Only Girl. - TMR

Chapter Eight

The next few days passed without talking to Newt. I was warming up to some of the other Gladers though. One of the Runners, Thomas, was particularly nice no me and told me sometimes about what he’d seen in the Maze that day at dinner times. I was still haunted by my dream, but talked to no one about it. 

I was beginning to fall into the regular pattern of living in the Glade. I was doing a different job every day but so far my preference was still Med-jack. 

In fact, the only time Newt talked to me for almost a week was to remind me that the Keepers would decide tomorrow what job I would get, long-term. 

I was nervous the night before. I tossed and turned in my bed, unable to get to sleep. What if I got Slicer? Or Slopper? I liked Chuck but I really wouldn’t want to do his line of work. I thought about spending days on end cleaning up after the Gladers and shuddered. Eventually, I fell asleep, to the sound of the Maze shifting.

Wicked is good. 

Wicked is good. Lia? Wicked is good. 

 I woke up just before the crack of dawn, covered in sweat and shaking from my dream. Someone was whispering to me - ‘Wicked is good…’ and I’d seen bright lights and people wearing surgical masks. And, most frightening of all - the sensation of drowning. I’d felt it when I first came up in the Box and again now. I haven’t mentioned my vivid dream-memory from the other night. I know that it would just bring trouble and raise lots of unwanted questions.

I knew that I wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep until the rest of the Gladers woke in an hour or too, so I tip-toed downstairs and left the Homestead full of sleeping boys without being noticed.

It was only when I got outside into the frigid morning air that I noticed someone else was up. A few people in fact. I saw Minho, Thomas and Newt standing at the doors of the Maze, which hadn’t yet opened. As I was watching them, the doors began to creak open, making a huge rumbling noise that I was surprised didn’t wake the Gladers every morning. Newt hugged Thomas quickly and said something to Minho, and then the two Runners took off into the Maze. I ducked behind a tree before Newt turned around and noticed me. I didn’t want him to think I was spying on him, even though technically I was. 

He was walking back towards the Homestead, his floppy blonde hair being blown about by the wind. I pressed myself up against the bark and hoped he wouldn’t see me as he strolled by. 

‘I can see you there,’ He called out, without even looking over. 

Shit. I must look like such a creep.

I stepped out from behind the tree. 

‘You got me,’ I said sheepishly, attempting a nervous laugh, though it came out strained and high-pitched, ‘yet again.’ Ugh, can I just die?

He just shrugged, his eyebrows raised.

‘Uh, so what were you doing out there with Minho and Thomas? I thought they weren’t meant to leave for a while still,’ I asked.

‘It’s different today, it doesn’t concern you,’ he said coldly. Two can play at that game.

‘Fine,’ I said, matching his tone and walking away. 

‘We’ll decide what job you get today, Lia,’ he called out. 

‘Just don’t sabotage me,’ I called back, only half-jokingly, without turning back.

I sat outside where the Keepers were having their meeting. Chuck was sitting next to me, fiddling with the grass. I was beginning to feel uneasy.