Hannah | Maze Runner

#3 A boy? You can't be bloody serious!

Now that my ankle was better, it had taken about a week or so to heal, I could finally start making it stronger for my job back.

I was helping in the kitchens as an off job with Ada, we were debating on the seriousness of those damn Slackers being out during the day.

"Well, I think it's bad news, somethings coming our way. It is not good, I'll tell you that." I argued.

"Maybe you were in the wrong place, Wrong time, or maybe they just didn't go back to their nest." She said back, tucking her dark auburn hair behind ber ear as she leaned on the counter and cleaned a frying pan.

"It ha-." I was cut off by the door swinging open. I stopped drying the inside of a cup immediately and my smile dropped.

Harriet, in light brown shorts, walking boots, white tank top and in a slight sweat, had come barging in.

"What is it Harri?" I asked, concerned. Pushing off where I was leaning on the wall and dropping my arms to the side.

"The box" she panted. "It's coming back up."

The room went silent as I listened for the siren wailing, and just like she said, the box's siren was indeed going off.

I glanced at Ada, who wore a worried look too.

"Oh god."

I slipped past Harriet, leading the way over to the box, my hair still in a messy side plait and my sleeves rolled.

The automatic lid opened, leaving us with the manual ones. I couldn't seem to find Rosa, so I got Mae, one of our back up Meds, to help me.

Inside was a sprawled figure of a boy who seemed to be unconscious. One of his hands was closed.

Springing into the box, I looked him over. I opened his hand and took out a piece of paper, I read it aloud; "he's the last one." Was written in bold black ink. I was about to shake him to see if he would wake up but he had gasped awake.

I jumped back, falling and pressing my back against the edge of the box, my fingers curled into the holes.

I suddenly sprang into action, as his head was darting to the figures around him, I brought his attention off them and towards me.

"Hey, hey," I said, moving to crouch beside him. " you're alright."

He glances me up and down, moving back a bit. I guess being surrounded by girls is a bit unnerving.

"Do you remember your name?" I asked, as the first question usually is that, and the answer is usually the same.

He shook his head doubtfully.
"I can't remember anythin. Why can't I remember anything?" He asked sternly.

"It's alright." I said. "You'll remember your name soon enough."

"How about we get you out of here, yeah?" I asked kindly. He seemed to have calmed down only slightly, but was still shaken
"Unless you want to stay in here."

He shook his head and got up quickly.
I chuckled lightly.
I let him stand on my knee to get out, once he was up, I hoisted myself up.

The girls were really sweet to him, introducing themselves and welcoming him, no matter how odd it was to have a boy here, and have the box come up not on schedule. It was wierd. It didn't feel right and it was bugging me why it didn't.

Sonya introduced herself first, then Rachel, then Harriet, then Rosa, who had joined the group a couple moments ago. He had began to talk a little more which was nice.

Once everyone had introduced themselves, Rosa had aksed me to do the tour since she had some buisness to take care off in the maze, she didn't tell me why.

"So, we have some pretty strict rules here, Newbie." I informed. "Only three."

He looked at me. "What are they?"

"Glad you asked. Right, number one don't attack anyone, don't harm em, we gotta have a bit of trust for this whole system to work" he nodded, mentally taking notes. "Number two, see those walls and the gap between?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't go through those, it's bloody dangerous out there and we don't want any accidents."

"Why? What's out there?"

"Now, I don't wanna scare you, and I'm not gonna lie, but there's monsters, hidden deep in the maze. And I'm sorry kiddo but you kind of came at a bad time. I wont frighten you with details. So, if I were you don't go through those doors."

He nodded back, slightly taken aback. But interested nonetheless.

"Finally our last rule, which connects to our first rule, trust. It truly is important. Also do your job, no slacking off." I said light heartedly.
He nodded, smiling.

"Hannah?" He began, turning to me with a look of stricken realisation.

"Yep?"

"Aris." He said sounding slightly unsure.

"Aris?"

"Yeah! Aris! That's my name!"

"Wow! Nice Aris!" I said, clapping him on the back.

***

Aris had been here for nearly four days without anything happening.
Even with everything that happened, it could have been worse. Aris has had nightmares often and usually the closest person comforts him. Which is usually me, or Sophie if I'm away for any reason. I'm a light sleeper, so that's why.

Today, I was, finally, heading back into the maze. Having the all clear from the medics.

I never found out what buisness Rosa had to do in the maze.

I said goodbye to the girls and Aris, and headed out.

While I was running, my thoughts overtook me.

I was thinking about the message Aris had been sent up with.

It had read 'he's the last one'. I had one thought of what that could mean and I didn't like it at all.

He had also shown me two vials of blue liquid.

We had been running all day and was time to head back. Where everyone else was waiting.