𝑫𝑬𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑻𝑬

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

The next kid to show up in The Box was short, a bit chubby and had a mop of brown curls on his head. As he looked around inside the dark metal cage, I could tell he was going to cry. Some boys are mean, some are mute and others cry when they realize the situation.

At this point, I had given up on wishing for a girl. My hypothesis was that I was a glitch in the system, an accident, but whoever put us here couldn't get rid of me now.

The kid did cry. A lot. I spotted him one day behind my hut, pressed up against one of the Maze Walls. I approached him, slowly. Although I can't remember interacting with kids, I knew that a hysterical one was not the way to go.

" Hey, kid. You holding up okay? " I say, as I slide down next to him, wrapping my arms around my knees

He doesn't look at me, but I can tell he's trying to seem brave.

" You know, usually I don't talk to the Newbies. " He looks up at me, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. " Yeah, I know. I seem really friendly. Just you wait, kid. "

We sit in silence for a while, his breaths slowing down and then picking back up every so often.

" What do you mean? " He stutters out, his voice breaking.

" Huh? " I tilt my head, confused about what he's asking.

" I mean- you seem great. You're one of the first people not to laugh at me. "

" I don't know, kid. I probably would laugh at you if you weren't a literal child. You look like you're twelve years old. "

" Nick told me I won't be able to remember my age. "

" And he's right. Our names are the only thing they let us keep, kid. "

" Chuck. "

" Hm? "

" My name is Chuck. You don't need to call me kid. "

" Nice to meet you Chuck. I'm Valentina, but most people just call me Tina. "

I hold out my hand, and he shakes it. His hand is wet, and I can see some shininess on the top of it, as if he's been wiping his nose on it. I smile awkwardly, and he smiles back, unsurely.

The next few days were filled with giggles and smirks. I don't think I've ever giggled in the Glade, but Chuck just seems to bring out the light in everybody. His smile fills the darkest rooms, painting the walls with childlike wonder. We'd talk for hours until he'd fall asleep, his head on my shoulder as my back touched to cool stone walls. Then I'd sit there forever, too afraid to wake him up. Nobody would laugh at him anymore, and he started fitting in.

One day, as he was trying out multiple jobs in the Glade, he told me he'd like to be a Builder. I squinted at him, but said nothing. I knew he wouldn't be one. He'd end up being a Slopper, for sure. It was just the way the Glade was. You got the job you were best at, not the one you liked the best.

Sure enough, a week later, he was made an official Slopper. He acted like it didn't upset him, but I knew he was disappointed. I let him be. As much as I liked the boy, I couldn't change this decision.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

I was sitting down at a lunch table, staring down at my shoes absentmindedly when I felt the bench shift with someone else's weight.

" Hey Hearts. "

" Hi, Minho. "

" Did you hear about Nick's plan? " He asks, obviously excited. His leg was bouncing up and down and he seemed eager to dish out whatever drama he'd learned today.

" If you're involved, then it's a bad idea. " I muttered. I was done with these antics. Also, it had been almost a month since Minho had last talked to me. After ' figuring something out ' he had completely iced me out. If this was how he was going to apologize, I didn't want to hear it.

" Offensive. Anyways, he's gonna stay a night out in the Maze. "

" That's ridiculous. Nobody survives a night in the Maze. " I argued, my eyes narrowing. These boys were going to get themselves killed. " Half of our Runners have died that way. "

" Yeah, but they didn't have a weapon. Nick's going to bring a knife or something to defend himself. He thinks if he can kill a Griever, we might get a key to escape. " He says, eyes shining.

" This is the stupidest idea I've ever heard. " I say, burrowing my head in my hands. " We've already lost people in the labyrinthe, why would we just hand it some more. "

" But this is the best part, Valentina. We've never found any proof that the people that disappeared actually died. What if the Grievers are like, a taxi to the exit? " He says.

I stare at him. I can't tell if he's joking or not. The giant monsters that roam a GIANT FUCKING MAZE that we've al been trapped in are just carriages to bring us to our happily ever after.

" No, this isn't- " Minho interrupts me, putting a hand up.

" You wouldn't get it. This is a real chance to escape, Valentina. Don't you at least want to try? " When I don't answer, he shakes his head in disbelief. " No, of course not. Cause your just a mean bitch, who's too afraid to admit that your a giant, fucking, coward. "

I can tell he regrets his words the second they come out of his mouth, but it's too late. I slam my plate down, causing heads to turn in our direction.

" I'm not the one who can't solve a simple maze. It's been three years, and where are we, huh? Still here, Minho. Still stuck because of you. Don't say I'm a coward, asshole. You're the one who left your best friend in the Maze alone. " I'm not done, but I see Newt walking towards us, and I'm not in the mood for a lecture.

As I stand up, I exhale shakily. " You wan't fucking proof? Go find Josh's grave in the woods. " I walk away slowly, hearing laughs and cheers. They want a physical fight because they don't comprehend how draining emotional one's are.

I shouldn't have talked about Josh. Him and Minho used to do everything together. They were the first runners, the first people to track the Maze, the first best of the best. Josh would make jokes and Minho would laugh. Minho would fall and Josh would carry him back to the Glade. They were a trio, with Ben, but as they say, there's always a duo in a trio. It wasn't until one day, a week after I arrived that it all went wrong.

Minho and Josh had been running the Maze, as usual. They would usually run the hardest parts, because they were the most reliable, strongest out of all the Runners. From what Minho had recounted, it all was going fine until Josh had slipped on a piece of loose ivy that someone had left on the ground. It was a thing they did. Cut pieces of ivy and left them on the cold stone floors, like breadcrumbs to stop them from getting lost. When Josh fell, he hit his head, and was falling in and out of consciousness. He had begged Minho to help him, but it was dark, and being a scared, panicked teenager, he left his best friend on the crumbling paths of hell. He had hoped he could have made it back in time to get help, but the Doors closed as soon as he passed the threshold.

Any of us would have done the same thing. We all preach the ' If we don't have each other, we have nothing. ' narrative, but the second something goes wrong, it's survival of the fittest.

⭒☆━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━☆⭒

a/n

guys omg new hunger games book/movie announced? sunrise on the reaping here i come ( in 2026 )

p.s- sorry this part took so long, i just cranked it out while i'm quite litteraly half asleep

as always,

stay safe

𝐱𝐨𝐱𝐨

𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