[ chapter 02. the glade ]

DAWN

'Follow me, shanks,' the leader ordered.

Lisa came walking up beside me and gave a little push against my shoulder. 'Are you okay?' She questioned.

I didn't look at her when I answered. 'Just a bit shaken. That's all.'

'Yeah, tell me about it.' She became quiet but I could feel her eyes lingering on me.

'So, my name is Alby and there's one thing you Shanks gotta know before I start,' the leader, Alby, suddenly spoke, coming to a halt in the middle of the Glade. 'No questions! Got that?'

Lisa just nodded but I felt like protesting. What was their problem with us asking questions? But Alby looked at me and I knew better than to say anything. So I just took a deep breath and nodded.

Alby started the tour by explaining the Glade, which was set up in four sections: The Homestead, a place where the keepers, the boys who were in charge of the jobs in the Glade, slept, where meetings were held and where the kitchen was.

Then the gardens where they grew their own food. He explained to us it never rained here, the water they needed came from pipes out of the ground. The third section was the Bloodhouse and the farm. A few goats and sheeps lived there, sent up by the Box each month, which was the elevator we just arrived in. Their meat was used for food and their fur for coats and blankets.

And last but least there was the part of the Glade called Deadheads. Which turned out to be the little forest I saw before. He told us in the corner of the forest was the graveyard but otherwise the forest was used to just relax and hang out or something.

I felt a shiver crawl down my spine while staring at the trees. A graveyard? Were there really people dying here so often that they needed a graveyard? If they truly lived as peaceful as Alby just showed us, why were there people dying? I couldn't shake the sudden feeling that there was something more to this place that they weren't telling us.

Alby pulled me out of my thoughts with his last words. 'So, last but not least there are three rules you Greenies need to remember. Rule number one, everyone does their part. We have to keep order to survive. Rule number two, never hurt another Glader. We have to trust each other. And last but not least rule number three: Never go outside the walls, unless you're a Runner.'

The last rule confirmed that there was indeed more going on with this place than Alby was telling me. And since I wasn't allowed to have questions, I didn't think I would figure out what was really going on any time soon.

'And that was it for today shanks. Tomorrow we're going to see what kind of work girls are fit for.' He wanted to walk away but seemed to remember something and turned back. 'Oh and we host a welcome party for every Greenie. Normally that's once a month but you two are the second Greenies to have shown up this month.' He frowned and mumbled. 'Maybe a party will keep the boys from thinking about it too much.' Then he turned on his heels and walked away.

Lisa took my attention. 'Well, great,' she sighed, clearly not satisfied with the lack of information either.

I turned my gaze to the door that was closest. 'What do you think is outside those walls?'

She opened her mouth and frowned. She appeared to be doubting if she wanted to tell me something or not. 'I...' She cut herself off and stared at the doors. 'I have no idea,' she finally said. Then she shook her head and walked away. I watched her walk into the direction of the trees, wondering if I should go after her but that thought was taken from my mind when I noticed movement by the door. My eyes widened when I saw a boy standing there. He had light brown skin and black hair. He must be one of the Runners Alby was talking about. Even from this distance I could tell he looked absolutely exhausted and suddenly he lost his balance and collapsed.

My feet started running before I could really think about what I was doing. I reached the boy and knelt down next to him on the ground. I was about to speak up when another boy reached us. It was the same boy who I'd seen at the Box, who lied about knowing the girl. He gave me a puzzled look but I ignored him and looked at the Runner instead. 'Are you alright?' I asked him.

He was still conscious but completely exhausted. His head resting on his outstretched arms as he tried to catch his breath. 'I-I'm...fine,' he said between breaths. Then he looked up, his eyes widening when he saw me. 'Shuck, who are you?' He looked at the other boy and his gaze became only more confused.

'We are new here,' the boy said. 'I'm Thomas, here for a few days now.'

The Runner pushed himself up into a sitting position. His skin was glistening with sweat. 'O yeah, Thomas,' he huffed and then turned his gaze to me, his eyes slightly widening. 'And where did you come from gorgeous?'

I winced at the nickname. 'We arrived about an hour ago.'

'We?' He asked, confusion written all over his features.

'Her and two other girls,' the boy, Thomas, explained. 'One of them is unconscious.'

'Shuck,' the Runner breathed heavily, moving his hand up to wipe away the sweat that was crawling down his forehead. 'This place is going to hell.' Then he smirked at me. 'What's your name?'

'I don't know,' I mumbled, turning my gaze away from him.

He shrugged. 'Gorgeous it is then.'

