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Field Journal
Day 730

Today marks two years of being in this maze. The new Greenie is supposed to be coming up any minute now, and I'm hoping it's another girl, but I know that won't happen. Minho and Ben are still trying to find a way out, but everybody is giving up hope, thinking we will never get out of here. I haven't lost hope, though. I want to believe that there is a way out of here--

"Susan, come on, girly! I can't be the only one cooking, and we've got to get breakfast ready before the new Greenie comes up!"

With a chuckle, Susan set down her pencil, closed her book, and placed it on the counter. She then proceeded to grab some bowls and head towards her friend Frypan, who was cooking porridge.

"Sorry, Fry," the girl apologized as she grabbed the spoon, poured some porridge into the bowl, and passed it to a boy in front of her. "You know, every once in a while, a simple 'please' and 'thank you' would suffice for me to help you."

"Yeah, that'll happen when you start helping from the beginning instead of writing in your journal as soon as you get up," Frypan scoffed. "What's the point of that thing anyway? All you do is jot down whatever we do during the day, and don't mess with it until the next."

As she handed bowls to the boys eagerly awaiting their breakfast, the girl shrugged and replied, "Honestly, I don't know. Writing helps me get through my day without worrying about anything else."

"If you say so. Let's finish passing breakfast to everyone so we can eat."

Agreeing with Frypan, the two continued serving breakfast before finally getting a bowl of porridge for themselves. They joined a table with their other friends, who greeted them.

"Hey, guys. Good job on breakfast this morning," Newt praised as he ate.

"Thank you," Frypan expressed gratitude, then glanced at Susan with a pointed look. "We could have finished earlier if she hadn't spent most of her morning writing."

"Hey, I told you, writing helps me get through my day," Susan defended herself, pointing her spoon at her best friend. "Besides, I don't judge you whenever you lose an arm wrestling match to Gally because of how weak you are."

"I agree with her, man," Gally said smugly. "You should consider working out more."

Frypan's jaw dropped offensively while their friends chuckled at their bantering. It was usual for the three to bicker with each other playfully. Besides Alby and Chuck, Susan had bonded closely with Frypan and Gally in the Glade. They became best friends instantly after Frypan and Gally rescued Susan from a boy who was always following her around like a lost puppy and constantly flirting with her. Susan was thankful to the boys for keeping her safe, as she found the boy's behavior creepy. After that incident, the boy left Susan alone.

"So, Chuck, ready to be promoted today?" Susan questioned the youngest Glader, who sat next to her.

Chuck answered with a smile, "Yes! Today is the day I pass the torch of the new Greenie being called 'Greenie'!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, kid," Gally smiled, reaching across the table and ruffling Chuck's hair. "We're going to give you a different nickname. How does Curly sound?"

"I don't know, Gally," Frypan laughed as he nudged the younger boy. "Short stuff is more like it!"

The older teens laughed while Chuck rolled his eyes but still smiled. It was moments like these that they all wished it could last forever. They all continued to talk and eat until a loud buzzer signaled the arrival of the Box. The group then stood up, exited the area, and gathered around it.

Everyone chatted with each other, making bets on whether the new Greenie was going to be another girl. The Box finally arrived, the doors opening to reveal the boy sitting up against the metal crate, hovering his arm over his eyes to shield the glare of the sunlight. Susan noted that his eyes held nothing but fear, and she couldn't blame him. She watched as Newt and Gally opened the metal doors, Newt ordering Gally to grab the boy.

The tall boy jumped down, joining him in the Box. "Day one, Greenie. Rise and shine," he greeted with a smirk. With nothing but ease, he grabbed the boy from the ground, tossing him out.

The boy crawled to the ground, hyper venerating as the gladers gathered around him, laughing at his scared state.

"Do you think he would be squeamish around animals?"

"Nah, he definitely looks like a Slopper!"

"I do need help in the kitchens!"

"Hey!"

Susan had slapped Frypan in the arm for that. Everyone continued to laugh as the boy crawled away from them and stood up, looking around in freight. His eyes frantically darted in each direction and before anyone could do anything, the boy began to run like his life depended on it when Zart yelled out.

"We got a runner!"

The group watched as the boy ran before he tripped over himself, tumbling in the middle of the glade. Everyone 'oohed' or laughed at the Greenie's failed attempt. Susan rolled her eyes, knowing that it was always like this. She watched as the Greenie stood up, looking around the Glade with an unreadable expression.

"Take it all in, Greenie!"

The Greenie was taken to the Pit under Alby's command while the others grabbed the supplies.

♘

"Can't believe he tried to make a run for it," Frypan laughed.

He and Susan were in the kitchen, stocking and organizing their supplies that Gally had given them. They were joking around with each other, talking about the Greenie face planting as he tried to run away.

"Don't be so hard on him, Fry," Susan says, shaking her head at her best friend, handing him some potatoes. "He's like any other Greenie that comes up."

"Stupid?" 

"I was going to say curious." 

They continued to stock their supplies before they heard commotion and looked up to see Gally, Chuck and the Greenie standing at the open entrance of the Maze. Gally looked like he was trying to calm the Greenie down, who was freaking out again. Susan shared a look with Frypan before they ran over, following Newt and Alby who had seen the commotion as well. 

"Calm-"

"Don't touch me!"

"Calm-"

"Just relax!"

By now, the other Gladers had joined and the Greenie was looking around with anger and confusion.

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?!" he exclaimed.

"Just calm down, all right?" Newt reassured, approaching him cautiously.

"No, okay?" Greenie argued. "Why won't you tell me what's out there?"

"We're just trying to protect you," Alby replied, holding a hand out as he tried to calm him. "It's for your own good."

"You guys can't just keep me here."

"I can't let you leave."

"Why not?"

