The Maze Runner

Author: User:Berglund

Rating: Pg-13

Her eyes flickered ,

She stared up at the top of a box,

A giant metal crate.

The gears pumped and churned as the box forced it's self up.

"Help!" the girl shrieked

Hopeless, she pounded on the sides of the metal trap.

Suddenly,

The box stopped

"HEY!" She yelled "GET ME OUT OF THIS THING!" The girl pounded her fist's on the top of the crate

A ray of light, shone through the opening of the box.

That awful, blistering, light.

It had been long since she had seen light,

She felt like she had lived in darkness for the past year.

The box doors had opened.

"What the -"

"IS SHE HOT!?!?!" a voice yelled

"I GOT DIBS!" Another voice yelled

A Tall boy with Green-ish eyes and Dirty blonde hair matted with sweat and dirt jumped in after her, he smiled at her. "Day one Greenie, Rise and Shine." The boy lifted her by the waist and threw her on the ground.

A boy wore a leather apron; it seemed as if he must have lived in a kitchen.

A taller, skinnier boy with dirty blonde hair that fell over his face

"Welcome Greenie." the boy said in an English accent.

She coughed up blood. Her hands started to shake

The girl stood up and looked around

"Boys," She thought "Boys, everywhere."

Her heartbeat got faster, faster,and faster.

She broke out into a full run

"Catch her!" A tall boy with short blonde hair yelled

"Ma'am stop!" another English boy yelled,

This one had short brown hair and brown eyes.

She looked back and saw all of the boys charging at her,

A taller Asian boy with Black hair yelled out

"I think we got a Runner!"

Her feet crept up from under neath her and she fell.

She hit the ground, her face pounded into cold wet dirt; it felt refreshing against her blistering checks.

"Carry her!" The tall Blonde haired boy order.

"Come on! Help me ya Klunk bags!"

The boys lifted her.

"What did ya to that for Shank?" The tall boy asked

"Gally, let her be." the English boy growled

Gally grabbed her face and squished her cheeks in

"Cat got your tongue?"

The Girl coughed blood up on him.

"EW!" Gally sputtered.

Gally threw Her on the ground.

"Newt, just come on." gally said

"Go away." Newt shoved Gally away

"Minho! Hurry up! You’re supposed to be a runner, ain't ya?" Newt asked

"I'm sorry." She said in a murmur.

"You scared me."

"Ne'er said I was determined." Minho replied ruining up

Minho and Newt hoisted the girl up and carried her off into the Homestead.

Inside it was nice and cool, it smelt of feet.

The Girl was knocked out,

Thomas sat with Zart in the field pulling weeds.

"I wonder what this girl will be like." Thomas said

"I dunno." Zart said

Thomas heard yelling, Chuck ran over to him smiling.

"Girls Rock!" he yelled

Over at the look out tree, Newt and the other Gladers tried covering their heads.

"Leave me alone!" The Girl yelled from the top.

"Listen Girly," Gally said

"My name isn't girly!" The Girl yelled.

"I remember my Name,"

"It's Aria."

"That's wonderful." Gally said

"I'm Gally."

Aria threw tomatoes and fruits at the boys.

"I don't think she likes us very much." Newt said

He covered his head with a Basket.

Aria stood up and looked over the edge the boys started at her.

"Come down!" Newt yelled.

"We won't hurt you."

"GO AWAY!" Aria yelled.

She threw a Potato at Gally and Hit him in the head.

"HEY!" Gally yelled alarmed

He picked the Potato up and inspected it.

"WHY DID YOU THROUGH A POTATO AT ME?!!"

"Come down!" Newt yelled.

"I promise, if they harm you I'll slit their gizzards."

Aria trusted the boy, so she did as she was asked. and stepped down.

Aria stepped in front of Newt and Gally.

"I'm Newt; When Alby's not around, I run this place."

"Don't listen to that Skinny Shuck-face I run this place." Gally said

"Girly, you can Call me Captain Gally."

"Who in this Bloody place named you king?"

Newt stood up to Gally

"God forbid you run this Klunk of a community." Gally snorted

"Oh, you’re so hysterical." Newt complained.

Aria stood up and looked around

Newt and Gally argued like an old couple, While Minho, Thomas, and Peter stared at Aria.

Aria pulled out a knife

"Sweetheart, put the knife down." Newt said

Newt put his hands out and slowly approached Aria.

Gally walked over to Aria and grabbed the knife he threw it at the ground

Aria shoved Gally and ran.

"Why's Gally going after Aria?" Chuck tried to say,

He sounded choked up and fearful.

"I don't know," Alby sighed

Alby started ruining.

"Wait!" Frypan yelled

"Let's go Chuckles." Frypan ordered

"You think you can shove me Shank!!?!" Gally yelled

Aria walked back slowly; she tripped on a rock and fell back.

Gally picked Aria up and shoved her into a wall

"Gally!" Alby yelled

"What on the earth do you think you're doing!?!?" Alby fussed

The Gladers gathered around.

"You never hit a girl." One boy whispered to another.

"Gally never went after her." Thomas stated

"She ran away and shoved him."

"She needs to eat what i whipped up!" Frypan said with a gleeful tone

It was the afternoon; at that point the sun was setting.

Aria sat behind a log as Gally and another boy fought in a ring, the boys cheers echoed throughout the Glade.

"Whatya munching on Greenie?" a voice asked

Aria turned around

"Hello Newt."

"Salmon." Newt sighed as he whiffed Iris's food.

Aria chuckled

"I don't exactly feel..... Welcomed." Aria stuttered.

Peter jumped out and tree and smiled at Aria

"It takes awhile."

A tall boy with Brown hair, Brown eyes, the wore A grey V-neck muscle shirt with faded skinny jeans.

He stopped looked at Iris and smiled,

"So this is the green bean?"The boy asked while smiling

"Her names Aria." Newt stated

"I'm Marcus."

"What's the giant stonewall?"

A tall Concrete stone wall covered in Ivy stood tall, over shadowing the Glade.

"The Maze." Thomas said coming up from behind of Aria and Newt.

"What's the Maze?" Iris asked wonderingly.

"The Bloody Ruth of all of our damned existence." Newt growled.

"What ever goes in," Marcus started to say

"Never comes out." Minho chimed in

A loud rumble suddenly shook the Glade

Aria's eyes widened she grabbed on to Newt and Thomas's arms.

"What is that?' She gulped

"The Maze, every night it changes, the maze never takes the same form twice." Marcus lectured.

Out in a distance Iris and the other Gladers heard Whooping,

It was Gally as he proclaimed his Victory.

"Hey Greenie!" Gally called out

"You wanna fight?"

Gally cracked his knuckles.

"So, I fight until you get kicked out the circle, and you try to last longer than 5 minutes."

"You're on." Aria taunted

Aria walked into the ring

"Girl," Gally started to say

"Why are you jeans ripped up?" He asked

"From hard work."

Aria stood in a stance as she clenched her fist tightly.

Gally charged at her,

Iris ducked

She kicked Gally in the back causing him to fall.

"You’re on Green bean." Gally murmured

Gally got up; he charged at Aria and lifted her by her waist

He threw he on the ground and sat on her,

"Maybe better luck next time," Gally snorted

"I win."

Gally smiled

Aria jumped up and punched Gally,

Gally stumbled back causing him to fall,

He got backup and charged at Aria he knocked her on the ground.

"OHHH!!" The boys cheered

"C'mon Shank," Gally shook his wrists loosing them up.

Aria got up and pushed Gally.

"Don't count me out just because I'm a girl."

"I can take a fight."

Gally pushed her back, she fell into 3 of the boys who pushed her back in.

Aria charged at Gally she knocked him over and sat on him.

"That Greenie got moves." A Glader Jeff sighed

she held his fists down.

Gally used all of his might and rolled over, suddenly Aria was the one pinned on the ground.

"I win Girly."

Gally stood up and Flexed.

"NEWT!" Alby yelled

"Aye cap'n!" Newt yelled back from a distance

"Take Aria to your room, she get's top bunk." Alby instructed.

"Got it!" Newt called back

"Come on Greenie bean."

