CHAPTER 20

                                    

                                          
   It was weeks before I was able to run again. The wound had mostly healed but the pain would sometimes still spread up my leg in painful waves, almost as an unavoidable reminder of that faithful night where me and Minho barely escaped with our lives. 
                          
Me and Ben were on our way back from an uneventful run in the maze, I'd asked for the company on my first run since that night, and Ben had kindly offered to join me.
                          
The day after Chuck had arrived Minho had disappeared on a solo run, brushing off people's concerns that he may be too tired to go out there, besides go that far alone. Yet he went anwyay, going to explore the aftermath of the night. He'd come back frustrated and confused, telling us the dead griever was gone.
                          
No sign or any traces of it. It had definitely been dead, meaning it couldn't have gotten up and moved. So why had the Creators taken it? What purpose did they have for a corpse of one of their wicked creations? However this brought to our attention that maybe there was something they didn't wasn't us to see. Or perhaps they didn't want us dissecting a griever and finding a way to over-power them. 
                          
"Hey," I wheezed out, slowing my jog to a stop. "I need a breather." Exhaustion pulled me over, leaving my hands to rest on my knees for support as I heaved in oxygen. Since I hadn't been running for a month my body wasn't used to it. Ben pulled out his bottle and took a swig of his water, wiped his mouth, and slipped it back into his rucksack. 
                          
"How's your leg holding up?" 
                          
"Aches a little," I told him, straightening up again. I caught sight of the growing shadows along the floor. He saw the growing panic in my eyes, and followed my eyeline.
                          
"Hey, we're almost back, c'mon," he said to gently, gesturing for me to come with him. I simply nodded, before jogging along with him. I couldn't deny the fear stabbing me inside at the thought of being stuck out here again for the night- yes we survived but it was a very slim chance that I'm definitely not willing to take again.
                          
A breath of relief passed my lips as we crossed the line back into the glade. 
                          
Newt came rushing towards me out of nowhere, pulling me tightly into a hug. "I was only gone for a few hours, you know?" I told him, slinging my arms around his neck as his hands fell to my waist when we pulled apart. 
                          
"I know, I know..." he said quietly, a small smile on his face. "I'm just glad you're safe."
                          
"Ugh please, get a room," Ben groaned next to us. 
                          
"Shut up klunkhead," I replied, laughing at the disgusted face he pulled as I had to pry Newt's hands off of me.
                          
We went into the map room alone, being the only runners back at that time since we'd returned early today. I sighed knowing that I was drawing out the same route that every person had drawn when they took this path into this section. That's what was frustrating about this- knowing everything had already been mapped so our job was pointless. Well, besides the slither of hope that we hung onto each day when we ran into the maze, the hope that we'd stumble across an exit. But deep down we all knew it would never be that easy. 
                          
There was something we were missing somewhere, some sort of clue or puzzle, but it was a matter of finding out what it was we were actually missing, before having to work out the problem itself. 
                          
I placed my dated sheet of paper with today's run drawn on it into the corresponding box which had the same section labelled. I then proceeded to return my gear, including my weapons which belonged in the basement in the homestead. 
                          
I was just making my way back outside when the eerie alarm full of dread rang through the glade at a deafening volume. 
                          
All at once everyone stopped what they were doing, some looking up in shock whilst others seemed unphased by it. They were most likely boys who'd spent more time in the glade, having learnt the box was nothing to get excited about, after seeing the same result every month: just another clueless kid to try explain our situation to.
                          
A crowd had already formed at the lid of the box, which I eagerly pushed to the front of, coming side to side with Newt. Everyone fell into silence almost immediately as the alarm cut off. It was an awkward silence filled with anticipation; people were giving each other sad, knowing looks. We all knew what the boy was going through down there right now. I could barely believe that since I'd opened my eyes in the darkness of the box, two months had passed. It seemed like yesterday I'd arrived here. 
                          
The doors suddenly slipped open, revealing the bright light of the sun to whoever was down there. 
                          
Everyone leaned over, eager to take a look at the new greenie. I remember how scared I was to see a bunch of strangers staring down at me menacingly whilst I attempted to comprehend why I didn't know anything. It wasn't great. 
                          
I took a peek myself, gazing through the wire cage to below. A brunette boy whose face was obscured by the bright light and the supply crates from where I was stood was huddled in the corner. 
                          
Gally pulled open the door, then jumped down to the terrified boy. 
                          
Gally. The boy who'd been ruined by the changing. Since the day he attacked me all he did is look away painfully if I make eye contact. Whatever I done to him before the maze seemed unforgivable. 
                          
If we're the greenie down there now, these words would haunt me for the rest of my life. "Day one greenie. Rise and shine." 
                          
I couldn't get a good look at him as he was pulled out and placed harshly on the ground, dirt flying up as his body hit the floor. Panic immediately set in and he pulled himself off the ground, sprinting away from us and fast he could. He'd make a good runner, I thought, seeing how fast he could push himself.
                          
"We've got a runner!" Zart yelled, as if reading my thoughts. The boy tripped over, falling face first into the grass. Everyone laughed loudly, and I too couldn't help but laugh a little. He then proceeded to finally assess his surroundings, getting up and spinning in confused circles on the spot. Yep, he's definitely spotted the giant stone walls imprisoning us by now.
                          
Welcome to the glade, I thought.
                          
"Alright, back to work!" Alby yelled. "Excitement's over!" Everyone slowly began to move away, off to wherever they worked, and the keepers jumped down to begin hauling out the supply crates that had arrived along with the greenie, who was staring in shock, mouth agape, eyes wide, at whatever Alby had just told him in their conversation.
                          
I found myself lingering behind, since I had nothing to to, and also out of the curiosity about the new boy that was building inside of me. I walked slowly towards the two. 
                          
"...never go beyond the maze walls." Alby had just finished explaining rule three it seemed. "And..." his eyes found me stood nearby, edging closer, and he invited me over with a quick tilt of his head. I picked up my walking pace, only to be met halfway by the boy's face looking over his shoulder to see who Alby had been looking at.
                          
I stopped. 
                          
Well, I kept moving towards them, but inside, something stopped. 
                          
My brain was trying to work faster than ever before, trying to figure out why his face was enough to make me feel like this. Familiarity wasn't a good enough word to describe it: I knew his face, for definite, yet I'd never seen it before in my life. "Greenie, meet Emmy," Alby told the boy. I shook his hand, finding his brown eyes unsettlingly familiar. 
                          
"Nice to meet you," I finally spoke to him. I just wanted to hear what sounded like, perhaps it would help with me trying to figure out who he was. The boy only spoke two words, but it was enough for me to have the biggest shock of my life.
                          
"You too." I stood with my mouth hung open, barely able to believe what I'd heard. 
                          
"You good?" Alby's voice butted into my thoughts. 
                          
"Yeah, yeah..." I finally composed myself. "I'm off to change, see ya later." I hastily broke eye contact with the greenie, gratefully turning on my heel and towards the homestead. When I stole a glance back towards them Alby was introducing him to Newt, but the boy quickly met my eyes yet again, staring straight through me, before turning back to the others. I couldn't help but wonder, did he have the same thoughts of me right now? Did he know why I was so shocked? I hadn't been expected it but the day had finally arrived:
                          
I'd met the boy from my dreams about the past; it was his voice; he was the missing face that I was never able to see.