Song of a Glader

Chapter Two

The two boys stood in shock, looked at each other with wide expressions, then stared back at me.

"What's your name?" Alby asked.

"Why would I tell you!? You didn't even answer my question!" I yell at him.

Alby sighed. "Come with me, I'll give you your tour and answer all your questions, Greenie."

Why the heck do they call me that?

I decided to walk with him, he promised me answers after all.

Newt walked away from Alby and I and I noticed something different about him. He was limping slightly.

Alby took me to a small village type area in the middle of the 'Glade', as they called it. I found out that these boys called themselves Gladers, very fitting. There were a few buildings, all built by sticks and vines. They each had a purpose, but I couldn't remember everything Alby told me about them, my mind was fixed on my family.

"There are plenty of jobs to do here in the Glade, Keeper's are like the bosses of each job. We'll assign you a job once we know what you're good at, staying busy's the only thing keeping these shank-heads sane." Alby explained everything best he could, but he still hadn't told me where we were exactly.

"That's great, order and sanity are wonderful, but I really don't wanna ask where I am again." I put it simply.

Alby sighed heavily. "It's all a big maze." He finally admitted. "We're all trapped in this shuck maze, have been for two years."

"Two freakin' years!? Holy crap!" I exclaim.

"Ya. The Runners, shanks assigned to the job of roaming the maze everyday, have been searching that shuck thing the whole time, marking everything they find down on paper."

"And they haven't found a flippin' exit yet!?" I was shocked as Alby shook his head.

"Well, that concludes your tour, Greenie. Newt will take you to get some food before it's time to get some rest." Alby actually smiled at me. I smiled back, he was in the same boat I was I guessed. Only he'd been here for two whole years! And I was going to find a way back to my family, now that I knew where I was.

Newt came up to us as I finally shook Alby's hand.

"Thanks, Alby." I say, trying to be nice. I was also grateful for him taking the time to fill me in on things and give me a tour. Alby just smiled and nodded.

"Well she's not yelling anymore. What'd you do to her, Alby?" Newt asked with a teasing smile on his face.

"Hah!" I laughed. "He just finally took the time to explain where I am. I can now somewhat cope."

"Well, come on then. Let's go get some of Frypan's shuck food."

Newt led the way to the Homestead, which Alby explained to be where the kitchen was.

After waiting in line with Newt to grab a sandwich and an apple, we headed over to sit under a tree. The sun was beginning to set upon the Glade and the light made it even prettier than I had thought it was before.

I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I took the first bite of my sandwich. My eyes rolled back in delight as I devoured the amazing food. I immediately ate my apple after and my stomach felt very satisfied.

I suddenly heard a loud noise and jumped up, my fists readied by my face.

"Easy, it's just the bloody Doors." Newt said, he stood up to join me. I was about to ask what the 'Doors' were, but my question was answered. The four openings in the Glade walls suddenly began to cave in. With no logical explanation to it, the openings slammed shut like sliding, double doors.

"And that happens every night? What about the Runners? Do they stay out in The Maze?" I asked.

"Yep. Closes same time every night, reopens at the wake-up. And the Runners got back a little while ago. No one has survived a night out in The Maze. No one!" Newt explained.

"What happens to them?" I asked, almost not wanting to hear the answer to that.

"We call them Grievers. Those buggers roam the maze at night. No one's ever seen a Griever and lived to tell about it."

"That's lovely." I said sarcastically, almost in terror.

A moment of dreadful silence.

"Oh look, they started a fire. C'mon!" Newt called, almost halfway there already.

For a dude with a limp, he sure is fast.

I ran after the boy, almost laughing. Almost. I started to feel like I was betraying my family for laughing when they could be suffering worse than I was.

The Runners sat by the fire and I admired them as I walked past. Boys were wrestling in the orange light. The boy who had touched me earlier was one of the main fighters, big surprise. He pushed a boy out of the circle of boys and the crowd cheered, causing my eyes to automatically roll in annoyance.

"What are you looking at, Greenie. Wanna go?" The evil-grinned boy asked. He put his fists up and teasingly hopped around a bit. His crowd of boys laughed with him. He turned around and I saw an opportunity I wasn't going to let down. I dived towards his waist, colliding it with my shoulder, nocking him onto the sandy ground. All the boys went silent as the boy spit sand out of his mouth. He stood back up.

"Okay, Greenie. I wasn't ready that time." I knew he was pushing away the feeling of embarrassment, his pride was surely hurt by being pushed by a girl.

I fake a lunge towards him, causing the boy to dodge himself only to not get hit. I could feel the crowd wanting to laugh, but were still in too much shock. The boy lunged towards me this time. I dodged his blow by grabbing his fist, twisting it back in an awkward position, and flipping him onto his back on the hard ground. The impact stunted him, it showed on his face. He didn't move yet, just lay in shock and pain.

"How's that for a Greenie? You just got beat by a girl, my friend." I grin back at him and then walked away. I could hear someone quietly chuckling and looked around. It was coming from Newt. I smiled at the boy, I was really starting to like him. I mean, how could I hate him with his lovely British accent and his windy, blonde hair.

I walked over to a log a ways from the fire and sat down. Newt joined me after a minute and the boys slowly went back to their childish games.

Newt offered me his drink and I took it hesitantly. I took a sip and immediately spit that crap out.

"What the frick is that stuff!?" I asked in disgust. Newt laughed.

"I don't even know. It's Gally's recipe." He motioned towards the boy who I had just humiliated.

"You know, I don't think I should accept anything from that one. Are you sure you should be drinking it?"

Newt shrugged. "Nothing to worry about. If that shank puts something bad in the drink, he'll surely get punished and he knows it."

I nod my head in understanding. They were very organized and orderly here; I like that.

"So, are you ever going to tell me your bloody name?" Newt asked with a grin.

I sighed. "Fine. I'm Keller." I finally admit to him.