Unintentional Subject - Book 1 In The Jessie Series

Chapter 2: Designers are Messing with Us

My watched beeped, letting me know it was time to wake up, but I had been awake for a while already. I don't need the alarm anymore, but it's habit now and if I don't have it on I panic. I finished getting lacing up my boots. The other girls liked to run in the sneakers that the Designers send, but I prefer my boots. Contrary to the opinions of others, I do change, I just wear black all the time, I pulled on a black short tank, and black fitted cargo pants, and shoved another pair of pants and a shirt into my backpack. 

It was all part of my daily morning routine, double check my backpack; one change of clothes, my notebook and pencil, water bottle, lunch, small first aid kit, small flashlight and batteries, a ziplock plastic bag with a few matches, flint and steal, a long line of thin rope, and the map of the maze, and of course the small little bag of my "girly" things; bottle of black nail polish, and the black eyeliner pence and mascara, (Some of the girls wore full faces of make up, why? Not sure, but when they started sending the designers notes requesting it and it was sent up, I snagged some for myself.) And the little container that contained the cup for that fun time once a month and of course chocolate. 

Now that my backpack was packed and I picked up my leather hip harness and buckled it up tight. I picked up the long knife from the bedside table and sliding it into the harness, and all my other little knives. I picked up my backpack and took one last look around, my room meticulously clean, the bed made, and everything put back in its spot. The only thing different was the tally of days on the wall.

The little lines on the wall had almost doubled. It had now been two years. I knew now there was no escaping the maze. There was no hope of leaving this hell hole. Harriet, Sonya and I decided to keep that to ourselves. No need to cause chaos in the girls. It was Newbie day. I hated these days, so I was going into the Maze early. 

I swung by the kitchen. Cookie was already up, her wild red curls pulled into a big messy knot on top of her head.  She gave me a small smile, and handed me breakfast. Taking it with a nod I headed to the far table in the back. The only girls who were up was Cookie, and my self. We always were. But I heard the other Mappers and Leaders starting to get up. 

I had finished eating and was refilling my coffee when Sonya slid up beside me.

"Morning Jess." She said brightly. I just hummed. I was always up early, but didn't like talking. 

"So, you're okay to go out alone today? Newbies lately have been a handful. Rachel especial last month..yeish! We will see what's gonna happen today!" 

"Trust me I remember." I grumbled. The stupid girl had taken off running for the Maze. 

"She's still scared of you!" Sonya laughed. 

"Good." 

"Well, the choke hold was a little excessive." Sonya gave me a cheeky smile. 

"Well she shoulda listened when I said to stop fighting." I shrugged. 

Sonya laughed and rolled her eyes. More girls were up now. I was ready to go get ready in the Map room when the Newbie alarm went off. 

"The shuck?" I yelled over the noise. "This isn't supposed to happen until the afternoon! Why now?" 

Sonya looked as lost as me. I got up, knowing I would now have to help, something was off. The designers were screwing with us. Again. Grievers were spotted almost every other day now in the Maze. With a growl I got up and followed Sonya and now Harriet to the Cage. The loud alarm had stopped, the girls were running towards the middle of the Meadow, where the Cage was. The tension between the girls was high, we all knew that this meant something new...a change in their routine. Unlike the the girls who usually came up from the box screaming, it was silent inside. Jillian and I pulled the cage doors opened. Sonya hoped down inside.