Rolling my eyes I was about to respond but couldn't get the chance when Alby walked up to us. A concerned frown was drawn on his face. 'What're you doin' back Minho? What happened?'

'Calm your wad, Alby. Do something useful and get me some water. My bag is still in the Maze,' The Runner, Minho, replied.

Alby didn't move and kicked the Runner against his leg, too hard to be playful. 'What happened?'

'I can barely talk, Shuck-face. Go get me some water!' Minho yelled, his voice hoarse.

Surprise hit me like a tidal wave when a small smile appeared on Alby's face, but it disappeared almost as soon as it came. 'Minho is the only Shank who can talk to me like that without getting thrown off the Cliff.' Then he left to get some water.

Thomas turned at the exhausted Runner, who had his eyes closed and leaned against the wall behind him while trying to calm his breathing. 'He lets you command him?' He asked.

Minho shrugged and wiped his sweat away. 'Are you scared of the Shank? You have a lot to learn, dude. Freakin' newbies.'

'But he is the leader, right?' I asked.

'Leader?' Minho snorted. 'Yeah, go call him leader if you like. Maybe we should call him El Presidente. Or Admiral Alby that sounds great,' he grinned. It was hard to tell if he was kidding or not.

'But if he isn't the leader, then who is?' Thomas asked carefully.

Minho sighed before he answered. 'Greenie just shut up before you only get more confused. Why are Greenies like you always asking questions? It makes me sick.'

I felt a wave of anger rolling through my stomach. 'Didn't you do the same after realizing you'd lost all your memories?' I hissed.

'Better to shut up and just do as you are told,' he answered.

I took a deep breath to calm myself, wondering what the guy's problem was for him to behave like an absolute asshole.

'I wonder what you did when you got here?' Thomas said

Minho looked him right in his eyes. 'I was one of the first Gladers, so shut up before you know what you are talking about.'

Thomas took a shaky breath before standing up, ready to walk away but Minho reached up and took a hold of his arm. 'Dude relax, I'm just trying you out. Too funny not to do. You will know what I mean when the new Greenie comes.'

'I don't think there's another one coming,' I said, trying my hardest not to smile at the sudden realization the Runner had been playing us.

Minho let go of Thomas' arm, moving his eyes to my face. 'Why?' He asked.

'The unconscious girl had a note in her hand, it said she was the last one,' I explained, my stomach tightening as I said it. It felt as if us arriving here somehow meant the end of this place and I didn't know if the Runner was going to stay kind when he would realize that very fact.

'Shuck,' he said once again, letting his body fall backwards in the grass as he covered his face with his hands. Then a chuckle left his lips. 'We're all shucked,' he said, grinning.

Frowning I looked at him, trying my hardest to get a grip on the boy's ever changing mood.

'Did you find something?' Thomas suddenly asked.

Minho opened his eyes and looked at Thomas. 'You know Greenie, that is one of the most stupid questions you could ever ask a Runner.' He closed his eyes again. 'But not today.'

'What do you mean?' I asked, curiosity growing inside of me.

'Just wait for the admiral to return. I don't like saying something twice. And maybe he doesn't want you to know it,' Minho replied.

'So you guys run out there? Everyday? In a Maze?' Thomas asked.

'A Maze?' I repeated, my eyes wide as I turned to look at him. My head was spinning as my eyes wandered to the huge door in front of me. I didn't see anything except more stone walls like the ones that were surrounding us. But now it made sense why we weren't allowed to go out there, we would get hopelessly lost.

Minho's eyes flashed at me. 'Yes,' he said, 'there's a Maze out there.'

I took a deep breath and I sat down in the grass, moving my hair out of my face. My heart was racing in my chest as I closed my eyes and tried to make sense of the situation. I searched the corner of my mind to find any logical reason why we were locked inside of a Maze without any memories, but I couldn't think of anything. It all sounded so ridiculous that I felt a sudden urge to laugh.

'Today, though, there was something special so I ran extremely hard,' Minho spoke up.

'What did you see?' Thomas asked.

Minho threw his hands up, an annoyed frown on his face. 'Dude, I said wait for the admiral to return.'

'Alright I'll shut up, but just let me hear it. Okay?' Thomas sounded curious, but I had to admit I was too.

For a couple of seconds Minho looked at us before he finally sighed. 'Alright.'

As if he heard us mentioning him, Alby returned, handing Minho a bottle filled with water.

The Runner drank it without a pause, letting out a satisfied breath when he finished.

'So, tell me Shank. What did you see?' Alby said impatiently.

Minho's eyes flashed at Thomas and me.

