*Whrrrr - Click Click*
I stop in my tracks and press myself into the wall, hidden among the ivy. The Griever 30 yards away from me is blocking my escape route; the only path to the closest door out of the Maze. It hasn't noticed me yet though. I still have a chance.
I try to concentrate on recalculating my route, but fear is creeping in. My stomach drops when I realise how far I have to go to get to the other side. Shuck it. I speed off faster than I ever have before. Louder than I've ever dared to.
I'm making good time- I hope. Two rights and the second left. Not long now. My body screams in agony from the punishing pace. Not long now.
*Whrrrr - Click Click*
No! There's a Griever behind me. I don't waste time looking, I know what I'd find. It's getting dark. There's not much time.
I finally see the Eastern door to the Glade. There's no one there to watch. They'll be 'round by the other door. They'll never know I almost made it. Not much farther but my time is up. I wonder if the Grievers will leave my body for Minho to find in the morning-
Dripping in sweat I find myself plummeting to the ground. I spring up to my feet ready to run, trying to get my bearings. I'm in the Glade, it's still dark, I'm next to my tree. Oh- I fell out of the hammock again.
I groan in frustration as I try to catch my breath. Every night it's the same dream. Hopefully I didn't scream this time.
After a few minutes I manage to calm myself and check the time. There's still a few hours before the sun rises and the Doors open. No one else will be awake for a while, so I decide to run a good few laps around the Glade. Running is the only thing that seems to settle my nerves. I don't make a habit of running in public though, at least not when I'm being watched. The slintheads I live with can tease me enough without having any extra ammunition. Besides, I'm trying to act normal - they've only just stopped treating me like a fragile piece of glass.
Satisfied by my run, I glance at the time again. Minho should be up by now. I jump up the steps to Homestead and clamber over sleeping bodies to his room. I chuckle to myself when I find him sprawled out on his bed, only visible from the tufts of hair poking out the top and a bare foot dangling off the edge.
"Hey, shuckface. Minho, wake up." I nudge his sides. "Minho. Get up!"
"Wha-? Ugh, no." He rolls over still mostly asleep. For someone who woke up so early every day he was definitely no morning person. Rolling my eyes I suck in a deep breath and shove him off the side of the bed.
"Argh!" I perch myself on the edge of the bed as he pops his head up, scowling at me. I flash him my best smile. "Time to rise and shine, shank. Day's a-wasting'" With that, I bug out before he can catch me.
I quickly head off to the shower- the Gladers tend to use it in the evenings after the days work, so I'm generally uninterrupted during my morning wash. Its not until I'm on my way to see Frypan that someone comes crashing down on me from behind.
"Ooft." I stagger under the weight but I'm proud to say I hold my ground. "C'mon, Allie! Carry me to Frypan!" Minho cheered gleefully.
"Uhh, don't think so slinthead. You're too heavy- I'm gonna fall." I bend backwards so he falls off my back and I poke him in the ribs. He pouts at me but I can tell he's only joking.
"Race you then!" He darts off before I have the chance. I'm fast, but not Minho fast. Its not much of a competition really but he still claims his victory, dancing about the kitchen. I laugh with him and shove his shoulder playfully. It's so easy to relax with Minho- he doesn't take things seriously unless he has to.
Frypan emerges from the makeshift larder and rolls his eyes. It doesn't take him long to scrape together some breakfast for us, and one by one the other Runners emerge rubbing their eyes.
"Be careful out there Minho." I mutter to him as we stand out in the Glade, waiting for the Northern door to open. He looks at me carefully for a moment and sighs. He looks like he is trying to say something but instead he grins at me. "Always am, Allie, always am." He winks at me before running into the Maze.
Rolling my eyes behind him, I remember Newt. I'm so out of sync with the routine in this place I'd forgotten I have an actual job to do today. I jog off to find him already at work in the field. He looks up to see me coming and grins.
"Hey, Newt." I grin back at him. He stands up, dusting the dirt from his hands, and places them on his hips. "You ready, Aliza?" He asks, raising an eyebrow. "I was born ready, Newt." I wink at him, feigning enthusiasm. I shrug as he laughs and beckons me over to the hut.