Aria followed Newt, they walked pass the Gladers raging Bone fire,

The Sparks and Ashes whizzed through the air like dancing fairies.

Laughing and Cheering.

The Glader never could imagine such beauty, since their memories have been stolen,

Their Precious memories. The ones that make them such wonderful people they have become.

When they see a fire, they see a source to help them live another day,

When Aria saw the fire, she saw Hope burn in that fury heat.

"Where are we going?" Iris asked

"Back to where you and I will sleep, there's a bunk bed in their as well, I get bottom, and you get top, Thanks to Alby, At least you'll be protected from the Beetle Blades." Newt preached

"Beetle what's?"

"Beetle Blade's ghastly things if you ask me, don't you worry Shank, you'll be fine..."

Aria let out a sigh as if a big heavy block had been lifted of her chest.

"I think...” Newt teased

Aria playfully shoved newt

Newt walked faster and lead the way for Aria

As he walked she studied the way he walked.

He limped a little.

"Newt...." Iris stuttered

"You have a -"

"A limp,"

"Yeah I know."

"Why is that?" Aria asked

"I tried to kill myself, In the Maze."

"I climbed halfway up those bloody walls and jumped right off,"

"I hated this Place Ari." Newt confessed

Aria was speechless

Newt just lead her into where they would sleep.

He grabbed a blanket of the bottom bunk and laid it on the top.

"You can have that."

Aria climbed on the top bunk.

She unbuttoned her Blue denim shirt and took it off

"Oh lovely, you took your shirt off...." newt grumbled

"I have a black tank top on underneath."

"I know." Newt chuckled

Newt lay down on his bunk,

A small candle burned,

It lit part the room,

"Get some sleep Green bean." Newt murmured

Newt rolled over to the back part of his bunk.

Aria sat up trying to take in her day.

"So, this is my life." She said quietly.

Newt stood up and climbed on her bunk.

"This is what you call a life?" he growled

"All of us have been here for a long time! We have no life! The Maze and those Bloody life ruiners had to take it all away! Love, your life is over."

"You're already dead."

Newt jumped off the bunk and blew out the candle

He lay on his bunk and buried his head in his Pillow.

The next day

Aria was still asleep,

"She needs to get her lazy Arse up." Gally whined

He stood there frowning.

"According to legend," Chuck started to say

"Girl's have to have their beauty sleep or else they'll wake up and look like trolls." Chuck smiled at Gally and Thomas,

"Just wake her up!" Gally yelled

"We never let Teresa sleep that long."

"Gally!" fry pan called out from outside the shack

"It's 4:00 in the morning!"

"The birds are chirping and the sun is singing!" Gally fussed

"You say that all the time...." Frypan sighed

"Be original dude."

Gally picked Aria up

"Hey!" Aria yelled

Her yells were muffled by the blanket that Gally carried her in.

Gally threw her down into a pool of water.

"What the heck?!?" Aria fussed

"You need get up Greenie, you WILL work!" Gally yelled

"GALLY!" Newt called out

"She's with me, she will help me not you. We're working in the fields today." Newt explained

Newt grabbed Aria's arm and dragged her to the field.

"I'm sopping wet..." Aria growled

"You're wearing a black tank top, jeans, and those weird black canvas boots. Best clothes you can get for field work!"

Obviously. Newt was trying to cheer Aria up.

Aria threw her hair up in a pony tail and followed Newt to the fields where Gladers harvest crops for Frypan.

Aria and Newt started passing out fertilizer to the crops.

"Hey chuck! Bring me back some seeds!" Aria chipped

Aria like Chuck,

Chuck was very kind.

"Ok!" Chuck responded

Chuck dumped some seeds in a bucket and put it on a conveyer.

He pulled the ropes as the bucket traveled across the field on a line.

The bucket reached Aria,

She grabbed the bucket and handed it to Newt

Marcus and Minho ran out the maze.

"I want to go in the maze." Aria mumbled

"You have a death wish love," Newt sighed

"I need more fertilizer!" Newt yelled

"Aria, if you want to be helpful, then you'll go get some Fertilizer from the woods."

Newt stood up and handed Aria a bucket for fertilizer.

"Listen,"

"You may be a girl, and have shiny hair, flawless skin, and be pretty and all that Klunk, but I can't be babying you like I am, so go get it!"

Aria took the bucket and looked over to the woods,

"I should a worked with Frypan today.."Aria complained.

Aria ran into the woods,

"Frypan could use my help in the Blood house, yet I’m stuck with newt in the Garden." Iris grumbled.

She looked around; the forest was so...... dead. It was near the grave yard.

Aria walked through the timber; she got to an open space where a small stream flowed.

She looked at herself in the water, and could see the trees behind her.

Aria turned around and Ben faced her.

"Ben, what are yo-"

Ben attacked Aria

He threw her on the ground. His face was pale with a green poison looking color in his veins.

"Get off of me!" Aria yelled

"HELP!" She screamed

Back in the garden everyone looked around.

"Was that Aria?" Gally asked

"Where is Aria?" Alby asked approaching them.

"In the woods." Newt responded

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"We have to find her." Gally ordered.

"Help!" Aria yelled again.

Aria put the bucket over Ben's head and head butted it.

Ben fell over.

Aria tried to run but he grabbed her ankle

"NEWT!" Aria yelled

"ALBY!"

"THOMAS!"

"CHUCK!"

"FRYPAN!"

"GALLY!"

"MINHO!"

Aria panicked and yelled for anyone she could.

Aria had a knife in her pocket Frypan gave her,

She pulled it out and stabbed Ben's hand with it.

Aria ran out into the Glade

Ben traced along

Aria ran into Marcus's arms.

"BEN!" Marcus yelled

"IT'S BEN!"

Newt ran to Ben with a large poll,

Newt swung the poll and hit Ben in the head, causing him to faint.

"He's going through the changing." Newt quavered as Gally walked up to him.

Everyone gathered around.

"Thank you Newt." Iris wept

She stepped over to Newt and gave him a hug,

"No problem Greenie."

That night Ben faced the keepers for attempted murder.

They locked Ben in the Maze, knowing he'd never return.

Aria was traumatized,

She ran to where she slept.

“you don't belong here, you’re going to die, they’re going to Kill you.....I can't do this!" Aria Cried.

Tears that shined like diamonds dripped from her bloodshot eyes.

Newt walked in and found her curdled up on the top bunk, mumbling.

Aria turned her head around. Newt could see all of her tears. Her eyes were so bloodshot it looked as if she just squeezed blood in her eyes.

"I want to go in the maze."Aria blurted out.

She ran out the shack and onto the homestead, Gally and Frypan stood talking.

Aria ran pass Gally and Frypan to the Maze.

"She's going in the Maze!" Newt yelled

He chased after her, Gally started running.

Gally caught up to Iris and threw her on the ground.

"What were you thinking!?!?!" Gally yelled

Aria spit up blood on the ground.

"H-h-h-h-how can you be so scared if you don't even know what's inside?" Aria stuttered.

Gally picked Aria up and threw her over his shoulder.

"You're going to help me build today." He said

"Put me down!" Aria yelled

"When are you going to learn?" Gally asked.

"Learn what?" Aria questioned.

Suddenly the maze doors closed.

"I saved your life."

"Next time, I'll let you leave."

Gally walked away shaking his head.

"Stupid girl." He mumbled

Aria stood up and watched Gally walked away.

Aria was infuriated.

She started bolting out running and jumped on Gally's back and pinned him to the ground.

"You don't even know what lurks in that Maze!" She yelled

Gally threw Aria on the ground.

"WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE ANYMORE PEOPLE!" Gally yelled

"Now, Sweetheart...” he started to say

"If you want to live, you must stay in the Glade."

Gally picked Aria up and threw her into a wall,

Aria stumbled and hit her head on the Maze wall.

She fell on the ground, drops of blood fell on her face,

"Get her to the doctor!" She heard Newt yell

Marcus ran to her, and picked her up.

Aria turned her head, and could see Gally,

Standing there,

Completely speechless.

The room went dark,

Aria's eyes flickered,

The room was very bright, the light was blinding.

She could hear a steady beep.

