Her || The Maze Runner

Fourteen

All boys held their hands out to help the newbie to his feet. When he was standing up straight the boys brushed dust from him like housemaids. The boy swiveled his head around as the Gladers laughed, trying to take a good look at the place around him.

The boy ignored the snickering and comments, he just turned in circled staring at the boys, then Mara. Slight confusion brushed his face, he was probably wondering why there was only one girl in the Glade. Mara stood there and looked back at him, a light smile on her lips. She didn't want to frighten the poor kid on his first day.

His gaze left hers and landed on Newt, followed by Chuck, Alby, Adam then the rest of the Gladers. He spent a few seconds looking at each Glader before moving on to the next, his face a picture of confusion and curiosity.

"Where am I?" The boy finally asked, his voice scratched but brave. His voice sent shivers down Mara's spine as she tried to hide the recognition from the other Gladers.

"Nowhere good." Alby told the boy, but his gaze lingered on Mara. He knew something was up. "Just slim yourself nice and calm."

"Which keeper's he gonna get?" Someone shouted from the back of the crowd.

"I told ya, shuckface," Another voice said, he came from the same direction as the one before. "He's a klunk, so he'll be a Slopper- no doubt about it. The shank probably can't even do that much, bet my liver on it."

"I said shut your holes!" Alby yelled. "Keep yapping and next break'll be cut in half!"

The chattering and whispering grounded to a halt, turning to the newbie and watching him to make up for the silence. The boy seemed unfazed by the staring eyes as he spun around and studied the place that stood around him once more.

Alby stepped forward after a few minutes of the greenie gawking at the Glade. Mara stood back, letting Alby introduce the boy to the Glade, the place she had only been in a few days herself.

"It's a long story, shank," He said, looking the greenie in the eye. "Piece by piece, you'll learn- I'll be takin' you on the tour tomorrow. Till then... just don't break anything." He held out his hand. "Name's Alby."

The boy looked down at Alby's hand, but he didn't take it. Instead, he turned and walked way from him and the crowd, sitting himself down in front of one of the nearest trees with his back pressed against the bark. His eyes watched the floor as he slowly called out to the group still watching him.

"Then tell me." He begged. "Tell me the long story." The boy paused before continuing, taking another long look at the walls ascending into the sky. "Seriously. Where am I?"

Alby took a deep breathe before walking towards the boy. Mara and Newt exchanged looks before they both stepped out and followed him. All three of them sat cross-legged in front of the boy who looked between the three of them. Alby sat in the middle, with Newt to his left and Mara to his right.

Mara looked up at the boy opposite her, his eyes in contact with hers. She could see the recognition in his eyes as he watched her, and she knew he could tell she recognised her too. It was strange, she had started to dislike everyone but Newt from her memories, but the boy in front of her was nothing like the boy who had spoken to her. They didn't seem like the same person.

"If you ain't scared," Alby started, "you ain't human. Act any different and I'd throw you off the Cliff because it'd mean you're a psycho."

The boys eyes widened and his skin paled. "The cliff?""Shuck it," Alby said, rubbing his eyes. "Ain't no way to start these conversations, you get me? We don't kill shanks like you here, I promise. Just try and avoid being killed, survive, whatever.""Alby..." Mara said, holding back a slight laugh. She was trying to tell him how bad he was at introducing the kid, but it only half worked.""I ain't good at this-you're the first Greenbean since Nick was killed." Alby sighed.