The Maze Runner

Part 2

I'm standing by a tree, helping Winston, Keeper of the Blood House cut down a tree to make more firewood while one of our Sloppers, Chuck, is sitting on a rock making us some spears. I glance up and see Alby and Greenie walk this way; the Greenie looks frustrated and annoyed while Alby keeps talking. When Alby takes the new guys around, showing them what we do, he won't tell the squat. He doesn't tell them about the Maze nor what's out there or anything; he just explains the basics which definitely can piss the wrong person off if they don't give you answers.

"So why is tonight special? Why do you need firewood and spears? Are you fighting things that's in there?" I hear the new guy ask Alby as he points towards the concrete walls. "What is out there?"

"Listen Greenbean, you'll learn all this shit when-" Alby start as his nostrils flare getting annoyed with the questions.

Alby was cut off by my laughter making them both look this way; Chuck and Winston look at me confused at why I was amused. I walk up to Alby and Greenie with an amused grin.

"The name's Adriana." I mention. "We haven't officially met."

I look over at Alby.

"I'll show him the rest of the place." I suggest holding out my machete to Alby. "If you can finish here with Winston?"

Alby glances looks between myself and the new guy; I sigh.

"Please Alby." I say in almost a begging tone.

Alby nods softly before taking the machete.

"Don't get him into trouble." Alby warns.

I smirk before taking the new guys arm and pulling him with me.

"Tell me what Alby has said to you or shown you." I say looking in the distance ahead at our miraculous Glade.

"Nothing. Barely anything. Like yeah, he's shown me things but doesn't give much information of it." He says rolling his eyes with an annoyed tone. "I just want my questions answered."

"Certain questions we don't even know the answers too." I state stopping and looking up at him. "Other times, Alby prefers not to answer them because it keeps you sane."

The guy looks at me curiously and confused.

"What did he mean by 'don't get him into trouble'?" He asks waiting for my answer.

I grin as if I was proud.

"Well, you've been here nearly an hour yeah? Alby has probably introduced you to a few people by now." I start before continuing. "I'm not as serious as those guys, I prefer to try and bring smiles and happiness here to the Glade by being a smartass. I do a lot of things here though, that do get me into a bit of trouble. I'm kinda also the rule breaker. I get sent to the pit almost twice a week. But in saying that, I never break the three main rules: One: play the part, help around and keep order so the Glade keeps organized. Two: never pick a fight or start a fight with a Glader. We're all we have and we can't afford to lose anymore people. And most importantly: never, ever go beyond those walls."

I look him dead in the eyes while saying the three main rules so he knows how serious I am.

"What is out there?" He asks in almost a whisper, his eyes searching mine for answers.

I sigh softly, looking around before grabbing his hand and pulling him along again.

"Where are we-" He starts before I cut him off with an answer.

"If you want all the answers, I'll tell you everything. Just shut up, ya shank." I continue pulling him along as if he were a dog on a leash.

We arrived just by the Graveyard; I let go of him and stop in front of one grave.

"Come on, Greenie." I say looking back at him. "I won't bite...Unless you want me too."

I let a small laugh come from my lips before looking at George's grave and sighing again. "This is the Graveyard as you can see." I motion my hand to the other graves just down from George's grave.

"There has to be at least two dozen here." He mentions, stating the obvious with a shocked and scared but curious expression. "What happened to them all?"

His gaze turns back to me before I look up at him.

"We call them Grievers." I say before my eyes turn to the opening in the concrete walls. "They live in there and only come out at night time."

"What are they?" He asks before following my gaze with the curious look. "What's out there?"

"They're these...creatures. These undefinable creatures." I say looking back at George's grave. "They killed all off them here."

I slowly start walking almost the graves with him walking alongside me, listening carefully with relief washed over his face at someone giving him answers.

"Out there...Out there is the Maze." I say stopping between two graves. "No Glader has survived a night in the maze. They just disappear or we find their remains."

"Maze?" He asks curiously. "Mazes have ways out don't they? We can-"

"Listen Greenie, we've been here for two years now and there isn't a way out." I say seriously. "If there was one, we would've found it. That's why you don't break the three main rules, or you end up like these poor shanks."

I notice his face come across confusion with "The Glade Slang" of the word shank but he didn't question the word, he was more curious about everything else around him. I grin slightly at him nodding softly.

"What?" He asks looking even more confused.

"I'm just glad the Creators sent up another cute guy." I playfully wink at him before walking off, only imagining the look on his face. "If you have more questions about the Gladers, the Glade, the Maze or anything, come to me and you'll get an actual answer."

I watch as Minho and Ben run out of the opening of the walls, breathing heavily.

"Hey guys, how was the run?" I ask as the new guy walks beside me looking at our Runners.

"The usual." Ben stated, running back with Minho to the homestead.

"Looks like a new Greenie too." Minho added with a slight chuckle.

They continue running not stopping to keep small talk; they need to map everything they ran today before they forget.

"I thought you said no one's allowed to go out there?" He cocked a brow as if he couldn't trust me anymore assuming I lied.

"No, we can't go out there." I state. "They can, they're the Runners. They know more about the Maze than any of us; they run through the Maze on a daily basis, then come back and draw down which part of it they ran. They're helping us find a way out."

He looked at the opening in the wall before continuing to walk forward towards the opening; I quickly run after him.

"Hey, hey." I say walking alongside him. "Where are you going? You can't go in there."

"I'm not, I'm just having a look." He said not taking his eyes off the opening between the walls.

He was different then any other Glader I'd met before, he was determined and curious.

TO BE CONTINUED