CHAPTER THREE
( THREATS )

     AFTER I ARRIVED BACK, A loud screeching noise erupted from the Glade. I thought for sure that I was a goner. It turns out that the huge stone walls outside can open and close. And that truly creeped me out. Especially since it defied the laws of physics- rock scraping against rock without difficulty.

That night, I didn't get very much sleep at all. The sounds of Gladers outside kept me awake, with an occasional five-minute nap. But that's about it.

When morning came, I buried my face even further into the pillows, hoping the sun wouldn't torture me.

Unfortunately, Newt had to walk into the room, and tell me it was time for my tour.

I groan into the blankets on my bed, and act like I'm invisible. "C'mon, Greenie." Newt says. "You want your bloody answers, right?"

"Yes. But why so early in the morning?" I whine. "I could've slept in a little later."

"I suppose you could've." He shrugs. "But that's not the way it works."

"Whatever." I sit up, pushing my messy hair out of my face. Minho lays in his bed, snoring peacefully. "Hey! Why does Minho get to sleep in?"

"Cause he's not new." Newt smiles. "And you are."

"Fine. I'll get up." I cave. "But what am I going to wear?"

Newt hesitates for a moment, before walking over to a dresser next to Minho's bed. How did I not see the dresser? He grabs a blue v-neck shirt, boxers, and a pair of running shorts from the dresser, then tosses them to me.

"You can change in the bathroom."

"Where's the bathroom?" I ask.

"Outside." He replies.

"Lead the way." I say, gesturing to the door. He walks out of the room, and I follow behind him, after grabbing my socks and tennis shoes. I run to catch up with him, and walk alongside him after we exit the Homestead.

I notice that Newt and I are the only people up right now, which makes me boil with aggravation. I should be curled up in bed right now.

"Here we are." He nods towards a building in front of us. I step inside, and look around for a lock on the door.

"Newt?!" I ask from inside.

"Yeah?"

"Where's the lock on this door?" I question.

"There isn't a lock." He replies swiftly.

"But how am I-"

"I'll stand in front of the door." He cuts me off. "Take a shower and change. I'll make sure no one goes in."

Well that solves your problems. Thomas chuckles.

Why are you listening in on my conversations. I furrow my eyebrows.

I'm bored. He replies.

Well get out of my head. I have to take a shower.

I peel off the wrap around my wound from the knife carefully, and strip out of my clothes. I step into the shower, and turn on the hot water. I sigh in content, and clear all of my thoughts.

___♕___

After my shower, I quickly changed into the clothes I was given, and the bra I came here wearing. I comb through my hair with my fingers, then weave my hair into a side braid with a rubber band.

I slip on my socks and shoes, then open the door. Newt turns around, and smiles warmly at me.

"What?" I ask.

"You took a really long shower." He states.

"It wasn't that long." I roll my eyes.

"I had to convince three guys to wait on taking a shower while you were in there." He crosses his arms over his chest.

"There were like four other showers in there." I furrow my eyebrows.

"Yeah, but did you really want three hormonal teenage boys in the same bathroom as you, while you were showering?" He cocks his head to the side.

"Nope." I say, popping the 'p.'

"That's what I thought." He nods. "I had to punch one in the face 'cause he refused to walk away."

"What?" I turn to him, shock evident on my face.

"I'm kidding." He laughs.

"Now can we start the tour?"

"Sure thing, Greenie. Ask your questions." He encourages, and begins to walk around the Glade, me following.

"First off, what's a Greenie?" I ask, looking stooped.

"A Newbie." He answers. "The newest person to come up in the box. A new Greenie arrives every month, and supplies come up every week."

"Okay then." I nod. "Who sent us here?"

"I wish I knew." He shrugs. "The Slintheads that sent us up here don't give us any information on who they are, or why we're here."

"How long have you guys been here?"

"Two years." He stares off into blankness as he answers my question. "And we still haven't got a clue how to get out of this shuck Maze."

"Where's the Maze?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asks. "It's beyond the walls."

"Well, that makes sense." I bite my lip. "Why do you guys only go into the Maze during the day?"

