"And there's no way out?" I spoke after Newt explained that we were trapped in the glade, and inside those giant walls there was a maze; there existed a creature called Griever—at least that's what they called it, but no one had ever seen one and lived to tell about it because no one has ever survived a night in the maze.

Newt sighed, shook his head, handing me a knife to carve my name. After a moment of hesitation, I took it, "Newt, can I ask you something?" I looked at him.

"You've been asking me questions, why ask for permission now?" He chuckled. I carved my name on the wall, next to Alby's.

"Good point, it's just…" I sighed, "Thomas remembered his name as soon as he woke up but I—I had to have my head kissed the ground shucking hard, why?"

"Is someone getting a little more adjusted to the glade in just two days?" He mocked me.

"'Oh, Shut up!" I giggled, "Might as well adjusting early, right?" He nodded.

He thought for a minute before opening his mouth, "I couldn't remember my name at first too. Alby had the same case as Thomas. It meant nothing, I guess."

"Nothing means nothing, Newt. Everything must mean something, we were put here by someone, our memories were entirely wiped, it's happening for a reason and I'm planning to find out,"

He stared at me, the corner of his mouth slid upwards, "You're different, you know?"

"Of course, I am." I agreed. "So how do you become a runner?"

"Woah, slow down, greenie!" He said, looking at me in disbelief, "You can't become a runner if you're a newbie. There's never been one before,"

"There is always a first time for everything." I informed him, walking towards the garden for my job, with Newt following me.

Alby had told me earlier that my first job here would be in the gardens, and after that he separated me and Thomas, I went with Newt, and Alby with Thomas, I had figured out that he didn't like me very much, it definitely had something to do with the mouth that I own that I couldn't keep it shut.

As soon as I presented myself at the garden, Zart who was the keeper of the track-hoes, handed me a shovel and told me to start picking out some weeds. I did as what I was told with no complaining.

It had been about three or four hours of work and I was getting tired and started to slow down my work. My mind wasn't around my work anymore, that's when I realized that I didn't want to be a medjack or a track-hoe or a cook or anything other than a runner. I wanted to become a runner, that's the only thing I wanted. I wanted to find the way out of here and find out who the hell was putting us here.

"Liv, go get some fertilizer," Zart ordered while handing me a bucket and a shovel.

I huffed, and started to enter the woods. Go get some fertilizer, Liv. It's not like you've been working for forever, I mocked Zart softly. As soon as I arrived at the Deadheads, I put down the bucket and the shovel, and look around the Deadheads. There were small graves, with bit of woods and names engraved into them, there was one named George. I was looking at them, imagining different kind of deaths that happened to them, until I heard a twig snap from behind me. I turned my back around, and saw Ben looking at me.

"Oh! Hey, Ben!" I greeted him relieved. I examined his face, his eyes were bloodshot red, his stares also had intense feeling in them, he was looking at me like I was his biggest enemy. His white tank top had a blood spot on his stomach, and he looked stiff.

"He—hey ben… what—" He suddenly ran towards me with the look of insanity in his eyes, I turned my back around and ran as fast as I could to find another glader. He lunged towards me, making me fall on my front, he turned me around facing him, now he was on top of me with a knife in his hand, he was aiming for my chest. I grabbed his wrist and fling the knife away, but his other hand wrapped around my neck, choking me.

"Ben…Please…Stop," I said between breaths, I was feeling light headed from the lack of air.

"You did this to us. You and Thomas help them put us here!" He yelled while growling, I was confused at what he was talking about.

I grabbed a rock and hit his head with it, and ran for my life until I reach the end of the forest, "Somebody help me please! Anyone!" I yelled, as loud as I could. I didn't want to die, not here. I could saw the gladers finally running towards me, holding sticks and yelling for Ben to stop, but he didn't. Ben grabbed my leg, causing me to fall, got on top of me for the second time, and sliced my cheek.

"BEN!" Newt screamed, hitting Ben across the face, knocking him cold.

I felt a hand grab my arms, and helped me to stand. It was Minho's. "You okay, Greenie?"

"Name's Liv. Yes," I stated simply.

"What just bloody happened?" Newt asked with a thick accent on his voice.

"I don't know, he just attacked me." I answered him truthfully. I zoned out thinking about his words, why did he say me and Thomas helped the people who put us here. I had so many questions but no one could answer it for me.

