Darkness consumed Saffron's vision when she woke up, a gasp ripping from her throat as a natural shock reflex. Her hearing was bubbly as she were underwater but still the sound of creaking metal and chains still pierced her eardrums painfully. There was clunks and clicks all around her as if whatever she was in was acclimatising to her weight. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes watered as she was a sitting duck, unaware but over sensitive to any possible danger.

A sudden light shone and now Saffron could see she was in a box with meshed sides and wooden girders and it was being pulled up some sort of shaft. Around her she caught a glimpse of what appeared to be packages of food, water and the like but before she could get a closer look she was submerged into darkness again.

Moments later the light reappeared. A sudden intake of breath, much like her own moments ago (aside from the fact this one sounded more masculine) from somewhere else in the tiny box, caused her to let out a single shrill scream. It was short lived but alerted the other person to her presence. The lights started to flicker out again as Saffron listened to the other person cough and splutter.

Although she wanted to try and move closer to the other person, see if she could ease their painful hacking like cough - she simply couldn't move. She couldn't remember why but she was absolutely paralysed with fear. The panic she felt was so strong, that despite her not knowing why she felt it, it effectively kept her in place. The person seemed to regain themselves, resting on their hands and knees breathing deeply but as if they only just remembered her scream, jerked their head up towards her.

Saffron then came to realise she was right to assume the person was a boy. The now steadier but still jumpy lights allowed her to see a boy around her age. No surprise he was looking back at her as they drunk in each other's appearances, trying to decipher if the other was friend or foe. Saffron noted he had light brown eyes that complemented his darker hair and white but quite tan (not overly fair like herself) skin. He looked to be little taller than her, but not by much. He had a faded blue/grey shirt on. It looked to be cotton and had long sleeves that he'd rolled up. Similarly it also had, what Saffron assumed to be, the male version of a scoop neckline that was fastened together by a single row of no more five buttons, down the centre of the scoop. Not all of the buttons were fastened though. 'Looks like he has issues dressing himself' Saffron silently mused, she knew this wasn't the time or place but couldn't stop the thought that entered her head. He also wore a darker shade of blue/grey trousers. Unlike the top that was more towards the blue end of the spectrum, the trousers were definitely closer to grey. They weren't wide and flared but they weren't skin tight either - they were kind of straight legged slim fit. Mucky lace up, military boots was the last thing she could visibly see him wearing. They were a dark chocolate colour and looked quite heavy to wear. He was covered in what looked like cold sweat. It was all over his upper torso as he still gasped lightly, trying to get his breathing steady.

Unsurprisingly the boy did the same to her. His eyes scanning over her rapidly. She was tall for a girl, only an inch or at most to two shorter than him but she was all legs. A small body but really gangly, long legs. She was pale, the colour of light porcelain with alarmingly pale blue eyes that - that in the current light - made it look like she didn't have an iris at all. She had a strange blonde colour hair, a mixture of white with very subtle pastel yellow. The pale vanilla tendrils sat in loose, natural curls down to her waist and we're currently parted messily, just off centre and to the left side of her head. Her lips were plump and curved like Cupid's bow, in a tawny pink colour. They were slightly ajar as she tired to calm herself with deep breaths. He noticed she had a good figure, after all he was a teenage boy. She was curvy and voluptuous but still lithe and slim.

She was wearing thin chambray dungarees. The bottom half were shorts instead of trousers, that fell to her upper/middle thigh. They were baggy, the front flap falling slightly away from her body and the straps that had silver adjusters (that rested at bottom of her shoulder blades) on them, slipping off her shoulders. The back didn't have a flap so the straps just connected to the high waist band. Underneath the dungarees she had another baggy, white, short sleeve top. It was cotton and also had a scoop neck but it's oversized nature left it to prone to slipping, allowing the muted teal, lacy bralette, with spaghetti straps, she wore underneath to show. The boy noted on her feat were shoes a lot similar to his. She had tan, fashion, military boots on that were also lace up. Her laces were only secured loosely, meaning the flaps of leather weren't flush to each other and were able to move and flop. The boy's eyes drifted back up to her face, he noticed she had her ears pierced 3 times but they all adorned the same clear diamond studs on a silver mounting. After noting there was nothing else obvious about her so he stood quickly. Examining the area, looking at the supplies and then at the mesh. He pushed aside some fabric covering a portion the mesh and something snapped at him causing him to fall back. He quickly stood again, pounding on the top of the mesh frame, adding to the already deafening noise.

