//Jan 2015- December 2017//

I was quite literally thrown into the slammer. Newt seemed to frown at my harassment, but he was no better five minutes ago. They locked me in yet another box, and walked away. Not even a word. The tiny window served little purpose, and the chair in the middle was horribly made, one leg taller than the other, I assumed on purpose. I was not going to sit in that chair, and risk splinters in my butt.

As if it were second nature, a plan seemed to form in my head. I pressed myself up against the wall next to the door. When they open it, they won't see me and I can bolt out. I awaited, my plan setting excitement through me. But the only time anyone came near was to slide in a plate of food, barely even opening the door a crack. Before long it was dark and realization set in. I would have to wait till morning. I slept, I don't know how, but I slept. Strange dreams of white hallways and machinery passed. I heard voices and saw people, but all were vibrations and all were faceless, a feeble reach at remembering. A sharp click pulled me out of my slumber, followed by the creak of the door. I stayed silent.

It was now.

Or never. Sunlight poured in my cell and I heard a voice sigh, "what is up with her hiding?" Newt stepped in the cell and without hesitation I barreled into his legs. He let out a shout of surprise, toppling to the ground while I bolted once more. Without barely reaching outside the cell, a strong hand grabbed my shoulder, yanking me backwards. A sickening crack and a sharp pain, my shoulder had most probably been dislocated. The culprit was tall, very tall, and had large eyebrows and a potato nose. But when I looked at his eyes and he looked in mine we both were taken a back.

He was familiar. Like clearing a fogged up window, one of the faceless people from my dream weren't faceless anymore. But as quick as it came, the window fogged back over leaving me barely any time to process the quick memory relapse.

No matter what I was feeling, I had to get away. At his sudden slack of grip I pulled away, my eyes trying to adjust to my surroundings. A patch of thick trees caught the corner of my eye. Better there than here. My shoulder ached, I was right, it was dislocated. Limping to the nearest tree I began climbing, wincing in pain everytime my shoulder felt strain. I was only up to the first branch when I heard voices below. I could never survive. 60 boys lived here, they know the place inside out. My only chance were those big openings. I gave up on being silent, my goal trying to get as high as possible, maybe out cling them. The tall Asian guy crawled up the tree with ease (much to my dismay), "listen, you better cooperate because those shanks made me stay from running, to contain you," he said. Her reached for my wrist but I jumped down. He jumped down behind me and wasted no time pulling me to the ground. I screamed in pain as my shoulder slammed into the ground. He lifted the short sleeve of my black tshirt and gasped. It was purple and bruised. "What the shuck?" He murmured. Gingerly lifting me up, he called out. "get some medjacks out here she's injured," Newt and a boy came, "Jeff, get over here," Asian dude called, making the unknown boy sprint over.

"Minho, what the shuck did you do to her?" Jeff asked. "It wasn't me! I swear to God. She's the one that probably busted her shuck shoulder" he replied. Shuck? What language were they speaking?  "Who did this to you?" Jeff asked, but I didn't answer. Either I was brave enough to be defiant or so scared K couldn't find a voice, it didn't matter. The silence seemed to irritate Minho. "Did we get a mute? Well, if it's a shuck girl then we should be thankful," he retorted. Anger bubbled up as I tried to free his grip. "I'm not a mute," I spat. Newt and Minho just exchanged an unsure glance. Jeff clamped a hand on my bad shoulder, "ready?"

I nodded. He pushed back into place and I cried out. A single tear went down my face, I tried to wipe it away, but being held down didn't help. I used the shoulder of my shirt, but it was too late, they saw. I could've sworn a fleeting look of sadness passed their eyes, but it was quickly hardened. I figured for now, I would just go with them. "I won't struggle anymore," I answered hoarsely. "Why would we bloody believe that?" Newt asked. "There's 60 of you, one of me," I answered, no emotion at all. Minho let me go, his watchful eyes never leaving, and I stretched my arms.

They led me out of the forest, and once I was calm I could really take in the full scale of where I was. Four stone walls enclosed the inside of a green valley. They look solid and ancient, marred only by four great openings. There were gardens, animals, and a couple small buildings. Like these people were running a small community. Minho and Newt led me into a room and the murmurs that had been going on inside ceased. 12 chairs sat in front of me, each occupied, except for two. Newt promptly sat down, and Minho in suit. "I declare this gathering begun," Alby shouted.
Gathering? What's a gathering? Were these people important?

Alby sensed my confusion, "This place, we call it the Glade. All these boys here are the Gladers. The special slintheads sitting next to me: the keepers of each of the jobs. I'm leader, and newt is second in command. We're having a meeting about you, and what the shuck were gonna do with you," he stated.

What they were gonna do... With me? "I don't thinks so," I called. "What?" He spat. "I have a say in this?" I asked. "Only till the end, so buggin wait your turn," newt said, "and no questions," he added. I rolled my eyes, hoping my small acts of defiance would boost my courage. All of a sudden a boy walked in, he whispered into albys ear, Alby rolling his eyes. "Fine, give them what they want, we're having an open gathering," he stated. The entire rest of the community must had been hovering outside the door, because at his word they all poured in, sitting on some stands behind the keepers.

