"What exactly did you see?" Alby leaned forward, one leg on a rock and the other planted on the ground. He was leaning over Minho, who sat before him, his head in his hands. The light of day was long gone and everyone, save Gally, Newt, Alby and Minho, were still awake. Winston had been shaken from the day's sightings but had steadied soon after returning.
Minho looked up, still deciding how to explain.
"I was right. It… they, whatever they are, they aren't alive. Not in the immediate sense. It's a mechanical creature. It looked like something you'd see underwater. It's shapeless and slimy, completely hairless except for some thick black hair on, well its head, I guess. It looks like a slug. I didn't see its eyes, but it must be able to see. It was looking... looking for something,"
"Did it see you?" Ably was quivering.
Minho shook his head.
"No. No, it didn't see me. I made Winston stay behind the corner, I only looked when I knew it wasn't looking our way. I think it can smell because I thought it was going to follow us back to the Glade,"
"You didn't lead it here, did you?" Gally, frustratingly silent, was vibrating, unable to stay still. Minho once again shook his head.
"No, we went the opposite way until we lost it and that's when we booked it back. It didn't see us, I know it didn't," Minho looked back up at his audience. "It's got long, metal legs. I could see them, I counted eight. Like a spider... I could see the gears turning as it moved. It's a huge machine and yet... it's alive. It's got a tail, something like a scorpion... it's got a pincher,"
Alby took a step back to straighten himself, bringing his hand up to rest his chin on his fingers. Newt, his arms crossed, was shaking his head, trying to picture the beast from Minho's description. The black-haired Runner spoke again.
"It can climb the walls,"
Alby blinked and Gally fumed.
"Are you sure?" Alby's voice was barely audible. Minho nodded and used his hands to illustrate.
"It was using the vines to haul itself up the wall. It must be able to see the Glade if it can get to the top. They would have a clear view of it from up there!" Minho, who had been calm, for Winston's sake, soon began to shake. The impact had finally caught up to him and Alby rested his hands on his shoulders to comfort him.
"How far into the Maze were you?"
Minho shook his head.
"I don't know, a little further from last time. We were at least a quarter-mile from the Glade. But I don't know, I wasn't really counting on the way back,"
"So it could have seen you? If it climbed the walls while you were coming back?" Gally was strangely calm, keeping his voice low. Minho shook his head again.
"I don't think so, but I guess… maybe,"
"Yes or no Minho!"
"Gally!" Alby's voice was sharp and Gally went silent. Alby turned back to Minho and looked him in the eye.
"Listen. I still don't believe those creatures can come in here. Or they don't need to. They know we'll come out there first. It's been eight months since I got here and they haven't come in yet. Let's not worry ourselves for nothing yet. We just have to prepare,"
Gally tilted his head and Newt also looked curious.
"How are we going to do that?"
Alby turned to face Gally.
"We have to build some sort of defensive place. A tower, something high off the ground where we can protect ourselves. From wood and stone,"
Gally looked incredulous.
"You think we can just build something like that overnight? We aren't even done with the roof over our heads!" he pointed above, as if to punctuate his words. "How are we supposed to build something like a tower before these things might attack?"
"I'm not asking you to build it tomorrow. But we can work on it, Gally. More boys will come up each month, some will be Runners and some will be Builders. We'll get more help soon and from there we'll just work on it as best we can. It's a precaution, not a sure thing. We just have to have something,"
Gally didn't respond, closing his mouth and turning away.
"What do we tell the others?" Newt's gentle question caused Alby to pause. He knew he could not keep the rest of the Gladers in the dark forever. But he did not want to cause a panic. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"I tell them the truth, but by no means are any of you to tell them that they are coming here. We don't know that and I don't want half-baked assumptions scaring anyone. We don't know much more than we did before. I'll tell them tomorrow. Are you going to run the Maze tomorrow, Minho?"
Minho nodded, his initial excitement had damped, but he was in no way abandoning his project of mapping the Maze. Alby nodded to him and called the meeting.
"How long do you estimate the roof will take you?" Newt, following Gally back to their hammocks, whispered the question so as not to wake anyone up.
Gally shrugged, ducking under the covering into the small, protected space. Eve was already there, her head poking out from under her blanket, fast asleep.
"We're almost finished a third of it. Another few weeks I'd say. Building a tower is something totally different though,"
Newt sat down in his hammock, across from Eve, pulling off his boots as he prepared for the night. He shrugged nonchalantly as he pulled off his shirt.
"Like Alby said, it's a start. He doesn't expect you and Eve to build it by yourselves,"
Gally scowled as he pulled his own boots and shirt off.