"HEY! HEY! HELP!" He screamed. A whimper from behind him caused him to stop. He turned to see the girl from earlier but she'd drawn herself futher back, into the corner where she was all curled up.

"H-Hey, hey … I'm not, not going to hurt you" The boy assured as the box shook violently on their ascent, scrambling their insides and rattling their brains. Saffron noticed he sounded American. He held out a hand to her:

"Come here" he tried to smile but his own panic stopped him being convincingly reassuring. Gingerly, Saffron accepted. Her small boney hand, with piano players fingers and well looked after, long nails resting in his larger calloused Palm. The boy gently grasped her hand and pulled her from the corner of the box, to him - in the centre. They stood in the middle of the box clinging on to one and other as the box shook them. They used each other for balance and gravity, holding tight, as the box flung them around harshly causing them to topple and fall away from each other.

They were gasping (and Saffron occasionally screaming) as they were roughly thrown around. The ride seemed to steady out after awhile but the two still stood, gripping one and other in a deathly vice-like hold. Brown eyes met Blue before they both started looking up and down through the mesh, trying to see where they were going or where they'd come from.

"You ok? You're shaking" The boy asked

"Erm, yes thanks ... Just a little rattled" Saffron smiled sheepishly, not realising the pun

"That's one way to put it. Your English?" He laughed lightly before enquiring. Saffron went to reply but the box jolted, knocking them to the ground. They came to a stand still and red light filled the box. Sitting up slowly and still in each others grips, they frantically glanced around. Their eyes positively bounced from every surface trying to get some understanding of where they were. A siren sounded and the light went green for a moment before shutting off completely. This left Saffron and the boy to grasp, fumbling to tighten their hold in the dark as a greater fear of the unknown and suspense crept in. Their panting and watery breaths echoed throughout the small space.

A bright light, a natural light then blinded them. Two doors above the box opened and sunlight filled the enclosed area. The boy raised one hand to shield his eyes while the other cradled the back of Saffron's head and held it to his shoulder to shield her pretty blue orbs from the intense UV. Footsteps could be heard and then shadows cast over them. The boy dropped his hand and Saffron pulled back from his shoulder. They both looked up to see boys.

Boys of all heights and ethnicities from the age of about 12 to 17/18. All these boys were looking down on them, looking up. The boys started to laugh at them - well at least that was until a broad, tall and quite scary looking boy and one who seemed to be friendly with a limp, removed the mesh ceiling that split into two doors and then gasps broke out.

"It's a couple"

"She's a girl"

"It's a girl"

"There's two of them"

"Why's she here?"

"They can't send couples can they?"

"Two, what's going on?"

"Are they wanting us to breed?"

These were just a sample of the various shouts of outrage and protest that suddenly filled the air. The broad one stepped forward before jumping down into the box. Both Saffron and boy shuffled backwards away from him as he approached. Stopping in front of the Saffron's box friend the broad boy he said:

"Day one, greenie … s" he glanced across at Saffron before making it plural.

"Rise and shine" he gave a fake smile then roughly pulled them both out the box and leaving a few boys closer to the edge to grab them, manhandling them out and away from the box.

Saffron was torn from the boy in the box's grip - much to her panic and was thrust into the overly touchy hands, of a sea of unknown boys. They harshly gripped her arms, waist and thighs causing her to wince. As she struggled against them, her eyes quickly surveyed the surroundings looking for an escape for her and her new friend. Before she knew it she was been thrown down, towards the floor. However the boy from the box softened the blow. She fell square on him, knocking the air from his chest.

"When I nod, run. Just follow me ok?" She whispered in his ear, so only he could hear before rolling off him. The boy just turned to look at her gone out before quirking his head a little. Saffron smiled a small smile then looked up at all the others who were towering over them. All of them were chuckling cruelly, as if they liked watching them squirm.

"I call dibs on the girl" one said

"No fair!" Came a muffled shout from further back

"A new builder would be useful, he looks strong enough"

"I didn't know we could have dibs?!" A boy quite close argued

"Second dibs" said another

"I don't think her boyfriend'll be to pleased about you shanks calling dibs on his girl" one taunted and the others laughed. They then turned their attention to the boy.

"What's she going to do?"

