Chapter one

The shrill sound of the bell caught the boys' attention; a new one was to be sent up. Everyone left their work and went running towards the middle of the Glade. They were all waiting excitingly around the box. After a while they could hear the sound of metal sliding against metal, just like it did every week when they got a new delivery. Only once a month they got a new boy.

Newt was standing in the front of the crowd, next to Alby who was looking excited yet at the same time bored. It was always the same, a new shank was sent up to the Glade and they would have to watch the boy go through the pain and confusion that they all had felt in the beginning. Eventually the newcomer would find his place in the little community and learnt all the rules. Order was the most important thing in the glade, and those who didn't follow the rules would be punished.

The screeching sound became clearer and soon a loud clank could be heard and they knew that the box had reached its destination. Newt and Alby moved closer to the double sliding doors and with the help of a few other Gladers they opened up the box.

In the small compartment sat a dark haired boy, curled up with his knees against his chest, his face was pale and his eyes shallow. As the bright light streamed into the box the brunette turned his face away, scared of what he saw above. He blinking a few times then slowly looked up at the unknown faces that were watching him with interest.

"Look at that shank," Gally said, instantly remembering his face from when he had gone through the change. This boy wasn't supposed to be here, he had been working together with the creators. He was bad.

"How old is he?"

"Looks like a klunk in a T-shirt," said the youngest of the lot; Chuck, a short boy with a big appetite and red cheeks. He had been the Greenie until just a few minutes ago and felt a little relieved that there would be someone taking over his role.

Newt glanced down at the scared boy bellow him and felt the need to defend him, to protect him. He didn't know why but he suddenly felt like this; like he would throw someone down the cliff if they said a bad word about the greenie. It was weird, he though, they were all guys; mean comments were part their everyday life.

"You're the klunk, shuck-face," Newt found himself reply while glaring at the smaller boy.

"Dude, ít smells like feet down there!"

"Hope you enjoyed the one-way trip, Greenie."

"Ain't no ticket back, bro," Alby said with a smile and took the rope that they would use to pull up the boy. He slowly lowered it and the Greenie looked at it a bit confused at first until he grabbed ahold of it. Together the Gladers yanked up the boy and once he was within reach they started grabbing his clothes, pulling him up out of the hole. Newt made sure to keep holding the boy around his middle once he was standing at the ground, making sure that he wouldn't fall back down. He still remembered how weak his own legs had felt two years ago after the long ride up.

The other guys seemed to have felt the same since they also made an effort to keep the boy steady by holding at his body. Newt felt like pushing them all away, he didn't want them to touch the Greenie. He shook his head, trying to pull his thoughts together. Shuck, what was wrong with him?

The tall boy looked around himself, his eyes falling at the big walls surrounding them all. Newt knew how scared he must be, feeling like he was trapped in the middle of nowhere, having fifty guys looking at him like he was a new toy that they could play with.

"Look at the Greenbean," said Gally with his scratchy voice. "Gonna break his shuck neck checkin' out the new digs." Several boys laughed and Newt felt the boy grab at his arm – which was still holding him close. He pulled the Greenie closer towards his chest, smelling his manly scent. The other boys soon saw the look at their second in command and slowly began pulling themselves away from the two intertwined boys.

"Shut your hole, Gally," Alby replied with his deep voice, glaring at the Keeper.

Newt felt his heart pounding loudly as the dark haired boy kept holding him, pulling them closer together. Something was definitely weird, never had he felt the need to be this near someone, to feel the warmth of another. He glared at everyone around them, Alby was frowning and Chuck looked excited; finally seeing what it was like when a newbie came up the box. Minho folded his well-toned arms over his chest, glaring at the boy who was holding his former runner.

Everyone was very protective of Newt, especially after he had tried committing suicide. It made them realized just how important he was but also how much anger and sadness the blonde kept inside. Newt was the glue, the one who kept them all together. He was the only one who could really calm them down when things got too much, the one who kept them motivated and hopeful. Being trapped inside the Maze kept them all at the edge and without their leaders they sure wouldn't have been able to survive this long.

"Where am I?" the Greenie asked, his voice soft, yet strong and powerful at the same time. Newt shuddered slightly which made the boy turn around and look at him. "Newt?" he asked and looked down into his dark eyes.

"How the bloody shuck do you know my name?" Newt heard himself say, his voice slightly trembling as he stared back at the taller boy. This was all getting more and more confusing, first he felt the need to protect the shank and then he suddenly found himself hugging the boy, then said boy knew his name. It had never happened before that someone could recognize another Glader.

"Yeah, how the shuck do you know him?" Alby's deep voice said in a demanding tone.

"I don't know who he is," the tall boy said, fidgeting now that everyone's attention once again was at him. Newt could feel that this boy much rather liked being in the background, observing, than in the spotlight. "I just. . . I remember his face and then I said his name. I can't remember anything else but his face. . . What's happened to me? Where am I?" his voice was raising with every word, sounding more and more distressed. "Why can't I remember?"

"It's okay," Newt said and laid a calming hand on his shoulder. "None of us remembers our lives before we got stuck here. You are not alone, we are all the same"

"How come I remember you?"

"How should I know?" Newt asked back, just then realizing that the boy in front of him knew his name but he had no idea who he was. He figured they must have known each other before they got into the Glade, maybe they had even been close to one another. Considering the way he felt for the other he was almost sure of it. They might have been very close. "What's your name Greenie?"

"Thomas. My name's Thomas."

"Well, Tommy, welcome to the Glade."

A/N: Okay, so this is the first chapter of this story. I hope you liked it!

Reviews are appreciated, I'd love to hear what you think since this is my first fanfiction.