Alby came to the front, and told someone to lift Ben's shirt up. I could hear Ben crying, and uttering the word no to Alby's command, but someone still lifted shirt up; there's a black wound existed on his stomach and around it the veins was purple-ish and black-osh. "He's been stung," Alby informed. "Put him in the pit,"

"You okay?" Thomas asked once he saw me, he had just finished his work at the Bloodhouse, a job that I was happy to not do it. "What happened?" He said while making himself comfortable in the medjacks' hub.

"He just kind of attacked me," I sighed, I was debating with myself whether to tell Thomas or not about what Ben said earlier. I was so lost in thoughts, I didn't even remember Thomas was still with me, he was studying me, "Ben said something earlier,"

"What?"

"We did this to us, to the gladers. We helped whoever put us here," I stated looking at his eyes.

"If we helped, why are we here, in the same situation as everyone?" He had a good point, his eyes softened while looking at me, he rubbed my hands, relaxing me, there's something about Thomas that I couldn't wrap my finger around it, at least for now.

Alby, Newt, and Minho suddenly appeared in the doorway, "You look ugly," Minho said, smirking.

"Yeah, we could be identical twins," I remarked sarcastically, Newt snorted and Alby looked amused. Minho had muscular arms, must be from running all day. "What's going to happen to Alby?" I questioned no one in particular.

"He's going to be banished." Alby answered, sadness filled his eyes. Why was he sad?

"Banished? That sounds harsh," I commented, my eyes were on Alby's, "Why don't just put him in the slammer for 2 days or a week or something?" I suggested.

"Listen here, Greenie. Rules are rules, he broke it, you talking me back deserve to be in slammer, but he hurting another glader deserves to be banished, as much as I despise it. Now shut your mouth!" Alby sternly said, but his eyes were still filled with sadness, just like Minho's and Newt's.

What was going to happen? I asked myself.

I stood behind everyone, at the very back, Tom standing beside me. I watched wide-eyed as Minho dragged Ben along the field, Ben was moving around, his arms were hitting Minho's legs. Minho just kept walking, his eyes were downcast. They were close.

Minho dragged Ben towards the maze before looking at his friend with sympathy. He looked at Alby who nodded his head, Minho threw a bag into the corridor of the walls before walking back towards the crowd, why did he threw a—shuck, they were going to put Ben in the maze. Shuck—Shucking shuck!

"Please Alby, please," Ben pleaded,, "I didn't mean to hurt her, I don't know what happened, you have to believe me," He screamed, whimpering.

"Alby, is this necessary? I'm fine, just a little scratch. We don't have to do this," I stated in a pleading tone. All eyes were on me now, including Ben's. Instead of answering me, he turned his gaze back on Ben and continued.

"Ben of the runners, you are being banished for harming another glade, almost killed her," Alby stated, authority filling his voice.

"Alby, please don't do this," Ben said, tear running down on his face. This was my own fault, if only I didn't run and scream for someone to help me, he wouldn't be in this situation. No one would be in this situation. No one would have to kill their friend. "She's bad, he's bad, he's bad, he's bad …," Ben was whispering now, almost chanting.

"Keepers on three," Alby ordered, ignoring his pleads.

"Alby don—" I tried to say something again, but it's no use. The doors started to rambling, it was about to close, the gap was getting closer and closer. The twelve keepers stood straight, holding on to spears, sorrows filling their eyes.

"One."

"Bad, bad, bad, bad, bad …" Ben smiled; his teeth seemed to glow, greenish in the pale light. He looked insane. I wanted to look away, get out of here. But I couldn't move; I was too scared.

"Two."

"You're killing the wrong guy," Ben screamed.

"Three!" Alby shouted, and with that I heard the last screams of Ben as he was pushed into the maze, his screaming being cut off as the walls closed. I fell on my knees, this was all my fault.

I stared at the maze, Minho was staring at it too. He looked heartbroken, I approached him. Instead of saying anything I took his hand and rubbed my thumb around it. I led him to the homestead to get some rest.

I fell to my knees by one of the scraggly trees on the outskirts of the forest and threw up, retching as I coughed and spat out every last food I've had today from his stomach. My whole body shook, and it seemed like the vomiting would never end.

And then, as if my brain were mocking me, trying to make it worse, he had a thought.

I'd been at the Glade now for roughly forty-eight hours. Two days. That was it. And look at all the things that had happened. All the terrible things. Was Ben right?

That night, I laid staring at the sparkling sky, wondering if I'd ever sleep again. Every time I closed my eyes, the monstrous image of Ben leaping at me, his banishment, filled my mind. Eyes opened or not, I swear I kept hearing the sound of Ben's agony scream of agony. I knew I could never forget those terrible thing that had happened in the glade.