Three months passed, marking Alby's first year in the Glade. Three new boys had come up from the Box, one after the other. After going through the new Greenie routine, Alby assigned them their place.
Hank beat Ben's time around the Glade easily and became a Runner; Minho was happy to have another team player. Clint took a keen interest in herbal remedies and Jeff was more than happy when he took the role of Keeper of the Med Jacks. The newest Greenie, Zart, joined Newt in the garden. He soon became Keeper of the Track Hoes; plowing, growing and tending to the vegetables and herbs. The increase of helping hands was enough to relieve Alby for the moment, but the nagging question remained.
Why was Eve the only girl?
With every passing month, Eve became more and more convinced her arrival had been a mistake. As if the people in charge had not meant to send her. The anxiety caused her to lose her appetite and soon she began to lose the muscle mass she had developed from the climbing. Clint was forced to feed her another meal before she went to bed to keep up her weight. In her mind, she was afraid that something terrible was going to happen and the fault would be her own. Alby kept her as calm as he could; she had been the eighth Glader to arrive and only the sixteenth member would give them any real answers.
The Maze and its Glade was nothing if not full of patterns.
With more Runners on his team, Minho, who had been named Keeper of the Runners, mapped more and more of the Maze each day. He determined, at least for the moment, that the Grievers did not seem to come near the Glade door. The assumption was not made public though. Alby was still wary of the Door at all times during the day. But their run-in with the Griever was temporarily forgotten. Minho's hut was becoming his own personal home and the Runner spent the majority of his free time locked up in there. Alby got weekly reports from him; Minho was slowly catching on to the Maze pattern. There was still much to explore though and neither wanted to spread false hope.
Gally, named Keeper of the Builders, worked mainly with Eve. Although Winston and Zart helped as often as they could when not busy with their own tasks. More and more structures for their little colony were being added to the list of projects. But Alby demanded that one thing would be worked on at a time.
Winston worked alone, cutting and butchering the meat Fry Pan needed to make the meals. He waited patiently for his own slaughterhouse. Alby promised him the title of Keeper of the Slicers as soon as there was another potential candidate. The job was not overwhelming, but with more and more mouths to feed each month, Winston knew it would be needed.
All signs pointed to a healthy and working body of boys and their one girl. They thrived on the food, drink and exercise they were provided with. But there was an overwhelming sense of un-belonging. And more than anything, the Glader's desired answers to the gigantic Maze outside their little home. Alby kept the desperation and helplessness at bay the best he could. Monthly newbie celebrations and words of encouragement worked well. As well as healthy doses of discipline to demonstrate that insubordinates would not be tolerated. Every person had a purpose and every purpose drove them forward. One day, they would be free of the Maze. They would take the skills the Glade taught them and live the rest of their lives rebuilding their lost memories.
It was the night after Zart's Greenie celebration dinner.
Minho, Ben and Hank had left to run the Maze and would be back before nightfall had completely folded over the sky. Clint and Jeff were discussing herbal remedies with Zart. They debated on where to plant seeds with the newly minted Track Hoe Keeper.
Newt and Alby were sitting close to the fire pit, making a list of buildings in order of importance. Winston and Fry Pan were picking out the best animal for the next week of meals. The cook looked quite green in the face and was more than happy to leave the slaughter to the Slicer.
Gally and Eve had been working hard on Alby's tower. The base had been constructed and had been supported with extra twine, dirt and heavy stones. The foundation was solid and Gally decided it was time to start the first level, which meant more sticks and several trips to the woods. Although Eve's scar had become chronic, Gally got on her very last nerve about safety. She often threatened to quit if he didn't stop nagging her.
"If we lose her, we lose the best person for the job," Was what he usually said when asked about it. That ended all discussion on the subject.
"How many more do we need?" Eve called down to where Gally stood under her tree, chipping away at two sticks at once. He didn't look up at her as he answered.
"About a dozen more. Take what you can from this one and you should only need to climb one more for the day," Their pile was large and Gally had counted out what each section would need. After they built the wall, a few trees would need to be cut down for planks to make the floors. So far, he hadn't done anything like it, but it was a new challenge and he was determined to take it on.
"Thank God. These callouses aren't getting any smaller,"
Gally rolled his eyes.
"Didn't you take the gloves from Newt? He said they were small enough for you,"
"I wore them this morning, but I didn't have a good grip. I'd rather take the callouses to another fall,"
Gally shrugged his shoulders.
"Then you can't complain much," He smiled as a small twig hit his head. He could hear the eye roll in her voice.
"I wasn't complaining,"
Gally brushed the leaves off his shoulder.
