My feet met the final steps of the ladder when the boys gathered around the lift. It's like an elevator that goes deep into the ground. We have no idea where it leads to, all we know is that it brings us new supplies every week and a newbie once a month. We've tried escaping through it by going back down. Let's just say it didn't end well for the boy who volunteered.
I was still running towards the lift when I could hear the trap doors screech open. Gally waved for me to come over then jumped into the elevator to greet the new kid. I hoped he'd keep up his end of the bargain, but knowing him, he probably wouldn't. I was only a few feet behind the crowd now. I pushed my way through their mockery and looked down at the new kid who tried to climb up.
"What do you think Marty?" Gally asked as he crept up behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
The boy made his way out of the lift and staggered around the ground. His eyes hadn't adjusted to the light yet and his hair was drenched with sweat. The boys laughed as he panicked and formed a circle around the poor kid.
"Guys c'mon let the kid breathe!" I yelled. The boys called me a killjoy but I still thought it was rude to mock a kid like this. They'd all been in his shoes before. I looked around for Newt and made my way over to him, "Can't you do something? Poor greenie looks like he's gonna have a heart attack."
The lean boy shrugged, "He'll be fine in a minute. We all go through this, remember?"
I scoffed and folded my arms continuing to watch the suffering greenie. He fumbled around with his legs like a new born deer and eventually stood up. He broke through the circle and started to sprint across the Glade. I felt bad, he didn't realize that there was no where to go. He kept running to nowhere in particular and his legs intertwined with each other, sending him plummeting to the ground. The audience roared even louder and I joined in so they wouldn't think I was persnickety. A few of us, including the Med-Jacks ran over to him. We always stayed near the newbies a couple hours after they arrive to make sure they didn't pass out or worse. The greenie had gotten up and the Gladers were just recovering from their howling.
Green bean was looking around, astonished by the gargantuas ivy walls that tower over us. He looked like he was trying to figure where he was.
I ran over keeping back a few feet, "Hey! Everything alright?" A stupid question for me to ask.
"Where the hell am I?" He asked.
I sighed, a little tired from running after him, "We'll answer that later. Do you feel dizzy? Faint? Nauseous? Anything?"
"Y-yeah, I-I guess." He was completely out of it.
I was about to ask him more or take him to the Med Shack, get him some water. But of course some of the other Gladers came over and shoved him away into the pit where we put Gladers in as punishment. It's a little stone ditch and has a cage-like top sticking up from the ground. I watched as two boys took greenie's arms and carried him off. Gally jogged over and stood by me.
"Why are they always so hysterical." Gally said, asking the second stupidest question of the day.
I turned to him, "Why do you think, shank? They're thrown into this hell hole, and it doesn't help when you scorn them."
"Jeez. You're no fun Marty." He said,"Wanna help me get ready for tonight? I'm making my secret recipe." He nudged.
I jokingly rolled my eyes and accepted the offer. Gally and I walked over to the common area, where most of the Gladers hung around if we weren't working. The pit wasn't too far from it, and most of the hammocks were we usually slept were stationed there.
I brought Gally into the med shack for him to grab any ingredients he needed. It was a strange concoction, but he only made it on special occasions. He took berries off the shelves that I gathered from the garden and the forest. Near the back of the Glade a patch of trees made up a small wood which we called the Deadheads, and for good reason. A small graveyard was made at the very back for those Gladers who had passed. Either heroically or just plain dumb freak accidents. There were no animals in there only some birds, but I could usually find some sort of berries and plants to use to make medicines and herbal remedies. I let Gally use whatever was left over, I was running low on some ingredients.
We went back outside and sat on one of the log benches. Gally and I laughed as he showed me how to make his secret drink when Newt came over.
"Everything alright over here?" He asked, fixing his knife into his pouch.
"Yeah, just getting ready for tonight." Gally replied, shaking the contents in his jar.
"Oh great." Newt said sarcastically. He looked back and forth between Gally and I, "What do you guys think of the greenie?"
Of course, Gally was quick to answer, "I don't know. There's something about him I'm not liking." I wondered if Gally meant he recognized him, if any memories were coming back. But I thought it was best not to ask.
"Have you introduced yourself yet?" I asked Newt who'd been looking at the Greenie and Alby, the first in command here, who was giving him a tour.
"Not yet." He replied, "Did you guys see the way he sprinted off earlier. I almost thought he could be a bloody Runner."
Even the sound of the word Runner, a hot sticky feeling crept its way into my stomach. It's been three years, and the Runners haven't found anything after sacrificing too many lives to the maze. At this point, I thought we should just give up on getting out and accept the fact we weren't leaving this place. But the Gladers thrive off of hope and I didn't want to ruin that for them.
