MARTYR (A Maze Runner Fan-Fic by Natalia M.)

Chapter 6

Hours passed of Jean constantly waking up during the night from nightmares.

It wasn't until after her fifteenth or so attempt that Jean gave up on the idea of sleep.

She laid in her bed and watched the sun peak from behind the east wall.

In only a matter of seconds, the boy, Minho, came to her room to wake her up.

"See you're already up, Greenie. Good 'cuz we have a long day ahead of us", he started,"I'll show you around first then we'll see where to put you tomorrow. Good that?"

Jean nodded and kicked the blankets. She slowly got up and stretched, the sound of several bones snapping back to place audible. She scowled at the noise and slowly trudged to Minho, who was waiting patiently at the door.

They went down a fidgety staircase that led straight outside. Minho pointed to the house and started talking.

"This is the homestead. We sleep here and upstairs is where the med-jacks help the guys that are hurt."

He looked at her, silently asking for a sign of understanding. She nodded and examined the little house before Minho led her around the house.

"This is the Slammer. Any shank who isn't cooperating basically spends a few nights or so in here. It's like a jail."

Jean nodded, peaking behind the bars for a look inside. There was nothing but an unstable wooden chair in the corner.

"It's worse than it looks." He added while he started walking.

Jean scurried beside him and followed at a slightly slower pace.

"You don't talk a lot. Do you?" he asked, not taking his eyes off the next destination.

She shivered at the morning breeze and muttered "I guess not."

He stole a glance from the side before he motioned to a field of crops and workers.

"This is the Garden. Our food comes from here or the Bloodhouse but I'll show you that next."

This time he just kept walking, passing the slit of the giant wall.

She was about to follow him when the ground began to shake.

Her heart stopped along her steps as she watched a sight that defied every bit of logic.

The walls. The giant, hundred feet walls moving apart and splitting. The sight was almost impossible to wrap her head around.

The loud screeching and scraping of the walls gliding against the floor filled the Glade as little sparks flew from the friction.

She looked around her as she saw all four walls divide into two. With a huge thud, a giant hole on all walls was present.

"This is normal?!" She shrieked, her mouth gaping at what she had just saw.

Minho had come back and chuckled. "Yeah, pretty much. They'll close tonight at sunset. Just a heads up."

"This place is crazy." she muttered, enclosing her arms around herself.

An unfamiliar voice came from behind "Yeah. But, all a part of keeping order. Plus they keep the Grievers away. Ain't that right, love?"

A boy, who looked about the same age as Minho, stood refer with a warming smile as a shovel rested on his shoulder. His blonde hair reached his shoulders and blue eyes pieced hers. He bumped fists with Minho and gave her curt nod.

Minho introduced the boy as Newt. "And you're Jean?" Minho said unsurely. She nodded and gave him a small smile.

"Quiet, ain't she? Anyways, welcome to the Glade, greenie. You'll get a hang of things eventually and if you need anything, ask me. Good that?"

She gave him a small nod and looked at the ground.

"Oh yeah. Minho, you slinthead. Your break was supposed to end today.

"Yeah, yeah. Alby dumped this on me so I'll start tomorrow."

"Alright, shank. We're holding a Gathering later too, got that?"

"Uh huh. Let's go, Greenie."

She followed him as he led her to the animal pens.

"This is the bloodhouse. We raise our animals here and kill them for food. Doubt you'll hang around here a lot though. We're almost done and then you can just look around."

He had shown her the box, where he said they get all their food and supplies and where they'd also all come from. He also showed her the map room, though she wasn't allowed to go inside.

The last destination was what he'd called the Deadheads. He led her through the towering trees and finally stopped at a clear area. Crosses sprinkled all through the area with a glass box rested in the middle.

"All the shanks that died are buried here", he stated simply as he leaned against a tree, "and this is basically it. Need anything, ask Newt. Since I won't really be around."

Jean brushed him as she studied the graveyard, almost in trance. She slowly made her way to the glass box and scanned the back, making her way to the front. Her stomach churned and a feeling of nausea washed over her as she came face to face with a corpse. The sickening remains of a boy was resting in the glass coffin. Her face twisted in disgust as she realized that his lower half was missing.

"Oh yeah. So we thought we could get out through the box. So when the box left, we lowered that shank down the hole using some vines. He got about ten feet down before something sliced him in half."

Her mind was swirling with questions but she knew most of them were still unsolved. She noticed words etched on the glass and silently read them to herself.

"Let this half... Shank be a warning to all... You can't escape through the box hole."

A giggle ripped from her throat and quickly into a loud fit of laughter. She held her stomach as she re-read the epitaph. She quickly got herself together and sighed.

"Thank you", she said between chuckles. For the first time since she came a genuine beam spread over her face.