Prologue
It was a normal day in the Glade, 4 months after the first Gladers came up. It was a nice, sunny day, the weather perfect as usual. There were Gladers all around the Glade, working and resting. The cooks were preparing lunch, the Runners were in the Maze, the track-hoes were in the fields, and the slicers were at the Meatrack. The newbie alarm was blaring, the sound echoing across the Glade and bouncing off the walls of the Maze, making the ivy tremble, and the ground shake from the Box's arrival. A tall, Hispanic boy led three people to the chute, a muscular Australian boy, a blond girl, and a short skinny freckled girl. The 39 Gladers present were all gathering around the Box chute. 19 girls, and 20 boys stood waiting in silence as the box made it's trip to the top. When it finally arrived, they opened the doors and the boy jumped down into the box to welcome the Greenie.
Chapter 1
I woke up in pitch darkness, my eyes were sore and my heart was racing. I frantically felt around my surroundings to find out where I was. It seemed to me that I was in a big metal box, big enough to stand up in. As I felt around, I realized the box also had crates and sacs edging the center. Then I realized I was moving upwards. I tried to remember how I got there, and couldn't. I couldn't remember anything. My brain felt like a giant empty pit. This freaked me out so much, I started screaming.
"HEY! SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF HERE!"
Suddenly, the box slammed to a halt, throwing me against the ceiling. I heard faint noises, muffled by the exterior of the box, then the light of day blinded me as the top of the box opened.
I looked up and saw about 40 people staring at me. A lean, muscular, dark-skinned boy leaped down into the box. I scooted away from him.
"Who the hell are you?" I asked him.
He smiled. "Name's Will. Welcome to the Glade, Greenie."
He reached out his hand. After a moment's hesitation, I took it, and he pulled me to my feet. Then I suddenly felt myself overwhelmed with questions.
"Why can't I remember anything? Where are we? Why are we here? Who-".
The words flowed out of my mouth before I could stop them. Will held up his hand to silence me, his shoulders gently shaking with laughter.
"Slim it nice and calm there, Greenbean. You'll remember your name soon enough. It's the only thing, though."
He turned around and lifted himself out of the box. I hesitated, then followed.
Once I had been rushed through introductions with the forty or so people standing around where I'd arrived, Will took me on a tour of the Glade. He pointed to some Gladers working in a garden. "We all do our parts, keeping the lot of us alive. You'll find what job best suits you, but that starts tomorrow."
He led me over to two, big, sturdy wooden buildings that looked like the Gladers had built them. "This here area is called the Homestead," Will said, waving at the structures,
"it's where we sleep, and where the cooks cook. The one on your right is the girls, and the left is for boys."
He walked past them and pointed to a small wooden shed.
"And that over there is the Slammer. It's where we keep the shanks that aren't behaving."
He continued walking, and I noticed the Slammer had a lock.
I learned where the gardens, the forest called Bonewoods, the Meatrack barn, and the Box where I had first come up in. Will explained how each month they got a new Greenie, along with their weekly supplies. "What's out there?" I asked, pointing to a gap in the walls that surrounded the Glade.
Will looked over at me.
"Let's just say it's not safe out there. That's our number one rule: never leave the Glade." He said seriously.
I nodded, but still felt a little curious.
Will was leading me back to the Homestead for a bonfire when I suddenly remembered my name.
"It's Cleo!" I shouted, making him jump.
He turned around. "What the shuck?"
He stared at me, more shocked than angry.
"My name," I said excitedly, "it's Cleo."
I smiled. He smiled back.
"Well then, welcome home, Cleo!"
A couple other Gladers cheered. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned around to see a boy and a girl sprinting through the gap in the walls.
"Who are they? I asked, pointing.
Will followed my gaze.
"Oh, those shanks are Runners." he said mildly, like it didn't matter.
"They run through the Maze in shifts, mapping it, memorizing it, looking for a way out." He sighed.
I hesitated.
"But wait, I thought you said no one was allowed out of the Glade, and what, we're stuck in a giant maze?" I was very confused.
Will sighed again. "Only Runners are allowed into the Maze, and that's because they are the smartest, fastest, and strongest Gladers."
I was about to ask another question when I heard a loud metallic screech. My head shot up, looking for the source. Then the gaps started to close, and I realized they were giant stone doors sliding shut. I was so stunned I almost forgot how to talk. Almost.
"How do they do that? Why? Is that why the Runners come back?"
I was tossing questions at him like dodgeballs. He nodded towards the walls.
"We don't know how them doors work, and they close every night. But that's not the reason they come back."
