The Glade

Chapter One

The rattling of the elevator/box/cage that I'm in is giving me a major headache. It smells like wet dog in here and I'm pretty sure there's no way out. I bang on the walls of the moving death machine and yell for help. "Hey! Anyone?! Help! Someone help me!" My screams don't do any good. The box is still moving. After what seems like hours, the box suddenly comes to a halt. And when I say halt, I mean it jars me around so hard I fall. My back is in sudden pain from the impact. I lay there for a second until a groan escapes my lips. "Bloody...." I remind myself not to cuss. There's no telling who/what is watching me through some weird camera or something. After a few seconds, I hear footsteps. I don't have the energy to stand, so I just sit up against the wall of the cage. "What the klunk?" I hear a confused voice say from above. "It's not been a month yet..." Another one says. Soon, many voices are gathering above me. I hear the squeaky door open and someone jumps down. "It's a girl" the boy says. All of a sudden it hits me. I can't remember a thing. Not even my own name. Out of fear, I jump out of the box and start to run. "Hey boys, she's a runner!" They all start to cheer and chase after me. "What are they going to do, kill me?!" I think as I look back at the mod of boys. I guess I didn't see the log in front of me and I trip. "Ouch!" I cry out in pain and look down at my bleeding leg. I'm wearing blue jean shorts, some black and white shoes labeled "converse", and a green shirt. I then look at my hair. I'm blonde? I didn't even realize all of the boys surrounded me by now. I was still sitting on the ground. After realizing I had a few features, I look up. "Hello Greenie" one boy in front of me says. "My name is Greenie? That's terrible! Why would my pare-" they all burst into laughter. A dark haired, handsome boy stepped in front and spoke through his laughter. "That's what we call the new people, I was one a few weeks ago." He explained. "Thomas" he held his hand out and I used it to help myself up. "And this" he gestured to the place around us. "Is the glade. You live here now." I froze at his words. Live here? Didn't I have a home? "Why am I here? Who put us here? What's THAT?" I looked past the circle of boys to a huge wall. It stood taller than the trees surrounding us there was an opening. I walked slowly to it, observing it. "That's the Maze" a blonde boy with a British accent spoke up from behind me. "But you're not allowed in there" he put his hands on my shoulders but I shook them off. "Why?" I felt the walls of the giant maze. "Trust me, don't" Thomas spoke up now. "No. Tell me why." They all looked at each other with looks of "should we tell her?" Someone else spoke up. "Grievers" a small, chunky boy spoke up. He stepped toward me. "Grievers?" I repeated the word that escaped from his lips. "That's enough for today, it's getting dark." Minho and a boy that they called 'Frypan' walked slowly out of the maze. "A Greenie? Has it been a month?" Minho walked toward me, looking at me for a long time. "No. It's been 3 weeks" frypan looked shocked. "What?! Why?"

"Nobody is sure." Chuck spoke up again. "She didn't come with a note?" I was getting fed up. "Okay seriously. What am I? A toy that comes with instructions?" I walked away, pushing a few people out of the way. Halfway to where they sleep, I realized I had no idea where I would sleep. I sat up against a tree. "Come on Greenie let me explain some things." Newt sat beside me while the others went the the center of the Glade. "Okay. Go" I looked at him and folded my arms across my chest.

He started out by telling me all of their names and jobs. He told me about how I would remember my name in a few days, but nothing else would return. He explained about Grievers, how the maze changes, and how only runners are allowed in the maze.

"That's a lot to soak in.." I leaned my hear against the trunk of the tree and looked at the stars. He scooted closer to me and put an arm around my shoulders. "You'll learn eventually" his accent was thick, he sounded sleepy. "Alby over there has been here for years. He was the first to come up, he knows this place better than anyone." He gestured to Alby, who was sitting by the fire with the others. They were laughing and talking and eating.

"So he should know the way out.." I looked at my hands in my lap. "Right?" I looked up at Newt. He looked back at me and for a split second, I thought he smiled. But I guess not. He didn't answer my question. He have me a simple kiss on the cheek and stood up. "Goodnight Greenie" and with that, he walked away.