Maze Runner: The Subject Experiment

5 ❀ New Rules

Alby led the way to the Council Hall, a large hut consisting of logs and sticks held together with rope. Inside, the floor descended in what looked like large stairs. A few boys sat on the steps around a flat quadrant at the far corner, one of which she recognised - Clint. Newt stood at the bottom, leaning against a wooden pillar that held the roof up. He was looking at her with concern. It was then she realised it must be obvious she had been crying. She met his eyes but quickly broke from his gaze, ashamed. Alby led her through the boys to the bottom of the steps. The interior was dark and only dimly lit with a few flames from the torches. She stood in the middle of the stage with Alby to her left. Newt stood at her right and kept his eyes fixated on her.

"Good. Now we can begin," Alby stated. "Greenie, these are the Keepers of the Glade: Minho, Winston, Clint, Siggy or 'Frypan', Zart, Gally, Billy and Benjamin. You'll get to know them all soon enough." The boys nodded in greeting.

Alby continued "Now we all know why we're here. The fact that the new greenie is a girl poses a great threat to order in the Glade. You all know how important it is that this does not cause the Glade succumb to chaos."

"Alby?" piped up a boy with food-smeared clothes. "Don't you think you're overreacting...just a little? I don't see anything wrong with her."

"I don't know Fry, she was pretty aggressive towards me this morning," chuckled Clint.

"You're right. There isn't anything wrong with her. But she could cause problems without meaning to."

A tall, muscular boy stood up. "Hang on there Alby. This might not be such a bad thing after all. Think about it, when was the last time we've had anything to compete for? She's not a bad sight to look at. Let's just say she might inspire some of our shanks to work harder, they'll all want to impress her."

"She's not an object to be won, Gally." Newt finally made some input.

"All I'm saying is we could use this...problem...to our advantage."

"Now hold on Gally, Zart what do you think?" Alby looked towards a boy with lemon-coloured hair and droopy eyes.

"Well we saw everyone this morning, gawking at her instead of doing work," Zart answered quietly. "She's definitely distracting them-" He looked at Gally, "-not 'inspiring' them."

"Yeah they act like complete slintheads when she's around. One of our slicers nearly cut his own finger off."

"Winston is right. She'll bring nothing but trouble. I say we throw her in the pit," Billy declared abruptly. 

"That's too far, I agree with Gally on this one. A little competition can't hurt."

"Thank you Benjamin." Gally smiled smugly.

Alby looked at the girl. She had no idea what to do or say. Soon the whole hall was full of the sound of loud arguing. She could barely hear herself think. However, she spotted one boy who was different. A boy with short dark hair and an air of irritation. He was completely silent.

"Everyone!" Newt lifted up his hand to ask for silence. "Minho, what's your opinion on this?"

"Well if you slintheads would let me get a word in you would all know my opinion. Thanks Newt, I was beginning to think I was wasting my time being here. Look, she's obviously distracting, but that's not her fault. We'll just have to keep her on a trial run or something and see how it goes."

"She'll upset the balance! Everything we've worked for Alby!" cried a dismayed Billy.

The arguing began again and Minho rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in exasperation.

Gally locked eyes with Alby and said loudly, "All we know is that she was sent up here for a reason. I think we all know what that reason is."

Some faces became confused, others looked at Gally in shock. The girl caught Newt's head snapping up in the corner of her eye.

He glared at Gally with intense coldness, "Shut your bloody mouth."

Silence fell.

The girl was far to afraid to speak. It seemed like forever before Alby broke the tension. "It's not just the Glade I'm worried about. For her safety we're going to have to lay down some rules. And one of them will be as follows: no harassment or relationship is to be had with this greenie. We don't know why she was sent here. Even if she was sent here for the reason you think Gally, it will not happen."

"And what if it is the reason huh? We're gonna just disobey the people who put us here? What do you think they'll do then?"

"I don't know. But I do know that what you are suggesting is wrong. She's one of us now, and that means she is treated equally." He turned to the girl, "You will sleep in your own tent, you will treat everyone in this place as a brother and nothing more, you won't go with anyone anywhere without supervision. Is that understood?"

She couldn't resist the opportunity for a sarcastic answer, "How disappointing. Relationships and love are definitely, absolutely the only two things on my mind at all times, especially in a situation where I can't remember my name." She rolled her eyes.

"I like her," said Minho with a smile forming.

"Who will be supervising me all day every day then, seeing as I'm not trusted to not go off into the woods for a snog?"

Alby turned to the boy on her right. "Newt?"

"You've gotta be kidding  me," Gally groaned, holding his head in his hands.

Newt looked astounded. "What?!" He shifted his gaze back and forth, from Alby to the girl and then back again. He raised his eyebrows, "Alby, you can't be serious..."

"I told you this new greenie would keep you busy. You'll be keeping an eye on her. Stick to her like glue and make sure she is following every rule. I'm trusting you with this. Don't let me down."