Chapter 1 - The Box
I stirred from my sleep as I heard the sound of chains clanging and cogs turning. I stood up and peered around the cage I was in, lit only by a small red light. Nothing happened for a few seconds, then suddenly...
CRASH!
The cage started hurtling upwards and I was thrust down into a corner beside some fabric sacks. I clambered around on the cold, steel floor, searching for anything to stop the cage moving upwards. Nothing. I looked up, helpless, to see the ceiling racing ever closer.
"HELP ME!" I shrieked, banging my fists on the side of the cage - to no avail. I closed my eyes, breathing my last.
Or so I thought. The cage had stopped just inches short of the ceiling, I breathed a sigh of relief. I fell back onto the floor, laughing. I'm alive! I thought to myself, wiping the beads of sweat gleaming on my forehead with the back of my hand. I chuckled, contemplating why I was here, when suddenly the ceiling opened. My eyes were flooded with bright, white light and I could hear mutterings around me.
"Hey look, the new greenie!" a boy chortled, nudging his friend.
"Reckon they'd end up as a Slopper." his friend replied, laughing.
"Oi, slim it, Zart." an annoyed boy said, shooting a dirty look at the first boy. He was tall and well-built, with dark skin and dark brown eyes that seemed to pierce my soul. He smiled at me before nodding at another tall boy, who then jumped into the cage with me.
He looked me up and down, before turning his head to the boy who smiled at me, saying:
"Uh, Alby, we got a problem with the Greenie." he said. At this, cat-calls sounded around me and boys started exchanging suggestive with me. I did the only thing I could think of.
I swung my legs out at the boy, he fell backwards onto the floor groaning. I ran at the wall and jumped up, pushing my way through the crowd. I ran towards the forest, the sound of boys whistling rife in the air.
"SLIM IT YOU LOT!" the boy whose name must be Alby said. "Give the Greenie some space." I then saw the Wall. It wrapped all the way around the field, then I saw the gap.
I turned and ran towards it, the ground beneath my feet uneven and undulating.
"Oh shuck, she's going for the Maze! Runners, go get her!" the boy I kicked yelled. The gap was getting closer and closer. I must have been about twenty metres when I felt a hand grab either side of my waist from behind and push both of us to the ground. A boy rolled off me and then pinned me down. I thrashed under his tight grasp, kicking and jabbing.
"I got her, guys, but I might need some help, she's a lil' feisty!" the boy on top of me yelled. At his word, most of the other 'Runners' and some of the boys still stood around the cage ran over.
"You weren't kidding, Minho. She's certainly got a good kick on her." a blonde boy said, slightly nervous to even come near me. But when he saw that the boy pinning me down was starting to tire, he grabbed my kicking leg and shoved it down onto the grass, moments before it connected with 'Minho's' thigh. "That was a close one" he said, chuckling slightly.
I was still kicking while the two boys held me down. 'Alby' ran over and grabbed my the collar, shouting at me:
"CALM IT, GREENIE! CALM!" he yelled. I suddenly felt like I had to obey hin and lay still, the three boys holding me down exhaled loudly. He nodded and the blonde boy and one that had pushed me over stood up by the other boys, congregating around me. Some were laughing, others were groaning in sympathy of others' injuries. 'Alby' carefully pulled me to my feet, panting slightly. "Don't try that again, will ya?" he asked. I shook my head and he released my collar from his hands.
He stood back and the other boys immediately fell silent. "Newt, put her in the Slammer, see if she calms down." he said and the blonde boy that had held my leg down motioned for me to follow him.
I hung my head and followed him to a building that was half cut into the ground, with a roof made from sticks woven together. He gestured for me to go inside and I did. He secured the door behind me and sat down outside the door, eyeing me up and down.
"Can I just say, you throw a nasty punch." he said chuckling. My mouth still hadn't yet broken into a smile, but it did now. "Sorry about the way that the boys handled you, especially Minho. We just didn't want you running out into the shucking Maze." he paused at my quizzical look. He stood up and started walking away, but turned back briefly. "It's nice to finally see that pretty smile of yours." he said. I rolled my eyes and he walked off, chuckling.
He turned back again: "The name's Newt" he said, sitting back down in front of me, "What's yours?" I shook my head, wringing my hands. My throat was croaky when I first spoke:
"I...I don't know. Why...can't I remember?" I said, gazing up into his face.
"It'll come to you soon, call for me when it does." he said, getting up and turning away again.
"You're just leaving me in here?" I croaked. He spun on his heels, laughing.
"I'm sure, with such a pretty face as yours, you'll be having company in no time..." he turned away again, walking off. I sat down in the corner, praying that I wouldn't be in here forever.
Newt was right, it wasn't long until I got my first visitor. Unfortunately for me, it was the boy I had kicked in the cage earlier.
"We should make you a Builder, if you're as strong as your punches suggest." he said. Again, my quizzical look showed on my face. Again, a boy laughed at me.
"Something funny?" I retorted, his eyes narrowing.
"As a matter of fact, yeah. We ain't had a girl glader before and you gave Minho quite the thrashing." he said, a smile curling on his lips. Now I was the one narrowing my eyes.
"Sexist." I said through gritted teeth. I heard footsteps, Newt and 'Alby' were headed towards the Slammer.
"Gally, I think you're scaring her." Newt said, glaring him down. Gally shrugged his shoulders and left. "You haven't rememberremembered your name yet?" I shook my head at Newt's question, his look of disappointment couldn't be understated.
"Well, pull her up anyway." Alby said. At his command, Newt lent down, unlatched the door and offered me a hand up. I glared at him, and climbed up by myself.
"It's time for your tour, Greenie." Newt said, his hand fell to his side, he looked slightly miffed.
"Follow me." Albh said, trudging through the grass, with me in his wake.