Chapter 1

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This book is written from Newt's POV

Chapter 1

Before y/n came up in the Box, my world was black and white. For most of the other Gladers, things are the same. One of the only things we know about the bloody world we live in, one of the only things we remember, is that we can only see color when we find our soulmate. A few guys came up with their colors already. Most of those became Keepers. They had more trouble adjusting to life here. I understand it. They're missing their soulmates... even if they can't remember them.

My name's Newt. At least, I assume it is. Awful strange name, though. It's the only thing I remember. I'm using this tape recorder we found in one of the Box's supplies shipments. It had a note; the Creators wanted someone to document what life is like here. Alby gave it to me. Said talking about things might help. Not sure I believe him. But I'd better give some backstory... I was one of the first ones up. The leader here, Alby, and I are good friends. I'm his second in command. I was a runner until... well. It doesn't matter. I keep an eye on things here. I also help with the Trackhoes. Something about planting and growing things makes this place less bloody suffocating.

We've been here three years. A new greenie comes up in the Box every month with supplies. The Runners go out in the maze every day, trying to find a way out. The maze doors close, and the maze walls shift every night. Clockwork, it's like clockwork. It always has been, for as long as I can remember, which isn't bloody long. Nothing changed, and I expected nothing ever would.

Imagine my surprise when it did.

The box came up as usual. We could hear it, but not the greenie, which was odd. Most of the time they're screaming or crying and Gally has to knock some sense into them.

Today the doors opened, and I peered over into the darkness. My eyes scanned the usual boxes, black and white, with WCKD stamped all over the sides.

"Where's the greenie?"

Gally jumped in, rooting around.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Gally called, hunting the no doubt terrified greenie like a sick child's game.

I looked away; I hated seeing the fear in their eyes. The bewilderment I could stomach, the confusion, the pain. But not the fear. I'd seen it in my own eyes too often.

My eyes focused on the walls, far off. The ivy growing along them was gray to me, but some of the seeing boys had told me it was green. I'd never seen green or, at least, I didn't remember seeing green. They said most of the plants were green. The grass, the trees. I'd like to see it. I'd like to see blue, too. They said the sky was blue, like the water. But why the sky and the water? Were they connected, like the plants? Maybe the sky was water too.

"Gotcha!"

I heard Gally yell, then a high-pitched scream and the sound of a body hitting the grass outside the pit. The boys jeered, pushing me away from the edge so, when I looked, I couldn't see the greenie.

"What do you think, Frypan? Looks like a cook to me!"

"Sounds good, I could use some help."

"Eh, I need a new Slicer. What do you say, greenie? Want to cut some throats?"

I still couldn't see but evidently the greenie had heard enough and took off running.

"We got a runner!" The guys went crazy.

There! I could see the figure's back. They ran away from the crowd, running faster and faster.

"They're heading toward the Maze!" I called an unnecessary warning; the guys were already running after them. But the greenie had a head start and was wicked fast. They were already near the doors!

"They're going to-" I froze, the cry dying in my throat. The greenie didn't run through the doors and out into the maze. They stopped by them. By the names, our names, the ones we had all carved on the wall by the door. Their fingers traced every name like they were looking for something... or someone. They stopped when they reached Stephen's name. It was crossed out multiple times; he'd been one of the first one's lost.

A strangled cry of pain and loss seemed to cut itself out of the greenie's throat, echoing throughout the Glade. All the Gladers chasing the greenie stopped. I froze. The cry died into sobbing, as we stood staring, chilled the bone by the grief that radiated from the greenie. I pushed past the others, who were staring at each other in puzzlement.

I reached down, touching the greenie's shoulder gently. That's when they looked up, their tear-filled eyes meeting mine.

And my world burst into color. 

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