The all looked at me, some curiosity, some smiling, some neutral and some.... Angry. Newt waited for the boys to all settle, then looked towards me. "State your name" he ordered. "Joannah" I said, feigning the steadiness which I didn't feel inside. "In the spirit of an open gathering, you shanks will have the first ideas, begin" Alby shifted his body to peer at the boys.

When no one made a move, a boy on the far left raised. "I think we should let her stay, what if every month we start getting girls, just because she's a girl doesn't mean she's a threat," murmurs interrupted, "honestly, she can't over power any of us, but that doesn't mean we should abuse her," he continued, meeting my eyes for a second before looking at the crowd. People murmured "good that" while others seemed to purse their lips.

"She's done nothing wrong, and from the looks of it, has no memory either, do you?" They turned expectantly to me and I shook my head. "Thank you, Adam," Newt said as he jotted something down. The ginger headed boy sat down. He looked about 16, maybe 5'9. When I looked more at Newt, Alby and Minho, they seemed to be older, maybe 17 or 18. Panic flooded through me when I realized, I didn't even know how I looked, let alone my age!

Another boy stood up, black hair and striking gray eyes smiled at me, but they had a sinister gleam about them. "I agree with Adam, what if this is just the new pattern. But that's means, if they're sending us girls, they're telling us were gonna be here for a while," he paused for dramatic effect, " I think they sent a girl as a message that we need to grow our civilization, ourselves,"he finished.

Wait, is he implying...

"You mean... Breed?" Newt stammered with uncertainty. "No idea goes unaccepted, write it down," Alby said. With furrowed brows, Newt jotted it down all the same. Not too many people disagreed with him, but not too many agreed either. Either way, the boy sat down looking pleased.

The worry of how I seemed to have no control whatsoever sent a wave of nausea through my system. I wanted to throw up, but I pushed the vile substance down. "Alright, now keepers,"

One by one the keepers went, some said I would be a help, some said I could help Frypan. Some said lock me up for a month until a greenie comes, whatever a greenie is, and then someone in the stands said, "what about banishment?"

I didn't know what it was but it didn't sound good. Mumbles around the stands exploded and Alby rose up, "shut it Slintheads, it's not your shucking turn! We're on the keepers!"

He turned to the next keeper, big eyebrows, potato nose. The guy who messed up my shoulder.

"Gally, go ahead," Newt said absentmindedly, reading over his list so far. Gally stood up looking me straight in the eyes, and there it was again, that familiarity. But it wasn't a bad feeling, it was good. "I don't trust her," he started, newt rolled his eyes. Gally noticed, but I seemed to doubt that Newt cared, "slim it newt, I know with greenies I'm not the best, but I'm trying to be serious," he retorted. "Even though I don't trust her, doesn't mean we shouldn't learn to. But that would have to do with her actions. Something fishy, something out of line, and we lock her up, like any other glader. But we shouldn't banish her, she hasn't done anything... yet," he sat down before abruptly standing up again," and I'm sorry about your shoulder,"

"Gally she was barely out the slammer for a Buggin minute and you managed to hurt her already, yah slinthead?" Newt asked. "It was an accident she was running and I grabbed her, it pulled out and she sprinted again," he defended. "It's fine," I said, quietly. As if my presence surprised the boys, they jumped at the sound of my voice. "Minho?"

Minho stood up, his silhouette slightly intimidating, "I agree with Adam and... Gally. She looks like we can trust her but we still need to watch her," he sat down, eyeing Gally our the corner of his eye and then my shoulder. I actually agreed with Minho, if they just trusted any one, I wouldn't feel safe. Newt stood up, "I agree with Minho, but other than watching her, we need to watch you shanks. I know you've never seen a girl, or remember, but that doesn't mean she wants to get close and personal," he finished, right before looking at gray eyes, and sat down.

"Alright, all of you shanks leave, and greenie, wait outside with the rest of them," Alby stated. All of the 'keepers' stayed in their seats and Adam, the red head boy helped me out. He was significantly taller then me which means, I'm pretty short. "Albys doing his best, your the first greenie since nick died, and well for his first time, getting something new isn't easy," he whispered. I tried to weakly smile but I couldn't.

Since nick died.

People die here?

Adam lead me toward  another building, and when we went inside, it resembled a kitchen. "So, never caught your name?" He asked. "Joannah," I replied.

He took a bite of an apple, leaning on the counter, he started, "you don't talk much,"
I laughed, and It surprised me, but pleased me too. Adam seemed pleased as well because a wide grin escaped his face. "Can you blame me?" I asked.

"We all had different reactions, all came up in that box, all with no memories. My reaction was I couldn't stop talking," he said, slightly more serious, but grinned towards the end. "so everyone's like me?" I asked. He nodded, offering me an apple. I walked over, and leaned against the counter like him, enjoying the sweet taste. I ate it in 5 minutes, down to the core. We had been standing in silence, but it was nice silence. We headed outside, and when he realized my apple was gone he gasped, "you ate it already?" I nodded sheepishly. But he frowned, "good, you seem underweight, you need to eat more," he voice was laced with genuine concern. I tried to give him a feeble smile but I wasn't sure it reached my eyes.

Hearing a steady pound of footsteps, I turned to see Newt jog towards us. "Looks like it's your lucky day greenie, you're staying here stuck with us,"

He made it sound like they were doing me a favor.

Adam turned to me, "welcome to the glade,"