Shuck It

01.

O N E

Metals clanking. Darkness. It was all she saw while on board an elevator. She grabbed a knife and gripped it tight. She looked up and saw a red light.

"Help me! Somebody get me out of here! Someone bloody help me!" She shouted but then realized it was useless. She sat down the corner of the elevator then waited.

The light then turned green then the lift suddenly stopped. She stayed quiet. Bright light then shone to her eyes.

"It's a girl." The blonde boy told his mates above.

He helped her up the lift. People were chattering about stuff she couldn't understand.

Seconds later. She couldn't take all the whispering, the silent chattering. She dashed away. She then saw and opening and ran towards it.

"Hey! Hey! Somebody stop her! Now!" Shouted the blonde guy.

She was almost out when she bumped into a boy. An Asian guy with black hair. He dragged her up then gripped her arm as tight.

"New greenie huh?" He said. "Newt. Better keep an eye out for this girl right here. She's one hell of a runner of sorts."

"What is this place?" She asked suddenly finding her voice. "Why am I here?! Answer me!"

"Calm down green bean." He said. "My name is Newt. Can you at least tell me anything about yourself? Anything at all?"

"I can't remember anything. Why can't I remember anything?" She asked while in panic.

"Hey. It's okay. Relax. You'll remember your name in a day or two." Newt said the confused girl.

"What is this place?" She asked with curiosity and eagerness.

"We call it the Glade." The boy with the dark skin tone said. "Hi. I'm Alby. The leader of the Glade."

They walked further away from Newt and walked around the Glade.

"We live here. We grow our own food. We sleep here. We eat here. We build our own shelter. Everything we need, the Box provides." Alby said causing the greenie to look at the lift where she was found by these lads.

"The rest is up to us." Alby continued. "Hey Newt. I see you've met Newt here. He's second in command. When I'm not around he's in charge."

"You know, for a moment there, I thought you had the chance to be a runner. But then Minho came thank goodness. Or else.." He said while trailing off.

"Or else what?" Green bean asked. "What Newt?"

"Hey Newt, give me a favor. Go find Chuck?" Alby told Newt. Newt then walked away.

"Alby. Come on just tell me." The girl insisted. "Why won't you tell what's out there?!"

"They're called Grievers." Alby said. "But don't worry, they only come out at night, the moment that door closes."

She was stunned. Griever? She heard the name before. It was somewhat familiar.

"Chuck. Here. Take care of her." Alby said to a curly haired kid.

Chuck led the girl to their hammock. He told stories and introduced her to every glader who passed by.

Two guys went out of the doors. "I thought no one was allowed to go out." She said.

"I said we aren't allowed to go out. They're different. They're runners. They know the maze more than anyone in the Glade." Chuck said.

"What?" She asked. "You just said maze."

"Oh. I did?" He asked her and nod. "Well, uh.."

"Hey! What are guys still doing here? You guys are missing out!" Winston appeared out of nowhere.

"I'll be right there." She said to the boys. She walked further away the boys. She sat down behind a wood then looked away.

"What are you doing here on your own, greenie?" Newt asked sitting down next to her. "You're supposed to be having fun tonight."

"I was just thinking about something." She told him looking away. Suddenly, her eyes went teary. Moments later she began to cry.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Newt asked her putting down his food and drinks. "You know you can trust me."

"It's nothing. It's just that. How did our lives go to this point. At any moment we could die here. Whoever put us in here wants something." She said, crying continuously.

"Don't worry. You're safe here with us." He said. "Now. Stop crying greenie. You should be the guest of honor. Come on. I'll show you around."

They walked passed the Slicers, Med-Jacks, Builders, Baggers and a lot more.

"Who are those guys? I'm guessing that guy in the middle is Minho." She said suddenly her stomach did flips that seemed familiar.

"Yea. You're right. That guy in the middle is Minho. Thanks to him, he stopped you from going out. He is the keeper of the runners." He said.

"What if I want to be a runner?" She asked suddenly.

"Trust me green bean. No one wants to be a runner. Unless you get chosen." He said while drinking some more.

"Chosen by who?" She asked. When the one Gally was sparring with tumbled behind her. She helped him up.

"What about our greenie here huh? Let's see what this greenie's made of, yea?" He said with a smirk.

"Come on Gally, she's a girl for crying out loud." Frypan said. "Something might happen to her."

"Oh don't worry Fry, I can handle this. Give him what he wants." She said while tying her hair up.

"The rules are simple, try to last in the next five seconds." He said while laughing along with the others.

Gally pushed the greenie with all his might. The girl stumbled down which caused the runners to move in the circle to watch the fight.

"Come on now. Stand up greenie." Gally said.

The girl flattened her shirt. Gally started pushing her then with all her strength, used her knee to put down Gally.

"Don't ever mess with a girl." She said. Gally then kicked her feet causing the greenie to hit her head in the fall. Frypan then helped her up.

"Okay. We had enough sparring. Let's tuck it in for the night. Good night." Alby said. The girl walked toward the hammocks beside Newt and Chuck.

The girl suddenly stopped walking as if something was rambling in her head. After a second, she fell down and thankfully Newt caught her head.

"Chuck! Call the Med-Jacks. Now. Hurry!" Newt said. "Minho!" He shouted when he spotted him walking towards the hammocks. "Help me carry her to the homestead."

~*~