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Awe, too scared to come up on your own, were we?"

"She can't build that's for sure!"

"Needed a lass to protect you?"

"Or are you just a soppy romantic, who won't leave his lady no matter what?"

"She could be a medjack- girls have a certain bedside manner"

"Get up, slint head"

"I could use some help in the kitchen"

Both Saffron and the boy lay on the grass, that was slightly patchy with dry and dusty mud in places looking up, alarmed. Their breathing still quick as they tried to scramble away only to be blocked by feat. Saffron squeezed his hand, that at some point she'd grabbed without realising and he turned to her. Saffron nodded and they both sprang to their feet, shoved their way through the group of mangy, vile boys and sprinted.

"WE GOT RUNNERS!" One hollered but Saffron's ears were ringing. The noise of the box, the noise of the boys - it was all just to much and left her ears to screech their protests. They ran quickly at an Olympic worthy standard, Saffron being a little ahead of the boy because she was lighter. They stealthily chopped through the air, their feet thumping on the ground as they dashed away from the boy cult.

A sudden grunt followed by a thump, gasp and laughing got Saffron to turn back. Looking around she saw the box boy on the floor and the other boys, the nasty boys, laughing at him. Agilely changing her direction but maintaining her speed, she raced back towards the boy. Once she reached him she grabbed his hands and tried to pull him up.

"Come on! Come on! Get up!" She demanded but the boy just looked in pain. His eyes were like saucers and slightly glassy as she continued to try to heave him up.

"Get up, come on! I'm not leaving you here with the Neanderthals!" Saffron continued. Slowly he got to his feat, still looking dazed. Standing still he stood looking around in a trance like state while Saffron continued to pull on his hands.

"They're coming" she whispered desperately, trying to get him to move. The tribe of nasties had started jogging towards them. The broad on got to them first and smirked. Saffron let go of Box Boy's hands and stood facing the aforementioned, broad one. Her hands slightly out in front of her to put some distance between herself and the nasties. The others crowded around while her new friend carried on looking around, completely out of it.

"Come on girly we don't want to hurt you" the broad one said, taking a cautious step forward as Saffron's demeanour well portrayed her fierceness, that was not to be messed with. She just had an air of danger to her that all the boys felt.

"Girly? What are you, a pirate?" Saffron bit out and some of the boys gasped

"Oh, she bean's English. Want to try Newt?" The same one from before asked the nicer looking one with the limp. Or at least Saffron assumed it was him, the nasty was asking. The broad one had gestured towards him and everybody turned to face said boy. The boy, 'Newt' just shrugged. However while Saffron was trying to determine who 'Newt' was, the broad one took advantage of her momentary lack of concentration. He dived forward, grabbing both her wrists in one hand, pulling her close to him. Most of the other boys broke out in another melee of laughter at her futile efforts to escape. That was until the boy from the box broke out his comatose state and went to help Saffron, as she struggled against the broad one. She wriggled and squirmed in an attempt to loosen his grip.

"HEY! Let go of her!" Box Boy ran forward and tried to rip the other boy's hands off Saffron. A few boys from the group then came forward and started clutching at her attempting saviour and pulling him away.

"Let go of me! Leave her alone!" He shouted as they wrestled him tot the ground. The one that had a hold on Saffron had ended up behind her in a ploy to maintain his grasp and she utilised the position. She flung the back of her head in to his face, evoking a grunt from him and getting a lot of attention from the others. Once he'd shook his vision clear she screamed in his ear. It was a long, continual scream at a very high decibel. Most of the on looking boys covered their ears, probably forgetting girls could do such things. The one who had a hold of her quickly clamped a hand over her mouth but Saffron bit down hard on his palm and he retracted it, snappily.

"You little slin … urgh!" He doubled over as she elbowed him in a the stomach, broke free of his grip and then whipped round, kneeing him in balls. Pushing the crouched over nasty away (but with such force he fell to floor) she shoved her way through the grasping clutches of the others, to her friend who was currently under 6 boys. She vaguely also heard laughter and a young sounding voice, say threw chortles:

"Girls are awesome"

"GET OFF HIM! GET OFF! OFF OF HIM! GET OFF!" She tried to pull them away by their shirts or arms unsuccessfully. Suddenly a strong pair of arms wrapped around her waist and heaved her into to the air. Her arms and legs flailed as she tried to get out of the incredibly tall, incredibly strong, man's grip. She didn't know who had a hold on her but she knew it wasn't limpy or the broad one. She did know that he was black, the little she could see if his arms around her enlightened her to that fact. Then other boys began clutching at her wildly waving limbs as she tried to get back to the ground as well as get them off her.

