pre-the maze runner
chapter two

❛❛ i wouldn't get too close if i were you ❜❜

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Poe found himself standing metres from the gap between the giant walls. He stared in stun at the giant walls, they were like the size of a tall building, staring at it made his skin crawl and he gulped. His eyes dropped, gazed down, eyes went ahead, in front of him was the gap, what it seems to be the way out of this strange place. A large, shaded corridor with concrete floors, another wall ahead at the end of the corridor.

The boy who calls himself Nick, who is in charge of this place, he says through that gap, the way out, every each other side of these giant walls is the Maze. The Maze. Poe wasn't sure how to feel about that, should he be scared? Should he be worried? Neither of those he felt when he probably should've. The Maze didn't seem to scare him. Although this place seemed awfully familiar to him.

Familiar, like he has been here before. But he can't remember.

Poe didn't realize that he was taking a few steps forward to get a closer look at the strange looking corridor. The closer he got, he felt this soft breeze coming from the Maze, that soft breeze had his skin grow tiny bumps and the chills swam over him.

"I wouldn't get too close if I were you, Greenie," an unfamiliar voice said behind him. Poe turned, a boy with dark greasy hair, slender, jawbone, he had a machete tucked into his belt, green shirt with sleeves that were rolled over his elbows and brown baggy shorts. He turned his gaze over his shoulder, Poe followed his gaze and see a tall kid crossing his arms and watching them both. "or you'll lose an arm if you draw too close. We're not allowed to get close... or into the Maze" this boy had an accent, deep and thick. He sounded almost as adult as well. "It's one of our rules. You break one, you face consequences"

"Rules?" Poe raised his brows, he turns his head back and looked into the Maze again. "Any idea how big the Maze is?"

"No clue took the Runners to study the place for over a year, I'd say it's really big, big enough to search every end and turn for over a year" the boy answered, "You take a guess yourself. We are right in the middle of it. As what Minho said"

Over a year. Poe imagined the Maze could be bigger than he thinks. There are words that spoke out of this boy's mouth that Poe could not understand. "Runners? What's that?" He looked at the boy.

"They're the only ones that can go into the Maze" the boy replied. "It's a tough job, even to get a shot at it. Took Ben for months to get it— Ben is one of our Runners and Minho... Minho has been one the longest, I think from the very start... now, scoot back—" The boy stepped close to him then nudged Poe's arm to get back. "You don't want to wake the lion"

Poe stared confusedly at him and even gave him a strange look. The boy gave a nod to the side, pointing at the same boy who is still watching them.

"That's Gally," the boy said, "that boys got quite a temper and acts like he's in charge of this place but he isn't. Nick is, of course. You've met Nick, right?"

Poe nodded. He was looking at the tough looking kid who was watching them. To Poe, the kid did look quite intimidating, with his height, his stern look and the way he stood like he's preparing to fight someone. Poe wasn't actually scared of him.

"I'm sorry, who're you?" Poe blinked as he turned to the boy.

"Right, I'm Teo" Teo reached a hand toward him. Poe reluctantly took and they shook hands. "I've been here for like six months now"

"Name's Poe"

"Poe?" Teo snickered, laughing at the name, "Well, can't be worse than Siggy or Zart. I mean some Gladers have weird names here"

"Hey—" someone approached them and it was Nick, "already spoiling the good stuff, have ya, Teo?"

"Nah" Teo scoffed, "Haven't got to the good ones yet"

"Yeah? Don't you have some chickens to slaughter?"

Teo narrowed his eyes, he turned and went toward an odd looking building. Poe guessed that building was some sort of a farmhouse just by looking at the fences with cows and pigs in it. "You've met Teo, he's a Slicer. Slicer's job is to slaughter animals for food. See that—?" He pointed at the farmhouse, "That's one of our four sections, Bloodhouse. Others— Deadheads, Gardens, Homestead"

He pointed to the right, Deadheads was the forest in the right, further around to the right was the Garden then the Homestead which was the odd-looking shaped building made with bamboos and woods. The Gardens were full of crops, tall crops, all lined up perfectly well, it was like a mini corn field.

Nick nudged Poe's arm to walk. They both began to walk across the field while Nick was explaining, "The Box, where you just came out of, we don't know where it comes from. All we know is that every once a month, they send in a new kid, which we call em' Greenie, Greenie is a new kid. Greenie, Newbie, Greenbean— whichever you prefer. Supplies come in weekly as well" they went around the Box, about fifteen boys were there and taking the supplies out. "It all started out with a group of us, about thirty of us woke up out here with no memories. The first ones. Then it all began to make sense throughout the weeks and months. We just decided to get a community going because we didn't want to spend the next days, weeks, months, years moping and wondering what the hell is going on"

Poe wasn't sure what to say, what questions to ask. There were a lot of them. Three years they've been out here. "So, you just go on with your lives out here and forgetting about trying to find a way out?"

Nick chuckled. "We didn't just spend the last three years living our new lives out here, Greenbean. We tried, believe me, we tried to find the way out, climb the walls, makes ladders and all that, you name it, all of it. We tried, anything you can think of, neither worked" he pulled his sleeves up over his elbows. "It's why we have Runners. Their job is to analyze the Maze, study it and find the way out. But so far... nah-dah. We haven't solved the damn Maze"

"Maybe you're missing something"

"Oh shuck, you're damn right we're missing something" Nick uttered in sarcasm. "we just need to find that damn missing piece of a puzzle, right? But shame we've been trying the last few years, shank. Still... nothing"

Poe had his eyes rolling. Also part of him felt dumbfounded.

