I can feel my feet hitting the ground, the damp earth soft beneath my soles, the rhythm of my breathing syncing with the pounding in my chest. The tall, ivy-covered walls of the Maze loom around us, stretching endlessly toward the sky. The air is thick and heavy with the lingering scent of moss and the  sound of nothing just our breathing.

“Will you slow down?” Leo’s voice breaks the quiet, frustration dripping from his words.

“Oh, right. Sorry.” I glance over my shoulder at him, his dark hair plastered against his forehead with sweat. My legs instinctively slow, the adrenaline fighting me every step. “I really want to know who the Greenie is, you know?”

“Yeah, Liz, I know.” His groan echoes between the stone walls, exaggerated and dramatic as usual. “You’ve only mentioned it, like, ten times today.”

I shoot him a glare but keep moving, my pace steady now. “What if it’s a girl again? Chlo, me and her could be like the most iconic friend group.”

“Or,” Leo says, sidestepping a jagged rock in the path, “what if they’re another dude?”

I shiver, though the air isn’t cold. “Well, they can be nice too, maybe a good runner?”

Leo snorts. “You give them way too much credit, Liz.”

We turn a sharp corner, the walls squeezing in tighter. My heart skips a beat as my eyes scan the path ahead, always on edge. You never know what might be waiting around the bend—dead ends, traps, or worse. My grip tightens on the small blade tucked into my belt.

Nothing. The corridor stretches out ahead, empty and unremarkable, save for the jagged stones and the twisting vines that climb the walls. I stop for a moment, scanning the shadows. My fingers brush against the blade at my belt, just to remind myself it’s there. Can paranoia stop following me for once?

“Nonetheless,” I say, turning to Leo, “I want to go back. I don’t think we’ll find something today.”

He stops beside me, hands on his hips as he catches his breath. “Do we ever find anything?”

I roll my eyes, even as I fight a grin. “Can you stop being negative for once?”

“Just calling it like I see it,” he replies, stepping past me and gesturing down the path behind us. “Fine, let’s head back. I’m starving anyway. Betcha Frypan’s cooking up that weird stew again.”

“Not much of a bet. He always makes stew and it’s not that weird,” I say, falling into step beside him.

“The way you see the world is a lot more different than it actually is.” He shakes his head and quickens up.

The way back feels faster, more familiar. We jog at an easy pace. There’s something reassuring about the stillness of the Maze right now—no distant roars, no frantic echoes. Just the sound of our breathing and the faint scuff of our feet on the dirt and stone.

When we round the last bend, the towering walls of the Glade entrance come into view. The sun is still high enough in the sky to cast warm, golden light over the open space beyond.

“See?” Leo says, flashing a triumphant grin as he jogs ahead of me into the Glade. “Back with hours to spare. You were worried for nothing.”

“I wasn’t worried,” I counter, following him through the gap. “I was being cautious. Big difference.”

“Sure, sure.” He waves me off and veers toward the kitchen. “Catch you later, Liz. Gotta refuel after all that life-threatening running in circles.”

“Seemed very life-threatening.” I roll my eyes and start walking to the kitchen to give Frypan my lunch box and empty water bottle.

“Lizzy, here to see the Greenie?”

“What? They already came up? God damn it, why can’t I have a free day today?”

“She’s with Chloe in the barn, maybe you can get Gally to build the houses now-“

As soon as I heard she, my heart skipped a beat. A girl. Another girl.

I didn’t even wait for Frypan to finish his sentence. I practically shoved the lunchbox into his hands and spun on my heel, my feet already carrying me toward the barn. The sun felt hot against my back as I weaved through the Glade, ignoring the chatter and activity around me.

The barn door creaked as I pushed it open, the scent of hay and the faint warmth of animals hitting me instantly.
I climbed up the loft, where Chloe and I have been staying together the past month. My eyes scanned the dimly lit space until they landed on Chloe, standing beside a girl sitting stiffly on a bale of hay.

She had brown curly hair and maroon brown eyes that looked at the cat she was petting. Chloe, always the calm one, was crouched in front of her, speaking softly. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but her tone was gentle, reassuring.

Chloe noticed me first, her chestnut eyes brightening as she waved me over. “Liz, hey. Hope the run was good, meet the Greenie!”

The girl looked up, her gaze locking onto mine. She looked maybe bit younger than me. For a second, she just looked at me and then smiled a bit.

“Hey,” I said, trying to sound calming as I stepped closer. “Welcome to the Glade. I’m Lizzy. You holding up okay?”

Her lips parted like she wanted to say something, but no words came out. Instead, she nodded, her grip on the hay loosening slightly.

“She hasn’t said much yet,” Chloe explained, standing and brushing straw off her jeans. “Can’t blame her, though. It’s a lot to take in.”

“Yeah, I remember my first day.” I crouched down, meeting the girl’s eyes. “Listen, it’s scary at first, but you’re safe here. We’ve all been through it. If you need anything, you can talk to me or Chloe, okay?”

The girl gave another small nod. Her shoulders relaxed just a fraction.

“Does she already know why her name is?” I asked Chloe quietly.

“Already explained to her the name situation,” Chloe replied, crossing her arms. “But it will happen sooner or later.”

I straightened up, glancing back at the Greenie. She was still watching me, but her expression had softened, the wariness fading into something closer to kindness.

“Well,” I said smiling, “whenever you’re ready to talk, we’re here. And if you want a tour, I’m your girl.”

The Greenie chuckled a bit and replied with a thank you, her voice warm and friendly.

•×•

“So this is what you guys do for every Greenie every month?”

Nad, she remembered her name when we were touring the kitchen and she bumped into Fry, was sitting with us near the fire. She’s actually a very bubbly person once you get to know her.

“Yeah, well I’ve only been here for a month, so Chloe is more of the brains here.”

Chloe just returned with our food and drinks and held her cup up. “To the houses Gally will build for us!”

“And to more girls!”

The evening and night we laughed the whole way through until my eyes gave up on me.

•×•
I really hope I got the characters right and that you enjoyed.
Stay safe,

X Lizzy

This chapter was written by delizion from Liz's point of view

Also for later in the book when Gally builds the house for us girlys I was thinking it would be a big building kinda like where the keepers live or a big building but we're all in the same room so like a sleep over. What do y'all think??