"Calm down! Calm down! Struggling only makes in worse" the boy with limp appeared in her line of vision. She glared at him before lurching forward, letting a high pitched squeal of rage and protest leave her. The boy jumped and she couldn't help but smirk. Saffron may not have been a nasty girl by nature but these baboons of boys had pushed her too far and given her no help or explanation. In that situation she deemed it ok to activate Full on Bitch Mode.

-line break-

After quite the fight, the bullies had managed to get Saffron and her friend in a bamboo hut-like structure that the idiots called 'The Pit'. Their jailers threw them and hastily closed the opening with a bamboo bar grate. Two of them secured it before wandering off. Box boy was still panting and looking confused as he haphazardly manoeuvred around in the small area while Saffron sat on the ground, not moving from the spot she'd landed on. She didn't know what to feel. She was fuming, yes but feeling of panic and dread were also fighting for dominance. She was confused, scared, alone - in the sense she didn't really know anyone, not even box boy. She was upset, in pain (from the boys rough handling and the scuffle).

Suddenly the box felt very claustrophobic. It was stifling, small and there was no escape. Saffron felt her throat go dry and then begin to close up. Her wheezing caught the attention of the boy from the box who was at her side in a second. She lifted her hands up to grapple at her throat as uncontrollable tears began to spill from eyes and down her once milky white cheeks, that were getting more and more Rosie the more worked up she got. She drew her knees to her chest, her arms wrapping around them as she began to rock back and forth.

"Hey, it's ok. Deep breaths. Come on, deep breaths" he crouched in front of her and placed his hands on her upper arms and stroked up and down them. Saffron merely shook her head frivolously as her chest heaved. Her sobs began to actually audibly manifest themselves and the sound of constant heart wrenching gasps and blubbering filled the tiny cell-like room.

"Hush, it's ok. We'll be fine. I promise. If needs be I'll protect you, though from what I've seen your quite good at doing that for yourself … hey, please don't cry. Breathe" he cooed, taking her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. She did just that, her piercing blue eyes looking even more prominent now her eyes were all red raw, swollen and puffy.

"Hey. Listen, it's ok. We're ok. You are ok. I know it scary and being locked in here doesn't help but think about it this way: we may be locked in but all those guys who put us in here, they're locked out" he smiled and that seemed to calm her down a little. He moved to sit beside Saffron, an arm going around her shoulders and drawing her in to his chest. She could finish her little cry in the privacy of it and then calm down.

About 5 minutes later all sounds of crying ceased, something the boy was glad of and squeezed her shoulders a little in congratulation. Not a few moments after that, a person appeared at the barred entrance to the pit.

"Hey" he began making both Saffron and the boy she had been weeping into jump out of the skins. They tried to quickly crawl backwards with little success. After a moment of slipping and scrambling the two managed to press themselves against the far wall. Saffron clung on to the Boy's arm, as he sat slightly in front of her - shielding her. This boy, at the door way, was more a man. He was obviously older then the rest and held an air of authority. He was a black man who was well built and tall. He crouched down outside the bars and looked at them both.

"Hey there Green Beans, you're not going to run again. Ok?" He asked. The boy and Saffron turned to each other before looking back at the man and nodding.

"Good" with that he stood and opened the the pit, pushing the bamboo grate aside. He then came back and crouched in the open door way.

"My name is Alby. Now can you tell me anything about yourselves? Who you are? Where you came from? Anything at all?" Alby asked. The box boy began to slightly convulse as he tried to remember so Saffron spoke up, giving her new friend more time.

"I'm Saffron Eliza Jade Yoncé. I'm 16 and was raised in the rural English village of Holmfirth but I'm also half French on my father's side" she answered but her tone still held some hostility. Saffron rationalised it was ok for her to be a bit pissy, as after all she'd come to this place - whatever it was - and basically been laughed at, attacked and then thrown in a cage.

"That's a lot She Bean, most people only remember their name, if that"

"Maybe it's a girl thing and please not She Bean, people used to call me … call me … Saffy" She eventually got there. Saffron turned back to the boy who was still shaking slightly. Alby followed suit, looking at the boy with both sympathy and curiosity.