Alby shrugged. 'They're fine, I don't care what the Shanks hear.'

Minho nodded and pushed himself up, seeking support by the wall. With every movement he made he winced. His muscles must've been burning. 'I found a dead one,' he finally said.

'A dead what?' Alby asked.

'A dead griever.'

Again that word. Grievers. The way they said it was almost like a taboo, something better left unsaid and ignored in the hope it would eventually go away. Thomas looked excited, but Alby looked like he had just been told that he could get wings and fly away from here. I didn't feel anything but confusion. What on earth was a griever?

'This is not the time for jokes,' Alby finally said.

'Listen,' Minho spoke. 'I would never believe it, but still I found one. An ugly, fat, dead griever.'

'You found a dead griever,' Alby repeated.

'Yes, Alby,' Minho said, sounding annoyed at his disbelief. 'Near the cliff.'

Alby looked at the Maze, and then back at Minho. 'Well...why didn't you bring it here?'

Minho snorted. 'Did you drink Frypan's fruit mix? I would never touch a Griever, not even if you could get me out of here for free.'

They had to be really dangerous if Minho was willing to say that and my chest tightened in fear at the thought of monsters surrounding us.

Alby kept on asking questions about it and I felt like asking what a Griever was. It sounded like some kind of terrifying monster, but that wasn't good enough for me. Could they attack us now? Were we even safe here? My eyes found Thomas's but he shook his head lightly. Maybe he was afraid that they would send us away if they noticed us and so I kept my mouth shut.

'Dude, relax,' Minho answered. 'You have to see it for yourself. It's weird.'

'Weird?' Alby repeated, he looked really confused.

'Hey dude, I am exhausted but if you want to look at that thing we can better go now before the walls close,' Minho said, his voice becoming weaker with each word he uttered.

Alby looked at his watch. 'No, we better wait until tomorrow.'

'That is the smartest thing you have said this week,' Minho, who had been leaning against the wall, stood up and gave Alby a smack on his arm. Then he stumbled away, into the direction of the Homestead.

Alby turned his eyes to Thomas and me. 'If one of you knows something that you didn't tell me...'

I raised my eyebrows. How was I supposed to know something? Shuck, I didn't even know my own name! For a second I was about to laugh when I realized that I used Glader slang but that feeling quickly faded when I looked into Alby's stern eyes.

'Why do you hate me so much?' Thomas suddenly asked.

I looked at him and then at Alby. His expression was hard to recognise. 'I hate you? Dude, ever since you came out of that box you haven't become any smarter. This is not about liking each other, hate or love, this is about surviving. So don't act so weak and use your brain. If you have one.'

'Listen, we just came out of a box with no memory at all. I don't even know my name! So stop acting like we're criminals who could be the reason behind this whole piece of...' I yelled at him, throwing up my hands in frustration.

'Klunk,' Thomas finished.

I looked at him and he smirked slightly. I nodded. 'Behind this whole piece of klunk,' I repeated. Whatever the hell that meant.

'No, you Shanks don't get it. Ever since you showed up things started to get pretty weird. Something is going on and I won't rest until I know what that is!'

'We don't know anything, Alby!' Thomas screamed. 'I have no idea where I was three days ago. And I have nothing to do with something called a Griever. So leave me alone!'

Alby narrowed which made him look all the more angry. 'Calm down, Greenies. Grow up and use your brain. This has nothing to do with accusations, but if you remember something-' he threw me a glare before turning back to Thomas '-then tell me. Promise me you will tell me.'

Thomas seemed to be doubting, and I had to say that I wasn't really comfortable with this promise as well. If I would remember something Alby wouldn't exactly be my first choice to tell it to.

'Yeah fine but...' Thomas tried to save us.

'Just promise me!' Alby yelled.

Thomas sighed. 'Alright, whatever you want, I promise.'

Alby looked at me and I shrugged, realizing there was no way out of this. 'Fine.'

Alby nodded, then turned and walked away.

'Great,' I muttered under my breath and then exhaled slowly as I looked at the Maze again. A shiver crawled down my spine. It almost sounded like some stupid joke, being locked inside a Maze without any memories but it was reality and somehow I was going to have to live with it.

'You really don't know your name?' Thomas suddenly asked, taking me out of my thoughts.

Turning away from the Maze I looked at him and shook my head. 'No.'

He frowned. 'It will come back in a few days,' he said, but he didn't sound convinced.

'Yeah,' I answered, not knowing what else to say.

He nodded and waved goodbye. I returned the movement and watched him leave before walking away as well, my heart burning with a thousand unanswered questions.