Saudade // The Maze Runner // Thomas [IN EDITING]

Chapter 4

       Gradually, the numbers of Gladers began to grow until there were over twenty of us. We didn't have a proper leader, but we managed. It was strange to think that less than two years ago, I was alone, living in the Glade by myself for a month.

       Everyone had found their own group of friends.  Frypan and a newer kid,  Zart, and a couple other boys had become a group. Newt, Alby, Minho, Gally and I all stuck together as well.

       Another boy, Darren, was our designated slaughterer. Because no one else could stomach killing innocent animals, Darren did the dirty work and slaughtered the baby pigs and sheep for us, then delivered them to Frypan to cook for dinner.

       Darren had come in about four months ago and had showed interest in me, but when he became a bit creepy I quickly shut him down, and Alby then threatened him. He had his own clique of friends who thought they ran the glade, when in reality, everyone just ignored them because they were annoying and big headed.

       There had been no more girls, and I slowly had given up hope that there would be any. It seemed as if I was the only one.

       That night, at dinner, we all sat in the homestead's patio patio Gally had built. Gally and some of his friends had made up makeshift picnic tables. We all with our respective friends ate, and some of the boys had had one too many sips of Gally's drink.

       There was extra-loud laughing and pushing and shoving that night, and eventually Darren stood up, raising his drink into the air. He was obviously drunk and he yelled.

       "Hey!"

       Everyone hushed and turned to look at him.

       "You know, guys," he slurred "I think it's pretty obvious that there aren't going to be any more girls, so I think the Creators are sending us a message." He sent a sloppy wink in my direction, and one of my eyebrows raised.

       "We haven't found a way out." He paused, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "If we're gonna be here for the rest of our lives, they gave us a woman. A way to..." His mouth twisted into a grotesque sneer, "reproduce."

       A few of the boys hollered their agreement, and I felt my face grow hot. Not from embarrassment, but from anger. I stood up jaw clanged, my hands balled into fists and stalked over to Darren.

        He looked me up and down as I approached him, and I gave him a thin smile, tilting my head to the side as I sized him up. 

       "Go to hell." I spat, grabbing his cup and flipping it upside down, spilling the drink all over his head and shirt.

       He spluttered, his eyebrows shooting up with shock.

       A collective laugh went around the room, and I shot him a glare before seating myself once again. Minho was beside himself, laughing, while Newt and Alby looked a bit worried.

- -

       The next few weeks went by slowly, and I ventured into the maze on a regular basis with Minho, searching for a way out. Sometimes Newt joined us, but there seemed to be a tangible tension in the Glade. There was less laughing, and more glaring, and I began to avoid Darren and his friends. They were giving me bad vibes, and I knew to trust my gut.

       Upon my request, Gally built a structure I named the Map Room. Minho, Newt, and I slowly created a small-scale replica of the maze, and each day we added more upon it.

- -

       It was late, and the doors would be closing soon. I was the only one left in the Map Room, and Newt and Minho had left to get some dinner from Frypan.