"Beep"

Aria took a breath and looked out the clear door

"Beep."

She could see a mom, and a dad...

A tall boy stood next to him,

He looked like Aria,

He had the perfectly combed spiked up hair, Light blue, and he wore a red and white denim shirt. With skinny khakis, and black converse.

The boy smiled at Aria.

He opened the door and walked in.

The boy sat next to Iris.

"Hey sis." He said

"Where am i?" She stuttered

"The Hospital." The boy said

Aria looked at a band around her wrist,

"Aria Erudite."

"What's your name?" Aria asked the boy.

"Chase Erudite, I'm your brother."

Chase sighed and smiled at Aria

Chase leaned in and kissed Aria's forehead.

Aria lifted up her arm,

An IV stuck in her arm.

She sat up.

"You're safe now." Chase assured

Aria stared at Chase

She remembers now.

Chase was her Older brother, he was only about 1 or 2 years older than her.

"I'm so sorry i left you, dad, and mom."

Aria hugged Chase tightly.

She started to cry,

They all walked in.

"Hello Aria." Her mom spoke

A woman with a tight bun walked in.

"Hello Miss. Aria Erudite,"

"Who are you?" iris asked

"Ava Paige."

The woman held a clipboard near and dear.

"You survived the Maze," Ava announced

"Where are the Gladers?" Aria asked Ava

Aria wanted to know that her friends where well.

"We kept them all there, including Newt."

"How did you keep them there?!"

Ava took a deep breath and smiled

"We designed the Maze."

"YOU PUT ME THERE!" Aria yelled

Aria tried to attack Ava.

"YOU LEFT A 12 YEAR OLD ALONE! TO DEFEND THEM SELF!"

A large crack formed on the ceiling.

"Next you have to face the Scorch Trials, with Aris, Sonya, Harriet and Beth, group B."

"Thomas will be killed."

The building started to shake,

The ceiling loosened.

Suddenly the beam fell

"NOOO!"

Aria yelled.

She jumped up.

Aria was in the Glade still, it was a dream.

She sat up quickly

Taking death breaths.

"What's wrong?" A voice asked

It was Newt he stood behind her.

"NEWT!" she cheered

Aria jumped up and hugged Newt.

"I-i-i-i-i-I thought you were dead." She stuttered.

"I had this awful nightmare,"

"I was in the hospital, with my family, and the lady that created the maze and something about the Scorch trials...." Aria rambled off.

"You wha- , Go get Thomas." Newt instructed.

Clint ran out the room and brought Thomas back,

"That happened to him too." Newt explained

Aria told Newt and Thomas everything, even Gally listened.

"This, I mean. I think that wasn't just a dream." Thomas said

"I had a brother," Aria started to say.

"Apart of me feels like their real, and out there, waiting for me to come home..."

"We're never going to get out here." Gally stated

"Sure we can,"

Thomas tried to lighten up the situation.

"I need to go in that maze," Aria said

Later that night Aria followed Marcus and Minho to the map room.

Chuck saw Aria listening in on Marcus and Minho, he hid behind a tree and ushered Aria to come over to him and back away from the runners center, Aria just shook her head and shushed him.

Inside, Marcus and Minho stood around a table,

"There has to be some way to get out from here, I know that a Griever was squished between the walls,Maybe if we go in tomorrow and pull it out we can find something," Another voice said,

It was Thomas, Aria peeked in,

Chuck watched her,

Aria heard twigs crack from behind her,

"go away Chuck..." She mumbled

A strong hand pushed her against the wall.

She couldn't see the persons face.

She was cornered,

She could call for help,

But it would be useless.

The Person put both hands on the wall behind her and looked at Iris,

The tall dark figure, appeared to have muscular arms,

"What are you doing?" the figure asked

Aria recognized the voice, it was gally.

"You're sneaking around at night, that's against the rules."

"I-i-i-"

"You where what?"

"I was looking for you," Aria stuttered.

"Looking for me for what?" Gally asked

Gally pressed Aria against the wall harder.

"I asked you a question green bean."

Gally looked down at Aria.As she looked up at him.

"I just wanted to....."

The door on the shack flew open and Minho peeked out.

"Seriously Gally?" Minho chuckled

"Leave the poor girl alone."

"It's against the rules to be out pass 9:00 at night and to be sneaking around the Map Room.

Thomas stepped out the shack.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Gally exclaimed

"The day YOU showed up everything went wrong!" Gally growled

"Go get newt." Gally ordered

A tall boy with curly blonde hair ran out the shack and to where Newt slept.

"What do you want Zart?" Newt mumbled as he stood next to Gally.

"Your little Princess was sneaking around after 9:00 around the Map room," Gally spat

"You see what she is trying to do, right? First she breaks our rules, and then she tries to convince us to abandon them totally. The rules are the only thing that have ever held us together. Why now are we questioning that? If Alby was here, you know he'd agree with me. This shank, needs to be punished."

Newt scratched his head and looked at Aria., debating what to do.

"She will spend the rest of the night in the pit, no food," Newt explained

"Oh, come on, Newt. One night in the Pit? You think that's gonna stop her?!" gally yelled

newt walked away.

"You just did that because you're soft! And you like her!" Gally called out.

"SHE MAY BE THE LAST HOPE WE HAVE! We need to keep her safe!" newt yelled

he clinched his fist's and walked back to the living quarters.

gally dragged Aria to the pit.

He unlocked the door and threw her down there.

"Why do you Hate me?" Aria asked

she held onto the bars on the door.

gally locked the door and looked at her.

"i don't hate you."

"The minute Thomas, Teresa and then you showed up. Everything changed."

"Thomas and you show motivation, see that wall?" Gally asked

he pointed off into a distance.

"Every person in the glade carved their name, and all the ones that are crossed out, well, they died. I lost my family and friends to this place."

Aria watched Gally stare at the wall, and for the first time... she actually saw some one who was caring.

"I don't think i can forgive you." Aria said

"I know,"

Gally sighed and watch Aria in the pit as she sat down and slumped against the wall.

Gally walked away.
The Next day

"Hey gally." Aria mumbled at breakfast.

Newt walked up to Aria stretching.

He put his arm around Aria and walked with her to a table and whispered.

"Gally's just so bloody rude, Under my watch, i wont put you in the pit. It's awful down there."

"Thank's Newt." Aria smiled

at the table Aria sat next to Newt and Frypan, Chuck sat across from her. gally sat across from Frypan and Jeff was across from newt.

"Frypan at his finest!" Jeff smirked

"ahhh."

Jeff smelled the bacon, and waved his hand to fan the smell in his nose.

"That look's weird," Frypan stated

"keep flirting with that bacon and I'll stick it up your nose." Frypan gagged

He HATED when people played with his food.

"Don't question him Jeff." gally smiled.

"gally's everywhere..." newt sighed

Jeff picked up his bacon and stuck it with syrup to his eyebrows and raised an eyebrow

"I have Bacon brows!"

Frypan smacked Jeff,

causing Jeff's chair to fall over on the floor.

"Animals..." he sighed

Chuck finished his plate and set it on a separate table for dirty dishes.

"So," Newt started to say.

"Today you will go with Me."

"I thought it was my day to get her!" Winston shouted from across the room.

"Being a Slicer wont kill her..."

"So far you worked in the Garden with me, that's a Track-Hoes job." newt explained

"Their Gladers who work in the Gardens - tilling, weeding, planting and harvesting."

"Slicers in the bloodhouse, Builders... build They're good with their hands, but there's not a lot going on upstairs Brinknicks repair. Med-jacks are doctors, and we all know runners." Newt said

"You're yet to work with me." Gally announced

After breakfast Aria followed Minho and Thomas to where the runner equipment was.

"Here's your runner's bag."

Minho Handed Aria a leather old backpack.

It was like the one Minho wore. It went across her chest and had two pockets on the back.

"and you need these."

Thomas handed her old rags to wrap around her hands and wrist's.

Aria slipped it on.

She looked like a runner,

beat worn down ripped skinny jeans. Blue denim shirt the runners pack, and the wraps.

"We use the same wrap's boxer's use when training. But we use them for protection when picking stuff up in the Maze." Minho explained

the day passed by fast as Aria worked with Minho and Thomas she knew she had the chops to be a runner.

