final moments → THE MAZE RUNNER ✓

e i g h t

CHAPTER EIGHT
( MEMORY )

     I STARE AT NEWT FOR a moment, trying to make sense of his words. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "Newt, what are you talking about? I thought a Newbie only arrived once a month."

"They do," He says quickly. "Something's not right here."

He grabs my hand, and pulls me to the box, where all of the other Gladers are. They gather around the opening, staring down at the surrounding platform for where the box will be.

A screeching noise comes from farther down the hole, and I immediately recognize it as the box, being shoved upward. I wince as the noise gets louder. Newt drops his hand from mine, pushing me behind him slowly.

"Newt, I'm okay." I assure him, touching his shoulder. He sighs, as I move next to him again.

And in a moment, the box slams to a stop. The roof of it opens, revealing a shaken up boy, who looks like he's just puked his guts out.

He shuffles to his feet, hesitating on whether or not he could trust us. I could tell that he was scared from the way his mouth twitched downward. Newt disappears from the space beside me, and into the box with the boy.

"Who are you?" The boy moves backwards, away from Newt. "Where am I? Why am I here?"

I bite my lip.

Was that the way I acted when I got here?

"The name's Newt." He greets the boy. "Welcome to the Glade, shank."

"Glade? Shank?" He looks at Newt oddly.

"It's Glader slang." Newt shrugs. "You'll get used to it, once it's gotten to ya."

Alby roughly moves Gladers aside, making his way to the box. As he looks down at the new Glader, his eyes widen. I can almost see his gears turning, realizing that there's a Newbie.

His attention swiftly turns to me, and his eyes harden. All of the Gladers shift on their feet, as Alby stalks towards me furiously. I don't move, though. Alby doesn't phase me. I'm not scared of him.

"You," He growls, grabbing my arm harshly. "Do you know this shank?"

"No." I state coldly. "Does it look like I know him? Have I said his name, rushed over to him, and hugged him yet? I don't think so."

"Don't play games with me, Greenie," His grip tightens. Yeah, I'm definitely going to have a bruise.

"I don't play games." I roll my eyes. "I'm not three."