"Sounded like it,"
"Maybe you should have Jeff check your ears,"
Gally turned his head to the left, smiling as he checked the pile once more. Eve's wit had sharpened with every month she lived with the boys. The Glader's had to think twice about engaging in a word battle with her. She could stand up for herself now, no longer afraid to get into a fight if she felt it was worth it. Gally often rubbed her the wrong way on purpose, just to see her push back, knowing full well he could kick her to the dirt if he had to. Eve knew he only did it to rile her up, but it didn't stop her from giving him a piece of her mind. The two had become closer over time. But in the back of her mind, Eve could not shake the feeling the blonde questioned the need for a girl in the Glade. It worried her enough that she avoided him as much as she could after the day's work, not wanting to hear his thoughts if he ever got annoyed with her.
Their coexistence was fine as long as they were calm.
"Alright, coming down,"
Gally stepped away from the tree. Eve made her way down swiftly, jumping onto the ground beside Gally. He nodded to her, looking around the woods. Eve had climbed almost half of the trees in the Dead Head, they were beginning to look a little bare.
"How about that one?" Eve pointed to the large trunk down a small valley to her left. Gally looked at the tree she was pointing at and nodded. He walked beside her as she approached the monster; the closest branch was just above his head. The blonde stepped up to it and beckoned Eve closer, cupping his hands as a step for her. Eve placed her right foot in between his hands and used his shoulders to steady herself before Gally hefted her up. She took hold of the tree branch and scrambled up. Gally let go of her foot and she stood up.
"Thanks," Her voice was breathless.
Gally nodded and returned to his work while she made her way up. He checked on her progress, watching her steady herself in the middle.
"Careful that it's solid,"
"Got it," Eve's voice was dry.
"Don't blame me if you fall,"
"I'm not going to fall, Gally,"
Gally leaned his back against the trunk, shrugging his shoulders with disinterest. For all their growth, he still did not make a habit of using her name. He couldn't quite explain it, but it sounded wrong. He never told her though.
"Ah, you shank!"
Gally looked up, hardly taken aback by her language. She had picked up most of their little phrases and sometimes sounded just as dirty as the rest of them.
"I told you to be careful,"
Eve sounded frustrated, exasperated.
"The branch is fine, Gally! I just nicked myself,"
Gally laughed, knowing it would only anger her more.
"Weren't you looking where you were cutting?"
"Slim it, Gally! Can't you size those sticks any faster?"
Gally waved her off, deciding making her angry when she was up the tree wasn't worth it.
"Do you need to get it bandaged?"
"No, it just surprised me. Ugh, I'm gonna get an infection with all this dirt,"
Gally rolled his eyes. Eve still regularly scrubbed herself clean each night and hated when she couldn't wash her hands between jobs.
"If your immune system hasn't adapted yet, then I'd be very surprised. You're not going to die. Buck up shank, "
Eve finished cutting off her branch, warning him generously before she let it fall. Although she wished it would knock him over the head, just for good measures.
"Don't you ever have anything nice to say?"
"Do you ever stop talking?"
Eve rolled her eyes, making quick work of the next branch, her arms beginning to ache from the morning's work. She dropped the branch down, without a word this time. It glanced off Gally's arm before falling to his right. Gally picked it up and waved it above his head, not looking up.
"Thanks for the warning!"
"You're welcome!"
Their words were beginning to become heated so they relapsed into silence. After another twenty minutes, Eve had cut another four branches. Gally was satisfied. She climbed down the tree and was about to jump to the ground when Gally stopped her.
"Whoa, you trying to break your leg again?"
Eve stood up on the last branch, looking fed up.
"It wasn't my leg. I just twisted my ankle, it was a slippery branch. I just jumped from the other one! Would you move?"
Gally reached out to her, not backing down.
"You could get up there by yourself on that one. If you fall again, Alby is going to have my hide,"
Eve sighed resignedly and took his arms. He caught her as easily as he always did and set her down gently. She brushed the debris of the tree off her shirt and rolled her shoulders.
"Thank you. But Alby doesn't really hold you responsible, does he? I think by now, I should know better,"
Gally shrugged, picking up the branches she had cut to add to the original pile. Eve followed him back, stowing her knife at her side.
"I'm Keeper of the Builders, you're my worker. How else do you think a team works?"
Eve frowned.
"Well you worry too much and so does Alby. I'm careful,"
Gally dropped the sticks in the bigger pile and divided them between himself and Eve.
"You would worry too if you had his responsibility. He takes care of the whole Glade,"
Eve went quiet, bending down to take her share.
"I guess you're right,"
"He's looking out for everyone's safety," Gally picked up the last of the branches. "If one of us gets killed, what do you think is going to happen? He's doing all he can to make sure we don't find out, which includes keeping you from falling out of trees,"
Eve nodded, looking dejected.
"I never thought of it like that…"
Gally didn't respond, merely jerking his head for her to follow him. The sun was bright and they squinted to see as they came out of the shadows.
A commotion at the Door caught their attention and Gally shielded his eyes to see. The Gladers were gathered around, shouting, working themselves up about something. Alby was amidst them, kneeling on the ground, in the middle of what appeared to be a heated discussion with Minho and Ben. There was something was underneath Alby.
