I woke to the sound of screaming. Minho was nowhere to be fund, so I ran. I didn't bother putting on my shoes or tying up my hair. I just ran, the grass tickling my feet and dirt muddying my toes. I ran towards the screaming ignoring all the gruesome scenarios I had worked up in my my mind. They were kids I could tell, but what was happening? They sounded like they were being brutally murdered... When I found the sick monster he was gonna wish he'd never been born.

Finally, I caught up to them. I wasn't sweating, I wasn't tired, being a runner had me in what some would call "Super-human shape" to us gladers, it was survival fitness level. I crouched in the bushes, mentally preparing myself for the worst. I heard talking, but I couldn't quite make it out. "Shuck-it," I grumbled to myself and stepped out of the bushes, ready for a fight.

My jaw dropped... they were playing. They were playing in the water fountain some of the former builders from the Glade had set up. The kids were just running through the water, hands up in the air and screaming. They sounded like they were being shuckin' murdered! Someone came up behind me, lightly brushing against my arm. "Shanks sound like they're bein murdered," Minho grumbled, looking even grumpier than I felt. I looked up at him and nodded. "I heard all them all the way from the shuck kitchens!" He shook his head and waved at them as if to say, "Shuck it, I don't give anyway"

I was about to follow him when a toddler, probably no older than four, grabbed onto my leg and sat on my foot. I grabbed at Minho's arm to keep him from walking away, then just stared at this kid. "Okay, very funny. Now up,' I said. He shook is head, his blonde straw-like hair falling in his chubby little face.

I looked at Minho. He shrugged. "That helps so much, Thank you," I commented sarcastically.

"I do what I can," he replied crossing his hands over his chest.

I rolled my eyes. "Look kid," I said, "I have a- What the Hell!" Another kid, around his age, but a bit smaller, hurled himself at my leg, nearly knocking me over. I heard Minho snickering and sent him a look that could kill. "I have a whole buch of klunk to do without you guys delaying me..." I mumbled, crouching down to pry the little suckers off my leg. Another jumped on my back, wrapping his little arms around my neck and holding on with his legs. "Minho!"

He rolled his eyes and began walking over when two more little boys both grabbed onto the same leg. He almost fell on his face. He looked at me. I smiled and laughed.

"Look kid," two more. Minho started prying them off, but they jumped right back on. I made my way to the pool, one ridiculously heavy leg at a time. "You guys can swim?" they nodded, saying "doggiepaddle". Good enough for me. I wrenched the kid off my back and flung him into the pool. He came up laughing yelling "do it again". Parents had come over, no doubt wondering why I had just launched a child into the pool. Kids came running, "Minho, a little help here?"

He took up a spot next to me as lines formed behind us. He grumbled something about wasting time, but he was finding it hard not to smile. We threw each kid in once, then we had to go. We were the only ones keeping order around here.

But before we could go, a little girl drenched in water, hair and clothes sticking to her, pulled on my pant leg. "Is he your boyfriend?" she asked quietly, pointing to Minho.

"I...Uh..." I smiled at the girl, "Maybe someday..."She giggled. Minho turned around, giving me a, "Move it!" look. I smirked and took off toward him.

We started at a walk, shoulders just barely touching. "So... who should we check on first?" my hand brushed against his, sending tingles up my skin. I blushed and ducked my head in an effort to hide it.

"Builders, gotta them shanks moving, we need houses, a homestead... somethin'" I nodded in agreement. Taking charge felt weird. Everything we'd done up till now had been mostly a group effort. The Gatherings were held for a reason, even if there was a shuck leader... Alby... Still missed the slinthead. He didn't deserve such a painful death. not after such a painful experience of life. And Newt, he was always second-in-command, took charge when he had to, because no one else would... or they weren't worthy. I really missed him. I felt like a piece of me was missing... like there was a whole in my heart that could never be filled...

Thomas too, he was a leader... not because he wanted to be, but because he had to be. He had the memories, he had the inside information. Minho too, hell it was tattooed on the back of his neck. I was always there, right next to them... helping them along, never wanting the spotlight, but always willing... always there. And they knew it, they appreciated my support and knew they'd always have someone there.

At the beginning it was just Alby, Newt Minho, and a few others. They had just started to get everything running when I arrived...delirious and about to passs out I don;t even remember what I said, all I remember is waking up...

My eyes fluttered open with a groan. I heard footsteps across the room, and suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder and three faces hanging above me. "Get the hell outta my face," I'd said, the threat falling terribly flat. I felt like I'd been run over by an eighteen wheeler. I raised a hand to the back of my head realizing I couldn't remember a thing, couldn't grasp a single memory, and yet I knew things... Like what an eighteen wheeler was, though I couldn't remember seeing one... My nose crinkled in confusion and I looked around, not knowing where I was. I pulled my legs closer and sat up, the boys pulled away, letting me get my bearings. "MaC", I didn't know where it came from, just single word floating around in my head... My name.

I looked at one of the boys. Tall, dark skin, dark hair, dark eyes that somehow reflected light... Alby. "Where am I? And..." I trailed off. The hand was back on my shoulder, it lead to a boy with long blonde hair and kind eyes. Newt. "This is the Glade-"

I cut him off, "That's nice. Who the hell are you people!" I shook the hand off my shoulder and looked at him. Another boy made a whistle sound, I'd later find this was Minho. I glared.

Alby stood, muttering about a "shuckin' newbie"

Newt stood offerring me a hand. I stared at it long and hard before finally grasping it and letting him hoist me to my feet. "I'm Newt. That's Minho over there," he said gesturing to the other boy,"and hot-head was Alby."

I nodded, "So, where am I again?"

"Not so fast," he said, chuckling a bit,"What's you name?"

'MaC... I think..."

"Your memory was wiped... so was ours when we first got here. And to answer your question, this is the Glade, or at least that's what we call it..." I nodded, urging him to continue, "I'll give you a tour" From somewhere behind, I heard a snort which I chose to ignore.

This would be the beginning of a new life, that'd be thrown to hell only to find that wasn't enough... Now I actually had to got to hell! And somehow I'd make it though that only to have the person I cared about most be subjected to a fate worse than death itself... The Flare.