Girl Who Ran the Maze • Thomas

03. The Greenie

Over the months new boys would come up from the box. There were 5 people currently at the glade. Sylvia, Minho, Newt, Alby, and Gally.

Sylvia lost the hope for another girl coming up and decided it wasn't that bad living with the boys. The 5 all etched their names onto the wall and most days the siblings and Minho would run the maze.

Sylvia would also train with Minho on the days they weren't with the maze. Sylvia and Newt instantly grew very fond of each other. Every night they would dream of their childhood and would wake up and tell each other. It was like they never forgot.

The siblings also swore an oath to protect each other. Minho and Sylvia jogged back from the maze toward their camp. "Hey guys, here food." Alby passed them a plate. "Thanks" Sylvia smiles. "Seriously, no one has seen my knife?" Gally groans.

"Oh, this one?" Sylvia picks up a small knife from the floor. "Yes! Thank goodness. Thank you lovely shank"

"Hey!"

---

3 years. 3 years since Sylvia rose from the box. 50 boys. One girl. One girl leader. The Gladers.

Sylvia walked out of their map room in the middle of the forest after discussing it with Minho. Almost 4 months ago, Sylvia was made leader. She assigned everyone jobs. Like builders, sloppers, cooks, med-jacks, map makers, track-hoes, blood housers, and most importantly the runners.

"Morning" boys smiled to her as she walked by. "Hey Syl!" Newt limped up to her. "Hey what's up?" She smiles to him. "Today's greenie day remember? You're staying at the glade today right?"

"Yeah, do you need help with anything?"

"Actually, could you come help me with the plants?"

"Lead the way."

---

The greenie alarm sounded through out the glade. "Race you there!" Sylvia laughs breaking into a run to the box as Newt followed. Sylvia shoved through the 50 boys to the front next to Gally. The box opened up revealing a boy with dark hair shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Get him out" Sylvia says to Gally. Gally jumps into the box as the greenie backed up. Gally grabbed onto his shirt. "Day one greenie. Rise and shine"

Gally shoves the greenie onto the floor. Sylvia stood by Newt right next to the greenie as he looked around. "I could use some help in the kitchen." Frypan jokes causing everyone to start laughing.

The greenie pushes himself up and bolts away. "Hey we got a runner!"

"Sylvia! Sylvia! Sylvia!" All the boys chanted as they pushed her to the front. She rolled her eyes and took off after the greenie. Everyone whooed behind her. The boy was fast. But not fast enough.

Before Sylvia could stop him he fell on his own. Face planting on the grass. Sylvia slowed into a jog and kneeled down in front of him. "You're a fast one huh?"

He stood up spinning as he looked around the Glade. "You'll get used to it." Sylvia says. Soon Alby and Gally caught up to them and took the greenie to the slammer. Punishment for running.

---

"He's all yours." Gally grins after locking the greenie up. "Get back to work" Sylvia chuckles.

Sylvia stepped infront of the slammer, kneeling down. "Hey." The greenie flinched back. "Hi there greenie. You're not gonna run again, okay?"

Sylvia looked into his eyes. His brown eyes glowed lighter as the sun hit it. It was mesmerizing. Sylvia nods and opens the slammer.

She sits down at the edge dangling her legs. "My name is Sylvia. Can you tell me anything about yourself. Who you are? Where you came from? Anything at all?"

The greenie fiddles with his hands and shakes his head. "No." He whispers. "That's alright. Can you tell me your name?"

"No. I, uh, I can't remember anything. Why can't I remember anything?" he says. He looked so, so scared. Sylvia couldn't help but feel bad.

His breath started becoming uneven. "Hey, relax relax. It's normal. It happens to us all. Your name will come in a day or two. It's the one thing they let us keep."

"What is his place"

"Let me show you" Sylvia smiles holding out her hand.

---

"We eat here, sleep here, grow our own food. Build our own shelter. Whatever we need. The box provides. The rest is up to us."

"The box?" He asks looking at where he came from. "Yeah. They used to send them once a week. Now it's once a month with fresh supplies and a new greenie. This month that's you. Congratulations. Well not really"

"Sent up? By who though? Who put us here?"

"That, we don't know."

Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around Sylvia's neck. "Sylvia, see your touring the greenie." Newt exclaims. Sylvia chuckles. "Greenie, this is Newt. My brother."

"Hi." Newt shakes the greenies hand. Sylvia smiles.

"Listen, that was some dash you and earlier. You know for a second I thought you had the chops to be a runner. Till you face planted" Newt says sending them both into a cackle. "That's great" Newt chuckles.

"Wait, runner?" The greenie asked unamused.

"Newt, do me a favor. Go find Chuck. Tell him he's got a roommate tonight."

"Alright."

"Looks I'm sorry to rush this." Sylvia starts walking. "You came up a little late. And there's a lot to do. We got something special planned tonight. Yeah you'll see."

Sylvia led him to the watch tower. Sylvia stood up top admiring with the greenie next to her. "What's out there?" The greenie asks pointing to the maze doors.

"We only have 3 rules here. First do your part. No time for any freeloaders. Second you never harm another Glader. None of this works unless we have trust. Unity. Third, and most importantly, never go beyond those walls unless you're made a runner. Understand?"

Before the greenie could answer a small boys voice came from the ground. "Hey Sylvia!"

"Hey chuck! Where you've been?"

Sylvia and the greenie climbed down. "You're bunking with chuck tonight. Remember special plan tonight be there." Sylvia says to the boy. He nods as she turns around to walk away. For some reason and he couldn't tell why. He kept staring at her as she walked away. The way her hair was tied up. The katanas she had on her back.

"Come on." Chucks voice broke him from the stare.

---

Only a few minutes later there was commotion at the maze doors. Sylvia ran over as others did too. "Hey what the hell is wrong with you guys?" The greenie yells as Sylvia runs up next to Newt.

"Just calm down alright?" Newt says. "No. Why won't you tell me what's out there?" The greenie asks Sylvia. "We're just trying to protect you man" Alby answers for her. "No you guys can't just keep me here."

"We can't let you leave"

"Why not?"

The maze rumbled and a gust of wind and dirt blew towards them. Then the walls started closing. "Next time. I'm gonna let you leave" Gally scoffs before walking away. "Welcome to the glade" Alby says to the greenie as they all walked off.