The boy climbs out of the Box and takes a look around. I feel terribly bad for him, as I know exactly what he's going through, as I just went through it a short two weeks ago. He's angry, confused, upset, sad, hungry, lost and above all...scared.
"Day one, Greenie." Gally says, slapping the boy on the shoulder.
The boy looks over at Gally with his eyebrows furrowed. He's about the same height as Gally, but Gally vividly has more muscle...not that the other boy doesn't. Gally just looks stronger.
Just as I'm about to say something to the new guy, he takes off running. Something I did not expect to happen.
"We've got a Runner!" Zart yells out as he and the rest of the boys, including Newt, take off after him. I follow after them.
The new guy is surprisingly really fast. He could be a Runner. That is before he completely trips over his own feet and falls, face first, into the green grass. This causes Alby to be able to catch up with him and pull him up, but still holding him still, making sure he won't run off again.
Alby goes into introductions, introducing basically everybody. Alby also mentions that he'll be taking the new Greenie on a tour.
"I've got to say," I say, walking up to the Greenie. "I thought we had a new Runner...that is until you face planted." I introduce myself. "I'm Brooke."
The new boy looks at me, still confused. "Runner?"
Newt steps forward, next to me. "Alby'll explain it all in the tour, Greenie. Don't worry."
And with that Alby sweeps the new guy away and starts taking him around, just like Newt did me the first day. The rest of the Gladers split off, finishing off their work or heading for the kitchen. I look over at Newt and Newt wraps an arm around my shoulders.
"I'm starving." I giggle.
"Well I guess we know where we're going then." Newt smiles, before throwing an arm over my shoulders and I take the hand that's on my shoulder in my hand. We both walk over to the kitchen where about half the Gladers are either sitting and eating, or in line for their food. Newt and I step in line and get handed trays. Frypan gives us both large pieces of meat with a side of what looks to be some kind of rice. We both find a picnic table and sit down, diving into our food.
"Why do you think the Box came up two times in a month?" I question, cutting off a piece of my meat and chewing it.
"I don't know, but it's got to be some kind of sign." Newt says. "Maybe it's ending... Maybe this means the end of all of this is over."
I look into his eyes which have hope flooding out of them and I can't help but feel the fear creeping into me. Why would I want to leave now? I have Newt...and I'm a Runner. What if we get out of this hell hole and Newt falls in love with somebody else...Love? Did I just think...love? Is that what I feel for Newt?
"Hey guys, mind if I sit here?" Minho asks, pulling me out of my train of thoughts.
"No, not at all." Newt answers. Minho plops down in the seat next to Newt and begins chowing down on his food.
Light conversation scatters around the table but my mind can't help but drift to what I was thinking before. Do I really love Newt?...Or is it just a strong liking of him?
"Brooke?"
I whip my head up and look over at Newt, who's obviously been calling my name for a while now.
"Yeah?" I ask.
"You weren't answering me for a while. Everything okay, love?" Newt asks, concern strained in his voice.
It hits me again. Did he just call me love? Why does my heart feel like it's going to explode?
Before I can answer Newt, tons of yelling comes from over near the door of the Maze. I turn around really fast and see the new guy running straight for it.
"Oh shit." Newt mumbles before he takes off after the guy, along with Minho and I and about every other Glader in the area.
Newt runs over to him, yelling for him to stop. Newt grabs his shoulder and basically shoves him back.
"Get off me!" The Greenie yells.
"Hey!" I yell walking in front of the Greenie. No one talks to Newt that way. "You just need to calm down, okay?"
"Don't touch me!" Greenie repeats.
"Look, take it easy." Gally groans over to the new guy.
"Just relax." I try to help.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" Greenie asks, his eyes looking crazy.
"Just bloody calm down, all right?" Newt asks.
"No, okay? Why won't you tell me what's out there?" Greenie demands.
I follow his gaze and turn around, staring right into the mouth of the Maze. The churning and whirring of the maze pounds through the Glade. I can feel the vibrations of the Maze closing under my feet, shaking the ground slightly. A gust of wind throws my hair backwards as the doors come crashing together.
"We're just trying to protect you." Alby's voice comes. "It's for your own good."
Gally laughs in disgust, "Next time I'm just gonna let you leave."
***
I step into the bathroom to just wash up. Not entirely take a shower, because the bonfire's starting soon, but just to like wash my face and such. No one's in here because they're setting up for the party. It's odd to me that they're having a party for this new guy but I never got a party...probably the shock of being the only girl. I walk over to the sinks and grab my towel off of the towel rack. I pull my hair back into a ponytail and grab a soap bar, scrubbing my face clean, before washing off the suds of soap. I pat my face dry with my towel before brushing my teeth and pulling the elastic out of my hair and running my fingers through it, straightening and flattening it out slightly.
I place my towel back on the towel rack and push open the door of the bathroom. I walk out and night has fallen. The moon is only a sliver in the dark night sky and the stars shine brightly down upon the Glade.
I walk over to the middle of the Glade where all of the Gladers are standing, each holding torches in their hands.
"I saved you one." Newt smiles, approaching me and handing me a torch as well.
"What're we doing?" I ask.
Newt's smile grows. "You'll see."
Alby comes walking out of the Homestead with a torch in his hand as well, but his is lit. All the rest of the boys gather round, with their torches pushed together and I follow what they're doing, sending confused glances over to Newt every one in a while. Alby finally reaches us and places his flaming torch onto ours, igniting ours as well.
"Light him up!" Alby yells happily. All the Gladers throw their flaming torches into the bonfire made of sticks and pieces of trees. I follow them, throwing my torch with a little too much force, into the already lit fire. Everyone cheers loudly and I get hit with the immediate heat radiating off of the bonfire. Newt's face is the happiest I've seen it since I got here, the fire shining through his eyes and the fire making his face turn slightly red.
The boys cheers get even louder when the fire bursts upward, sending my hair flying back. They start chanting something that I can't make out, but seeing everyone so happy makes me happy. A smile spreads across my lips as I look over at Newt who seems to have been put in some kind of trance by the fire. Newt swings an arm around my shoulder and pecks me on the cheek as a dark-skinned boy starts doing flips all around the fire.
"B!" Frypan's voice comes from the right of Newt. I look over and see him holding a mason jar in his hand. "Made this one specifically for you." Frypan grins.
Newt chuckles lightly as I take the mason jar from Frypan. "What is it?" I question. Frypan doesn't reply he just smiles wider.
I look over at Newt, uncertain, but he just nods and says, "Well, go on!"
I bring the mason jar to my lips, the smell of the liquid inside horrid, and tip my head back, drinking a large sip of it. The liquid burns my throat as I drink it.
"Ah!" I groan. "That's strong." I laugh.
Newt laughs and that's when everyone starts yelling "Cheers!" and clanging their identical mason jars together, taking more and more sips of Frypan's "special drink".
The fire is still burning strongly, sparks flying from the top of it.