The First Glader

Run

"Where you the first one here?" He continued.

"Yep."

"When did he come?"

"A month after me."

"So you were here alone for a month?"

"Yeah, and I had to build things to make things easier. I figured if someone would come after me, I needed to make sure the Glade was ready."

"So, you built all of this yourself?"

"Yeah, everything but the doors, I had some help with those. Oh, and that's a new roof. The old one collapsed, but I had help for the building too." I said, pointing at the homestead.

"You said that the walls opened? If that's true, why didn't you leave?"

"It's more complicated than that. I'll show you what I mean in the morning. For now, let's get everything out of the box and take you on a tour of the Glade."

I showed the boy around and showed him where he would be sleeping. "I'll make you a bed tomorrow after my run, how about you take over Alby's spot running with me tomorrow?"

"Where are we running?"

"You'll see. I'll wake you up in the morning if the walls don't."

"What do you mean if the walls don't?"

"I'll wake you up before then, so you can see what I mean. For now, get some sleep. You'll need it." I said, leaving the room I gave to Newt. Alby and I made the homestead a two-floor hut. There were a few rooms on the upper level, and a kitchen and a large gathering area at the bottom. I figured if we are going to continue to get people every month, we should have room for everyone to eat.

The blonde-haired boy and I woke up before Alby, who usually is awake before me. I woke him up 30 minutes before we had to leave to get something to eat before going.

"Woah." The accented boy said suddenly.

"What is it? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay. I'm Newt. It's nice to meet you, Millie, properly." I laughed a little. I was surprised by how energetic he sounded.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Newt, properly." He held out his hand, and I shook it, still laughing a little. "Now that introductions are over, how about I get us some food."

"That would be great." I made some eggs and toast and put them on two plates.

"Alright, let's eat and get ready." I gave Newt his fork, and we sat at one of the tables in the homestead.

"So, Millie, are you going to tell me where we are going now?"

"You shuckface, you make breakfast without me?" Alby said from the top of the stairs.

"Slim it Alby the Greenie needed to be fed before you today, we have a long journey today."

"Millie?" Newt asked softly. He moved beside me after I nodded. "What does 'shuck head' and 'slim it' mean?" He whispered. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Shuckface kind of means blubbering idiot, and slim it means shut up."

"So why do you say that instead of what people would normally say?"

"Well, you're a great example as to why we say it. It's confusing."

"Really, that's all?"

"Well, not really. I figured why not make our language if we are in our own land?"

"So... It's a language your making up, and it just so happens to be confusing?"

"Exactly. Now, finish and wash your plate. I made some sandwiches for later. We won't be back for a couple of hours. I'll meet you at the gardens after we finish." Newt nodded and did what I told him. I finished my eggs and did the same thing, except I went to my room to grab my watch. I forgot to put it on when I woke up.

He's not all that bad. Not nearly as bad as Alby was. I shook my head as I tried to put my watch on. Naturally, I couldn't. I never really could after people started coming to the Glade. My hands never stop shaking. It's like I'm anxious or something. I held the watch in my hand as I made my way to the garden where Newt met me. When I got there, I walked straight up to him.

"Hey, erm, do you mind?" I said, holding up the watch in my hand.

"Of course not." He said, shaking his head a little. He took the watch out of my right hand and picked up my left. Then continued putting the watch on. When he finished, he kept my wrist in his hand. I looked up at him and smiled.

"You can take your hand off of me now," I said the same way I had to Alby on his first day. But Newt just kept starring at me. I narrowed my eyes and furrowed my brows while also tilting my head a little. "Newt, take your hand off me before I cut it off." "And try to keep up," I said the second Newt took his hand off me.

"Why whats-" I looked at my watch just before he got interrupted by the walls. "What's that sound?" Newt asked

"That sound is the Maze." I pointed to the doors opening on all four walls.

"And as for my question, the one I've been asking all night, where are we going?"

"I told you, you'll see. Now, keep up." I said as I started running towards the Maze. I had our sandwiches in my bag, along with a cantine of water and a knife. Although we won't be going anywhere, Alby and I haven't gone.

"If I die, I'm going to kill you,"

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I will."

"Newt, You're not going to die. Trust me, so long as I'm out here, no one dies. No, one gets hurt unless it's me, and the only way that happens is if I'm saving one of you idiots." We got to the edge of the Maze, and Newt stopped. I turned around for a second, just barely looking over my shoulder, a big smile across my face. The second my smile dropped, I started running.

Newt was fast, faster than Alby. I was impressed by his speed. We ran for about an hour before we got to the furthest point Alby and I had gotten to. It usually takes longer to get here, considering I have to slow down for Alby.

"I guess I was wrong, Greenie."

"About what?"

"You've impressed me. I thought we wouldn't get to where Alby and I left off yesterday, but we did. And I'll actually have to use my knife."

"Why...What are you going to do with it?"

"Cut vines of course. I haven't figured out a better way to track where I'm going yet. And after two days, I know the course. But until I have the right path memorized, I need the vines."

We ran for another hour or two before stopping again to eat. When we finished we started heading back. There wasn't much else we could do. We had just enough time to get back to the Glade, so that's what we did.

After a couple of weeks, Newt was getting on my nerves. He wanted to run alone. Which, I know I did when I first got here, but I still didn't think it was a good idea. He was my best friend, Alby was helpful around the Glade, but he didn't run anymore. I told him he was better off staying here because Newt and I were faster than him.

I felt bad, but it was true. Even though Ably was making food, and taking care of the Glade like I had done when I was here alone. It wasn't enough. I needed more people. To run, and to be in the Glade.

~~~

It's been 11 months since I arrived. The glade has grown so much since then. We added a watch tower, everyone that comes up in the box has added their name to the wall and the ticks on the wall have wildly grown. A whopping 325 days.

A total of 10 boys have arrived. Eight since Newt. I got together some of those boys to run the Maze. The first of the boys to be specific. All but Alby. He is needed here. The rest of the boys I have helping out around the glade but I've been thinking about where people should go.

Now that Newt is training the boys, I have time to take care of things around the Glade. He's annoying at times, but I've grown to like him. Although, weird things have been happening. That isn't the important thing right now though. I need to figure out how the accident happened.