The First Runner

Stupid boys and their stupid ideas

The next day I woke up early, determined to make the most of the time we had. I quickly got dressed into my cargo pants and a tank top, then pulled on my socks and laced up my boots. After tying my hair back into a high ponytail, I headed out of my room and down the corridor to wake up Minho and Newt.

I knocked on Minho's door first. "Time to get up, Minho. We've got work to do."

There was a muffled groan from inside, followed by the sound of rustling sheets. "Alright, alright, I'm up," Minho replied, his voice thick with sleep.

Satisfied, I moved on to Newt's door. "Newt, rise and shine. We need to get going."

Newt's door opened almost immediately, and he appeared, already dressed and looking determined. "Morning, Jess," he said with a nod.

"Morning. Let's meet in the kitchen in five minutes," I instructed.

Minho and Newt quickly joined me in the kitchen, where Alec and Frypan were already up and preparing a quick breakfast.

"Morning, Jess. Ready for round two?" Alec asked, handing me a plate of scrambled eggs and toast.

"More than ready," I replied, taking a bite. "Thanks, Alec."

Minho and Newt grabbed their own plates and ate quickly. The tension from yesterday was still present, but there was a renewed sense of determination in the air.

As we finished breakfast, Alby walked in, looking serious. "Jess, Newt, Minho. You three ready?"

"We're ready," I confirmed, standing up and grabbing my pack. "We'll find them."

With Alby leading the way, we headed to the south doors. The metal groaned as they opened, revealing the maze's intimidating entrance once again.

"Alright, you know the drill. Stay close and keep your eyes peeled," I said, looking at Minho and Newt. They both nodded, their expressions steely.

We entered the maze, the walls towering above us, casting long shadows in the early morning light. We called out the names of the lost boys as we moved deeper into the labyrinth.

"Tim! Dave! Frank!" Minho's voice echoed through the maze.

We continued our search, determination driving us forward. The minutes turned into hours as we scoured every corner, every path.

Finally, as the sun began its climb towards the zenith, I spotted something up ahead. My heart raced as we approached cautiously.

Lying on the ground, was Frank, covered in blood which I assumed was his own. I knelt down next to him and placed two fingers where his pulse should have been.

Nothing.

"Shit," I muttered, standing up and rubbing my hand on my pants. Minho and Newt arrived, their faces falling as they saw Frank's lifeless body.

"We have to find Tim and Dave. They might still be alive," Newt said, his voice tight.

I shook my head, "No, they're gone."

"How can you be so sure?" Minho questioned.

That's when we heard it—a low clicking and moaning, getting closer. I pulled Minho and Newt into an alcove and pressed a finger to my lips, indicating for them to be quiet. The sound grew louder, more menacing, and we held our breath, hoping the Griever wouldn't notice us.

The creature rolled past, its grotesque form sending shivers down my spine. We remained silent, hardly daring to breathe, until it disappeared into the maze.

Once the coast was clear, I exhaled slowly. "We need to get out of here. Now."

I peered out of the alcove, double-checking that the Griever was gone. The coast was clear, but we couldn't be too sure. Moving quickly, I went back to Frank's body, Minho and Newt right behind me.

"What was that thing?" Minho whispered, his voice shaking slightly.

"That was a Griever. You don't usually see them during the day, but they're always out at night," I explained, slinging one of Frank's arms over my shoulder.

Newt took the other side, and Minho supported his legs. Together, we lifted Frank's body, careful to move quietly and swiftly. The weight of our task was heavy, both physically and emotionally.

"How many of those things are out here?" Newt asked, his eyes darting nervously around the maze.

"Not sure," I replied adjusting Frank's arm. 

We moved as quickly as we could, the tension palpable. Every rustle of leaves, every distant sound, made us jumpy. We couldn't afford another encounter with a Griever, especially not with Frank's body slowing us down.

As we neared the exit, the walls of the maze seemed to press in on us, their shadows growing longer in the fading light. The adrenaline in our veins kept us moving, fear giving us speed.

Finally, the Glade's doors came into view. Relief washed over us as we slipped through just as the doors began to close for the night. We dropped the body and I bent over with my hands on my knees regaining my breath.

"Jess!" a voice shouted. I looked up to see Nick and Alby running towards us. The urgency in their expressions made my stomach churn.

"What?" I asked, straightening up.

"You might want to come see for yourself," Alby replied, his tone grave.

"Okay, lead the way," I said, my heart sinking.

"What about him?" Minho asked, gesturing to Frank's lifeless body.

"We'll send the Baggers to take him to the Deadheads," Nick said, examining Frank closely.

"Deadheads?" Newt asked, confusion evident in his voice.

"The forest," Alby explained, his face set in a hard line. "It's where we send the bodies."

With that, Alby and Nick led us towards the Homestead, their expressions dark and solemn. The reality of the situation was beginning to set in, and I couldn't shake the feeling that things were only going to get worse.

And I was right.

"What the hell happened?" I asked, my voice cracking as I saw Alec's half-body lying on the grass just past the box. He was sliced clean in half, a horrifying sight that made my stomach churn.

Alby's face was pale, and Nick's eyes were filled with a grim, hardened edge.

"Let's just say, you can't abseil down the box," Alby replied, his voice as cold as stone.

Minho's jaw tightened, and Newt clenched his fists. "What does that mean?"

"It means the box was rigged," Nick explained, his voice low and dangerous. "You can't get out that way, at least not trying to rappel down."

"He got maybe three meters down before there was a slashing sound and a scream. That's what we found when we pulled him up," Alby added, gesturing to Alec's mutilated body.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Make sure no one else tries this," I turned and started heading to the showers. 

Why the hell did Alec do that? I mean I it had been a way out I guess I would have felt differently, but why did they have to try it?

Newt POV

"Where's she going?" Minho asked as we watched Jess walk away.

"To drown herself in the showers," Nick said, turning back to look at Alec.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I stared at what was left of Alec. The gruesome sight made my stomach churn, but I couldn't look away. "This is so messed up," I muttered, shaking my head. I was almost certain I was going to empty my stomach out right there.

"Welcome to the Glade, boys," Alby muttered.

"How long have you guys been here anyway?" Minho asked, and that was when I realized we had no idea how long Jess, Alby, Nick, and Leo had been here.

"Well, me, Alby, and Leo have been here roughly three weeks, and Jess had been here a month when we arrived," Nick answered.

I glanced at Minho, seeing the same shock reflected in his eyes that I felt. A month was a long time, how long would we be stuck here? We had just arrived, but it seemed like the rules and the danger of this place had already claimed lives and sanity