At Dinner Aria walked up to the Line, in front was Gally.

"Hey Gally!" Aria chirped, hoping to get a nice reply.

Gally turned around and furrowed his brows

"What Makes you think you can talk to me?"

Gally rolled his eyes and turned around.

"Douche...." Aria mumbled

Gally clenched his fist's.He grabbed his Plate and walked off, he sat behind a log.

Aria followed him, knowing that it would make him upset.

"Hey Gally." Aria smiled

"You're not going away, are you?" Gally asked

"I just want to be your friend!" Aria lashed out.

"Why do you have to be so rude!?!?!"

"I'm not rude! If I were you I'd watch out Little Girl."

"Or what?" Aria growled

"You're going to hurt me?"

"If I wanted to, I would of hurt you a long time ago."

"I could of Killed you if I wanted."

Gally sighed and Gulped.

he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck.

Aria looked at her food and set it down.

Gally hit her hard, she did feel guilty for being mean to him.

She looked up at him.

Gally looked her in the eye,

"We need to stop meeting like this greenie."

Aria leaned in and hugged Gally.

Gally pulled her closer and tried to kiss her. Alarm's went off in Aria's head, so had to escape. Pulling away and Running across the Glade.

Aria took her plate and ran to where Newt and Chuck sat at a table with Marcus.

"Peter's been missing for days." Chuck said.

"Dang Grievers must've got to him." Newt mumbled into his cup.

"Hey Ari." Marcus said

"try this."

Newt opened Aria's mouth and poured some of his drink into her mouth.

Ari spit on the ground,

"What was that!?!" The yelled

newt furrowed his brows and looked into the mug.

"I don't know..."

Aria spit at the ground,

Her eyes where still wide, newt looked at her suspiciously.

"What happened to ya love?" he asked

"nothing."

"Sadly," newt started to say

"Since your a new runner, Minho and Marcus, Thomas, and I need to talk."

"And you have duty with Gally..."

Newt words trialed off.

"I can manage." Aria said

That night aria climbed up to the watch tree.

A few Gladers where still out and about,

Frypan washed dishes

Gally dragged wood over to a dead tree,

that was most likely what they would work on tomorrow.

Aria just sighed and bit her lip.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her back,

"HEY!" Aria yelled she tried to turn around but the person threw her off the tree

Aria grabbed on to some sticks that stuck out the floor, She gritted her teeth and tried to pulled herself up.

"I really don't want to play this card but..."

"HELP!"

Aria yelled.

From below Newt looked up.

"I'm Coming!" he yelled

Gally and Frypan looked over, Gally followed Newt.

"Gally pull her up." Newt ordered

gally ran ahead of Newt.

"Give me your hand," he said Aria

Aria's hand slipped Gally still held onto her,

Gally pulled her up with all his might, Newt pitched in, he grabbed Iris's waist and hoisted her on the base of the tree,

Aria let out a big sigh of relief.

Newt saw someone run across the glade.

"He pushed me!" Aria yelled

She ran down the stairs and chased after the boy.

"HEY!" She yelled

Aria grabbed a small knife out of her runners pack and threw it at the boy it stuck him in the arm, he squealed in pain.

Aria pinned the boy on the ground and saw it was Peter,

"He's been stung.." Frypan said

"KILlER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He yelled

Peter looked at Iris he bit at her.

"I-i--i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-I can get better....." he said

"No you can't." Gally said.

Peter bolted up, he grabbed the knife out his arm and stabbed Aria.

Frypan whacked Peter in the head with a fry pan.

Ari pulled the knife out her arm and looked at the blood on her hands.

"I'll take to a med-jacket." Gally said inspecting her arm.

"I'll be waiting at the homestead,"

The Homestead is where the Gladers sleep they all asleep in hammocks.

In a big group.

Gally and Aria walked side by side.

"You're being nice all a sudden..." Iris said looking at Gally

Gally let out a sigh,

he smiled at her and said

"Better than me being a jerk?"

"It's strange, your nice guy."

Gally put his arm around Iris's waist

"Get your hands off my hips."

"I was hopping you would say that,"

"I've been hopping that you would stand up to some Gladers.You're the only girl here, and many guys here have a things for memory less Chicks." he said

Eventually gally got her to Jeff where he placed a bandage on her arm, he wrapped it as tight as he could.

"I need to listen to your heart to make sure everything is ok," Jeff told Iris

He grabbed an old Stethoscope and whipped it off

"Take your shirt off,"

"Take my what?"

"You heard me."Jeff sighed

Aria looked over at Gally who was messing with his tool belt,

he wore 2 one to hold up his pants and the other to holding his building tools.

Aria slipped off her blue denim shirt and her tank top.

Jeff listened to her breathe

"You're good."

Gally looked up for a second and widened his eyes

she slipped her shirt back on and walked out.

Gally walked up to her and wrapped his arm her shoulders,

"Well... That went well."

"Don't touch me." Aria growled

"What's your problem?" Gally asked

"I'm not an armrest!"

Aria threw Gally's arm off her.

Gally walked away.

"You're a Priss!" He yelled

"Sure!" Aria yelled back at her

"I tried to be Nice but it isn't good enough for ya princess."

Suddenly

Gally threw her on the ground,

He pinned her down.

"Now what are you going to do?"

Aria struggled to get up,

she tried with all her might,

Gally was just too strong,

He sat on her, Aria tried pulling up,

"Why do good girls like bad guys?" He asked

Gally loosened his grip.

Aria laid on the ground.

"Go away"

Gally pulled Aria up, she looked around an ran.

to the Homestead

Newt laid in his hammock.

Next to him was Thomas,

"You ok?" Newt asked with a smile

"Yeah." Aria smiled back

It was a Fake smile

Gally walked into the Homestead and laid in his hammock.... That was next to Aria's.

Gally grabbed Aria's wrist and pulled her to the side.

"I'm sorry I lashed out." he said with a half smile

Ari laid in her hammock.

"Gally's been nice to ya," Newt smiled

"Yeah," Ari rubbed her hands together

"Oddly..."

"At least he's being nice to ya shank." Newt smiled

"I need to get some sleep,"

Aria rolled over and pulled the blanket onto her.

She stood in a dark hallway, she wore a Hospital gown, the blue and white gown went up to her knees, and oddly, her legs where spotless and shaved.

"This is strange," Ari thought

she ascended further down the hallway, a door appeared on her right, So she opened it,

Inside a large glass capsule stood,

A boy.

A Glader,

It was Gally.

Gally was awake, he saw Iris and started yelling in the tube, he hit on the glass walls.

Ari's eyes widened, she didn't now what he would do to her,

Ari ran out the room and walked down the darken hallway to a new room,

Same kind of Glass tube, but in it.

Was Newt.

Aria looked around for something to break the glass with.

A Crowbar sat on a gleaming aluminum table,

Aria grabbed the bar and whacked the glass, it broke and newt fell out,

"Newt!"

Aria Grabbed Newt, she picked up and leaned him against the wall. He eventually woke up,

"Are you ok?" Iris asked

She brushed stray pieces of Glass from his face, Aria moved the hair from his face and looked at him,

"Who are you?" He asked

Newt didn't sound normal, he sounded.

Afraid

and Lost.

"It's me, Ari."

Ari grabbed Newts hand,

small tears spilled form his eyes,

"Where am I?"

Ari took a deep breath, she pulled her bangs behind her ear.

"I don't know,"

Ari knew she had a chilled voice, she knew her voice was cracking and shaky.

Ari stood on her tipy toes and hugged Newt,

"I will be right back," She assured him

Ari walked back to the room where Gally was,

She clenched the crowbar and hit the glass.

Gally fell out,

Ari walked over to the table and grabbed his tool belt,

She looked down at her,

She was in her clothes

her Blue denim shirt, runners back, hand wraps around her wrists, her skinny jeans, and black lace up doc.martens.

"What?"

She looked up at Gally.

He had his fist clenched.

"Who are you!" He demanded

"My name is ari, I'm your friend, I won't hurt you."

