Boxes [The Maze Runner ~ Newt] [BOOK 1]

Don't

CHAPTER FIVE

An odor began to linger on Marie after her hard work in the Gardens. The next morning, she awoke from a deep sleep. The work tired her out enough to make her fall asleep instantly the night before, which she was immensely thankful for. She wanted to stay asleep, however. Waking up was the most terrifying part of her day. When her eyes peaked open and saw the other boys sleeping in their hammocks, Marie forgot where she was and felt like her world was flipped upside down. It took a few seconds to realize that she had been here yesterday. She hoped the jerking awake in fear would end soon.

Today, she was working with the Builders and Bricknicks. From what Zart told her while they weeded plants the day before, the Builders generally weren't book smart. Marie didn't care about what the Builders were like. She just wanted to get her work done so she could have another restful night.

Marie headed to the kitchen to get breakfast with all the other boys. She made sure she had her knife on her before heading out. Frypan had made scrambled eggs and thin slices of bacon for their morning meal. It made Marie think about the Slicers and how she'd have to kill an animal sooner or later. The thought of it nearly made Marie lose her appetite.

She woke up a few minutes earlier than most of the Gladers, that way she could be one of the first to get breakfast. Marie seated herself at a picnic table outside and began to eat. More boys arrived, a majority of them thrown off to see Marie eating at an actual table and not her usual spot underneath a tree.

A tray was dropped in front of Marie, startling her enough for her to nearly grab ahold of her knife. She looked up to see Newt sitting down, beginning to dig into his eggs. The blond boy didn't greet her with a warm "Good morning." He hadn't even looked at Marie in the eye. Soon after him, a muscular boy with black hair sat down next to him. Marie had only caught glances at the boy. He was in the room she slept in on her first night, but that was the only real time she saw him. He never ate with everyone at lunch seeing that he was a Runner. Marie recalled the boy being called Minho.

"Just going to tell you now," Newt began, "that you don't pay attention to Alby today, got it? He's just any old Bricknick. It's Gally you have to listen to."

Marie furrowed her eyebrows. "What?"

"Alby likes to be in charge but he's just a Bricknick. He's one of my best friends and all, but he can't think he runs things around here. So when Gally tells you what you have to do to be a Builder or a Bricknick, listen to him only, not Alby. Get it?"

"Got it."

Newt nodded. "Good."

Marie turned her head to Frypan who was continuing to serve food to the Gladers. The girl turned back to her plate and the boys before her.

"His name can't really be Frypan," said Marie. "What's his actual name anyways?"

"Siggy," Newt answered.

"But he never likes to be called by that," Minho added. It was the first time he had talked to the new Glader.

"You just never bothered to call him by his real name," said a voice standing behind Marie.

She turned around to see a boy with shaggy black hair, sideburns, and sharp cheekbones standing before her. They boy looked like he had to be 16- 17 at the most. He placed his tray next to Marie's and sat down, joining the three of them for breakfast. The tall boy looked over at Marie and held out his hand.

"I'll call you by yours," he smiled, "since I hear you don't like being called Greenie."

Marie took his hand. "Thanks," she muttered.