𝖲𝗎𝖻𝗃𝖾𝖼𝗍 𝖠2

I woke up, wide awake, to a hand over his mouth.

His dream slipped away from my mind before I could even comprehend it.

Alby was there, with a hand over my mouth, and a finger over his lips as if to tell me to stay quiet.

He motioned for me to follow him.

I quietly got out of the uncomfortable hammock and followed him, carefully stepping over the Gladers, careful not to wake them up.

He led me over to one of the stone walls, both of us silent throughout the whole walk.

I saw the names.

George

Alby

Newt

Minho

Gally

Chuck

Winston

Ben

I was confused.

I also didn't know any George or Ben.

"Here," Alby spoke, handing me a knife.

I took it but gave him a questioning glance.

"Sign your name. Put it in the stone. It's a tradition. Every Greenie does."

I gripped the knife tighter and started to carve my name into the stone, only needing Alby's help sometimes.

When I was done, we walked over to where the rest of the Gladers were eating.

I sat down next to Chuck and he started to explain what would most likely happen today.

Newt and Minho sat across from us and I greeted them but knew that Chuck needed my attention more than they did, so I didn't go talk to them for about 10 minutes until one of Chuck's Slopper friends called him over.

When Chuck left I turned back to them.

"Hey guys," I greeted again with a bright smile

"Hey Tommy," Newt said.

I lightly blushed at the nickname but my smile brightened despite myself.

"Hey, Greenie," Minho smiled.

"So, I thought you were supposed to go running today? I mean, cause you're a Runner?" I questioned.

"Well... we - me and Ben - think we found something. Ben and I are gonna go out a little bit later than we normally would to check it out. Alby said to get a little more energy or some klunk like that. But, yeah. Speaking of, I should leave soon," Minho continued. "See you later Newtie," he finished, quickly pecking his cheek before he left.

I was a bit jealous - unreasonably so - and quickly pushed those thoughts away.

But not before I could think that I would've liked to be able to do that with them.

"So, usually I would be the one to show the Greenie around, but Alby said he wanted to. He got to you first I guess," I think he meant to be joking but I thought I heard a slight jealous undertone and twist to his face.

But it was gone as quick as it came so I chalked it down to the amount of stress I've had taking its toll on my brain.

He started leading me over to where I assumed Alby was, sometimes lightly brushing our shoulders together.

And each time he did, without fail it made me blush and a warm fuzzy feeling to rise within my chest.

When we got to Alby, and Newt left, I felt a sort of empty sadness, but it was pushed into the back of my mind as soon as Alby started talking about the Maze.

Pushed away, not gone.

Alby told me the only three rules in the Glade.

Never harm another Glader
Always pitch in, no slackers
Never go outside the walls, unless you're a Runner

He emphasized how important the last rule was.

I assured him I understood, even if I felt a burning curiosity, I knew better than to tell him straight up I had a problem with that.

After that, we got along really well.

We just... I don't know... clicked.

I had only known him for barely two days and already I felt like he was my best friend.

I may not have my memories, but I knew that that type of person is rare.

A good rare.

We kept talking and later on he led me to Newt who was waiting near the doors for I assumed Minho.

I saw Minho run out of the Maze and pass me and Newt - not before he gave Newt a kiss on the cheek and the inferno hot feeling of jealousy arose before being put down again - tossing us a cheeky wink before he left to what Alby said was the Map Room.

Who I assumed was Ben, jogged past me, glaring at me all the while before catching up with Minho.

Newt didn't notice because he was staring after Minho.

"He always like that?" I asked after they were out of earshot.

"Who? Minho?" He said, a tiny but defensive glint in his eyes.

"No, Ben."

"What do you mean?" He laughed. "Okay let us go work on the gardens, you can help me because I think the stress from the past two days are getting to you," he continued to chuckle.

This time I was sure I hadn't imagined it, but followed after Newt anyway, trying to put his glare to the back of my mind.

Chuck apparently had gotten a break from the Sloppers so sat with me while we watched Newt work.

Newt got a little annoyed with my pointless questioning I think, so he threw me a bucket, telling me to go get some fertilizer from the woods.

I walked out mumbling quietly to myself when I heard a twig snap from somewhere off the my left.

"Hello?" I called out.

No answer.

"Hello?" I called again.

Then someone stepped out and I saw Ben.

This guy gave me the creeps but I shakily smiled at him, despite that.

"Hey... Ben, right? You are a Runner, along with Minho?" I asked, slowly backing up, hoping to whoever was out there that he wouldn't notice.

"Well um... I should go back... you know to help New-"

I never got to finish the sentence because he lunged at me.

He pushed me onto the ground and wrapped his hands around my neck.

I saw a rock off to the side and grabbed it, hitting him on the side of the head with it, momentarily dazing him.

I took my chance and leaped to my feet running back to the Glade, yelling for some help all the while.

When I thought I was finally free I felt something pull at the back of my shirt, dragging me down with it, then flipping me over and proceeding to choke me.

My vision started to get black at the edges when something hit Ben off of me.

Then I slipped into the open arms of unconsciousness.

----

𝖠𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋! 𝖧𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽. 𝖨 𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇, 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌𝗇'𝗍 𝗆𝗒 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗍𝗒 𝗅𝗈𝗇𝗀, 𝗌𝗈 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗁.

𝖭𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝖭𝖾𝗐𝗍'𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽/𝗈𝗋 𝖬𝗂𝗇𝗁𝗈'𝗌 𝗉𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐.

𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿!

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 ♡︎

𝖴𝗉𝖽𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽 . 𝖬𝖺𝗒 17, 2020