The Glader's Log

Day Two

        We figured out why the doors in the Walls are there. Right after sunset, the Walls began to move. Scared half of us to death. And we are now down to twenty-eight Gladers. John never made it back before the Walls shut. We may still have the idea that he would be alive if it weren't for the Grievers. There are these creatures that come out at night who sound like death. The screeching is bad enough without the added bonus of it being dark outside. That evening, we all had our second Gathering that day saying that no one is to go into that Maze except the Runners, that is if the Walls opened again, which they did this morning. We all agreed that no one, and we meant no one, is to go out there, period. Some asked what the punishment would be if they did venture out there and were not a Runner. I told them plain and simple - death.

        We also agreed that we can't betray each other now. There is more at steak than we ever thought possible. Some believe that whatever we did before our lives here, if they believe we had lives before getting our butts shoved in here, must've been unspeakable. Many wonder if we were murderers or criminals before this life. But Alby told them to "shuck off" and accept the fact that this is our life now. That if we give up we all may as well lie down and be killed and accept the fact that we've been damned to Hell. "If we're not already in Hell," he mumbled to me after. 

        I've decided to train Alby to become my second-in-command in case anyone needed anything urgently or, for some reason, I get killed. "We need a sense of order," I told him and Newt. Newt seems to be the one that keeps everyone calm and under control. I told Newt he needs to stay in the Homestead if no one needed his help. Without him, order may fall and punch us in the face. One of the other Gladers this morning came up to me and confirmed my personal suspicions - that we were being watched. Constantly. The Glader, Chris, opened his hand and inside was a bug-like lizard thing - a beetle he called it - that was trying to scurry off his hand. I was surprised he could hold the thing in one hand. The beetle was at least the size of his palm. But we didn't get a very good look at the thing. He got outta Chris's hand and scurried away to the Wall.

-Nick

        Today was the first day officially out in the Maze with the Runners. Miles went through the North Door, Levi took East Door and Chase and Den went together through the South Door. I took the West Door. The inside of the Maze is incredible yet terrifying. But I told them all they can't be shuck faces about going into the Maze. They either went or stayed behind and find another job to do. There are plenty of jobs to do here, and I don't need a cry baby on our team of Elite Runners, or at least, I hope they're somewhat elite.. But all of them are built strong, particularly in the leg area. It looked as though these guys, all of them, had been running in their previous life.

        One thing that did help today was the fact that early this morning, Newt woke me to show me the storage room in the back of the Homestead. Inside the storage room, which was actually more like a closet, there were good running shoes, small packs to wear on your back which were already filled with water bottles, paper and pencils and other things, and digital watches. Newt explained how he talked to Nick about how all of this stuff should be only accessible to the Runners, who probably needed it the most. Nick agreed, thank god. But Nick has been a good Keeper of the Gladers so far. He's understanding, yet strict and firm. Someone you do trust.

        Anyways, I told the Runners to be back at the Homestead by noon, to ensure we can organize a search party and have time to actually search if someone doesn't make it back by noon or got caught up by something.  Everyone made it in time, but Miles came back with a shocker. I was the fourth back to the Homestead, so we were all waiting for Miles when he came through the North Door dragging John by the arm. The guy was as good as dead, but the overall atmosphere was still creepy beyond belief. Jackson came to help him, but there was no point. "Maybe that's what the Grievers do to their prey, suck the life outta them.." Asher suggested. I had Asher get Nick, who was also accompanied by Alby, then Newt, then the rest of the shucking Glade joined us. After Nick told them all to get back to work, he told Jackson it was pointless to tend to him. Even Nick agreed the guy was rotting as we speak. He instructed Asher to find a place to bury the guy, because Nick still wanted to respect John and all. Asher looked very pleased with his task, which I could tell Newt was kinda freaked out by.

        We decided to use the building in which this journal was found in to have the first ever official Runner meeting. Besides the chests and small table in the corner on which this log is to be kept at all times and touched by few, the room was occupied by a huge table in the center of the room. There are fairly big windows to let light in and small wooden chairs, which I'm guessing were meant to be sat on. There in the room, we talked about what we saw in the Maze. Then Miles, who looked the least bothered by the fact John was dead, which was surprising considering he was the one who found John's corpse, suddenly mentioned that this room seemed to be made to create and keep maps in them. We all looked impress that the guy brought up the point, and suddenly Chase grabbed a piece of paper and pencil and started to draw the area he explored, or at least what he could remember. And that was how the maps came to be, and how the Map Room began.

        Asher came back out from the forest area in the southwest corner, or the Deadheads as we started calling it, and said he found the perfect Graveyard for the Glade, and that he could be in charge of it. We all said go for it, as long as he didn't try to fill up the Graveyard himself. He called himself a Bagger, mentioning he remembers people being put in bags when they died. We told him to just bury the guy. Asher went all out and made a grave marker for the guy, saying his name, date and cause of death. He still looked too pleased.

-Minho