"Who am I?" Gally asked

"Your name is Gally, You're a builder, and we're friends."

"You need to trust me." Ari gulped

"You Helped me,"

Ari showed him her cut from Peter.

"You helped me,"

"We need to find Newt,"

Aria took Gally's hand and walked back into Newts room.

Aria opened up the door, and saw what she feared most,

her eyes widened.

Ava page had Newt in a head lock, she held a gun to his head.

"We need to Make you stronger Aria." She smiled

"Someone you care about will die."

Ava had her finger on the trigger..

"NOOOO!" Aria yelled

Aria started screaming, she sat up at once

"What's wrong?" A voice asked hugging her.

It was Newt.

It had been a dream

"Newt!" Aria cried

She started crying tears.

Newt hugged her

"What's wrong love?" he asked sweetly

"I had a nightmare, it was awful." She cried

"You-you-you-you were dead."

"They Killed you Newt!" Aria hugged Newt so hard she popped his back,

"I'm here, It's ok."

Newt pet the back of her head, he ran his fingers through her hair.

"I'm okay," Newt kissed the top of her head and smiled.

"I'm here,"

"I'll never leave you."

"Now." Newt said in a more positive voice.

"Let's go get us so grub from Frypan and hope we don't Bloody Choke." He smiled.

"Ok,"

Aria climbed out the hammock still shaking.

A few Gladers stared at her.

Aria put her hair up in a pony tail, she walked along with Newt, soon Chuck joined them.

"Hey guys!" He chirped

Newt shot him a cold look.

"What's wrong with the Greenie?" He asked

"She had a traumatizing Nightmare."

Newt kept her under his arm until they got to the kitchen.

Newt got his food and sat behind a log.

Ari sat on a stump and watched everyone.

Thomas came up to her.

"I remember being in the state your in," he said

"Gally's a first class nodcock."

"A Nod what?"

"A Nodcock someone how dose something before thinking, they don't use their brain, or have one." Thomas smiled

Ari giggled.

"Get some food Shuck-face." Thomas pushed Iris into the line.

Ari stood in line, Iris grabbed her plate, she sat on the log next to Newt.

"Try this."

Newt passed Iris a glass of unfamiliar liquid.

"Oh My god! what is that!?!?"

"I don't know..... It's Gally's recipe.A trade secret."

"Speaking of which, you better hurry, You have to help him today.And depending on if I'm feeling Bloody Cheery, I may pull you out for training,but we wouldn't wanna do that to ol' Gal know would we?"

Ari gave Newt a long sigh and answered him

"No we wouldn't...."

ari stood up and walked over to to Frypan.

"Working with Gal today, ain't ya?" He asked

"Yeah." Iari couldn't help but smile,

"Good luck snapping him out of his crazy phase."

Ari pinned her hair up in a pony tail and walked over to Gally, he was setting up a ladder, Gally grunted as sweat dripped from his forehead

"Need any help?" Ari asked looking around

"Nah,"

“Shouldn't I give a pep talk or something?"

"Sure, go ahead" Gall grunted as he fixed the ladder

"Try not to squish yourself, last things Chuck wants to do is scrap Gally Glob's of the ground and the walls, and well.... Everything."

Gally turned around unamused

"Save a Chuck save the plant?"Ari joked

Gally murmured

Aria leaned up against a tree.

She looked at her Skinny Green Cargo pants, she slipped her hands into the pockets on her thighs.

"Ok, Now, here's what we're doing," Gally stated

"We're making a new smaller lookout tree, we can always find a way to use these Old dead trees,rather then treat em' like Klunk."

"Ok, get on the Ladder and I need you to set up the base."

Aria took a death breath.

She climbed on the ladder,

It wasn't sturdy at all. It wobbled,

Aria's foot slipped her she fell back a little.

"I got it."

Gally held the ladder still,

"Go!"

"So," Ari said as she climbed up the ladder

"The Great Gally is afraid of something after all."

"Can't we just let it go?"

ari set up the posts and she stood on the first level.

ari took a deep breath and smiled.

"Jump down!" Gally yelled from below.

"No, I'm going to get squished!" Aria yelled back,

"I'll catch ya shank!"

aria stood on the edge on the base and looked at Gally

he waved his hands for her to jump.

"You got this."

Iris jumped.

"ahh!" she screamed

Gally caught her just in time.

"That was fun wasn't it?" He asked

Aria walked around the tree

"Yeah."

"I need to Pre-Drill 4 spots so I can make a V shape between those branches."

Gally pointed up to a Nice and sturdy branch.

"Ok, so i do want to talk to you." Iris told Gally.

"Bout what?"

Gally made his way up the ladder,

and stood on the Base.

"Do you have any memories?"

"Anything at all, even with dreams?"

"I'm not telling you." Gally grunted

"You survived a sting you must remember something."

"Drop it." Gally grunted

Aria frowned

"Every time I try to get closer you shut me out"

"You were stung by a Griever in the middle of the day near the west door."

"Yeah and?"

"What do you want from me?! I saw Thomas in the changing, that's it. I SAW HIM! He's why we're all stuck here! I know it!"

"You have Arrogant nature,"

"Ya know what, I will just drop it." Aria sighed

"Need any help?"

Aria heard a drill from above,

The drill stopped and Gally looked over the edge.

"Come up here, i need those post's."

Gally pointed to 4 posts that sat on the ground.

Aria lifted one up, she handed it to Gally one after the other.

ari climbed up the ladder and sat down.

She watched the Gladers.

"Maybe you should be a Builder,not a runner. I find funny how they throw the Greenie into the Parade." Gally spat

Gally fixed the second level.

Gally and ari sat on the New smaller Watch tree

"we're not done yet."

Gally smirked.

"ugg"

Ari laid on the floor Gally looked at.

Ari followed Gally's eye's.

Ari looked down at herself, her Black V-neck creeped down

"HEY!"

"Oh, sorry." Gally said

aria sat up again.

Newt climbed up the Ladder,

"Nice, good job Shanks."

He sat Next to aria

"We're stuck in here, aren't we?"aria asked

"For the moment, but we'll make our way out." Newt smiled

Gally shook his head in disagreement.

"We're stuck in here for good."

"No way out, what so ever,"

"C'mon Gal, be more positive."

"Newt You know that there is no buggin' way out o-"

"Gally, stop." Iris cut him off.

Out of the two of them, Newt was the more upbeat one and Gally seemed to have very little faith that they can survive the Maze.

"I think it was stupid to make her a runner." Gally growled

The way he said Her, as if it was wrong for a girl to be in the Glade, or be a runner.

Maybe he was just looking out for Aria, she didn't really even know.

"So, I'm just a Her?" Iris grew an Icy tone, her words were like ice,

They seemed to hit Gally hard.

Gally gulped,

"You're a Greenie,"

"Freaking Newbies..." Gally sighed

"I've been here for 3 years!" Gally spat

"She's not ready for that."

Gally jumped down and walked away.

Newt sat rubbing his hands together,

"What's wrong?" Iris asked

"Minho and Alby aren't back yet. They should of been out the Maze a long time ago."

"They'll be back soon, trust me."

Newt hopped down too and walked away rubbing his hands together.

ari jumped off and walked away too.

Everyone stood by the Maze door,

Gally squatted on the ground.

"Why can't we send in a search party?" Thomas asked

"We can't afford to loose anyone else, Tommy." Newt said

"We can't someone just go in there?" ari asked

"It's against the rules, either they make it back or they don't." Gally groaned

He looked up at ari.

"Right not, things aren't looking too good."

"Look!" Chuck yelled

It was Minho and Alby,

Minho grunted and yelled as he carried Alby on his back,

Gally sat up,

"Their not going to make it." Gally said

The Maze doors started to shift, Everyone started Yelling and screaming at Minho. He was trying his hardest to drag Alby back into the Glade. Pretty soon the Maze doors would shut.

Thomas looked around.

He darted in the Maze

"Thomas no!" Chuck yelled

aria ran in after him.

Gally tried grabbing her arm but he was too late.

"ARIA!" She heard Newt, Chuck, and Gally yell.

"Why did you 2 Shanks do that?" Minho asked

Minho laughed

"You two just killed yourselves."

