The Maze Girl

The Changing... or Rather The Screaming

They let me out after breakfast the next morning. Which I didn't get. The whole day, I could hear Gally's screams from the homestead. I wanted to go see him, but I had to work. First rule of the Glade, and I didn't plan on getting in trouble twice in the week.

Luckily, it wasn't as loud when there were animals speaking as well. I was stuck cleaning the stalls today, but it didn't bother me.

By lunch I was almost finished. The screams seemed even louder now. Perhaps because I was closer, or because I wasn't blocking out animals. Either way, it was bad.

I finished cleaning quickly and got stuck on helping feed the chickens. Those ones like to bite, and aren't as loud, so I could hear the screams the whole time.

The runners returned and the doors closed, marking the end of the work day. I made a beeline to the homestead, only to be caught on the shoulder by someone's hand. It was Alby.

"You don't want to see him," he said. "Trust me."

"It's my call, isn't it?" I retorted. "Besides, who says that's where I was going?"

"I guessed. And by your reaction, I guessed right." He turned me toward him. "Take my advice. It's a bad idea."

"I'll consider it," I replied. I turned and resumed my route, making it obvious that I wasn't planning on changing my mind.

No one else tried to stop me until I actually got upstairs. A pair of hands grabbed my shoulders on the top step.

"Oi, where do ya think you're going, Greenie?" Newt said from behind me. "Newbies ain't allowed to see people been taken."

I put a hand on my hip, resting it on a hilt. "You planning on stopping me?"

"Actually, I'm planning to save your hide from Nick stopping you."

I looked at him. "How is it so shucking bad that I can't go see my friend? Huh?" After all, Gally was the only Glader who seemed even willing to be nice to me. Even trying to protect me like that...

"Just think," Newt said. "You go up there, you see how bad it is, then you'll start wishin' he hadn't saved you. But you won't actually get it."

"Why not?" I asked. "He's in pain, and I already know it should've been me."

"Because in a way, he's in less pain than he would be if it were you," Newt responded. "I've seen you two. You're practically brothers. He would be destroyed to see you like that, and there's no one to tell him he can't look."

I watched Newt for a minute. Was it really that bad?

Newt broke eye contact and shook his head. "I'll talk to Nick about letting you see him. Give it a day or two."

I nodded. He had a point. He turned away and I raced down the hall to the room Gally was in, Newt hollering after me. Just not a good one. I turned to enter the room and ran smack into someone's chest.

"You were right," I heard the person say as I looked up at him. "He is pretty darn fast." He turned his eyes back to me as I stared at his spiky hair. "Honestly, I thought Newt was going to get the shank to give up. Or at least I figured a runner would be faster than some Greenie."

I shook my head to clear it. "Get out of my way," I said, trying to push past him. He easily held me back.

"Hold up there, shank," he said. "This was just trying to catch you. See, the keepers need a newbie's opinion, so of course, you're coming with me."

"Can I know who I'm coming with?" I asked with a glare.

"The name is Minho, keeper of the runners," he replied. "Now let's go." With that he turned me around and marched me all the way to the top of the homestead. All the keepers were there. Alby and Nick walked in right behind Minho and I, closing the door and I'm pretty sure they locked it. Minho left me by a chair at the edge of the room and took his own seat with the other keepers.

I bit my lip. Why did they need me for this? I looked around and noticed Newt standing near the back. He met my eyes and half waved, slightly apologetic.

I smiled at him, then turned my attention to the others. They all seemed to be watching me.

"So... why did you want me?" I asked when the silence was prolonged.

"Take the vest off," Nick said.

"Wait, what?" my eyes widened. This coming from the guy who had told me to keep it hushed.

"I need them to take the matter seriously," Nick replied. "Apparently we don't speak hypotheticals." He looked around. I could easily pick out the skeptics. They were mostly squinting at me, while the rest were just watching.

I quickly undid the vest and pulled it off. I felt too light again. The weapons had nearly become a part of me. I sat there for a moment while whispers, and murmurs, and odd looks were cast about. Then I put the vest back on.

"This is... ah..." Frypan, the cook, seemed to be trying to say something about it out loud.

"Slightly outrageous," Winston finished for him. I imagine he would have been most shocked, as I had been working under him.

"But maybe good?" Clint, from the med-jacks, suggested.

"Or bad," Zarthek said.

"Either way, this doesn't leave this room," Alby said. "We can't have every single guy here knowing there's a girl in the Glade."

I looked at Newt. I noticed he still seemed very in shock. Poor guy probably felt bad for calling me and Gally brothers. But in his defense, we were that close. I couldn't help but wonder why he was the only non keeper in attendance.

Everyone was talking now. About me, but not too me. There were two that thought I was bad news, but the rest seemed evenly split between leaving it as is or getting me some sort of protection. Newt piped up that Gally was already protecting me. Apparently they were satisfied enough, because Minho got up and escorted me out.

"So nothing changes?" I asked, casting a glance at him.

"Maybe," he said. "But you might get a job transfer."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Because I saw how fast you are," he replied. "Plus, maybe a female observation of the maze would do better than a male one. Or at least, your mind might pick up something is boys can't."

I stopped. "Sorry to disappoint, but unless that's my only choice, I'd rather not be a runner."

He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. I swallowed the lie and met his eyes.

He smirked. "You'll want in eventually." Then he went back upstairs. And I went to see Gally.

Honestly? It wasn't good. He looked like klunk. And the screaming was louder. Tears were streaming down his face. They had tied him down so the thrashing wasn't so bad. I reached to his hand and he practically froze, no longer screaming. I began to hum and he relaxed a bit. It was the same song I had heard from the maze.

I hummed it over and over, glad to see that he didn't seem as in pain. In fact, he almost seemed to be sleeping, save for whimpering and occasional thrashing.

I stayed in there that night. Sleeping in a chair. I didn't want to leave in case he needed me...