Gally dropped his sticks, breaking away from Eve toward the gathered boys.
"What are they doing back so early?" His question remained unanswered as he picked up his pace. Eve dropped her own bundle and jogged to catch up. Gally pushed his way through the boys. A weird scream was overlapping the chatter and he stopped a few paces short of Alby, his eyes taking in the scene.
Hank, the newest Runner, lay on the ground. His eyes were bulging out of his head, crisscrossed with red blood vessels. They glistened in the light as they moved back and forth, rolling into his head. He was breathing heavily as he shouted and cursed in a rasping voice. He was squirming, his body convulsing in powerful currents. Fry Pan and Alby were holding down his arms and Newt was holding onto both his legs. Gally bent down, without question, and grabbed hold of one of the Runner's legs.
"What happened to him?" He directed his question to Newt, as Alby was still speaking in rushed, controlled tones to Minho.
Newt looked at him sideways, his face grim.
"Minho said he's been stung,"
Gally's eyes widened.
"Stung?"
Alby finally noticed that Gally was beside him and rapidly brought him up to date.
"It was a Griever. Hank was attacked,"
Gally looked from Minho to Ben and back to Alby, waiting for an explanation.
"How did it happen?"
Minho, who was visibly perturbed, gestured wildly with his hands as he tried to explain. The Runner was shaken and his words were jumbled, his sentences disjointed.
"We couldn't get to him soon enough! We didn't hear it coming until we heard Hank scream," He gestured to Hank, who was breathing heavily as he fought against his assailants. "He was stung by the time we got to him,"
Gally looked back. Hank's shirt had been ripped off him, lying in tatters at his side. A deep, black hole drew the attention to his heart, black spindly veins ran along the length of his stomach, up to his neck and onto his face, arms and legs. They were spreading quickly and blackened blood oozed out of the wound. Hank screamed, thrashing and kicking, his words slurred and indistinguishable. Gally shook his head, turning back to Minho.
"Stung by a Griever? How is that possible?"
Minho shook his hands, his eyes wide and wild.
"I don't know, I didn't see it! Ben and I were behind another passage. I sent Hank past us to see what was ahead while I stopped to sketch. We heard him scream and the thing was gone by the time we got to him!"
"Damn it Minho, I thought you were a Runner!"
"Gally!" Alby did not sound like his usual self. As the Glader's crowded in around them and Hank struggled against him, the Glade leader had reached his wit's end. And he was struggling to maintain order. He looked back at the Runner. "Did you see the Griever leave? Did it follow you?"
Minho shook his head, pressing his palms against his temples.
"I didn't see it! I heard its parts, the gears turning on themselves as it left. But I don't know which way it went! Hank won't answer me, he's not making sense!"
The Glader's behind were becoming nervous.
"Did it follow them back?"
"Is it going to come here?"
"Will Hank die?"
Alby was trying to meet the Runner's gaze as he screamed into his face. His speech was clearing, but it did nothing for them.
"I can see them! They're there! I saw it! Get away from me!" His words were sharp, accusing and he screeched each syllable. Fry Pan, who was holding his arms down, was losing his grip as Hank continued to squirm relentlessly.
"Come on man!"
Hank did not respond, he merely continued to howl. A slew of black fluid bubbled up to his lips and the Runner choked, spewing slime onto Alby and Fry. The Glader's took a step back, more concern, more fear.
"Is he contagious?"
"Is he going to make it?"
"What are we going to do if he dies?"
Alby whipped his head around.
"Everybody get back! Give us some room!" It was time to restore some order. Alby looked back to his main men. "Gally, Winston, you're to stand guard at the Door until it closes. Use the signal if you hear anything! Clint, Jeff, get back to the hut and prepare some straps on the bed, we'll have to tie Hank down. FryPan and Newt, help me pick him up!"
His orders were well received, the need to do something caused the Glader's to jump into action. Gally, Newt, Alby and Fry Pan each picked up a limb and Hank was heaved into the air, kicking against them.
"Let me go, I can see them! They're here, you have to let me go!" He squirmed vehemently as they half carried, half dragged him back to the Med Jack Hut. The Glader's rushed ahead of them, watching out for any sign that Hank may escape. They reached the hut and pushed Hank in through the door. Black blood pooled on the floor as it dripped out of his mouth. He was set on the bed and restrained by Gally and Alby while Jeff and Clint tied Hank's arms, legs and waist down to the table. They were just enough to keep him from getting up, but they had to back up as he thrashed his hands and feet around.
"Let me go! You have to let me go!"
"For shuck sake, slim it, Hank!" Gally's shouted words fell on the Runner's deaf ears and he did not let up his screeching. Alby had more orders ready to go.
"Gally, you have your instructions. Newt, get everyone into the dugout. Jeff, Clint, stay here with Hank until the Doors close. I want Minho, Gally and Newt in the dugout an hour after the evening meal. Look sharp!"