"Why? Ari asked

"You're suppose to be a Runner in training, and yet. you know Nothing."

"Your trainer Newt, he used to be a runner, but we all know what happened to him."

"C'mon, let's leave Alby here and give them Grievers at least one freebie."

That very sentence made Thomas choke

"How can you say that?" aria stood up and yelled

"He's you friend! Alby was your friend!"

"We can hide him in the vines." Thomas suggested

Thomas and Minho ran Alby up in the vines they tied him there.

"The sun will set soon," Minho stated

"We need to Move."

Minho ran,

Thomas and Iris followed,

Outside the Maze in the Glade everyone panicked

"We're about to loose 4 of our friends." Newt said

His voice was shaky and shot.

He stood biting his nails.

"We need to get ari out of there, and Minho!" Gally yelled

"There's nothing we can do." Marcus said from behind them.

"They're fair game."

"THIS IS ALL THOMAS'S FAULT!" Gally yelled

"If he would of NEVER EVER Ran into the Maze aria would of NEVER FOLLOWED!" Gally roared

Gally slammed his fist the the wall.

"We have to get Minho, Alby, and Ari back." He groaned

Back inside the maze

ari, Thomas, and Minho seemed to of gotten separated.

ari walked around a Maze wall,

The sun had set,

"MINHO!" ari yelled

"THOMAS!"

ari was lost,

In the Maze.

"I'm going to die..." The mumbled

She walked around in the dark Shivering.

she leaned against a Wall.

Tears dripped from her face.

Ari heard a creaking sound

It scratched,

Aria looked over.

"GRIEVER!" She screamed

ari ran screaming she tore her way though the Maze.

ari stopped, she reached into her pocket and threw a knife at the Griever.

Some of the Gladers liked to call her "The Girl that Played with Knives."

The knife stuck the Griever in the eye

It growled

"Crap."

ari started running,

Bye that Time the sun was coming up.

The Maze doors started to shift.

ari had a plan

"HEY RUST BUCKET!" She yelled

"COME AT ME!"

ari started running through a wall.

She stood at the end of the walls.

The Griever had stopped

ari pulled out a knife and made 3 small cuts on her arm.

"ahhh." Iris whined

Her hands shook as she took her right hand and got blood on her fingers,

She whipped it on the wall.

The Griever smelt the blood and ran after it.

ari stepped back and as soon as the Griever made it's way to the edge of the wall. The doors closed.

Crushing the Griever.

ari dropped to her feet,

Dropping the knife.

tears poured from her face.

She could hear the Maze doors opening,

On the leg of the creature read

"W.C.I.K.E.D"

"That's the name on their supplies..." ari mumbled

Ari hissed in pain.

Bye that Time Minho, Alby, and Thomas made it out the Maze.

"Where's Aria?" Newt asked anxiously.

"I don't know." Minho grunted hoisting Alby on his back, Alby was clearly stung, and knocked out.

"What happened to him?" Thomas asked.

"Just because a griever looks dead, doesn't mean they are." Minho replied

Unaware of her.

aria stood between the Maze doors.

Newt saw her and ran to her.

aria was holding her arm, the wraps on her arm where stained with blood.

Newt hugged Iris hard, he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

He looked at her arm,

"What happened to you?" He asked inspecting her arm.

"I cut my self and smeared blood on the wall so the Griever would walk trough this tunnel as it closed.I killed a Griever..." aria sighed looking up

"Killing em' won't help. Tension will rise."

"You could of died." Newt sighed

He reached in his bag and pulled out a bottle and Q-tip and some fabric.

Newt poured the liquid on the Q-tip.

He grabbed Iris's arm and tried cleaning her arm.

"That burns." Iris whined.

Newt wrapped the cloth around her wound.

"YOU!" Gally yelled.

Gally clenched his fists. Charging at Thomas.

"YOU KILLED HER!" Gally yelled

Gally walked up to Thomas, Gally's face was red hot. He cracked his knuckle's

Gally through a Punch at Thomas.

Knocking him on the ground.

Thomas spit out blood,

"IF YOU WOULD OF NEVER WENT IN THAT MAZE SHE WOULD OF NEVER FOLLOWED!"

The 2 boys pulled Gally back.

"LET ME GO!" Gally spat

Aria ran over.

"GALLY! GALLY! GALLY!" Iris yelled

Gally saw aria the 2 boys let him go.

Gally still stood staring at Thomas.

Aria walked in front of Gally.

"Gally, look at me."

"Look."

IAria grabbed Gally's hand,

She gulped

"Gally, look at me."

"GALLY!" she yelled

Gally looked down.

"I'm ok," Iris smiled

"I'm ok."

Gally just shook his head.

"I would of gone in anyway,"

Iris hugged Gally.

Which looked awkward considering Gally was 6ft3 and Iris was only 5ft.

"I'm ok, Alby and Thomas are ok." Iris reassured

Iris took a deep breath and walked off to the Homestead passing up Marcus.

"Hey what happened to your arm?" he asked

Marcus grabbed her arm,

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" she yelled

Iris shoved Marcus out of the way.

"What's up with her?" Marcus asked Chuck as he trailed off.

"She's like a Female version of Gally." Chuck snorted

"A Gally in a dress."

Chuck plodded along "carrying" or trying to carry pots and pans.

He dropped at least half of them every 3 feet he walked.

she wrapped herself up in her cot.

She stared out into the Glade, still Furious.

Gally approached her.

"Get away from me!" She yelled

she threw a Pillow at Gally.

he quickly ducked on the ground.

"And i thought I was the mean one."

"Leave me alone.." She growled

ari moved her legs and Gally sat on her cot.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I'm the only girl here, I'm stuck with like 50 guys."

"40 give or take..." Gally murmured

"I love that you guys do look after me, but I don't need everyone waiting on me, and watching over me."

"Well, you're are only one here that we can do that too." Gally said

"I may be a chick, but I can take care of myself."

ari sat up. she fumbled with her arm.

"What happened?" Gally asked

"I cut myself...to escape a Griever. Newt wrapped it and cleaned it." Iris explained.

ari let out a long sigh. She got up and walked with Gally to the Food shack.

"I need to meet Minho in the Map room." She told Gally.

Iris ran ahead.

"Hey Zart the Fart!" Iris waved at Zart as he dug up a weed.

ari made her way to the line, she jumped in it

Grabbed her food and left.ari ran up to Newt and Minho and the Map room.

Minho walked inside and through a cloth of the table.

It relieved a Model of the Maze.

Minho leaned on the table and smirked

"Know what this is Shank?" He asked

Newt leaned a against a wall.

"Keepers will be Havin' a meetin' Later today bout what we need to do with You and Thomas." Newt added

"With Captain gally in charged." Newt chuckled

"The Shank's is as crazy as balls." Minho chuckled

Ari raised one eyebrow and looked at Newt.

He smiled and started laughing.

Soon, they were all rolling around on the floor dying of laughter.

A mighty fist pounded on the door.

"What's going on?" The voice boomed.

Ironically, it was Gally.

Outside Gally was leaning against the door waiting for an answer.

"Captain Gally is outside.." Newt murmured

ari gagged.

She stepped outside the Map room and stood in front of Gally.

"well..."

"What's so funny?"

Gally folded his arms

"Your eyebrows." Iris snickered.

Gally frowned.

"Let me in." he tried to push pass Iris.

ari blocked him wedging herself between the door and the wall.

"You can't come in." She said her eyes widened.

"Why not?" he asked.

"How bout......"

Aria needed to think quickly.

"We go for a walk! Yeah, let's go!"

Aria grabbed Gally's hand, leading him away from the Map room.

Aria gripped Gally's hand tightly.

They walked pass Marcus.

His mouth flew open and Marcus slowly pointed at Gally.

"HEY!" Marcus yelled.

Gally turned around.

"What?" He asked

"let's go." she said

She grabbed Gally's hand again and jerked him away.

They walked across the Glade, into the woods.

"Ok, ok,." Gally said stopping.

"What are you doing?" Gally asked suspiciously.

"I-i-i."

"I wanted to talk to you,"

she sat out and log and Gally sat next to her.