"I'll just be happy when we get some more help,"
Newt didn't reply as he climbed into his hammock. Gally followed suit and the two remained silent. Gally fell asleep quickly, the work that day had tired him out. Newt remained silent for a time, looking out at the Glade, watching the wind move through the tall grass behind them. A cry rose from the Maze and he glanced up. The sound reverberated off the walls for a few moments and the Maze groaned a few times. Then there was silence. Newt looked away and closed his eyes, turning onto his side as he settled in for the night.
The next month passed quickly. Minho and Winston ran as much of the Maze they could each day and reported back to Alby what they had seen. The dark-haired Runner decided to start a model of the Maze, working with Gally to build a small hut out in the woods. It did not take long as Alby wanted it done as quickly as possible. Even work on the roof was postponed until it was finished.
All access was barred except Minho, Alby, Gally and Newt.
Eve, although she only worked with Gally half of the time, became a climber for him. She spent less and less of her time on the building aspect. Instead, she divided her time working with Newt in the garden and with Fry Pan in the kitchen. She steadily became more comfortable with boys and they, in turn, began to see her use. It did not seem like such a big deal that she was a girl now. She did the little jobs that her small frame and tiny stature were built for and the boys did the heavy lifting. It was the perfect pairing and even Gally began to loosen up, allowing her to pick out the branches for him to use. Her eating had developed as well and she could tuck away just about as much as the boys these days. Although she was always willing to share with someone hungrier.
The only thing that set her apart from the boys was her disgust at how dirty she became after a day of work. She hated the feeling of going to bed with the sweat and grime of the day sticking to her. So she had taken to using the last bit of the day to wash off in the pond. Soap was always sent up in the supplies from WCKD, but the boys used it only on occasion. Eve began to use it religiously each night. The boys sometimes had to laugh at her when she came back to the hammocks smelling like fresh lavender or a crushed rose. She dealt with them graciously.
"At least I don't smell like a pig,"
That usually got the boys to shut up. Day by day, they become more and more like family to her. The night of her last day as a Greenie held a certain aspect of curiosity as questions were soon to be answered. Was the Box going to come up with another boy or another girl?
"Two days," Gally kicked off his right boot. Newt raised an eyebrow and Gally continued. "Two more days and I'm sure I'll finish that roof. This new Greenie had better be some hell of a Builder. If Alby expects a tower, I'm not doing it alone,"
Newt laughed and rolled his eyes.
"Whatever comes up in that Box will have to do something spectacular to compete with Eve. She's done more than Gally ever did in his first month here," Newt ducked his head, narrowly avoiding Gally's other boot. Newt tossed it back and Gally scowled at him. Eve didn't respond to the jab, wary of Gally's wrath.
"Another helping hand for a tower would be useful," Eve was reasonable and tended not to start arguments.
"We'll find out tomorrow," Gally took off his shirt and Newt followed along. Eve closed her eyes and ducked under her blanket. Gally and Newt did the same, the prospect of the next day still hanging like a vapour around them.
The next morning dawned with a brilliant sunrise, the heat of the day beginning quicker than usual.
Alby and Newt sat not far from the Box, their morning meal already digested. The rest of the boys were finishing up as they prepared for the events of the day. Minho and Winston decided to wait until the newcomer arrived to explore the Maze today. The new Greenie could have the makings of a Runner. Eve and Gally had woken up early to gather sticks before the newcomer arrived and were just carrying their pickings back to the roof site. Newt looked out ahead, his eyes on the Box.
"So… what are you thinking?"
Alby, who sat beside him, didn't reply right away.
"I can't say. There's no way to be certain one way or the other,"
Newt nodded and folded his arms across his chest.
"I think it'll be another girl. I mean, if they're gonna send up girls now, you'd think they'd bring more than one. It seems a little strange,"
Alby looked at Newt out of the corner of his eye.
"Strange?"
Newt shrugged and squinted up at the clear blue sky. The sun had not quite reached its full peak, but it was close to midday.
"Yeah, strange. We keep coming back to it, but it's the one thing girls can do that boys can't. What were they thinking when they sent her here?"
"I hope that wasn't their intention," Alby shook his head. "This puzzle that we're supposed to solve is cruel enough. Throwing a girl into the mix and expecting us to multiple just seems… mean,"
Newt sniffed and looked at his feet.
"We don't know what kind of people they are. Who's to say they aren't that mean?"
Alby couldn't answer him, but he knew where he stood.
"I haven't completely disregarded the idea, but it won't be my first option. If there is another girl, then maybe you're right. But if this is another boy… I'll be just as lost as before,"
Newt nodded and remained silent for a time.
"What happens if it does become an option?"