"At night, the doors close," He starts, "And once those shuck doors close, the bloody Greivers come out."

"What's a Greiver?"

"You don't want to know."

"Do you guys have jobs around here?"

"Yep." He replies. "The Sloppers, Baggers, Cooks, Track-hoes, Med-jacks, Slicers, Bricknicks, and Runners."

"Which job will I get?" I step in front of him, making him stop in his tracks.

"You have to try all of them first." He says. "Then the Keepers will decide what job you get."

"Are you a Keeper?" I narrow my eyes.

"Yeah, why?" He asks.

"Because you better help me get the job I want." I poke him in the chest. "And you're the Keeper of...?"

"The Runners." He fills in. "And I'm second in command."

"Who's the first in command?"

"Alby." He states.

"Why?"

"He's been here the longest." Newt sighs. "Every Slinthead before Alby's dead."

"D-dead?" I stutter. "How did they die?"

"I don't know how all of them died." He shrugs. "I don't want to, either."

"How long have you been here?"

"Around a year and five months."

"Who's the nicest person in the Glade?" I sit down on a log, and look up at him.

"Definitely me." He smiles warmly. "Did you even have to ask, Greenie?"

"Yes." I nod. "And now I know you're full of yourself."

He scoffs, and sits next to me. "If you think of me that way, I could always let a couple Shanks in when you take your next shower..." He trails off, smirking.

"You wouldn't." I cross my arms over my chest, pouting.

"Oh yes I would." He chuckles.

"Then I'd get Minho to beat you up." I stick my nose in the air.

"I see I'm already you're favorite person, Greenie." A familiar voice says from behind us.

"He was threatening me!" I accuse, pointing my finger at Newt. Minho raises an eyebrow at him.

"I was not!" Newt glares at me. "She told me that I wasn't the nicest guy here. So I told her that I would let some guys in the bathroom the next time she took a shower."

"Grace has a point, Newt." Minho sits on the other side of me, looking at Newt. "You aren't the nicest guy here. I am."

"Newtie." I say, tapping my chin, as if thinking. "That's your new nickname, Newt. Newtie."

"Gracie." Newt mocks me, tapping his chin. "That's your new nickname, Grace. Gracie."

"What?" I scrunch my nose up in disgust. "Gracie? Bleh."

"Yeah, Newt." Minho accuses. "That nickname sucks."

"I can't believe I've actually opened up this fast." I speak up, breaking their conversation.

"What?" Newt asks.

"I'm actually talking to the two of you. Where as yesterday, I completely ignored everything you said."

"I think every one of us did that," Minho starts. "Except we klunked our pants. You didn't."

"What's 'klunk'?" I ask.

"It's the sound that-"

"You know what?" I cut him off. "Nevermind. I don't want to know."

___♕___

With my tour out of the way, the day seemed to move by smoothly. And with nothing to do, I kept to myself.

All of the Gladers are hard at work, while I watched them. And after hours of doing nothing, I figured out that Garret is the Keeper of the Med-jacks.

Minho and Newt are away in the Maze as of now, and I'm bored as hell. But as I look up from the ground, I no longer feel bored. A boy with blonde hair and brown eyes walks over to me.

"What's up, Greenie?" He asks, sitting in the grass next to me.

"Nothing really." I shrug. "Just being bored."

"Yeah, well tomorrow you'll start your training for each job." He says, pulling grass from the soil.

"What?"

"No one told you?" He raises an eyebrow. "You get to work with each Keeper for half of a day, then the council will decide which job you get."

"Do you know which job I'll go to first?" I ask.

"Either the Med-jacks or Track-hoes." He replies.

"I already know the Keeper of the Med-jacks." I say under my breath. "Who's the Keeper of the Track-hoes?"

"Me." He states.

"Oh, so that's the reason you're talking to me." I chuckle.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, only Keepers can talk to me. And you are a Keeper." I point out.

"I guess that's a good thing." He smiles, standing up. "I'll see you around, Grace."

"Bye." I look to the ground as he walks away. I don't even know his name...

Nik.

A name pops into my mind.

His name is Nik.

_______