"I wanted to ask you, about... the changing and why you hate thomas."

"I'm not talking about that."

Gally tried to walk away but Aria grabbed onto his arm and pulled him back down.

"Please Gally, just talk to me."

"Well...." He started to say.

"I saw things, my memories."

Aria turned around so she faced him, trying to make sure she heard every word.

"I saw Thomas, during that changing, I was in this tube filled with water and i-i-i-I couldn't breath and it was terrifying."

"I heard that you were despised by most of the Gladers due to your arrogant nature."

"I was." Gally murmured

Aria almost felt sorry for Gally.

He smiled at her,

Aria suddenly remembered.

"I had a dream like that!" She blurt out

"You what?"

"I had a dream like that, you were in a tube full of water and so was Newt... and it was a a long dark hallway and I was terrified."

ari blabbered on.

Gally raised on eyebrow,

"anyways.."

"I don' trust Thomas because I saw him, I think he helped put us here, and he's some kinda spy."

Gally did sound crazy as he was pretty crazy.

Aria sighed, she sat up and Gally followed.

she and Gally walked out the woods.

As they walked they talked.

"Ya know, this feels like home for me." Aria smirked

She smiled as she looked out into the Glade.

"This isn't home," Gally said

"Can't you try to be positive?" Aria asked Gally.

she shoved Gally over a foot.

"Hey." he chuckled

Everyone saw Gally as a nut job. It was true... he was one.

But they never got to know him. Not like Aria did she saw a side of him that no one ever saw. A side that he must of hide. It was a.... sweeter side.

"Can I ride on your back?" aria asked Gally.

"sure, get on."

Gally squatted down, and aria jumped on his back.

She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Hold on." He said

Gally grasped a tight grip on her legs as he carried her through the thick timber.

From up there.Aria felt as if she could she everything, Then again it was an improvement from what she actually could see.

From the top, she could smell Gally's hair.

It was matted with Sweat and dirt. It smelled like a Christmas tree oddly.

They made their way out the woods.

Everyone stared as Gally walked by.

Winston smiled at them and waved.

Frypan walked pass them and grinned.

"Hows my favorite cooking partner?" he asked

"Awesome!"

Ari high-fived Frypan

Gally walked pass Marcus.

Marcus scoffed.

He always hated Gally.

"I thought you were talking to Minho and Newt?" Marcus asked with a tone full of Hate. He raised one eyebrow and waited for Aria's response.

"I was, but I had to ask Gally something."

"I see that," Marcus murmured

Newt walked up to them he had a spring in his step.

"Meetin' start's in 2 hours." He announced.

Newt walked away. His limp had gotten better, Aria smiled at Newt as he walked away.

"ahh, your slipping," Gally said

He hoisted her up so she wouldn't slide as much.

"Why are you so kind to me, but mean to ever one else?"

"It's simple,"

"I like you better than i like them."

2 hours passed and everyone met in the Council Hall,

A rugged shack held together by sweat, mud and sticks.

Newt walking around as the keepers got in there places.

"Ok." he said

"You're all wondering why I've gathered you here today!" he announced

"Where here about or Greenies, Tommy and Aria."

"Everyone's been coming to me, either 1 boohooing about them, or begging to take Aria's hand bloody marriage,"

"So,"

"We need to figure out what we're going to do with them!"

"So, any ideas?" Newt asked

Aria raised her hand.

"You're not allowed to say a bloody word! you too Tommy." Newt ordered

"Well, they need to be punished in some way.... We all know how i feel about this incident -" Gally spat

"Gally, shut your hole, you'll get a chance,"

"Zart that fart you start." Newt said

Zart stood up and looked at the ground.

"Non-runners can't be sprinting in the Maze. it's against the rules... So, i guess 2 days in the slammer."

Zart sat back down.

Gally stood back up.

"I've been trying to say that! Thomas is the reason why we're all here! he put us here!"

"GALLY!" Newt yelled.

"I'M TRYING TO KEEP SOME BLOODY ORDER IN THIS PLACE! SO SHUT UP AND SIT YOU SHUCK-FACE DOWN! I'M NOT IN A CHEERY MOOD!" Newt yelled

Gally sat back down in a rush.

"Glad we got that out the way." Newt smiled

"Frypan, you're on." he said

Frypan stood up.

"They saved Alby's life, that's a big thing to do." He started

"Oh. did they?" Gally questioned.

Newt glared at Gally.

"Shut your Shuck-face up." Newt said to him

Frypan sat down.

"So what's your ruling?"

"Make them runners." frypan said

"NO!" Gally yelled

"They come here acting all like they know nothing and they start running around with Grievers! that's impossible!"

"It can be done!" Aria yelled

"Hush it!' newt yelled at her

Aria growled at Newt.

He was her friend, but he could be a klunk face.

Ari walked up to Newt and stood up to him.

"I believe I have a right to speak considering that this is partly about me. I have the time to present my case." She said

Newt sighed, "Fine, this place has lost all order, can't get much screwy."

A stood up on a platform,

"you guys have been here for a long time!"

"3 years, and your not out yet. that say's something!"

"We need to change things up! And maybe! just maybe! we can get out of this pile of klunk!"

Gally crossed his arms and raised one eyebrow.

"I doing what i feel is best for the Glade."

"Why so serious?" Aria asked

"I swear." she mumbled

She walked out feeling as if she could do anything.

She knew she could die at any moment but that didn't scare her at all anymore.

She walked into the map room.

Minho and Newt walked in.

"WHAT THE BLOODY H-" Newt had started to say.

"What was that!?!?" he spat

"I made it out the Maze alive! I was the first to do it!"

"I believe that I can give a motivational speech if i freaking feel like it!"

"You're still very much a Newbie, you're a green bean and nothing more!"

aria pulled the beeping thing out of her pack.

"I found this in the griever, it has an 7 flashing on it. I was in a section with 7 on it. That may be a clue." She said

aria placed her hands on her hips.

"You're the Shuckiest shuck-faced shuck there ever was, but you have a point." Minho said

"He get's it." Aria said

She placed her hands on her hips.

"But... One night in the Maze... and surviving. That's nearly impossible."

"Trust me on this, I got this."

Minho started chomping on a apple.

"I believe her." he said between bites,

pieces flew out from his mouth.

"Seal of approval." Aria smiled and shrugged

She walked away smiling.

Minho followed her.

Minho threw his apple into the woods.

"I can train you," Minho said

Aria turned around and grinned.

"Let's do this."

Minho set up a course.

"Ok, you gotta jump over thees barrels as Chuck throws some stale Moldy oranges at you." Minho explained.

"Why oranges!??!"

"For my own amusement don't ask!" Minho exclaimed

"GO!" Minho yelled

Aria jumped over the barrels dodging the oranges.

She ran up to 2 barrels stack on each other,

aria picked up on stepped and did a double front flip.

Aria landed on her feet and started running faster.

Aria tripped over barrel and fell on her face.

She rolled over in pain Minho stood over her.

"Now is not the time to pee your pants and cry for your mommy."

Aria chuckled.

"I hate you so much." She smiled

Minho helped Aria up.

"Thomas!" He yelled

"Your turn!"

Thomas ran and hurled over the Barrels.

aria sighed and walked away.

She walked pass newt as he worked in the Fields.

Him and Zart pulled at weeds.

"I'm sorry i left you, alone to work in the miserable heat." she said to Newt.

Newt pulled a weed.

"it's ok." He said

she helped Newt pull a weed.

"Little Shank is stuck." He said

"Bloody thing won't come up."

Newt pulled at it.

Ari yanked it hard the weed came up and she fell backwards.

Newt and Iris laughed.

She sat up and walked away.

She walked back to Minho.

"So, how's he doing."

Minho sighed.

"That Shuck Face is slow as a turtle."

"I'll throw some rotten apples at him, Gally was taking apples of a dead tree to create a new Tree house. Something he can sleep in. I guess." She suggested

"Go get the apples." Minho said

Iris ran over to Gally. He was standing on the floor of a New house he was setting up a wall.

"I need some rotten apples." She said.

"I told Frypan if he keeps using rotten stuff He's gonna kill someone." Gally said

Aria smiled.