Alby chewed his lip for a moment.
"It'll be Eve's decision in the end. Never harm a Glader, remember?" Alby looked over to the skinny boy and he nodded, shrugging casually.
"I just wondered,"
"Well don't tell Eve what you're wondering,"
Newt smiled.
"I don't want to lose an eye,"
Alby chuckled. Living with the boys, Eve had grown accustomed to her line being stepped over and she knew how to retaliate. As they continued to wait, Jeff, Winston and Fry Pan wandered over to them. They knew the Box was due any time now and decided work was going to be put aside for the time being anyway. After a while, the rest gathered around as well. Eve stood with them, her arms across her chest, sweat beading on her forehead.
"Not going to be a Greenie for much longer, huh Eve?"
She nodded, her eyes serious.
"No, I guess not. I wouldn't wish this kind of fate on anyone though," Eve could be too serious sometimes, she was not easy to lighten up.
Minho was the last to join them, he had been in the woods, working on his model. Alby caught the black-haired boy's eye and he nodded to Alby. He had finished another stretch of the Maze and was working on a system to determine if there was a rhythm or reason for the Maze changing. He had had nothing to say yet, but Alby knew he would be the first to hear if he did.
Suddenly, the all too familiar sound of the Box coming up caught their attention. The boys jumped up and approached the hole. They gazed down as the large, metal prison made its way up to the Glade. Alby and Newt moved closer as well, standing on the fringe of the crowd. The Box's ascent slowed to a stop before them. Everyone held their breath as the doors creaked open, the sunlight spilling onto a familiar sight.
Several small crates with the letters WCKD printed in bold, black letters. A few cages with a chicken, a pig and a smallish-looking goat. And right in the middle of it all, a figure, covering its face from the blinding sun.
It was a boy.
Questions were answered, but more questions were just beginning. Gally jumped into the Box, shaking the small compartment. The boy hardly reacted as Gally grabbed hold of his arms and dragged him up to stand.
"What- what is this place? Who are you?" Gally turned him around and the boy grabbed hold of the edge of the Box. Minho and Jeff helped him up and he stood, looking one way and then the other, walking backwards away from the crowd of boys.
"Where am I?" His eyes were wide, but he seemed to be more confused than scared. Alby stepped forward and approached the stranger. He had blonde hair and his frame was slim, although not completely skinny. His eyes were dark brown and followed Alby's every move.
"Who are you?"
Alby smiled reassuringly.
"My name is Alby and you're in the Glade. Do you remember anything?"
The boy shook his head, fear starting to set in.
"No... no, I can't... why can't I? Why can't I remember?
Alby raised his hands.
"Your name will come back to you in a day or two, I promise. You won't remember anything else, but it's okay. I'll explain,"
The stranger cocked his head, deciding whether to believe his words or not. Alby beckoned for Jeff to step forward.
"Check him out, the usual," he whispered in the Med Jack's ear.
Jeff nodded and approached the stranger, a smile on his face.
"Hey, there Greenie. Let's get you checked out, see that nothing is out of place. Alby can explain it all later,"
The boy looked at him, the fear mixing with curiosity once again.
"Who are you?"
"I'm Jeff," the Med Jack stuck out his hand and the boy shook it apprehensively. Jeff pointed to the hut in the distance and the stranger followed him with uncertainty. He kept looking back at the other boys before he stepped into the hut with Jeff.
Alby relaxed and turned around to face everyone.
"Alright, that's enough. Minho, check this guy out after Jeff's looked him over. See if he's a Runner. Winston, if this guy has the job, you'll be working with Gally again on the tower,"
Minho and Winston nodded and started toward the Med Jack hut. Alby turned back to the others.
"Everyone else, back to work. Eve, who were you with yesterday?"
"She was with me, Alby," Fry Pan nodded to his leader. Alby nodded back and beckoned Eve and Gally forward.
"Have Newt help you finish the roof while Eve's with FryPan. When you need more sticks, you'll know where to find her. I want work on the tower started as soon as possible,"
Gally nodded and started back toward the dugout. Eve followed Fry Pan towards the kitchen hut. Newt glanced at Alby for a moment.
"A boy,"
Alby nodded.
"Yes, another boy. So why the girl?"
Newt looked at him for a moment.
"Do you think we need to talk it over?"
Alby shook his head.
"Not right now, we have more important things to get started. Give it another month or two and we'll see if there's anything else,"
Newt nodded and jogged off toward Gally. Alby went to the Med Jack hut, he would need to explain things to the stranger. Hopefully, they would be able to determine if he was a Runner or a Builder. They needed both, but Alby's mind was on the tower. They needed to be ready, just in case.