"Can you remember your name?" Alby asked but the boy shook his head.

"I'm sure it'll come to you soon" Saffron said in a soft voice, reserved for friends. She also gave his arm a light squeeze of reassurance.

"N-no, no. I can't … I can't remember anything. Why can't I remember anything?" he sounded so sad, Saffron felt her heart clench. However as his lack of memory converted back into panic and he started riling up again.

"It's ok. Hey, relax, relax. It's normal. It happens to us all. You'll get your name back in a day or two, it's the one thing they let us keep" Alby tried to sooth him while Saffron kept squeezing his arm every now and then.

"What is this place?" The boy asked

"Let me show you" Alby reached in and offered out a hand.

-line break-

Saffron, Alby and the Boy (who everyone was calling Greenie) walked around the grassy field like area at a slow pace as Ably explained 'what he could'. This detail didn't please Saffron as Alby made no to attempt to even claim he didn't know all the answers to all the questions, just rudely shrugged them off or told them not to ask - it was really ticking her off.

"…we eat here, we sleep here, we grow our own food, we build our own shelter" Alby listed as he walked a head of the two, pointing at the things he was talking about. Saffron and Greenie followed slowly while looking around in both awe and morbid curiosity

"Whatever we need the box provides" he continued and turned, walking backwards

"The rest is up to us" Alby finished

"The box? You mean that rickety crate we were hauled up in?" Saffron playfully challenged

"Yeah, that" Ably chuckled slightly, before adding

"It's sent up once a month with fresh supplies and a new greenie, or in this case greenies. This month it's you two, congratulations" Alby explained before jesting and hitting Greenie's arm playfully

"Sent up? Sent up by who though?" the boy asked

"Yeah, earlier you said 'our names are the one thing they let us keep'. Who's they? Who put us here?" Saffron seconded his question

"That we don't know" Alby replied, his demeanour all of a sudden quite glum. A deathly silence fell upon the three.

"Hey, you alright Alby?" A cheerful voice sounded. The three turned to see the one with the limp coming towards them. 'Now that my brain's not completely consumed by fear, only like 99.9% of it, I realise that you limpy, are actually quite attractive" Saffron internally complemented the boy approaching them. He too had blonde hair but dark eyes that were a chocolate-y colour and was also quite pale. He wore a white shirt that had a orange-ish vest peaking out from underneath and brown trousers that were very similar in cut and style to the boy, she was in the box with, trousers.

"Hi. Green bean, Saffron or Saffy … whatever, meet Newt"

"Hi" Newt smiled and also shook their hands

"When I'm not around, he's in charge" Alby spoke over Newt's introduction

"Well it's a good thing your always around then. Listen that was some dash you two made earlier, for a second I thought you had the chops to be runners … until you face planted and then you stopped for a chin-wag while he was down" Newt's eyes jumped from Alby and the Greenie and then Saffron as he addressed them. Newt and Ably both started to laugh at the comment.

"Listen, Newt. I think you'll appreciate the fact, seen as though 'you've all been threw it' that we've had a long day and it's nowhere near over already. So I think I speak for the both of us when I say: we are really not in the mood for cheap shots. That and my tempers wearing thin. He may have fell but in all fairness we had just had to stare up at all your ugly mugs with no memories - traumatising I'm sure you'll agree - so cut out snide remarks or you'll have a matching limp for your other leg" Saffron gritted out, they really were starting to annoy her. Their laughter subsided and the box boy caught up to the conversation. Newt opened his mouth to say something but Greenie spoke first

"Wait … runner?" He asked.

"Newt do me a favour, go find Chuck?" Alby asked the blonde

"Alright" Newt agreed

"Thanks" Alby offered a small smile as they clapped each others back as passed him to find this 'Chuck'. The boy watched Newt walk off and Alby grabbed his closer forcing him to walk forward, Saffron also falling into step with them.

"Look I'm sorry to rush this, you two came up a little late and there's a lot to do. Got something special planned tonight" Alby started walking backwards again. The boy was still watching Newt walk away, seemingly distracted.

"Yeah, let's see" Alby said and dragged off towards a giant wooden tower that appeared to be built around a tree that had had its top severed off.

