Part 2: The Maze

Chapter 5

The ringing sounds like it's coming from the Box. I run over to it. The Box was gone. I didn't even know that it could leave. If I had known that the Box was going to leave then I would've climbed inside. It sounds too easy though. I look down the hole where the Box once was. It's very dark and it looks like it goes a long way down. There's a rope in the weapons basement. I wonder if I could repel down the empty hole. I bit my bottom lip. If there were other people here then I would do it. I just need to make sure my rope doesn't break or come loose at the top. Then I would plunge to my death. But if someone was holding the rope then I could go down without worrying. I sigh. Who else would come up here? I'm stupid to think other people will come.

I decide to take a break for the rest of the day. It's starting to get late so I start walking across the Glade to the bathroom. Then the ringing fills my ears again. What the hell? I run back over to the Box. I think the Box is coming back up. Maybe I'm getting more supplies. The Box arrives and the doors open. I gasp.

Inside the Box were the different boxes of stuff. But in the middle were 5 boys. They were scared to death. I start trying to calm them down.

"Hey it's ok. You're alright now. Hi. I'm Maddie." I tell them.

"Why can't I remember anything?" A dark skinned boy asked.

"It's normal. You'll remember your name in a day or two. It's the one thing I remember."

"The one thing?" A lighter skinned boy asked.

"Yes. Here let me help you out of there." I say holding out my hand. I help the boys out one by one. Once they are out I notice there faces are struck with fear.

"What is this place?" The dark skinned boy asked.

"I call this place the Glade."

"Ok but I meant the walls."

"I don't really know how to put this but behind those walls is a Maze. There is 1 door on each wall." I explained.

"I'm going out there." Another light skinned boy said.

"No!"

"Why not?"

"The doors will close any minute and it's dangerous out there. Trust me. You don't want to be stuck out there at night." I said. The boy shrugged and started running to one of the doors.

"Stop! Don't go out there!" I screamed. The other boys didn't run. They just stood there. They could hear the fear in my voice. But that one boy kept running. He ran right into the Maze. There's nothing I could do now. The boom sounded and the doors started closing. The white boy never came back through. The doors were completely closed now. Maybe I'll know for sure now if something is out there. If that boy comes back alive then there's nothing to be afraid of. If he doesn't then that proves my theory on what's out there. I turn back to the 4 boys that are left.

"Ok listen closely. There's only 3 rules here. No one is allowed to go out into the Maze. No one is allowed to harm each other. And everyone will have a job to do. I expect you boys to listen to everything I tell you. I have been here longer than you so I know how this place works. If you don't want to listen then be my guest and go out into the Maze." I finish explaining and the boys nod their heads.

"Ok that's enough for now. I put 10 hammocks up over there so pick one. That's your bed. I'm currently working on a second floor for the Homestead. There will be bedrooms in there but the bottom floor is for medical emergencies. However I have chosen to sleep in one of those beds but like I said I'm working on getting bedrooms for us so be patient. If any of you can build then the bedrooms can get built faster..." I continue explaining about the bathrooms, livestock, kitchen, barn, and gardens. I leave out the weapons basement. I don't want anyone going down there til I can trust them. I dismissed the boys.

"I'll see y'all in the morning. Goodnight." I tell them. They said goodnight in return then headed off to the bathrooms and hammocks. I'll unload the boxes tomorrow.

Before I went to bed I covered up the trapdoor that leads to the weapons basement with a rug so it's out of sight. I laid down in the bed. I can't believe there's more people here now. But it's all boys. Why am I the only girl? Will more boys come up? Will a girl come up? Do they only come up once a month? I sigh and roll over. This situation has just gotten more complicated.

I'm about to fall asleep when I hear the disturbing screeching. Followed by that was a blood curdling scream. That scream belonged to the boy that ran into the Maze. The screaming was cut off. Oh no. I was right. There is something out there. Something is lurking in the Maze. What if it got in here? I shudder at that thought. I need to find a way out of here. The Maze is the only answer. I've explored every part of this Glade and the only exit is the Maze. All Mazes have an exit. It's time to go out and explore. If there's an exit I'm going to find it.

Where would I go after I escape this place? Do I have a family? Do I have a home? Would I get all my memories back? I hope I do. I can't live my life without my memories. I turn back over and try to go to sleep but I can still hear that poor boy's screams in my head.