I looked Newt dead in the eyes with concern, "Don't give him any ideas Newt." He nodded in condolence. We talked a little while longer until he left to introduce himself to the green bean.
Gally finally finished his unappetizing beverage and carried it with him. We saw two of our Runners, Minho and Ben come back through the maze entrance. Gally thought it would be funny if we offered them the drink, seeing as they'd be desperate for any beverage after running and mapping all day.
Minho and Ben slowed to a jog as we greeted them at the edge of the common area, "How was it?" I asked.
Minho wiped the sweat on his forehead with his arm, "Meh, just the usual. Nothing."
Ben was bent over with his hands resting on his knees, "Gally," he panted, "C-can I have some of that."
Gally handed the jar over. I did my best to not smirk and spoil the joke. Ben undid the lid and gulped a quarter of the liquid down before the taste kicked in. He quickly coughed and spat the saliva mixed beverage onto Minho. He kept coughing and wiping his tongue on his shirt while Minho swore at him. Gally and I were practically on the ground wheezing at the situation.
"How did you fall for that?!" Minho yelled at Ben.
"Well when you're dying of dehydration you're not exactly worried if the water looks like klunk!" Ben exclaimed, only making us laugh harder.
After Ben stopped gagging and Minho let it go, they jogged over to the Mapping Room so they wouldn't forget the patterns of the maze today. Gally and I didn't have much else to do. He had a bit of work to do on the Homestead still that was interrupted by the greenie's arrival. As we made our way over to where the construction was I looked back at the entrance of the maze. Chuck was supposed to be showing the greenie around, but instead the two of them stood right at the entrance of the maze. The green bean looked as if he were about to make his escape, which wouldn't have gotten him very far anyway.
I hit Gally's arm with the back of my hand to grab his attention, "Hey, what the hell is greenie doing?"
Gally looked up and squinted then his eyes widened in anger, "What the-" he started to sprint over there before I could even respond. I followed after him at least ten feet behind.
"Gally! Wait!" I screamed. But his rage blocked out my voice and he darted straight for poor greenie who didn't hear him coming. I knew Gally was gonna do something stupid. I was relieved when all he yelled was,
"HEY!!!" Until I saw him shove the new kid six feet through the air. As usual he had broken our deal. The greenie hit the dirt ground at full force and Gally stood over him almost proud, "We gotta stop meeting like this Greenie." He said.
The boy flailed around on the ground, shock taking over him once again. He staggered to his feet, "Get off of me!"
"Alright! Calm, calm, calm, calm." Gally said in his best attempt to not make a scene, as if that would help. Some Gladers not too far from the scene ran over to us. Chuck worryingly stared at Thomas but couldn't do anything about it. Gally looked over at me, all the colour in his face drained. I glared at him in dismay while the newbie was still fumbling around. Gally looked more scared of me than Alby and the boys charging over.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys?!" The greenie asked still recovering from Gally's launch at him.
Newt quickly looked over at me, the entrance only a few feet behind me, and then back at the newbie, "Just relax, alright?"
I was too caught up making sure Gally wouldn't kill the kid that I didn't realize I had only been a few steps away from the maze. A metallic whir screeched deep in my ear but no one else seemed to hear it. The sound of my footsteps in rhythm with my sharp breathing pounded at the front of my head. My legs ached and moaned and my eyes were sun-hot. Images of metal claws and shaky memories flashed in my mind's eye. The iron scent of my crimson blood staining the floor of the maze came back to me. The boys voices were muffled, yet I still heard everything they said. Alby was busy keeping greenie at bay when Gally leaned over to me and gently set his hand in the small of my back.
He leaned over and spoke gently in my ear, not loud enough for anyone else to notice,"It's alright Marty. You're here with me, and we're in the glade. It's just you and me and the gladers, safe within these walls. C'mon." Gally reassured me and talked me through my episode, he was the only one who could calm me down. He carefully pushed me forward forcing me to take small steps. Clicking of gears came from above us catching me off guard. I turned around to the direction everyone else was facing and caught a glimpse of the giant walls of the glade start to close. When I turned around, Gally quickly grabbed me by the arms but not tight enough for me to feel constricted. He carefully turned me around and made me take a few more steps away from the closing doors. The rest of the boys were too bewildered by the commotion in front of them to notice me, which I was grateful for. Except for Newt, he looked over once or twice to make sure I was okay, like the mother he is. I stood at the back of the group, a bit more calm now. Gally went back to where the newbie stood still mesmerised after the gates closed to get his snarky comment in.
Gally broke the group's silence, "Next time, I'm gonna let you leave." He turned his back on the boy and met with me again, and led me away from the gate back to the common area.