pre-the maze runner
chapter eight

❛❛ you seem like a guy who must be good at something around here ❜❜

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Cooks didn't go so well for the dark blonde boy. Poe, Frypan and Anton left the kitchen all covered in flour when the older boy accidentally broke a shelf that held a bag of flour and spilled on the three boys. It resulted to ruin today's supper as well, the boys were cooking dinner but the flour poured on into a large pot.

"Nothing you can do around here anymore, Greenie" Frypan frowned, he puffed out a breath then wiped off the flour off of his face.

Poe left the kitchens almost miserably while Frypan and Anton clean the kitchen. Frypan had meant that Poe is done with the kitchens and it is certain that he's not fit to be a Cook. It is obvious that Frypan wasn't impressed with Poe but rather angry or annoyed.

It wasn't the only mistake he made but he also left the meat cooked on the fire too long and he also almost started a fire within the kitchens. Poe always thought cooking was easy as it looked but just found out it was actually difficult.

When Poe went to the pond where he could wash off the flour. He found Newt squatting by the pond, cleaning and washing a watering can. Newt looked twice at Poe to recognize him as he sat down beside on the wet grass and began washing his flour-covered arms. Newt snorted, "Kitchens didn't work out for you?"

"No, I was just playing ghost with Anton and Frypan" Poe replied sarcastically. "Why do you even care anyway?"

Newt raised a single brow as he looked at him. He merely scoffed peevishly, filled up the watering can, got onto his feet then walked away.

Poe was scrubbing off the white powder off his skin with water. He washed his face, then his hair. He pat off the flour off his shirt. His has been an on and off for him; the morning goes well, he didn't have to face more consequences for what he did to Nico, his third job try-out went fine but awkward because he had to treat Newt, the guy who hates him. The fourth try-out goes well at first but then later, it all falls apart.

When he finished cleaning himself up, he decided to go to the tower, and when he got there, he began to climb up until he was at the top. It was still noon, but late and evening was getting close. The Gladers began leaving their jobs and rest until tomorrow.

The Runners caught Poe's attention, Minho and Ben jogged into the Glade, they kept jogging across the large field until they reached the picnic area. Poe sat on the edge of the tower, his leg dangled under the edge and arms rested on the railing. He leaned forward until his chin was on his arms and observed the Runners. They ate and drank for couple minutes until they left the picnic area then went into the forest. Poe did saw them going into the forest shortly after their run in the Maze. It now got him curious.

Poe never noticed someone was climbing up, he didn't see them until reaching the top and it was Nick. "I see you found yourself a favourite spot" he grinned. The leader walked up to the railing, leaned forward and his arms rested on the top railing.

"I just love the view" Poe replied sarcastically.

Nick chuckled. He said nothing for seconds until he sighed sharply. "I saw kitchens didn't work out for you. You nearly burned the entire kitchens"

"Can't blame myself, really" Poe muttered, "I don't remember how to cook"

Nick laughed again. "You probably never learned how. It's odd really, I don't think our names were the only ones that they left behind."

Poe shifted his glance to his left then looked up at Nick. "Yeah?"

Nick nodded, "You see, all of us must be good at something. Bricknicks have a knick for fixing and repairing things despite not remembering how they do it but, they just know how. You fail cooks because you never knew how and you're terrible at it. Like I said before, something will stick for you, you seem like a guy who must be good at something around here"

Poe wanted to ask, just to ask if he has a chance. "Is it possible that I might have a chance to be a Runner?" Poe got on his feet and stood beside the leader.

Nick did laughed, but softly. Unlike Teo, Nick didn't look like he had any doubts on his look. "Maybe" he shrugged, he met Poe's glance, Nick's brown eyes looked at him from head to toe. "I mean, you do look like you could be a Runner, you do seem very determine to become a Runner unlike most the Greenies I've met... but I think you got a long wait. If any of those two shanks breaks a leg or anything happens to them, I think I'll might consider you as the next in line to become one, but I can't promise because it really takes a while to get a shot. Usually Alby or me takes over if either of the Runners get sick with flu or something"

Poe wasn't really disappointed nor enthusiastic about it. He had mixed thoughts, all he can do is hope.

