Into The WICKED Maze | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

24. The first greenie

A week went by, then two, three and at some point a new greenie came up with the box. Minho and I had decided to stay at the glade because we had never experienced it before. So we took a day off from the maze, which Nick agreed with completely, as we had only gone two days without going out since the incident with Stan.
In the last few weeks we had explored a lot as runners and still I had the feeling that we still had a much bigger area ahead of us. At times I was almost desperate because I thought we would never really make any progress, but then Newt had comforted me with the fact that there was no time pressure.
That seemed to be his attitude anyway, at least since we arrived here a month ago. And I liked that, because he radiated a pleasant calm, even if I myself sometimes almost went crazy at the thought that we were locked up here.
Minho also kept reminding me of what we had talked about a few weeks ago - we runners could at least leave the glade and do something to get out of here one day.
We had not heard a Griever since the last time. We had also found out that the maze changed - as I had thought - far outside, where the section with the metal wings had been. I had been right in that the gate through which we had entered the area kept closing and opening.
All in all, we had discovered a new section every day, after we had explored all the inner corridors and dared to go further and further out. It seemed to be open a different one every day, we had discovered 7 so far, but we agreed that we hadn't found all of them.
And somewhere behind it there had to be an exit, we also agreed on that point. Where, we didn't know, especially since we hadn't fully explored any of the sections yet, because they were all laid out differently.
Until now we had not found one that resembled another. While in the one we first discovered, the wings were striking, another was laid out like the rest of the maze, yet another consisted almost entirely of horizontal walls that looked as if they could crush you, and so on.
I had spent the nights sometimes in my hammock, sometimes with Newt, clearly preferring the one with him. He had a bed, which was of course much more comfortable than my hammock, and he was also there to warm me, which I named the most beautiful feeling ever - after the feeling I had when he kissed me, of course.
By now Gally had long since finished what Nick called the 'runners' hut', had finished his own and was now on to Fry Pans. Apart from Minho and me, only Nick himself and Alby had access to the hut, not even Newt was supposed to know how much of the maze we had actually already explored. Minho and I had started to build a model from small sticks, and that helped to get an overview. It helped us to decide where we wanted to go next and how far it would be to get there, let alone which way would be best.
It wouldn't be too long before Gally would start with the huts for Minho and me, although here it was still not clear whether we should each get one, or one together, because for each of the jobs there was actually only one keeper and therefore only one hut. When Fry Pan's hut was finished, he would continue with the one for Winston and then build Clints. After that it would be our turn to run, after all there were no other keepers besides us, because there was no keeper of the track-hoes yet.
So today was the time and a new greenie would come up to us. I had to admit that I was a bit excited because it was the first time I saw the box coming up not only with supplies but with a human.
I was sitting with Minho at Fry Pan and we were planning where we would go tomorrow, while the cook was doing the dishes when the sound of the box came up. Our heads were spinning around and we just left our things lying around to be able to walk quickly to the box.
Because we were both by far the fastest, we were the first to arrive before it even reached the top. It didn't take long for Nick, Alby and Newt to reach us, and once again I noticed in the last few days how much better the latter was on foot. His leg was still splinted and Clint wouldn't change that anytime soon, simply because he didn't want to take any risks, but he was visibly less in pain, so he was hardly limping at all.
Newt stood beside me and put an arm around my shoulders while we waited for the flap to open. Little by little the other lights came on and gathered around the box.
And then it was time and the flap opened. Gally and Winston opened the bars and Gally jumped into the box to check on the newcomer, just like he had done with Minho and me. He disappeared between a few boxes and came out again after a few seconds.
"A boy," he said and I felt myself resigning inside. Apparently, without knowing it, I had hoped it would be a girl.
Now the boy peeked out from between the boxes and I realised that he had blond, short, curly hair and had to be our age. You could tell he was intimidated but did not want to show it.
"Come on, Greenie, out of the box." Gally had already climbed out and was now holding out a hand to help him out. He reached for it and climbed out of the box as well, looking around with big eyes. His gaze lingered for a moment - sure, only girl - and then wandered further across the glade.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"We call it the glade. And we are the gladers. Alby will show you and explain everything." Nick pointed to the second leader, who nodded to the boy in a friendly way. Then with a wave of his hand he told him to follow him and the two of them made their way through the group of boys.
I could still hear Alby saying to him: "Don't worry, you'll soon remember your name and get to know the others quickly." Then they disappeared towards the kitchen, where Fry Pan quickly followed them.
Then I remembered that our things were still lying around there and I told Minho that we'd better get them. So we also made our way to the kitchen, while the other gladers went back to work. Newt waved to me once more before he disappeared towards the gardens.
We reached the kitchen shortly after Fry Pan and began to gather our things together to take them to the cabin in the woods. But before we had everything together, I heard Alby say our names and noticed that he and the newcomer were coming towards us. They seemed to be finished with the kitchen.
"This is Anna and Minho, our two keepers of the runners. What they do is by far the hardest and most dangerous job. If it turns out that you are suitable for it, we'll have to see how we can get you into it. But first you should consider the other professions."
The boy held out his hand to me and then shook Minhos.
"Something tells me running isn't really my thing," he told us laughing.
"No problem, as I said, there are two of them already. Come, I'll show you the rest of the glade." With these words Alby went off and he followed him, smiling friendly at us once more. I decided that I liked him.
"Nice," Minho murmured with little interest and tucked the rest of his notes under his arm before we went into the forest.