Run || Thomas

Chapter Two

As Thomas leads me to an old looking building that looks it's about to fall over, I look around and survey my surroundings.

"What is this place?" I ask softly. "This building is called the homestead, this is where we sleep and take our breaks when we're given one." Thomas explains and I nod. "And to awnser to your question about this place, it's called the Glade. I know you don't know what that means but this is going to be your home." He explains.

Once he set up my 'bed', it's just a sheet tied to a post on each end, he turns to me sharply causing me to jump back a little bit. He looks me up and down and then just stares at my face.

"What?" I ask but he just keeps staring. "How do you know me?" He asks quietly, almost in fear that someone will hear. "I told you, I know you from somewhere I just don't know where or when." I state. "Please, if you remember anything about me or where any of us came from tell me. Not Newt, not Minho, and defiantly not Gally, or Alby." He says. "I don't even know the last two names you said so don't worry about that." I say all of a sudden really confused.

"Who is Alby anyway?"I ask. "Well, he's the leader. That's what everyone calls him, you'll get used to everything sooner or later." He explains and I nod.

"So what are runners?" I ask and he gets really stiff. "The runners are the ones that go out in the maze right when the doors open and come back before the walls close." He says looking that the wall. "What? Why would they go back into that thing? It's impossible!" I say a little to loudly for his liking. "Hey, keep it quiet!" He tells me and puts a hand over my mouth. I nod and look at him weirdly.

"Sorry, I'm not supposed to be telling you everything. That's Alby's job." Thomas explains. "Yes, yes it is. Why the hell are you telling the greenie about the runners you shank?" A guy says behind me and I jump about a foot in the air. The guy behind me chuckles softly and I immediately feel embarrassed. "Sorry Alby, didn't mean anything by it, she just wanted to know." Thomas says. "Yeahs you wanted to know to but I didn't hear Chuck yapping away about runners to you the first day you got here, and that says something." He says and I turn around.

Alby, apperantly is a little taller then Thomas and darker skin. He has a tough look on his face, probably from Thomas telling me about the runners, but I don't see what's the big problem with that. He has a muscular build and he could probably beat me in a fight any day, Thomas wouldn't have a chance either.

"I don't see what the problem is." I say and Alby looks at me. "Listen here you shank, you don't talk to your leader like that and you do not argue with me about jobs. I give you your job, Thomas here is being a runner. I didn't want him to be but Newt, and Minho were practically begging me to. You're not going to be so lucky with your job. No one will tell me you deserve a job as a respected runner, and I am the keeper of everyone. Now come on, follow me, I'm giving you the grand tour." He says and walks away. I run to keep up with him, my breath not even ragged when I reach him.

"All you'll need to know are the rules okay?" Alby asks at the end of the tour. I've seen everything, even into the woods but not that far before he turned back and almost left me there. "And what are the rules?" I ask looking at him. "Thought I said no talking until after I told you everything you needed to know." He said turning on me quickly. "You're right, shouldn't have said that." I say a little bitter, hoping that he'll catch my tone.

"Well, if you have that tone you're the biggest shuck I've ever seen, and you're not going to last long." He says stepping closet to me. "Oh and I can't handle myself after I woke up in the maze." I say leaning back and crossing my arms. "That's it you shank, go talk to Newt. He's over in the fields. Don't come crying to me though." He says and storms off. I scoff at his reaction and start walking back to the fields.

Newt I guess, looks up at me as I walk up. "Let me guess, you pissed Alby off and now he sent you over to me for me to deal with." He says before I was Ably to say anything. "How'd you know?" I ask looking around the field. "Happens a lot actually, don't worry about it though I'm much nicer and I'll awnser all your questions." He says putting down his shovel and wiping his hands off on his pants.

"Okay, so where did he leave off?" Newt asks and I tell him everything Alby showed me. "Well, you didn't see one thing that's a bit important. Come on, follow me." He says and starts walking towards a wall. I follow closely behind him.

"This is where we put all of our names." Newt explained as we reached a wall. I nod and walk up to it seeing that every boy has engraved his name in it. Some names were scratched out and I look back at Newt. "Why are some of the names scratched out?" I ask and he looks at the wall. "Well there were some problems, a lot of problems a little over a year and a half ago. We lost a lot of guys but we still got a guy every month. It was weird, it was like it was planned. All the death was planned, it seemed like it was a system." Newt said looking at the wall and all of the scratched out names on it. "Has Alby always been the leader?" I ask looking at his name. "Yes, me, Minho, and Alby were the first gladers three years ago." Newt explained and I look at Minho's name.

"What are runners?" I ask. "Why do you ask that?" Newt asks leaning agianst the wall. "Because I'm intrested and as soon as I described where I woke up, he looked at some people and said runners, map room now, or something like that anyway." I say and look at him. "Well, Minho is the keeper of the runners and that's why he said that." He said and I looked at him. "That didn't awnser my question Newt." I say crossing my arms across my chest. "You really don't give up do you?" He asked and I shake my head. "I know one thing, I'm very stubborn." I say and he nods. "Of course you are." He says and looks at the wall. "Stop avoiding the question Newt." I protest and he looks at me. "Okay, okay!" He says and looks at me. I look at him. "Runners are the people who try and find a way out of this place." He says. "Wait, there's a way out?" I ask leaning forward. "I actually don't know, I've been here three years and we still haven't found a way out." He said and looked around.

I lean against the wall as Newt walks away and back to his job. I think about when I woke up and when I got here. It's hard to believe that was just a couple hours ago. Suddenly a name jumps into my head. Amelia. I immediately stand straight as the name echos through my head. Amelia. Amelia, that must be my name.

I start running towards the homestead, looking for Newt, Minho, or Thomas. Anyone I knew I could talk to. "Thomas!" I say as I see him sitting in his bed. He looks up at me and stands up. "Are you okay?" He asks and I nod. "Amelia." I say breathlessly and smile. "What? Who's Amelia?" He asks. "I am! My name is Amelia!" I say smiling wider. His eyes widen and he smiles. "Come on, we need to find Alby!" He says taking my hand and dragging me with him.

"Alby!" He calls as we run towards him. "What?" He asks coldly. "Amelia, my name is Amelia." I say and he looks at me. "Go get Gally so she can carve her name into the wall." He says nodding and walks away. "Gally, who's Gally?" I ask and look at Thomas. "Someone you're not going to be to fond of." Thomas says and walks back to the homestead.