I know, it's been ages. I don't even have an excuse. But I received this PM from IDaughter of PoseidonI telling me to update and continue. Then I remembered a few othersPMing me long ago to update. So, guess what? I reread my previous chapters and actually wrote a new chapter :)

Enjoy!

Thomas

Thomas could feel some sort of non-verbal communication going on between Percy and Leo. It wasn't easy to explain, but he could feel it in the air.

He looked back down at his emptying plate. The food in the Glade was decent. The Creators had provided them with all the basic necessities since day one. Yet he still found it hard to believe that the Gladers were actually satisfied and happy with their day-to-day routine, carrying out their jobs, having their meal, watching the doors to the maze close, and turning in for the night. The first few shanks had been stuck in here for three years, and still had no urge of going into the maze.

Sighing, Thomas spooned the remainder of his food into his mouth and washed his plate before handing it over to Frypan. He was exhausted, confused, and terrified even, from this afternoon's events.

What the heck did Ben mean what he said he recognized him?

Just this afternoon, after leaving Percy and Leo to themselves, Thomas had gone back to get some fertilizer for newt. He'd trekked into the forest liked he'd done many times before. All was well until a Runner he identified as Ben had leapt onto him. The boy clawed at him, all while yelling 'I saw you!'.

Thomas could not have replied. First of all, he didn't have the slightest idea what Ben meant by that. And secondly, he was mainly focused on trying to get away from him. Thomas had half ran, half stumbled out of the forest, and finally bumped into the other Gladers who hastened to restrain Ben.

When Thomas had asked Alby what Ben had meant when he said 'I saw you'. Alby was silent for a while. Then after what seemed like hours, Alby briefly explained that Ben had been stung by a Griever – somehow in broad daylight – and had a 'hallucination' about him.

And then just before dinner, minutes before Percy and Leo had emerged from the hut, Ben had been banished. His name was scratched out of the wall, to be forgotten like any other dead Glader.

Thomas was so deep in thought that he was surprised to find himself standing at the door to the hut where the Gladers usually slept. He was only brought back to the present when he heard muffled voices inside.

His hand froze, an inch from pushing open the door. Thomas crept forward, pressing his ear close to the door.

"…has never happened before!" A scratchy voice Thomas knew to be Gally's said.

"Exactly. Grievers only come out at night." Minho agreed. "I've been running in the maze for years and I've not seen a Griever out at noon before."

"I must say it isn't normal that we've got two shanks – Percy and Leo – coming in today. And they don't react in the same way new Greenies do." Newt added.

A pause.

Thomas shifted his positon to get ready to hide, just in case the discussion was over. They would not take it too kindly if they found out he was spying on them.

But a slightly louder and rougher voice told him that the discussion was still on.

"Alright. It seems like there is something up this time. I want to go into the maze to see if there's anything up." It was definitely Alby.

"Well if that's the case, I'll bring you tomorrow." Minho said. "The minute the doors are open, we'll leave. That would give us enough time to explore before sundown."

"It's settled, then." Gally said. "Meanwhile, we should keep an eye on the two Greenies. I say if there is anything abnormal happening around here, it's them."

Thomas had barely a seconds warning to throw himself behind a dense clutter of bushes when he heard approaching footsteps.

Mere seconds later, Gally pushed open the door and peeked his head out. Then seeing that there was no one outside, Gally turned back to Alby, Newt, and Minho who stood at the far end of the room.

"No one around. All the shanks are clearing off their food. But it's best we break up this meeting now."

Thomas made sure he was completely hidden in the bush as all the four occupants in the hut strolled out, walking back towards the center of the Glade.

Thomas remained crouching behind the bush. He had been right. There was something strange about Percy and Leo. And he certainly was not the only Glader to think so. Alby, Newt, Gally, and even Minho agreed that something was off.

If Thomas looked into the details, he could see that indeed the 'strangeness' was quite obvious. Percy and Leo knew each other. They had miraculously managed to keep their memories. It was something that the Creators had never allowed. And on that very same day that the two Greenies were brought up, the Grievers had come out in daylight and attacked one of the Runners.

Coincidence? Thomas seriously doubted that.

But there was nothing Thomas could do right now. Perhaps tomorrow, when Alby and Minho returned from the maze, they might bring some interesting news.

Thomas bent down, sweat dripping down his chin. His shirt was soaked with perspiration from spending most of the morning and afternoon pulling out resilient weeds that kept insisting on growing on the fertile soil.

Earlier this morning, he'd seen Alby and Minho gathering their packs and taking off into the maze as soon as the doors grinded open.

It had been more than six hours, and they had not returned. That was not unusual though, since most runner only returned just before the doors were closed shut for the night. So he pulled his eyes away from the doors and watched as Newt led Percy and Leo towards him.

"And here are the Track-hoes." Newt explained. "We do the harvesting, planting, tilling, weeding. All that sort of stuff."

"Okay…" Percy said. "But I don't think this is my kind of job."

"Yeah. It's cool and all, but farming isn't exactly my kind of thing either." Leo agreed.

Newt just shrugged. "Sure. The first week is usually to test which job you are best at. And after that, that job becomes permanent. It usually takes some getting used to."

Thomas realized his attention had suddenly turned to Leo. The boy was no longer fidgeting with random tools. He was now standing stock still, as if he was hearing something.

Percy seemed to have noticed too, because he spun around to face his friend.

"Leo, what's wrong?"

There was no reply. Leo swayed a little on his feet.

"Leo!" Percy shouted urgently, trying to shock him out of his reverie.

Leo jerked suddenly, like he had just awoken from a dream.

"Woah guys, I didn't mean to startle you. But where are the Runners?" Leo asked quickly.

Newt frowned at the boy. "The Runners didn't go into the maze today. Only Alby and Minho went. Alby wanted to check something out himself."

"And they are still in the maze?" Leo persisted.

"They should be back soon." Newt said. "Why?"

"Maybe you should send some Runners in to search for them."

"No. That is too dangerous. It's almost dark. But why are you suddenly asking, Leo?"

Leo looked flustered. "I don't think you'll believe me but…" he looked directly at Percy, "I can feel that the maze is more…active…today. Something could be wrong."

Newt was expressionless. He stared at the two metallic doors nearest to him. "Minho has memorized every bit of this maze. They will make it back."

But Percy was not convinced. "But what if those…those Grievers had done something to them?"

Newt, however, was reluctant to believe it. He made it clear that their conversation was over. Crossing his arms, he repeated, "They will come back."

Then he strode away from them.

The moment Newt was out of earshot, Leo lowered his voice and said to Percy. "There is something wrong. In the afternoon, I normally can hear the dull humming of the maze. Last night, I heard another being. I could hear the whirling sound of an automaton. I assumed that was the Grievers that came out at night. But just a few moments ago, I heard it again. I don't think that was supposed to happen."

Apparently, Percy believed what Leo had said, because he nodded his head. But he only replied, "You heard Alby and Newt. We aren't allowed to go out."

"What if something bad has really happened to them, and they can't make it back?" Leo asked, searching Percy's eyes for an answer.

Percy glanced at Thomas, before gazing back at Leo. There was a glint of determination in his eyes that Thomas had never seen before.

Percy spoke in a low voice, but that did not mar the effect of his words. "If they don't make it back when the doors are closing, I'll run out there before the gate closes and find them myself."

A little short for a chapter. But I need to get the ball rolling again. Expect the next chapter in no more than 2 weeks :)