shot down my spine. “It…changes? Every day?”
Newt nodded.
It dawned on me just then why they’d been here for eighteen months without any sign of an exit. That was because, even if there was one, it was moving around constantly.
“Good night, Greenie.”
Newt crossed the hall and entered the room across from mine, leaving me staring into the darkness alone. Swallowing the bile that rose in my throat, I closed my door as well before curling up in bed. Tugging the covers up over my body, I struggled to relax as the reality of my situation hit home, and hit home hard .
If they hadn’t found the exit after all this time, I doubted anything would change any time soon. Even if my suggestion went through and they recruited more Runners, what the hell did that matter?
We’re never going to escape this hell…