"Quick question—" Nick turned, leaned sideways as he looked at Poe again, "why? Why do you want to become a Runner?"

Poe gazed toward the walls, at the open Door, where the gap is, he shrugged, "I don't know. I guess I just want to do something important. Being a Runner seems important. I'm curious too, I wanna see the Maze myself, every inch of it" he turned his gaze at the leader. Poe still wasn't sure why he really wanted to see the Maze himself.

Nick's expression was strange, yet stern and curious. He shifted his gaze to the walls and said nothing for a moment. "Like I said, I can't promise. Right now, you're just a Greenie, we never give them a chance for the job. Wait for a month or two then we'll talk about it again, alright?"

Poe pursed his lips, nodding weakly, "Sure"

They both didn't speak momentarily until Nick said, "Come on, I got something to show you, something you have to do" he pat Poe's back.

Poe followed the leader down  the ladder. He continued to follow him across the field until they reached the wall, he followed Nick to the right away from the Door where Poe saw carvings on the concrete wall. When Poe got a closer look at the carvings, he realized they were names. He found multiple names of Gladers' and some names were all crossed out.

"What's this about?" Poe asked as he examined the names.

"What do you think?" Nick crossed his arms on his chest as he glanced up at the wall and looked at the names.

Poe tried to understand why they carve their names in, maybe he gets it, when he looked at the names that have been crossed out, like George's name, of course those crossed names are the ones that didn't make it this far.

Nick picked up something off the ground by the wall, a hammer and some sort of a sharp tool. He handed the tools to Poe and he hesitantly grabbed them. "Knock yourself out, Greenie" he nudged his arm against Poe's arm.

Poe's gaze turn to Nick but the leader was already walking away. The blonde boy stared down at the tools he was holding then gazed at the wall. Undecided where to carve his name, there were maybe about forty or fifty names on the wall, there was a ladder on the side where they could climb up and carve their names to the top. Poe preferred to have his name below. He found a space in the middle of Teo's, Steve's and Clint's names.

Poe wondered if these names will still be here in the next decade, or in fifty years and he and the Gladers won't be here by then, they'll all either be long gone from the Glade or die by then. Maybe someone will somehow find their way here and find these names. That's if the Glade will still be here by then.

The next day, Poe woke up startled that his whole body jerked, almost twisted his hammock that he fell off of it, the sounds of the Door opening was immense, the instant howling and the booming erupting throughout the Glade. Sky was filled with morning colors and clouds were rolling by the Glade.

"Aren't you a scaredy cat?" Newt snickered as he walked by Poe, still on the ground and the limping boy walked ahead toward the kitchens.

Poe frowned, slowly getting up and went back on his hammock. He lay back down, his one foot still on the ground as he stared at the sky for long moments.

"Hey, sunshine" Anton kicked his leg, "come on, get your ass up and let's go have some breakfast."

Poe didn't really want to start his day, he still thinks that this is all just a dream, a terrible dream of a boring and mysterious new life of his, he sighed deeply that his chest heaved then muttered to himself, "I want death" he got up finally.

Before his day started, Nick told Poe that he'll be trying out Bricknicks for the morning and Builders in the afternoon. Builders, where Gally and Nico work.

"Don't worry about Nico" Nick assured him, "Alby and I just spoke to him earlier, I expect you behave well when you try out Builders too, you hear me?"

"I can't really promise that" Poe said bluntly.

"Hey, lets not forget who started it" Nick reminded.

Poe said nothing then. It is true, Nico didn't started it, Poe did. He only did it just to defend his friend and teach the guy a lesson. Poe doubted Nico he learned his lesson, the guy didn't seemed to be the kind of guy who would.