"I hope your not afraid of heights" Alby teased

"I've had memory wiped, woke up in a glorified cat carrier, been pointed and laughed like an animal in the zoo by a mass of male imbeciles - without a single girl in sight. I've been manhandled, grabbed and attacked and then shoved in a bamboo box. Frankly right now - I've got very little to be afraid of … besides it basically tree climbing, with ladders" Saffron sarcastically commented

"Let's go, come on" Alby began to climb the ladder leaving the newbies to stand at the bottom, watching him

"You want to go first?" The boy box asked

"In these shorts, I think not" Saffron laughed, lightly pushing him forward. He too laughed and began to climb, her following.

-line break-

Once they reached the top they stood on the balcony and looked out over the entirety of the 'glade' and the four grimy walls that surrounded but there was a gap in one wall, like a doorway. Alby was leaning, slouched against one corner of the balcony rail while the Greenie and Saffron stood a bit away from him, looking out

"This is all we got" Alby said almost dreamily

"We worked hard for it" he turned to them

"You two respect this place, we'll get along just fine" Alby assured

"What's out there" box boy jerked his head towards the gap in the wall

"It is very ominous" Saffron agreed. Alby however, completely blanked them and stood up straight and walked round till he stood between them, his hands resting on the balcony rail.

"We only have 3 rules. First: do your part. No time for any free loaders. Second: never harm another grader, none of this works unless we have trust. Most importantly - never go beyond those walls, you two greenies understand me?" He turned his head to both of them, glaring lightly leaving to two to just nod

"HEY! ABLY!" A voice called out breaking the tension. Alby quickly moved back to his original spot, the other two following and looking over the railing, like Alby was. A young boy stood there. He had brown curly hair and was slightly pudgy. He waved up at them when he saw them looking down.

"Hi Chuck, where you been man?" Alby laughed. With that Alby told them told them to go with Chuck and that he'd help them settle in. After his vague instructions Alby just walked off and climbed down and out of the tower.

"Wait! Alby!" Saffron called but he was already gone

"You never told us what was beyond the walls" She sighed. The box boy put a hand on her shoulder and smiled when she turned her head to face him.

"I get the impression he's not telling us everything" Saffron confessed

"Me too but I'm sure he has his reasons" he reasoned

"Yeah but he just gave us a lecture on trust an how none of this works without it and yet they aren't telling the newbies - the new, most frightened, stranded 'greenies' everything. How are we supposed to trust them if it's obvious they don't trust us" She exclaimed and he hugged her from behind. Surprisingly she felt safe in his hold and relaxed into him, despite having known him for merely a few hours.

"Are you two love birds coming or not?" Chuck shouted and the two pulled apart

"We're really going to have to deal with this whole couple thing" box boy mused, holding the top of the ladder steady as Saffron began to climb down it

"Tell me about it" She agreed

-line break-

"It's basically the same story for all of us …" Chuck continued to wrestle with a hammock while box boy stared out at the wall with the tunnel like entrance. Meanwhile Saffron tried to dust and clear her little sleeping area that was right next to her new friend's.

"… we wake up in the box, Alby gives us the tour then here we are" Chuck managed to tuck it in to place.

"Don't worry your both doing better than I did. I klunked myself three times before I got out the pit" Chuck admitted turning round to where box boy was.

"I'm sure I'd be a lot more grossed out if I knew what 'klunked' meant but I don't, so …" Saffron looked up to see Chuck looking at the spot her new friend had once been but he had seemingly vanished.

"Saffy come on" Chuck pushed under the hammock and ran after box boy leaving Saffron to follow, which she did. She quite liked Chuck, he seemed … hopeful, but unlike Ably whose hope was all ambiguous and vague. No, Chuck's hope was raw - like a child of his age should be.

She quickly caught up with the smaller boy and they continued on, towards box boy who was meandering towards the gap in the walls.

"Dude, where are you going?" Chuck asked him when they caught up and dropped into his dazed, sauntering pace.

"I just want to see" he defended quietly, unable to take his eyes off the wall

"Take a look round all you want but you better not go out there" Chuck instructed

"Why not? What's through there?" Saffron asked, coming to stand Chuck's other side.

"I don't know. I just know what I'm told. I'm not supposed to leave" Chuck stood in front of them before turning and craning his neck to try to see round the nearest wall. After a minute, two boys jogged out the maze and right towards them. Chuck looked on in slight admiration whereas Saffron and box boy looked confused.