"Anyway, now we got that out of the way, back to the important stuff—" They had passed the Box and they were heading toward the cornfield. "In the next following days, you'll be doing your trials. Which is where you'll be trying out every job in the Glade— except for Runners because it takes a while to get one. No position is available right now and we just recently promoted a new Runner"

Teo already mentioned about the Runners and how it is the toughest job and difficult to get.

"We have three rules and they are most important in the Glade. One; everyone does their part. No slacking. Two; never hurt another Glader. You have to trust everyone. And three; never go into the Maze. Only if you're a Runner— got it?"

Poe nodded quickly "I'll keep that in mind"

"Good that. See that boy there—" Nick was pointing at a boy with dark skin, the first face Poe saw when he was the Box, "that's Alby, he's the Second-in-Command, meaning when I'm not around, he's in charge. He's one of the first group from the start I told you about"

When Nick and Poe climbed up the tower and stood atop. Nick leaned forward on the railing as Poe stood straight and both gazed at the view of the Glade. That familiarity feeling strikes Poe again. Has he truly been here before? The memory loss was a strange feeling, he wanted so terribly to remember something, but nothing. It's odd that he is able to remember what snow looks like, what it's like to swim, what food he likes but he can't remember any other person besides the Gladers or what happened before being taken into the Box.

There was also something that bugs him. About the Maze. Nick mentioned that they were safer in the Glade, but the Maze, something happens within the Maze if a person gets trapped out there. "You said we were safer in here, something bad happens out there... like what?" He leaned forward and rest his arms on the railing as he looked at the leader.

Nick was looking over at the Glade unresponsively for a moment. He let out a sigh, "We call them Grievers—" their glances met, "They lurk in the Maze at night. Once the Doors closes, they come out. No one ever survives the night in the Maze. We should be thankful that we got walls protecting us from them"

"Grievers" Poe repeated. "So, if no one has ever lived through the night in the Maze, or you know what's out there in the night, how'd you know what's on the other side of these walls?"

Nick flashed a smirk as he shifted his gaze on him. "That—" he put a hand on Poe's shoulder. "we'll save that answer for later. Best we show you that later on. It's one of our biggest surprises"

"Hey!" Someone called from below. He seemed to be youngest Poe had seen, he looked to be thirteen, skinny, his face glistened with sweat. "I was told you wanted to see me?"

"We'll be right down!" Nick said. He lightly smacked Poe's arm. "Come on"

When they both reached the ground and meet the young boy. The young boy had a cheerful look.

"Poe, meet Anton—" Nick gestures at the boy. "He was the Greenie before you came. I'll leave you two alone for now. I gotta get the shanks ready for tonight's bonfire" then Nick left them.

Poe watched him jogging to where the Box is. "So, your name's Poe, huh?" Anton smiled. "I work in the kitchens, I'm one of the Cooks, best one in the Glade, really" his smile was full of pride.

"Best one eh?" Poe raised his brows, Anton was almost a foot smaller, he was up about Poe's shoulder. Dark brown hair, thick and had a bit of wavy at the ends. He wore a pale muscle shirt, his arms were thin, green baggy shorts and black boots.

"Don't mock me, okay?" Anton murmured. "Anyway, I was told to show where you'll be sleepin'. Already got the stuff over there. Come on"

Poe followed the kid. They passed the Gardens then reached between the Homestead and the Gardens where there was a small forest. There were hammocks all over the area, homemade beds made with woods and sheets. Poe knew this is where they all sleep.

Anton spent the next half hour making the hammock for Poe meanwhile the blond boy was busy gazing the Glade again. Trying to make sense out of this familiar feeling by looking at the place. Then something caught his attention when he glanced where the gap is. There, two guys came in, running into the Glade, jogging. Poe quickly presumed they were Runners.

"Runners?" He shifted his gaze over his shoulder at Anton.

Anton pushed down the sheet, making sure it doesn't come off, he turned his glance to the Door and caught the sight of the Runners, "Ah, yes. Minho and Ben." He looked at his watch, "Almost closing time too"

Poe was curious how that gap closes, there were no doors but the walls and he was trying to contemplate how they close it.

"Anyway, thanks for all your help, Greenie" Anton gave a loud sigh of relief like he felt something good, "Feels so right to say that, after a month of being called 'Greenie' constantly. Now I'm no longer the Newbie" Anton cheerfully smiled.

Poe turns his gaze back at the Runners, they were heading toward a hut near the Homestead.

"Hey, Newt!" Anton called, waving.

Poe still looking toward the Runners while Anton was talking to someone behind him. The job as a Runner sounded more interesting and useful for Poe. He'll be spending his first days trying out every job except for Runners. Much to his disappointment, it is unlikely he'll ever get a shot of being a Runner. Certainly not soon.

"Hey Poe, you deaf?" Anton threw a pillow at his head.

He turns around, Anton was sitting on Poe's hammock with another boy standing over him with his arms crossed. This boy was blond, thin, wore a pale red sleeveless shirt and black shorts. Poe responded with a questioning look.

Anton frowned, "Never mind you"

The blond thin boy chuckled, "Yeah, see you around, Anton"

Anton smiled and waved bye at him. Poe stepped close to Anton as he looked at the boy walking away, the boy was limping. "That's Newt, by the way. Nicest shank you'll ever meet. Spent my first days crying on and off until he came around to cheer me up"

"Noot?" Teo was right about some Gladers having weird names.

"Anyway—" Anton shook his head, "The Doors are closing soon, the bonfire is tonight and you got nothing else to do for the rest of day. I assume Nick has told you most of everythin'. Tomorrow you start trying out the jobs. I got supper to prepare for. You do whatever around the Glade. See you, Greenie" then Anton left.

Poe had no idea what to do, he sat down on his new hammock where he'll be sleeping from now on and waited for something else to happen.

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