When Poe began Bricknicks, a boy named Tim was the Keeper, a boy who looked to be sixteen or seventeen, light brown hair, shorter than Poe, very thin too. Tim introduced him to the other Bricknicks before telling him what the job is. It was mainly to repair things and also to help the Builders. Bricknicks are the ones that make lumber, plywood and 4x4s, they take down bamboos as well and chop down trees.

Most of the morning, Poe spent at the Homestead, a place where the Gathering always takes place, they added more wood and bamboos for the walls. He also did some chopping on the trees. It was unfortunate that there were only few axes in the Glade, only one Bricknick was using and the rest were used by Builders, and Poe was stuck using a machete. It took almost a full hour to get a single tree down all by himself.

When the morning was over, Tim had said that Poe did well as a Bricknick, the Keeper also stated that the job didn't necessarily need another pair of hands for the jobs but said if nobody wants Poe, Tim might consider.

"Cool, thanks" Poe shook hands with the boy.

"Yeah, see ya around" the boy said. Poe thought it is unlikely he'll ever end up in Bricknicks since he knows Winston and Jeff are already considering of taking Poe into the jobs.

Poe parted from the Bricknicks and went to the kitchens where he met Anton but was busy cooking more lunch. Instead he went to go to the picnic area where he saw Teo, Winston and the Slicers sitting at the usual table where he spent throughout the lunch break. Lunch felt short and small for Poe.

When the break was done and everybody were heading back to work meanwhile Poe stayed at the table and sat there for a while. He was certain that he won't be welcomed into the Builders.

"Hey, Greenie!" A boy called behind him. Poe turned and see Gally waiting for him, "You coming or what?"

Poe turned his back, glanced forward, his eyes closed while he sighed and muttered out, "I want death" he got up finally and went to follow the Keeper of Builders.

Poe followed Gally to an unfinished shack where the Builders were waiting. "Builders!" Gally called out, almost sounded like one of the captains in marines. The Builders turned their attention to their leader. "Here we have a newcomer— possibly... Nick and Alby expects us to treat him kindly"

There were few snorts coming from few of the Builders and they expressed smirks on their faces. Poe rubbed his head and felt a little shame.

"So, let's get to work" Gally finished.

The Keeper had to introduce the Builders, there were about more than a dozen Builders and he had already forgotten their names afterwards. Gally didn't need to introduce Nico, the boy was avoiding the Greenie. Poe almost expected the boy would begin to torment him and he even expected that the Keeper would treat him poorly. Perhaps it's all because of Nick and Alby.

Builders was surprising going well for Poe, he spent putting up lumbers and plywood to make walls. He mostly spoke to no one, except when one of the Builders asked him to bring another lumber or for his help. Nick can be seen walking by to check on Poe at times, and Alby would observe for a moment before leaving. Poe had heard whispers from the Builders nearby, talking softly about Poe and even about Nick. When they spoke about Nick, how they see their leader hinting that he favours Poe already. He dare not to say anything about it.

It might've been the last time when Nick came by to check on the Greenie once again before he's done his trials for the day. Poe was on the ladder, pounding his hammer on the nail into a wall while they began building the roof. Poe was hammering the lumber on top of the wall when the crashing in the shack began. A young Builder who Poe treated yesterday while he was trying out Med-jacks, had fell forward while carrying a lumber into the shack, attempted to hold onto the ladder that Poe was on, only the ladder fell sideways and Poe fell off.

Poe landed and hit hard against the floor, crushed his arm forearm against a 4x4. That was the greater pain he had than anywhere else. The blonde boy got up in sitting position slowly and let out winces as he held his arm onto his chest.

"What the hell, Jack?!" Gally blurted. Standing in the corner and looked annoyed.

"I'm sorry!" The young Builder uttered, "I—I—I don't know, I— I tripped and— I'm sorry, it won't happen again!"

Poe was glanced back toward the entrance where Jack walked from and there he saw Nico backing away as he smirked then walked away.

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