"Lets get you started then."
Being a track-hoe isn't so bad. Actually, it's very engrossing. Not to mention there's a real feeling of making an actual difference to the Glade - providing food and whatnot. Being out in the open air is great, even if the sun is hot. It feels good and there's enough work to keep my mind occupied. The company is pretty good too.
It took me longer to get to know Newt than the other Gladers. He'd had some sort of accident in the Maze when I first appeared in the Box so he was in the Med-Jacks hut most of the time. I'd become a Runner shortly after he reappeared so there wasn't a lot of time to talk then. He seemed pretty quiet. It was only after a few of Gally's 'special drinks' at a Greenie bonfire that we got to know each other. He's a pretty special guy.
The work day ends earlier than usual with the Box alarm going off. I'm used to it now, although curiosity still gets the better of me as I huddle 'round with my fellow Gladers to look at what supplies we've been given.
Gally leaps down into the Box with practiced precision and starts passing the boxes and crates of supplies to the others. I grab a smaller crate and rummage through the contents. Some oil, wax paper, extra rope. Good.
"Uh… Aliza?" I look up to see who called my name so nervously. Its the Greenie. I can guess by some of the glares he gets - particularly Gally - that he's been told not to talk to me. He looks at me apologetically. He probably thinks I'm jacked. The day of my Maze incident just so happened to be the same day he popped out of the Box.
"What is it, Greenie?"
"This box. It has your name on it."
"What?" The Gladers create a cacophony of confused voices. We don't often get written communication from the Creators. I get up from the crate and walk over to the Greenie and the Box.
Gally calls out after me. "Slim it Gally, it's just a box." I shrug. I hear him huff behind me as he climbs out the Box. No doubt giving me the eyebrow.
I hesitate slightly before opening the box. In large black letters, just like the plaques throughout the Maze, I can see my name. I rummage through it, feeling the eyes of the Gladers burning into me.
"Clothes. Just clothes and a hat. Nothing to see here. Go back about your business." A few shanks release the breath they'd been holding. I don't know what they expected it to be, or what I thought it'd be for that matter.
Up until now, I'd been using the same clothes as the other Gladers. Most of the boys were bigger than me, so the clothes could be a bit baggy at times, sure, but it was ideal for running in, cool enough in the sun, but warm enough in the shade and when a breeze came in from the cliff.
"I guess they thought you'd need different clothes? Seeing as you're a track-hoe now." Alby is beside me going over the outside of the box in case I'd missed something. "Guess so. Weird though." I murmur. Alby just nods.
A short while later, I sit up at the lookout tower watching the doors. The Runners were due back now and sure enough, one by one they emerge from the Maze. They pause briefly, catching their breath, before heading into the Map Room. I waited until the last Runner, Dave, came through before joining them.
I know better than to say anything when I enter the Map Room. I just watch them as they lean over the paper, each of them intensely concentrated on their respective section. I missed this. This was my favorite part about being a Runner, being able to bring something new to the table that might just help to solve the bugging Maze. I'm careful not to get too close so as not to distract anyone. I know first hand how difficult it can be to remember if the 32nd turn was a left or a right.
Paul is the first to look up. "Hey shuckface." I grin at him, Paul was the one who took me into the Maze and showed me the ropes. We bonded really well and had an easy relationship where we insulted each other at every opportunity. I know I can count on him. He pokes me in the ribs and sits beside me waiting for the others. After the others have finished we sit deliberating the ins and outs of each section.
"Right. Food. There's nothing new today." Minho declares.
The Runners pour out of the Map Room, Paul and I are the last to head over to the kitchens. "So how was it?"
"How was what?" I quiz, eyeing the shank beside me.
"I dunno slinthead, whatever job you've ended up with. Not that you've told me or anything." He adds casually.
I laugh, "Track-Hoes, you klunk-head. Dirty. Still, it was better than I thought it'd be."
"You could do worse… Still not the same though- is it?" I look over at my friend who's watching me carefully. I think it's the most serious thing I've ever heard him say. Besides 'Don't die, Newbie'.
I sigh before answering. "It won't ever be the same, Paul. Things change." I leave him standing outside to find my dinner.
