DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE MAZE RUNNER, JAMES DASHNER DOES

I am running as fast as I can down a long white corridor, loud footsteps echoing behind me. The footsteps start to get louder and louder and I know I'm about to get caught. Unless... I sharply turn right and burst through a metal door. Two scientists, their faces covered by masks look up at me in shock. They're huddled over an operating table and as I shift my gaze to see what they're operating on, I feel a strong pair of arms roughly grab me. I scream, knowing that I have been caught.

I sit bolt upright in my hammock and then immediately fall face-first into the ground. I hear snickering behind me, and I turn around to see Minho, trying very hard not fall out of his own hammock from laughing so much. "Shut up," I sign to him, my hands forming the gestures easily.

"I have no idea what you just said to me, but it better not have been an insult," he manages to get out before he starts quietly laughing again. I smirk at him. "Teach me some sign language some time, okay?"

"Like you'll even remember it the next day."

"I still have no idea what you said," he laughs. It wasn't the easiest thing being selectively mute, because there were definitely some times when I wanted to yell at someone really bad, but it also came in handy because it meant I was a better listener, so more people would trust me. Plus, nobody knew what I was saying when I used sign language, so I could say whatever I wanted about them right in front of them, and they had no idea I was even talking about them. I don't remember when I chose to be mute, just that it was from some traumatizing event.

"Ash, let's get a move on ya lazy shank, the walls are gonna open soon." Newt called at me as he walked past.

I frantically charged toward the Homestead, grabbing my lunch from Frypan at the kitchen. I then sprinted into the map room, grabbed my pack, stuffed my lunch in it hastily and ran for the walls up to where Newt, Minho, and the small handful of other runners were. The terrible grinding noise that I still hadn't gotten used to began, and once the doors were open, we all ran through, then proceeded to split off into our separate directions.

After I had been running for a little while, I glanced down at my watch. It read 12:30, and I decided this was a good place to sit down and eat lunch. After I had finished eating, I got back up, preparing to run again, when I heard a faint sound from what I assumed was the Glade, I started to run back in the direction I had come from, and gradually, the noise got louder. I was finally able to make out that it was the Greenie alarm, signaling that the box had come up again, with another new Glader in it. I quickly finished up running my section and sprinted as fast as I could back to Glade.

I ran towards the box where Alby and Nick were helping the Greenie out of the Box. "Please be a girl, please be a girl," I chanted over and over again in my head as I got closer. Being the only girl was tough at first, but after a while I got used to it. That doesn't mean that every time a new Greenie came, I didn't wish it was girl. I needed some female company.

Nick and Alby finished pulling the kid out of the box, and when I saw it was just another boy, I began walking. The kid gazed around the circle of boys that were surrounding him and, as always, the kid looked terrified. He caught my gaze, and I finally got a good look at him.

The kid had straight black hair that slightly fell over his left eye. His eyes were a deep shade a brown, so dark that they almost looked black. He had a slight tan, and a faded, red bandanna tied around his wrist. The bandanna reminded me of the small green scarf that was tied around my wrist.

Then kid was still staring at me when I heard two sets of footsteps behind me. "Hey!" Minho calls, "Stop checking out my girlfriend!" The kid blushes a deep shade of red and mumbles what looks like a sorry as he begins to turn away, but then a British voice calls out, "He just messing with you, Minho can't get a girlfriend to safe his life!"

"Hey!" Minho exclaims as I try very hard to contain my laughter. Unfortunately, I am failing miserably. Minho playfully shoves my arm as Newt smiles down at me. I hear the kid laughing too and smile to myself. "At least the Creators can't take away our happiness."

So that was Chapter 1. I hope you guys enjoyed. Feel free to leave constructive criticism, suggestions, or just tell me if the chapter was too short in the comments. You can also PM me and I promise I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I would appreciate it a lot if you would consider following, or maybe even favoriting this story. Until next time,

-Norange, out!