Never Going Back {The Maze Runner}

Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning feeling a little bit more refreshed. I laid in the hammock for a few minutes, processing the events of yesterday. My skin was itching with excitement to finally learn a few things about this place. I yawned and rolled over to face the rest of the hammocks but to my surprise, most of the boys weren't there. I quickly sat up and looked around the room, which looked different than it did in the moonlight. The sunlight shown into my eyes from the window. I got up out of the hammock and slid my shoes back on. Next to my shoes was a small pile of clean clothes, which I assumed someone placed for me. I grabbed the clothes and walked around the homestead to find a bathroom, which only took me a moment. I walked into the small room and locked the door behind me. I faced the mirror, and seeing my reflection was quite surprising considering I had no idea who I was. I had light brown, wavy hair which came down to my belly button. I had light blue eyes which had a hint of yellow surrounding the pupil. I stripped my somewhat dirty clothes off and observed myself in the mirror. My body was skinny, but clearly built with muscle, mostly in my upper arms and thighs. I pulled the light blue jeans over my legs, which surprisingly fit pretty well. They provided me with a plain grey t-shirt as well. I tied it up so it looked somewhat more flattering. I couldn't complain though, at least I finally had some clean clothes.

I walked out of the bathroom and homestead to see all the boys at work. Some handling the crops, some chopping wood, and multiple other tasks. A boy about my age with blond sandy hair came up behind me, wearing a big smile. "Mornin' Greenie." Said the boy with a British accent. "I'm Newt." I turned around and smiled back at him, not knowing what in the world a 'greenie' was.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm... uh..." I started to say then stopped, not knowing how to finish that sentence. Newt chuckled at me.

"Don't worry about it, your name will come back to you soon." He said with a soft smile.

"Where exactly am I? And why can't I remember anything?" I asked while looking around the Glade.

"Don't worry, this is all normal. Well most of it..." He suddenly paused and looked at me in the eyes.

"What do you mean?" I asked still completely confused on the situation. He shifted, his body language obviously proved he was uncomfortable with the information.

"Come with me, I will tell you everything as I show you around." Said Newt as he started to walk. I took a deep breath and followed next to him, thrilled to finally learn what was happening. As we began our tour, I received stares and gazes from most of the boys. Judging by the community, I don't believe that they were familiar with women in their presence. I followed next to Newt, and tried to not let their gazes bother me.

He took me over to a metal lift near the center of the Glade, which was more like a giant hole in the ground. "This here is the Box." Newt said, shifting his eyes back to me. "This is where our supplies are sent. We also get a new Greenie here every month. For some reason the Creators sent you in the maze... still have no idea why." He told me as I tried to process each of his words, one by one.

"What Creators? Why are we here? Did you-" I was suddenly cut off by him.

"One question at a time, Greenie." He chuckled at me again. "First of all, the Creators are the people who put us here. We don't know who they are, or why they did it, so don't ask. All of us came up in that box, one month at a time, not remembering a shucking thing. Our goal is to survive together. We all have jobs around the Glade that allow us to function." Newt said as he took a deep breath.

"But what about me? Why did they put me in the maze? And why am I the only girl?" I asked as more questions came to mind.

"Does it look like I would know the answer to that?" Newt looked at me and I could clearly see he was becoming irritated. I shook my head and looked down. "You're one of us now. Tonight we're having a bonfire, hopefully you'll get a better idea of what we're all about then" He told me. "Now let me show you around the rest of the Glade."

"Okay." I said quieter than intended.

After eating lunch and meeting some of the other boys around the Glade, Newt and I finished up our tour. As we walked, he explained in further detail about everything I need to know. We walked past one of the four huge doors that led into the maze, where I came from. "Why can't we go out there now and try and find a way out?" I asked curiously.

"It's not as easy as that, Greenie. Our runners, who go out in the maze every single day, have been searching for two years." He said bluntly. It felt as if my heart dropped. What if there's no way out of here? "Our number one rule here in the Glade is that nobody can go out there unless you're a runner. Its far too dangerous."

"Dangerous? It's just a maze." I said.

"Wait here for awhile. Then you'll understand why. See you tonight greenie." Newt said as he jogged away. I stared through the huge door gazing into the maze, or what I could see of it from where I was standing. I had no idea what I was waiting for. I sat and leaned against a tree nearby. If there's one thing I've learned about myself in the short time that I've been here, I'm not a very patient person. I don't know how long I wait for, but eventually I see Minho and Alby from the corner of my eye, running through the maze doors into the Glade. Alby branches off a different way, but Minho runs past the tree I'm sitting at. He gives me a big smile

"Hey Greenie." He says, not slowing down for a second.

"Hey Minho." I smile back at him, not even questioning why everyone has been calling me 'greenie'.

"See you at the bonfire tonight?" He asks.

"For sure." I say. His eyes follow me for a second but then turn back to where he's headed, a smile still on his face. I watch him catch up to Alby as they reach a small wooden building that they then enter. I turn back towards the maze doors, wondering why Newt suggest I wait here. Just as I'm about to stand up and leave, a screeching noise fills the entirety of the Glade. I quickly stand up and turn to where everyone else is minding their business. Nobody else is reacting to the startling noise. I feel a gust of wind and I turn to face the maze once again. The door walls that must be at least 200 feet tall and made of stone are closing, which should be impossible. I stand in awe as I watch them come to stop. Footsteps creep up behind the tree I'm standing by and I quickly turn. It's only Newt. He sits at the base of the tree and I join him.

"Every night, the runners have to get back to the Glade before those walls close. Nobody has ever survived a night in the maze." Newt explains. Before I have the opportunity to speak back, he puts his finger to his lips, signaling me to listen. I look at the maze and wait to hear what he wants me to. A faint creaking and ticking mechanical noise is coming from whatever is beyond those walls. It sounds as if someone is dragging a metal slap on the stone, and chills cover my body. "Those are the grievers." Newt says. "Nobody has ever seen one and lived to tell what they look like."