The Glader Girl → the maze runner // newt

prologue - wicked

"Well? Who then?" she demanded aggressively.

Everyone's gaze fell to the table, avoiding her patronising glare.

They all knew better than to protest against the woman that was the most powerful of them all.

"We need to send someone!" she continued.

The room stayed eerily quiet.

A girl with long golden hair didn't dare to move, in fear of the woman singling her out in front of everyone and making her answer the dreaded question.

She was beginning to dislike working here. It was tough, but she knew she couldn't resign now. They needed her, just as much as they needed everyone else.

"WE NEED SOMEONE!" the woman hollered suddenly, people jumping in their seat at the sudden outburst.

She was breathing heavily, glaring fiercely at everyone in the room.

The girl with golden hair was scared to breathe now. She could feel her heart pounding inside her chest, and was sure everyone else felt the same.

She didn't want to send anyone out. The odds of surviving were slim. It didn't seem fair to choose a random person and place them in a box with no memory of their past life whatsoever.

"Well!?" the woman bellowed. She began tapping her fingers on the edge of the table impatiently, waiting for someone, anyone, to answer her question.

She stood up abruptly in her chair, the chair swinging backwards to smash into the wall with a harsh force.

Everyone could see how furious she was. Someone needed to answer, and quick.

"Will someone..." She began, getting louder and angrier by each word.

"Thomas." someone muttered under their breath.

The woman looked up sharply, furrowed her brow and examined the person at the back of the room.

The girl with long golden hair felt her heartbeat quicken. Did they just say...Thomas?

"Thomas did you say?" the angered woman repeated firmly.

No one responded. Everyone's eyes remained staring down at the table. All except for the brave person at the back of the room who had uttered his name.

"Yes." the man at the back of the room replied with certainty.

"Thomas it is." she decided, her voice booming across all walls and echoing inside the girl with golden hair ears.

No, not Thomas! The girl thought. Anyone but him!

They'd already taken half of her best friends. Every time someone close to her was taken, it left a hole in her heart that could never be filled. It felt as if her heart was empty, whenever she thought about the loved ones she had lost. She had many deep wounds that would take a long time to heal.
She knew that one day, they would reunite, but it broke her heart every time to think about it, because she knew she wouldn't be able to remember any of them.

Her heart sunk to the bottom of her chest, but she couldn't argue. She knew disagreeing was most definitely not an option. If she'd even tried to say a word against, she knew she'd be sent in instead of Thomas. That's not what she needed right now.

The woman flicked off the PowerPoint presentation and left the room, the negative energy seemingly to have disappeared with her.

I don't want to work here anymore. The girl thought. What if I'm next? This job is getting harder and harder. All I'm getting in return is the closest people to me taken right in front of me!

And in a heartbeats decision, with a hint of regret, she decided the next day, she was going to run away from WICKED.

[A/N] OMG, first chapter, (well, prologue) I'm really excited! Can't wait to publish the next chapter (the first proper chapter) maybe in a few days. Please tell me what you think of this chapter by commenting, thank you! :) Be sure to add this book to your library so you can read the next chapter when it comes out! ;)