Anna's memory

Chapter two

The morning didn't suggest anything to be out of the ordinary that day. The runners got out into the maze and the rest of the Gladers got to their work. Even Anna's spirits were higher than usual and she talked to Jane while working.

But everything changed in the afternoon. Anna had just been cleaning the goat pen when out of the corner of her left eye she could see a stumbling figure coming from the direction of the south gate. Anna turned to look and saw Marie. She seemed at the end of her strength and looked very pale. But why was she back so early? And more importantly, where was Sonia?

Anna's heart raced as she let go of her shovel and ran towards her, apparently the only one who had noticed so far. She ran quickly as possible and caught Marie just as she was to fall over with exhaustion. 

Anna held her firmly. "What happened? Why are you back so early? And where is Sonia?" She blurted out questions at her. 

"She......she got.........got stuck there. Stuck......in the......maze." She managed between breaths.

"What? What do you mean stuck? It's the middle of the day!" Her temper rising. 

"I...know.....but the wall......just.....just closed. We've....been running......the fifth when the wall closed behind her." She managed and threw up.

By this time Jane, Harriet, Beth and the others arrived. "What happened?" asked Harriet. 

"Sonia got stuck in the maze." Anna answered for Marie, who had collapsed against her. 

"Stuck? What do you mean stuck?!" Beth blurted out. 

"I don't know, she said the wall closed." Anna told her, her own temper raising more.

"Okay." Harriet took over. "MedJacks! You take her away and take care of her." She commanded. "Keepers to me, we have to discuss our next step. All others back to your jobs!"

"Discuss?!" Anna exploded. "What do you mean discuss?! We have to get out there now! We have to help her!" By now she was shouting. 

Harriet raised both her hands. "And we will, but we can't go out there with no plan whatsoever. We have to prepare." She reasoned with her. 

"But then it may be late!" She wouldn't let it go.

"You listen to me now, okay?" She told her putting her hands on her shoulders. "We won't let that happen, right? We will only quickly prepare for it, right?" She looked her deep into her eyes. 

Anna looked wide eyed, but took a deep breath, and after a while nodded, "right."

"Good that." Harriet said and turned to the keepers. "You come with me, quick!" She told them. "And you go back to your job!" She turned back to Anna, jabbing a finger at her.

Anna nodded and slowly went back. But when the keepers went past her, running towards the homestead, she quickly turned on the spot and run towards the door as fast as she could. Jane saw her from the corner of her eye and shouted after her. The keepers heard her and stopped, but by then it was too late, she disappeared outside. 

Anna ran as fast as she could and used what she knew from Sonia, trying to memorize her turns as best as she could. Left, right, then left again and one more, and right again. And also she marked her way through. Every now and then she cut a piece of ivy with the blade she always wore with herself, strapped to her side. She took a right, another right and then left, cutting of another piece of ivy. The maze wasn't easy, and it was giving her a claustrophobic feeling. The great walls towering above her, there being no other way than to follow its path. She had to stop and calm herself. If she continued like this she'd only panic and get lost totally, never finding her way back, not to mention help Sonia.