I was about to ask him why they did then, when I heard a distant noise. It was a squeaky roar that sent shivers down my spine.
"Wha-, what the-, what was that?" I could barely get the words out.
Will stared ahead with blank eyes. "We call 'em Grievers, and they're the reason the Runners come back. We've lost many fine Gladers to them, but they only come out at night. If you don't make it back before the doors close…"
He trailed off, seeming unwilling to finish. He took a deep breath.
"Well, let's just say no one's survived the night." He stood up.
"But that's enough questions for one day. Come meet the Runners."
He gestured towards them, and they came jogging up to them.
"This be the new Greenie, eh?" Commented the boy as they got nearer.
Will nodded.
"Well then, welcome to the Glade, newbie!" He said over his shoulder as they passed.
Later, I was sitting by myself at the fire. I looked up, startled, when a voice spoke to me.
"Hey there Greenbean."
A tall, blonde girl was standing next to me, holding out a cup of amber liquid. I nodded my thanks as I took the cup. The girl sat down next to me.
"Cleo, was it?" She asked.
I nodded again.
"Well, I'm Victoria. Nice to meet you."
I smiled, then took a sip of the drink. It burned my throat and made my nose sting and my eyes water. I hastily spit it out.
"Eugh, what was that?" I gasped.
Victoria smiled.
"That's a liquor mixture, a specialty of that guy."
She pointed at a dude with red hair arm wrestling a really buff guy.
"His name is Addy. Don't let him challenge you to an arm wrestle."
They watched as he slammed the other guys arm onto the table. The crowd cheered. Victoria snorted, and rolled her eyes. I giggled, she smiled and we burst out laughing.
"Do girls think everything is funny?" asked a deep voice with a slight accent.
I whirled around. There was a boy, about 16 or 17 years old standing behind them. He had long-ish dirty blonde hair, dark eyebrows and slightly tan skin. His eyes were a dark caramel color, and I could see the muscles through his long-sleeved shirt. I stood up to face him, and he was a couple inches taller than me.
"NO, we just find a lot more things to laugh about than guys." Victoria said defensively. He laughed.
"Calm down, Vic. I wasn't here to offend."
He turned to look at me. "Hey there, mate. The name's Abraham, but call me Gabe."
He smiles and held out his hand. I shook it.
"I'm Cleo." I said. He nodded.
"Better get some sleep then, Greenie. Got a long day tomorrow."
He nodded at Victoria, then walked away. I watched him go.
"Huh. he seemed pretty nice." I commented.
Victoria looked at me.
"Yeah, but he can be annoying sometimes." She sighed.
"And he was right. We'd better get to sleep." She led the way to the Homestead.
There was a hammock set up next to Victoria's for me. I laid down, and drifted off to sleep.
The next couple of days passed in a blur. I tried being a cook, a track-hoe, a med-jack, and a slicer. I didn't like any of the jobs, and I thought myself lucky I wasn't a vegetarian yet after the trip to the Meatrack. On my fourth day, however, was the Mapper's turn to teach me. The Maproom was a solitary building set far off into the woods. When I entered, Victoria, who was busily studying one of the maps, looked up and smiled.
"Hey there, Greenbean!" She called as she waved me over.
Victoria briefed me on the Maze and how it works.
"There are 8 outer sections to the maze." She said, pointing at the map.
" A different section opens up each day. There's a pattern, and that's what we're trying to figure out." She gestured towards the trunks full of maps.
I walked over and plucked a paper from the top of the pile. The walls of the Maze were etched in black coal. That suddenly gave me an idea. I looked out at the ivy covered walls. I turned to face Victoria.
"Have you-" I started but Victoria interrupted me.
"Tried it." She said, not even bothering to look up from her work.
"Whatever you can think of, we've tried it." She walked back over to the trunks.
I stood there, disappointed. Then Victoria looked up at me.
"You gonna help or not?" she asked.
I sighed, and walked back over to the papers.
I was sitting on my hammock, and was wondering about the maps. I decided to go to the Maproom and see if I could find a clue. The sun was setting as I walked through the forest, making the trees look like fire.
But as I reached the building, I immediately realized something was off. The door was cracked open, when it should have been closed. Slightly spooked, I crept up to the door and peeked in. I had to stifle my gasp. Inside was the Runner who'd talked to me earlier on the first day.
He was going from trunk to trunk, viciously tearing apart the maps. He was muttering to himself, and making low, crying noises. He was shaking slightly, and a small spiderweb of black veins blossomed up his neck. He looked completely insane.