"Hey Chuck, new Greenies … a girl, huh? Interesting. How does it feel to be promoted?" the first one asked

"Feels great Ben" Chuck smiled before turning his attention back to aforementioned Greenies and the two boys jogged on

"I thought no one was allowed to leave?" Box boy asked

"Or is that another one rule for one and another for some one else set up? You guys seem to be quite keen on the whole 'do as I say, not as I do' thing" Saffron said, her voice carrying a slight venom to it

"I said we're not allowed to leave. They're different, they're runners. They know more about the maze than anyone" Chuck defended and at his words a brain wave hit both the Greenies.

"Wait, what?" Box boy began, him tilting his head to look at Saffron who looked back, an identical look of glorious revelations in her eyes.

"What?" Chuck asked

"What, you just said …" Box boy began

"Maze" Saffron finished and they all turned to great stone walls

"I-I did?" Chuck looked sheepish

"You better believe it" Saffron confirmed before she and Box boy walked towards the entrance.

"Where are you two going?" Chuck questioned as the two came to stand before entrance to the maze. Saffron found she had box boy on her left and Chuck approaching to her right.

"What are you doing?" He continued his interrogation once he caught up to the two taller and older teens.

"I just want to take a look" Box boy defended

"It's kind of fascinating, now that I actually know what it is, I mean" Saffron shrugged

"I told you, you can't …" Chuck tried to pull them back

" … No one leaves especially not now. It's not safe" Chuck stood in front of them

"You said we couldn't go in, you didn't say we couldn't look" Saffron argued but box boy merely shot her look before taking her hand and pulling her forward slightly, when he took a step forward.

"Ok … ok" he reassured Chuck. The two cautiously approached the ending in tiny steps. All they could see was a concrete jungle. Just vast high walls that appeared to go back. The higher up the walls the more cobwebs and vines decorated the bland stones.

"HEY!" A sudden and sadly familiar voice called out and before either knew it, both Box boy and Saffron were on the floor with the hideous broad boy from earlier looming over them.

"We got to stop meeting like this Greenies" he chastised in a very condescending fashion. Box boy grunted and quickly pulled himself off the floor, dragging Saffron up with him before dropping her hand.

"Alright, calm, calm, calm, calm" The broad one held out his hands, attracting attention from everyone else who quickly started to crowd round them.

"Woah, woah! Take it easy, just relax!" He continued as box boy and Saffron starting spinning round like hamsters in a wheel. They were enclosed by a barricade of boys and a creaking wall. Understandably the both began to freak out … again.

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" Box boy asked the approaching boys who's ran from all over the glade

"Just calm down, alright?" Newt tried to get through to them

"Us calm down?! Seriously? The definition of aggression is: attacking without being provoked and that's exactly what that lumbering mass of muscle and unresolved childhood issues has just done! He came at us like a bull in a china shop for no apparent reason! We were just looking! Human nature's curiosity! If anyone needs to chill it's Mr Big-Bones over there!" Saffron exclaimed at the same time her only friend there said:

"No! Why won't you tell us what's out there?" Box boy added

"We're just trying to protect you, man!" Alby soothed

"What by not telling us anything? I'm sorry but that's a floored tactic it just sparks fascination and makes us want to know even more!" Saffron came up behind box boy and placed a hand on his lower arm, trying to calm him slightly. Through her own panic she could see him getting more and more worked up.

"It's for your own good" Newt added

"No, you can't just keep us here!" Box boy exclaimed

"I can't let you leave" Alby dead panned

"Why not?" Saffron felt panic bubble in her throat, her voice becoming wavering. The walls behind them began to creak and crunch more intensely. All of them turned to the walls. They were beginning to close, a gust a wind ripped through with no warning from inside the maze. The others turned to shield their eyes while box boy and Saffron turned to face the wind head on, watching the walls compress and close.

"What the hell?" Box boy mutter as the wall's locking mechanisms protruded from the walls before clicking shut and locking down.

"Next time I'm going to let you leave" the broad one said sneered and walked away

"Well if it puts multiple high and impenetrable walls and several feet of concrete between us, I'd gladly take my chances in there, dick" Saffron spat at him leaving the on looking crowd slightly stunned. 'He's obviously the group bully then' Saffron thought as she glared holes in his retreating figure. After that the crowd began to disperse and Alby approached them.

"Welcome to Glade" was his sole response before he too left.