Before anyone could reply, a faint click was heard. Everyone turned their attention to the entrance of the Maze. Susan stood next to Chuck, placing a hand on the younger boy who was shaking in silent fear. The wind blew hard as everyone lifted or turned away, covering from dirt that flew into their direction. 

"What the hell?" Greenie murmured in shock.

Another sound was heard, followed by the screeching metal. The doors slowly closed shut while the Greenie watched and stumbled back as they fully closed.

"Next time," Gally challenged, walking forward and poking a finger to the Greenie's chest, "I'm gonna let you leave."

He then walked away from him as everyone else dispersed as well, leaving the Greenie and Alby.

♘

Night had fallen and the sound of drums were heard around the Glade. Everyone stood around a bunch of woods that were piled up on each other as Alby had passed torches around.

"Light it up!"

On his command, Susan smiled as she and the rest of the Gladers threw their torches, lighting up the bonfire. Alby had wrapped an arm around the girl as everyone cheered in happiness, chanting the word 'Gladers'. This one of Susan's favorite moments when a new Greenie showed up. It was time of relaxing and having fun.

A little while after lighting up the bonfire, Susan found herself joking around with Chuck as they watched Gally fight another boy with a circle around him. As they were talking, Susan glanced up, noticing Newt showing the Greenie around. The Greenie had his back turned around when Gally had finished the boy he was fighting, the boy bumping into the Greenie.

Gally looked at the Greenie with a challenging look. "What do you say, Greenie? Wanna see what you're made of?" he asked, sending him a smirk.

The Greenie looked at him in confusion until the Gladers started chanting him on.

"Greenie! Greenie! Greenie!"

By now, everyone was gathered around the two, wanting to see the Greenie hopefully put Gally in his place when it seemed like the Greenie accepted the challenge. Susan shook her head as she stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't understand why Gally was giving the Greenie a hard time. Usually when a new Greenie came up, Gally never usually bothered him but for some reason, it seemed like he was interested in this one and Susan wasn't like it.

"Okay. All right," Gally spoke as he adjusted his leather arm band he was wearing on his wrist and looked at the Greenie with seriousness. "The rules are simple, Greenie. I try to push you out of the circle, you try to last more than five seconds."

"Gally," Susan called out from laughing crowd, catching the boys attention. "Go easy on the Greenie."

Gally smirked, nodding his head before pushing the Greenie into a group of boys. The Greenie grunted in pain as the boys held him up but before he could take a minute to process what happened, Gally had pulled him away and pushed him to the ground.

Susan shook her head, knowing Gally never listens to her. She felt a presence next to her and looked up, seeing it was Minho, the Keeper of the Runners. He was looking at the fight before looking down at her.

"He's not going to go easy on him, is he?" he questioned the girl.

"Not in the slightest."

"Come on, Greenie," Gally's taunting voice brought them back to the fight. He was doing a little dance as the Gladers laughed around them. "We're not done yet." 

The coughed a little, standing up as he shook off dirt from his shirt and gave Gally a hard stare. "Stop calling me Greenie."

Susan raised her brows in surprise as she shared a look with Minho, who had a similar expression. No one had ever stood up to Gally like that and she was surprised the Greenie had the guts to do so.

"Stop calling you that? What do you want to be called? Shank?" Gally continued to taunt with another smirk growing onto his face. The boys' laughter grew. "What do you think, boys? Does he look like a Shank?"

Susan watched in awe as the Greenie lunged forward, grabbing ahold of Gally's shoulder. Minho leaned an elbow on her shoulder, looking impressed by the Greenie's sudden move and watched as the two boys continued to try to push one another down. Not a surprise to anyone, Gally had the upper hand and flew the Greenie to the ground.

"You know what? I think I've settled on Shank."

The Greenie stood up and took a few deep breaths before lunging forward again. He grabbed Gally by the waist as the Builder's arms went around the Greenie's torso, sliding him across the ring. Before the Greenie was thrown out, he surprised everyone when he pushed Gally to the ground.

"There you go, Greenie!" Everyone praised as he himself was shocked by what he did. 

"Not bad for a Greenie, huh?" The Greenie murmured to Gally. 

Susan winced, watching as Gally's face contour to humiliation and anger.  Gally then used his leg to sweep at the Greenie's, knocking him over and causing the Greenie to hit his head. Susan watched as the Greenie suddenly lifted his head slowly.

"Thomas," he muttered to himself as he stood up from the ground as smiled around the crowd. "I remember my name. I'm Thomas!"

"Welcome home, Thomas," Frypan smiled, handing him a drink and Thomas took it proudly.

Susan smiled as everyone cheered Thomas' name was being chanted. She walked over to Gally to make sure he was okay and he nodded before walking over to Thomas.

"Good job..." He praised, clasping his hand with the boy's. "Thomas."

Susan watched the exchange as her smile grew slightly until a loud screech came from the Maze.

"What the hell was that?" Thomas questioned, looking around.

"That, my friend, was a Griever," Gally replied. He noticed Thomas' scared look and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, you're safe her with us. Nothing gets through those walls."

"All right, guys and girl," Alby spoke up, looking around the crowd. "Let's tuck it in for the night. Come on. It was a good night."

Listening to Alby, everyone dispersed, patting Thomas on the back once more and heading off to their beds while Susan went to her own hut, courtesy of the builders.

The girl was thankful for her own space. She loved the boys but it was nice having some alone time for herself. Susan brushed out her hair with her comb before she laid down and turned out her light, letting herself fall into a slumber.

♘

Author's note!

And with almost 2,220 words and a million years later, Warriors is finally updated! I'm sorry if it's a shitty chapter but it's something, right? I finally have a schedule up for when my books will be updated so if you want to check it out, go to my spam book 'Espresso'. Hope you guys enjoyed! :) <3