I tried to slowly back away, but stepped on a stick that snapped with a loud cracking sound. The guy inside whirled around, and spotted me. I turned and ran, not stopping to look back. I raced through the forest, my heart pounding faster than my feet.
I heard the grunts and snaps as the guy chased me. I had almost reached the edge of the woods when he suddenly lunged at me, grabbing my ankle and making me stumble. I whirled around and knocked his legs out from under him.
He crashed to the ground, but was still holding my foot, so he pulled me down with him. I screamed as I hit the forest floor, kicking him as hard as I could.
"Get the hell off of me!" I shouted at him.
I whipped my free leg through the air and smacked him in the side of the head. He grunted, and let go. I scrambled to my feet and sprinted off. I was running out of the woods when I spotted Victoria.
"HEY! VICTORIA!" I shouted at her.
Victoria turned around just as the dude flew out of the woods and slammed into me. He dug his fingernails into my arms to hold me on the ground.
"You had the key, and you gave it to them!" He snarled at me.
I heard shouts in the distance. The guy was going completely hysterical.
"You had it! You had it! YOU HAD IT!" He screeched, each inhuman wail getting louder and louder.
I was struggling to get him off me, kicking at his legs and stomach. He kicked me in the ribs and I yelped. He moved one of his hands to my neck, and began to squeeze. I coughed, and he squeezed harder.
Then, out of nowhere, Gabe appeared and slammed his shovel into the side of his head. The guy went limp, and I was able to shove him off. Gabe helped me stand up while I caught my breath.
"What the shuck happened to him? He just attacked me!" I asked, never taking my eyes off him. Gabe stared blankly at the boys unconscious body.
"He's been stung." He responded.
But it sounded more like a question than an answer. Other Gladers caught up and noticed what had happened. Will jogged up, with Victoria right behind him. She noticed me and ran over to me, pulling me into a giant hug.
"You okay? I called them after I saw this Slinthead attack you." She looked at the boy.
Then she gasped. "Will, pull up his shirt." She commanded.
Will looked at her, then nodded. He tugged up the boy's shirt, and I gasped before I could stop myself. There was a bloody puncture wound on his torso, with black veins snaking out from it. Will's expression went grim, and he whistled. Two Med-jacks hurried over and picked up the boy. Victoria was standing next to me still.
"Poor David." She whispered. I looked at her.
"What?" I asked. Victoria looked at me.
"That boy's name is David, and he was actually our first Greenie." She shook her head sadly, then wandered away.
I was about to follow her, but when I took a step, the ground started to spin. I stopped and clutched my head. Gabe noticed.
"You alright there, mate?" He asked. I nodded.
"I'm fine." I responded.
I walked after Victoria, but then the world turned upside down and I passed out.
I opened my eyes, squinting against the light. As soon as my eyes adjusted, I took in my surroundings. I was lying on a small cot, and there were shelves lining the walls of the room. On each shelf was a collection of plants and bottles, all neatly labeled. The whole room was clean and otherwise bare. I was sitting up just as the door in the corner of the room opened.
A skinny girl with brown hair braided all the way down her back stepped into the room, carrying a tray. Her pale skin was dotted with freckles. When she noticed me watching her, she smiled. "I'm so glad you're awake. My name's Elizabeth, but just Beth, if you would."
She walked over and set the tray down next to me. I noticed for the first time it had a plate of food on it. The girl, Beth, handed me the plate and a fork. Then she quickly checked my temperature and pulse.
"Looks like you're all good." She exclaimed cheerfully. I paused my eating.
"What happened?" I asked. Beth shrugged.
"I'm guessing your lack of air flow shut your brain down."
She got up to leave, but I stopped her.
"No, I mean what happened to that David kid? He looked like he'd been to hell and back." When I asked that, Beth froze halfway to the door.
She turned around slowly. "He got stung. By a Griever. That's why the Maze is dangerous and why we don't let newbies out there."
Suddenly I noticed a small sound. It was like crying, but more raw. Then the screaming started.
A horrifying wail echoed through the building, sending shivers through every part of my body. I looked at Beth.
"What. The. Hell. Was. That." I stared at her.
She looked at me, her eyes filled with sadness. "It's called the Changing. It's what happens when a person gets stung by a Griever. My Med-jacks are trying their best, but tonight he'll be in the slammer, then banished tomorrow at sundown."
She looked away quickly, her eyes filling up with tears. Then she hurried out of the room. I just sat there, stunned. Then I decided to leave, mainly because I couldn't stand to hear David's horrible screams anymore.