It was halfway through the tour and the shadows were slowly fading into night darkness. Out of nowhere, a loud shifting screeching noise erupted from everywhere. He glanced around, trying to locate the source.

He spotted the open section of the walls closing with a loud rumble. Within a minute, they had slammed shut, sealing them in for the night.

*X*

"Come on, it's starting soon." Lewy beckoned, heading towards the center of the Glade, where most of the boys had gathered.

They'd just finished the tour and it was pretty much pitch black, besides the moon, stars, and other lights inside the Glade, of course.

"What's going on, Lewy?" The Greenie asked as they trekked over in that direction.

"A celebration." The pudgy kid explained. "In your honor, actually."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"I gotta see this." He muttered sarcastically.

They reached the Gladers. A few of them were holding sticks, which were burning on the ends.

"Are we all here?" Jeremy called out.

"Everyone, but Church and Billy." Brady responded, casting the Greenie a curt nod.

"Alright!" Max shouted, gaining the attention of every boy. His voice had cheerfulness in it. "Let's light it up!"

The few boys with the torches threw them at a wooden campfire-like thing and it went ablaze immediately. Everyone cheered, except for the confused newbie. Within moments, everyone has hanging out like they were free or even at a party. The newbie sat against a log, a good way from the fire, his back towards it. Footsteps heading his wway caught his attention. He turned back to see who it was.

The blonde British boy, Jeremy, was coming towards him. He reached him and sat beside him, back against the log.

"Enjoying yourself, Greenie?" He asked.

"I guess." The newbie shrugged. "Saw Lewy giving ya the tour earlier. What do ya think of the place? It's all we got. Every bit of it."

"It's...interesting." The Greenie replied. "Earlier someone told me we were sent here. Why? Who put us here?"

"We don't know, mate." The blonde admitted. "Beyond those walls is a maze. Every day the Runners run through it and try to find a way out."

"How long have they been looking?"

"Just over three years." The boy told him, with a thoughtful glance. "They haven't found anything more than a few Grievers."

"What the hell is a Griever?"

"No one has lived to tell us that." Jeremy shrugged. "All we know is that they're out there, in the Maze. They are mostly out at night."

"Can they get in here?"

"No, nothing can get through-more the less over those walls. You're safe in here, with the rest of the boys."

The Greenie nodded, taking it all in.

"Come on, remember this is your celebration." Jeremy got to his feet.

The newbie did as well.

"Let me show you around a bit, you'd do good to get to know some of the others."

"Sure." He shrugged.

*X*

"And you see Don, right there?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah, I see him."

"He's the Keeper of the Track Hoes- the ones who grow our food." The boy explained.

They stood there silently, watching the strong boy shove another skinny kid out of a circle of the other boys.

"What're they doing?" The Greenie asked, breaking the silence.

"It's a game. The rules are not to get pushed out of the circle."

"Strange sort of game."

"I know, but it's all we got." Jeremy told him. "We don't have much time to mess around anyway."

"Yeah, I've noticed." The newbie nodded. "You seemed pretty busy today, with that kid screaming and all. What was wrong with him anyway?"

"Church?" The British boy sobered up. "He's been stung, by one of those Grievers."

"When did that happen?"

"This morning."

"How did he get stung?"

"He had to go into the Maze after a goat." Jeremy sighed. "We thought that it'd be dead, so we sent him out with Brady. Turns out a Griever was devouring the goat when they found it and it sort of...attacked them. Brady obviously got out fine. He saved Church's life."

"Wow." The Greenie breathed.

"Alright, no more questions tonight." The boy yawned. "Let's go have some fun now before I fall asleep!"

The Greenie immediately found himself standing in the circle of the game. After the current boy failed, Don saw him in the circle of boys.

"Hey, Greenie, wanna see what you're made of?" He challenged, raising his eyebrows.

"Greenie! Greenie! Greenie!" A chant rose up and he found himself in the middle of the circle.

"Have you figured out the rules yet?" Don asked.

He nodded. "Let's do this."

A smile appeared on the muscular boy's face, the first one he'd seen from him. Then, he suddenly charged at him, shoving him into the arms of two of the boys that formed the circle. They shoved him back towards Don. The Greenie raced at him,barreling into his midsection. Don easily slipped from his grip and the new kid faceplanted in the grass.

There were "ooh"s from the crowd as well as laughter. Slightly humiliated, the Greenie kicked Don's legs out from under him and he collapsed onto the grass beside him. Seconds later, they were both on their feet, ready for another go.

"Come on, Greenie, you should be better than that." Don taunted.

Anger flooded through him. "Stop calling me that!"

"What do you want me to call you? Shack?"

Anger turned into rage and he barged into the cocky boy's side, shoving him onto the ground. Before he could move away, his legs were kicked out from under his body and his head slammed into the ground. He let out a cry of pain, as whoops, cheers, and laughter erupted.

But the newbie ignored it. A strange, new yet familiar word was in his mind. No, not a word. A name. Leroy. His eyes widened and he slowly got into a sitting position.

"Leroy." He murmured. He scrambled to his feet in a hurry, excitement overcoming his rage. "Leroy! I remember my name! It's Leroy!"

After a few moments of silence, someone shouted his name in a cheer. The others joined in, crowding around him. Don ended up shaking his hand.

"Hey, Leroy, great job." He replied as he turned away.

A shriek -not a human shriek- erupted from beyond the walls.

"What the hell?" Leroy burst out.

"That was a Griever." Brady said as he shook his hand.

*X*

"Hey, Jeremy, I have one more question." Leroy said as they headed towards the hammocks in the Deadheads.

"Ask away." The boy replied, his voice laid back.

"Why haven't they found a way out yet?"

"Strangely, the Maze changes at night." The British explained. "If you listen, you can hear it."

They fell silent for a moment. Faintly, he heard something shifting. It was pretty loud, almost louder than the doors closing.

"Yeah, I hear it." He breathed. "Wow. How is that possible?"

"I don't even know." Jeremy half chuckled as they reached the Deadheads, where the hammocks hung in between tree trunks. The blonde haired boy settled down into one, yawning loudly. "Sweet dreams, Lee"

"G'night." Leroy respond, laying down in his hammock, though his long legs dangled off of the end. He let out a small yawn as his first day in the Glade came to an end.

Okay, so day one was four chapters long! Should I be surprised? Anyway, review your thoughts and suggestions in the comments!

-Thanks!