Welcome to The Glade

Chapter 1: The Box

She awoke inside a dark and small room, she had a pounding headache. And was afraid. She huddled in a corner. "My name is Erica." She said, to herself. Erica felt weak for being this scared, but who could blame her? The tiny room was moving upward, with a grinding and chilling sound. Erica tried to get up but, was pushed down by gravity, hitting her head against the wall which caused the headache to ache even more.

"Somebody, help me!" She screamed to no one in particular. She decided to man up and not cry. She felt along the walls for any signs of escaping the small room, but there was nothing but buckets, and barrels. A few bags but nothing was inside them. She sat back in the corner, and waited.

It was an agonizing 30 minute wait but finally, a loud buzz sounded and the rising cage stopped. The ceiling rose and light flooded into the small room. Erica looked up and squinted to the light. Once she finally adjusted she saw what looked like people. Voices came, whispers.

"A girl? Why a shuck girl" A voice said. It was male. Many of the voices where male. "Hello?" She said.

"Hi, like some help?" A boy asked.

"Yeah, but first where am I?"

"The Box?"

"Can I get out The Box?"

"Right, give me your hand." The boy extended a hand and pulled Erica up to reveal to her what looked like a farm. A large rundown building stood,a few animal pens, gardens and many other things. "What is this place?" Erica asked the boy who pulled her up.

"This is The Glade." She took another look around and about 50 to 60 boys surrounded her. "Who are you people? Who are all of you?" Her voice was shaky.

"Well, I'm Newt. The rest of them you'll get to know later. Now first things first, what is your name?"

"Erica."

"All right, Erica what do you remember besides your name?"

"I don't know, it's all a vague image. Death, and disease, uh something like that." She put her hands to her temples and squeezed gently. "All I have is a huge headache."

"Ok, you bloody shanks, get back to work." And they a scooted away to their jobs.

"Are you the leader of this place?" He gave her a gentle smile and put his hands on her shoulders. "No, Alby's the leader 'round here." A dark-skinned boy came up to the two and had a strange look on his face.

"A girl? So now there bringing girls." He scanned Erica up and down, making her feel insecure.

"Could you not look at me like that, please?" She said gently.

"Yeah, sorry. Newt, lets get going we'll give the shank The Tour later. We have work to do."

"Alright, Erica, don't go wandering off on your own. Um, stay by that tree for a while till I come back. Ok?"

"Ok." She said quietly. And the two boys walked away. Leaving Erica alone, not having the slightest clue as to where she was.

She sat by the tree and layed on the side of it, looking up at the pink flowers of cherry blossom. She probably sat there staring for 5 minutes till she dozed off. She dreamt of her life before now, the times of fear, running, cranks, The Flare, Pain, tragedies, having to lose her mother, finding out she was immune to The Flare, working with WICKED. Everything.

She woke up gasping for breath, she almost screamed but stopped herself, Newt was just now walking up to her, and it was becoming dark.

"Woah, you ok?" He said.

"Yeah, I fine."

"You don't look fine to me."

"It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"Come on, you can't keep everything to yourself, better to have someone help ya."

"Ok. I just had this dream about me and my life before ending up in the Box."

"What do you remember?" Newt said anxiously.

"Um, not much it's still kinda vague. But..."

"But what?"

"I remember killing my mother."

"What do you mean?"

"She wanted me to, I don't remember why, but she did, I saw that look in her eyes, fear and sadness." A tear streamed down her cheek at the thought.

"Oh, I see." Just as he finished the sentence, a loud grinding sound came and shook the place, and the four openings Erica had seen before were closing and making the loud noisy sound like stone rubbing against stone.

"Wow, the walls move?"

"Yeah, they open every morning, and close every night."

"Why?" Her eyes on the closing doors.

"To keep us safe."

"From what?"

"The Grievers."

"Is there anything else out there?"

"The Maze? No one is every allowed in the Maze at night."

"What happens?"

"Well, that's hard to explain."

"OK. This all feels like dream. I don't like it here." Her face felt hot.

"Erica, don't you worry. When I first came here I was just about ready to klunk my pants. But I manned up and did what I had to do." He touched her shoulder.

"Yeah, I won't worry."

"Yeah, man-up. Or at least woman-up." He laugh and Erica started laughing too. By now the doors had closed and now it was time for bed.

Once Erica was ready she slept outside, it wasn't cold or hot, just a normal temperature. After a while of thinking, she fell asleep.