// Jan 2015 -December 2017//work in progress

Outside the Homestead boys piled around, trying to get in. "Alright ya shanks! Orderly line! You'll all have a turn to see your shucking face," alby yelled, holding up the small mirror.

"Come on Alby," the boys egged on, smiling in excitement. "Calm down, I don't want your bloody hopes to get up and have you look in that thing and be disappointed. Trust me, I've been staring at some of you ugly shanks for 2 years," Newt chortled, shoving a Glader playfully.

The boys quickly (with some shoving and grunts) assembled into a semi orderly line. One by one the boys would grab the small mirror, peering to see the first full clear version of themselves. From the front of the line, Adam handed the mirror back to Alby, making his way back to us.

"I saw myself," he sighed, rustling his hair. I looked to him expectantly.

"I'm not as intimidating as I thought. I think it's the freckles," he gestured to his face, rolling his eyes.

Laughing, I took in all his looks. He had ginger short hair, freckles on his cheeks and on the bridge on his nose. His blue eyes were flecked with green and he probably stood at 5"9. His athletic body was lean but muscular, definitely an advantage if he was a "runner". I wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but I could gather an idea.

He crossed his arms and looked at me, obviously waiting for my turn. "I saw myself," I said. "And?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "More fabulous than I thought," I shrugged, feeling a bit of

He laughed, "ms. Quiet's got a sense of humor doesn't she? Alright greenie, so how's your second day?"

I nodded my brows, "why are you calling me that? Greenie? My names Joannah," I said crossing my arms. "Well you're the newbie aren't you? For a month you get that wonderful nickname," he laughed. I rolled my eyes, sighing before he walked over grabbing my shoulders, "Albys looking for you, your turn for the tour," he said.

I sighed, finally getting answers. He gently grabbed my arm pulling me towards the homestead. Going up to Newts room, everyone outside seemed to be getting tired of waiting. We opened the door to find Newt, Alby and Minho, gazing into the mirror. Newt raised his eyebrows at Adam holding my arm.

Letting go he walked to alby, "I got her," he said. Alby faced me, "alright greenie, the tour begins," he said, I rolled my eyes at the nickname.

"No questions till the end," he said. After the entire tour, me holding back questions, we finished. He looked at me expectantly and I smiled. "Thanks," and walked away. I decided to ask either Newt or Adam the questions. They seemed more likely to actually answer.

I found Newt, and he turned to me. "Should I be worried? How many questions did you ask him?" He asked. He was sweating, helping out in the fields. He leaned on his leg, favoring his hurt one. His shaggy hair was still, and I noticed there was no breeze. The pounding heat bearing down on us, I looked up, expecting a sun but I got none.

"None," I stated. He looked at me, "you're the first bloody greenie to never ask questions," he said. "No... I'm gonna just ask you. No offense, but you seem more approachable," I said, hands on my hips.

He chuckled, "none taken," he sighed. I paused, "what's out there?" I asked. He gazed towards the doors, "the maze,"

"Alby told me, almost didn't believe him," I muttered. He nodded.

"Why don't you just solve it?" I asked. "That's for the runners," he said. I thought of Adam, no wonder he's not here. "The walls change every night, and there are things," he said.

"Things?" I asked. "Now that's going to have to wait for tomorrow," he said, returning to work. "Who sent us here?"

"Don't know, we call them the creators," he said, not looking up. I saw a flash of silver, scuttling in the grass. Before it disappeared, I saw one word.

Wicked.

"What was that?" I asked. "Beetle blade, it's how the creators watch us," he replied.

I shuddered. The creeps.

"What about, your language? Shank? Shuck? Slinthead? Greenie?" I asked. He laughed. "Glader slang, you'll catch on," he paused. "Sooner or later,"

"Thanks," I said and started off. "And where do you think you're going, greenie?" He called. "Exploring," I waved off. "Don't go far,"

I found myself at the forest, deadheads, what Alby called it. I went all the way to the back, I sat there for 2 hours I think. I thought, I cried and I had anger bubbling in my chest. In the end I just felt exhausted.

The darkness in the deadheads were calming, it's like the sun had disappeared. I played with a strand of grass until I heard footsteps.

Looking up, I found myself in the company of gally. He sat down next to me, and I felt wary.

"I'm gally, I never formerly introduced myself," he held out his hand. I shook it, "Joannah," I said.

The familiarity was back. "I saw myself," he stated. "And?"

"It was exciting but, scary," he said. "I felt the same way,"

"Gally?" I asked. He looked towards me expectantly, I was going to ask him if he found me familiar as well, but I decided against it. I had only been here for 2 days. And from what I gathered Gally wanted to trust me, but was wary.

Let me focus on first getting him to trust me. We sat in silence, enjoying each others company, when I decided to leave. It was dinner time, and Gally said even though frypans casserole will give you a hard stomach, it's better to eat it hot, than cold.

We had reached the edge of the deadheads when I felt drawn to the big openings in the walls. There were four of them. Ivy covered the walls, making it look ancient, scary, and beautiful at the same time. "Don't go inside," Gally warned, we were still far away, but I could see two boys jogging out of the walls.

Minho and Adam.

They headed straight toward the kitchens and they were long gone by the time I reached the openings.

The urge to run out was taking over, and I remembered my old plan. I was so close.

But Gally seemed to sense. I had taken one step forward, one step forward to my freedom, when I toppled to the ground. He was pinning me down holding me back, I struggled as I looked up at the sky. My torso broke free so I could only turn to look at the maze.

And that's when the ground began to shake.