Into the Maze

Chapter 10

Chuck and I made it to the group of boys as Minho pulled Ben out of the pit, tying him up. A few of the boys cast us sorrowful looks, I guess they didn't like that the only girl and the youngest glader were watching. I didn't really like it either.

The boys cleared down the middle, forming a half circle around the door. Minho pushed Ben closer as he struggled, his eyes now fully black.

"Just listen to me, please listen to me. Please, Minho." He begged, then growled at Minho. His hands were tied behind his head, I guess so he wouldn't hurt anyone. "Alby," He whined, and Alby made a sad face. He didn't want to do this either.

Minho pushed him on his knees and cut the rope that held his hands, which immediately dropped down after being cut free.

Thomas ran over, he really did come after all. I guess his curiosity got to him. Chuck looked back at Thomas, then at me, then at Ben. I could tell he didn't want to watch it.

Ben coughed and choked, facing the ground, sobbing. He spit out blood, black blood, as Minho walked around him, holding a bag full of something.

"No, no please, please don't, please don't do it," Ben begged, as Minho sighed, looking at Alby. Minho seemed upset, I guess he was close with Ben, they had been runners together.

Alby nodded, as Minho turned and swung the bag into the maze. It landed and rolled, as the doors to the maze started making clicking noises.

Thomas stepped closer, getting a better look as the large gust of wind swept by, carrying dust with it like it had the first night.

Ben sobbed and started backing up, as Alby commanded that they point their poles. All the guys pointed their poles, and the ones in the back had the T shaped ones.

I felt Chuck take a step back, then look at me. He glanced away and turned around, walking the other direction. I watched him go a couple steps before Ben's screams called my attention back.

"No, no no no please! It's them! It's Thomas and his sister, and another one just like them! They did this to us! Please, help me! No no no no!" He cried, as the boys pressed in. Sister? Me? Was I the sister? And who was the other one?

I looked over at Thomas, who seemed too invested in Ben to notice what he was actually saying, but I heard it. Could it be true that we were actually related?

I decided to think about this at a more appropriate time and shoved the thoughts out of my head, a constant thing i'd been doing during the days I'd been here. I watched the boys push Ben past the thick maze doors as they were shutting, slowly and loudly.

They finally got him to the other side as the walls became so narrow no one could fit through. And within seconds, Ben's silhouette was blocked off by the large doors, and the only thing that remained of him was the memory.

No one moved as a sickening silence washed over us all. The boys clung on to their poles tightly, resting them upwards and using them to steady themselves.

Alby looked up and around at all the faces, then caught Thomas's and mine. "He belongs to the maze now." He explained, then started walking right by us.

The boys followed his lead, walking by Thomas and I. We were left standing there alone with questions, which wasn't the first time. Thomas glanced back at the closed door, as I looked down.

I wanted to say something, something that would comfort us both, but no words came. I couldn't think of anything, my mind was blank.

Most of the boys walked into what I now knew was the kitchen, but some didn't. Some, like me, had lost their appetite.

I made my way over to my hammock and layed down, swinging a little. I studied the wood above me, the branches, the leaves, the structure.

Distracting myself with the sway of the tree only lasted me so long before the questions and thoughts flooded in. About Ben, about what he said, and overall just trying to put things together.

For starters, I knew where I was, that was the Glade. I knew my name, Parker. I knew Newt and Chuck and Minho and Thomas, and who could forget about Gally. I also knew Zart.

I knew that there was a maze outside that I wasn't supposed to go in, and at night it became filled with grievers. I knew the doors closed every night in the evening at the same time, and that they opened in the morning.

I also knew supplies and a new boy comes up every month in a box. But as much as I did know, things were missing.

Like who sends up the box and controls the maze? And who put us here? And if a new boy is supposed to come up then why did they decide to send me?

Or how about where the rest of the world was. The Glade couldn't be the only thing left, there were people outside. How do we get to them?

Newt said the only way out was through the maze, but how will we ever find it if we aren't allowed to go out there. And if the people who are going out there are getting hurt.

This whole thing felt like a puzzle, a test, an experiment. Whatever you want to call it, I didn't like it.

My head started hurting from over thinking everything and trying to remember my past. I sat up and looked around.

It had become dark, and over in the corner a small light flickered. It was the corner with the names, I guess they were crossing out Ben's.

All around me boys had gotten into their hammocks when I was zoned out. I hadn't noticed them go by, but I noticed them now.

A few of them were snoring and successfully sleeping, others were silent. I couldn't tell if they were asleep or if they couldn't sleep, but the only people who seemed to actually be up were the ones over by the wall.

I layed back down, clasping my hands together and messing with them, like Thomas had been doing earlier.

Pretty soon the light by the wall had been extinguished as the boys who were over there found their hammocks.

I waited for what felt like an hour or two, trying to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes I saw Ben's pale face, his black eyes, and heard his cries for help.

I sat up again, looking around for any sign of movement on anyone. Some of them had to be awake, they had to be, but I couldn't tell.

I held by breath and pushed myself up, silently making my way by the boys and out to the grass. I looked around, wondering where to go.

That's when the idea entered my mind, the tree-house above us. I made my way to the ladder and climbed it, trying to be quiet.

I made it to the top and sat down, leaning against a part of the tree that was up through the built wood, a part they left. The top of it.

I leaned my head back and faced the stars, watching them twinkle. The moon was out too, it wasn't full, but almost. Maybe in a week or so it would be full.

Even in the dark it was still peaceful up on the platform, I felt safe. I felt like it was okay, even though I knew it wasn't.

Suddenly, a piercing griever scream erupted from the maze, followed by a few more. My body froze, wondering if they had found Ben.

After a moment my heart rate steadied again, and I wiped my sweaty palms off on my pants. My heart ached for him, wanting to save him, wanting for him to be safe.

I think my emotions were confused. Half of the time I was some girl who didn't care about anything, a girl who was bold to Gally. The other half I'm worrying about a boy who tried to kill me and imagining feelings that I think I have.

I can't do much with tears but I do too much with a clenched fist and bold tongue.

I wish my mind would just straighten out and stop switching sides, make one thing easier on me.