Twisted

Chapter 1: Waking Up

I felt cold. That was the first thing I noticed. I blinked a few times, the bright light hurt my eyes. I blinked a few more times, and sat up, my hand held over my eyes to shield it from the light.

Once my eyes were used to the light, I took a quick look around. Getting slowly to my feet I turned in a circle, confused by what I saw. My forehead scrunched and my eyebrows knit together. Slowly turning in a circle, trying to register what I was seeing.

I was in the Glade.

No wonder I was cold, I was laying in the middle of the grassy field, covered in early morning dew and the fog still clung to the grass. My confusion only increased by the second. There was no one around. No Gladers, no animals, not even beetle blades.

The Maze doors rumbled open. I checked my watch, 7am. Right on time. Without hesitating I ran head long into the Maze through the South Doors.

Take the twists and turns with ease. Pushing further and further into the familiar passageways. The familiar ache in my legs and burning in my chest, the stead thumbing of my heart. It was all familiar. But something was off.

It was quiet. Too quiet. I didn't have a running partner. There was no heavy breathing beside me, or the echoing slap of their feet. It was just me. And even my noises seemed muffled.

But I pushed on. I knew I had to make it. Something was at the end of this section, I just knew it. The longer I ran, the more apprehensive I became. My stomach started twisting.

I made it through section 7. The walls were all back in place, the corridors were free of stones and debris. I flew past the rows of metal blades. Not pausing to look around or question my surroundings. Sprinting over the wall-less hall. The Griever Door slid open with a loud grinding, I slipped through, Thomas style and ran down the dark hall to the door outlined in light.

That was my destination. I was almost there. My heart was beating so fast and hard against my ribs, and it had nothing to do with the running. Sweat covered my body, making my t shirt stick to me and my hair clung to my neck and face.

I reached out a hand, pushed the door open and stumbled. I was back in the Glade. I skidded to a stop. Twisting around to see the door, but it was the North Door I just came through. Confused I walked briskly across the Glade to the South doors.

I repeated the whole process. It took me all night to rerun the Maze, through section 7, the blades, Griever hall and tunnel, through the door at the end, surrounded by light. Pushing the door open I ran through the North Doors into the Glade. I repeated this over and over.

My body stirred. I let out a small whimpered. Everything hurt. I tried moving, but it shot more pain through my whole body. I stilled. Trying to figure out what was going on. Why did everything hurt? Where was I? What's going on?

I tried to pry my eyelids open, but they were heavy and didn't move. I tried listening but all I could hear was a constant quiet beep. It was coming from beside me. It smelt like sterile, like a hospital or dentist. I was laying on something firm, but soft and it was surprisingly warm.

There came a quick click clacking, heels on a tiled floor. It was getting steadily louder. There was a click and the sound of a door and the sliding of a divider sheet being pulled back.

I must be in some kind of medical room.

The click clack of heels stopped. I knew there was someone close by, but my eyelids still wouldn't open. I tried to talk, it was only then I realized there was something in my mouth. I tried to spit it out, but it was stuck, it wouldn't come out! I tried swallowing the panic, but I couldn't swallow properly! The thing in my mouth went all the way down my throat.