From Neverland to the Glade

Chapter six

Thomas leaned against the tree. I stood beside him. He scanned the Glade. I sat by him. "It's not that bad ya know." I said. He looked at me, his hard eyes softened. "A-are you the only girl?" I wrinkled my nose, nodding. He patted my head, I growl playfully batting his hand away, like Minho did to me. "Sadly yes, but I think I like it this way." I shrugged. Chuck came back a couple of sandwiches cradled in his arms, along with three metal cup of water.

"Frypan wasn't to happy about me invading his kitchen before suppertime." Chuck said, sitting down next to the tree. Thomas took a sandwich, hesitating. But soon took a huge bite. "Ah, man." Thomas mumbled through the mouthful. "I was starving." I laughed softly. "Told ya." Chuck chomped down on his own. I took a bite, chewing slowly. "What's actually wrong with that Ben guy? He doesn't even look human anymore." I stopped looking at him.

Chuck glanced at the house. "Don't really know." He muttered absently. "I didn't see him." I sat up straighter. "Well, you don't want to see him, trust me." Thomas said. "Tomcat's right." I muttered. Thomas cheeks dusted with a light pink. He looked at the walls. "What's out there?" He asked. "Is this part of a huge castle or something?"

Chuck hesitated​ clearly uncomfortable. "I'm, I've never been outside the Glade." He said. Thomas looked at him. "You're hiding something." He said finishing his sandwich. He looked between me and Chuck. I refused to meet his eyes. "Why are you guys so secretive?" He asked. "That's just the way it is. Things are really weird around here, and most of us don't know everything. Half of everything." I said softly. Thomas got to his feet walking towards the eastern opening. "Well, no one said I couldn't look around." He said.
"Whoa, wait!" I cried out to him. Chuck stood up running after him. "Be careful, those puppies are about to close." He sounded out of breath. I walked over to them. "Close?" Thomas repeated. "What are you talking about?"
I rolled my eyes. "The doors, you shank." I said crossing my arms. "Doors? I don't see any doors." Thomas said confused. "What do you call those big openings?" Chuck asked pointing to the enormously tall gaps in the walls. "I'd call them big openings." Thomas with sarcasm. I huffed a laugh. "Well, they're doors. And they close up every night." I told him kinda annoyed.

He looked up, side to side. "What do you mean, they close?" Thomas asked. "Just see for yourself in a minute. The Runners'll be back soon. Then those big walls are going to move until the gaps are closed." Chuck explained.

"Your jacked in the head." Thomas muttered. "Both of ya." I rolled my eyes again. They walked closer to the door. He gaped at the wall. "This is called the East Door." Chuck said proudly.

Thomas looked shocked. A smile graced my lips. He looked at the rods and holes in the wall. "Are you kidding?" Thomas asked. I hummed in reply. "You weren't playing with me? The walls really move?"

"What else would I have meant?" I asked. Thomas frowned his brows. "I don't know. I figured there was a door the swing shut or a little mimi-wall that slid out of the big ones. How could these walls move? They're huge, and they look like they've been standing here for a thousand years." He said. I tilted my head, amused.

Chuck threw his arms up, frustrated. "I don't know, they just move. Makes one heck of a grinding noise. Same thing happens out in the Maze- those walls shut every night, too." I turned to him. Thomas attention suddenly snapped to the boy. "What did you just say?" He asked. "Huh?" Chuck said

"You just called it a maze-- you said, 'same thing happens out in the Maze'." Chuck's face reddened. "I'm done with you. I'm done." He walked back to the tree they just came from. Thomas looked at the Maze, eyes flicking back and forth between the walls. "Looks like a Maze." Thomas whispered, almost laughing. I smiled, walking up to him. Minho rounded the corner. I smiled happily at the sight of my friend.

He ran past nodding to me. Thomas watched him run. The headed to the Maps room. Thomas stared, goose bumps covering his arms. Chuck came back tugging on his sleeve. I ruffled the young boy's hair. Thomas turned around questions rushing out of him mouth. "Who are those guys and what are they doing? What's in that building?" He turned, pointing to the East Door. "And why do you live inside a freaking maze?"

I cross my arms. The boy was filled with questions but so was everyone else. "I'm not saying another word." Chuck said authority in his voice. I smirked at the boy, his grown since I meet him last month, I'm proud. "I think you should get to bed early- you'll need your sleep. Ah-" He stopped. I creased my brows listening then I heard it. Chuck held up a finger. "It's about to happen." He said
"What?" Thomas asked confused. A loud boom sounded through the air like a canon, Thomas jumped back bumping into my shoulder. It was followed by the horrible, crunching, grinding sound of the walls closing. I have grown used to it.

Thomas stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. It felt like the whole earth shook. He looked around, eye full of panic. The walls started closing. I grabbed Thomas's arm helping him up. "Calm down, greenie." Chuck yelled over the noise. "It's just the walls!" I shot a glare at Chuck. Thomas to a few steps back, eyes gleamed with fascination. I tilted my head watching him.

A echoing boom rumbled across the Glade. "Wow." He muttered. I gave a crooked smile. "Ain't nothin', as Alby would say." I voiced. "You kind of get used to it after a while." I said. He looked around again. He looked fearful all of a sudden. I linked arms with Thomas. "Come on." Chuck said. "Trust me, when nighttime strikes, you want to be in bed." He said. I lead Thomas to the Homestead.