"Minho needs them, we we're going to Chuck em' at Thomas."

Gally turned around instantly.

"You need them for what now?' he asked interested.

she grabbed the sack and walked away.

"I'll help!" Gally called out

Gally ran up to her and took the sack.

"Let me carry that for ya Princess." He said with a smile.

"That's a fake smile." Ari laughed

Gally skipped along, he was so cheery.

Just the thought of throwing apples at Thomas appealed to him.

Thomas hopped over Barrels and he saw gally throwing an Apple up and catching it.

ari stood between Gally and Minho.

"I'm coming for ya Tommy boy!" Gally yelled

Gally started throwing apples At Thomas. Every apple hit him.

"THIS ISN'T FAIR!" Thomas yelled.

"Why can't aria get Apples get lunched at her at High speed?" Thomas asked.

Gally wrapped his arm around Iris and held an apple in one hand.

"We need to respect the lady!" Gally yelled back.

and threw the apple.

"He's right, it's not fair." Iris laughed.

"I got this."

Aria stepped in front of the first barrel.

"GO!" Minho yelled

Aria leaped over the first barrel as Gally chucked apples at her.

One hit her leg.

she stumbled,

Aria got back up and jumped over the next hurdles.

She ran and did her front flip.

And apples flew in front of her face as she floated thrown mid air, the whole world seemed to slow down.

She stuck the landing and Summer saluted over a pool of crushed berries.

Aria grinned.

And kept running.

She finished.

aria walked over to Thomas.

aria smiled.

"Was that hard?" She asked

"I hate her so much." Thomas said aria walked around.

"I can here you!" She yelled.

The boys walked her walk. A Few Gladers whistled at her.

aria threw an apple at them.

"SORRY! I'M SORRY!" One of them yelled

"Umm humm." Iris growled

Marcus approached Iris.

"Hey green bean."

aria smiled "what's up?" She asked waiting for her response.

"I thought you hated gally." Marcus asked

"Yeah.. about that." aria started to say

"Oh, I gotta go."

Aria ran across the Glade to Newt.

She jumped on his back.

"hey Newtie Tootie" She laughed

"I aced my Runner training."

"First day!"

"Good job Shank," newt smiled

she ran away and back to Minho

"What do we do tomorrow?" She asked

"Same thing." minho said

Aria walked over to Gally.

He completed his tree house.

He was tying a cot in it.

"You're really good at your job." she smiled as she looked around, it was true. Gally was Amazing at building. Some say Gally was born with a tool belt.

Gally pulled on the cot to make sure it was strong enough..

"You're Amazing." she said as she pressed her hand on the smooth polished wood.

"And at first, you hated me. But now, you're. Being super kind to me."

Iris turned around.

"What changed?"

"Nothing." Gally groaned

she followed Gally out the door.

The night had passed.

The next morning she woke up just in time.

She saw Minho and Thomas run into the Maze.

Aria looked down at her,

She had on a blue denim button down shirt, Military skinny Cargo pants, and her canvas lace up Doc.Martens.

"This is good wear for running." Iris grinned.

She slipped on her pack and brought a few knives with her.

She followed them in, but she stayed far away.

Aria slipped into one corner.

She re traced her steps from the one night she spent in the Maze.

She found the crushed Griever.

aria pulled some spikes off of the arm and slipped them in her pack.

aria walked further.

"Oh my god." She cupped her hand over her mouth and circled around her worst nightmare.

A dead glader.

The blood was fresh. A note was tacked on his body.

aria gulped and pulled it off.

"You're not alone." The note read.

aria slipped that in her pack.

She bent down to look at the glader.

aria gagged.

She rubbed her hands together and kept walking.

aria looked around brushing her long brown curls out off her face.

"Everything's ok," She tried to tell herself.

The Maze was really eerie.

For sure, most of the day had passed.

By that time it was 12:00 pm.

Minho and Thomas arrived back in the Glade.

Newt, Gally, and Chuck waited for them.

"Have you seen aria ?" Newt asked

"Nope," Thomas said.

"We need to find her." Newt bit his nails.

He glanced up at Thomas.

"You don't think she went in the Maze,do you?"

Gally shoved his way Between Minho, Newt, and Thomas.

"Of course she did."

" teach her to follow the damn rules!" Gally yelled

Inside the Maze Iris was running back to the Glade, she heard little clicking noises behind her.

"What the H-"

Aria shrieked and started running. A Griever managed to track her.

The Griever roared as if blazed through the walls.

"HELP ME!" Iris yelled.

She felt the same way she did when she first arrived. Alone, afraid, And Naive. Ari tore her way through the Maze. Running for her life. Her life deepened on weather or not she could make it out in time.

Aria made her way to the doors.

She saw Newt, Minho, Thomas, Gally, and Chuck.

"HELP!!!" She screamed

They saw the Griever chasing her.

"Oh crap,"

"Get her out of that Bloody Maze!" Newt yelled

Newt ran up to aria with Gally.

The Maze doors started to close and shift, They all ran.

Iris, Newt and Gally jumped out of the Maze just in time.

"What where you thinking?!?!" Newt yelled

"Going in alone!"

Gally helped aria up.

"That's it, You're having it." Gally said he through Aria against the wall.

"You're getting a punishment." Gally said

He pushed Iris up against the wall.

"Understood?" he asked

"She's a runner!" Thomas yelled.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!" Gally yelled

He walked over to Thomas extending his arms and shoving him down.

"It's all YOUR fault where here! I saw YOU, YOU put US here!" Gally spat

He clenched his fist's and growled.

Aria grabbed a spike out of her pack and threw it up in the air.

"I'll find out my self!" She yelled

Without thinking Iris stabbed it into her leg.

She fell on the ground in pain.And started twitching.

She could see Thomas. Creating it. The Maze.

She saw a flashback of her family.

She saw herself in the tube.

She saw herself. Getting put in the box.

Suddenly she came out of that.

Minho had injected serum into her leg.

Aria's eyes dilated as she came back.

Gally lifted her up.

She leaned against him her legs where still wobbly.

"I saw him.." She sputtered.

Iris fell on the ground.

Coughing.

"I saw him."

She couldn't get the words out of her mouth.

Like, something was stopping her from speaking.

Aria fell to the ground in pain.

She rolled over and looked up.

Aria's eye's closed, and she blacked out.
The Next morning,

Aria found herself Surrounded by 2 Med-jackets, The bright sun blinded her.

"We're all going to die." Iris mumbled "We're all going to die."

ari laughed.

ari looked over at Gally and grinned. Showing her white teeth.

"Aren't we?"

Iris sat up.

ari smiled baring her teeth.

Newt was in a chair, he stepped away.

"Watch out, she's probably still recovering from the changing."

It was true. Aria had no clue what was wrong with her brain. Part of her was there and the other half, wasn't her. But something else, and opposite side.

Aria got up and walked up to Gally.

She smiled and tilted her head.

"What's wrong girly?"

"Cat got your tongue?"

"Seem's like you said that to me when I was New here?"

Ari shoved Gally out the door.

"Ari stop!"

Newt called out.

he held a knife to her back.

"A knife to the back,"

Iari turned around and her voice got deeper. And scarier.

"LIKE THAT WILL STOP ME!" She roared

ari kicked Newt backwards.

She stumbled.she kicked his hand that held the knife down and stepped on it.

She rammed her knee into Newt's stomach and kicked him in the head.

Newt fell on the ground.

Ari turned around to Gally.

She ran up to him,

ari jumped on Gally's back.

Gally threw her off and threw her on the ground.

ari jumped back up.

She drew knife and stabbed Gally in the shoulder.

he fell to his knee's and pulled it out.

ari kicked Gally in the head. She pinned him on the ground.

"We're all going to die, we're all going to die, we're all going to die." She chanted.

Gally flipped ari over.

Now he had her pinned on the ground.

Gally injected Aria with the serum once more.

Her eyes changed back to their color.

"What the H-" she sputtered.

Her voice shook.

"What's wrong, Why do I feel like I was hit by a truck."

Aria put her Hand on Gally's head.

"What happened to you?"

"Argue with Minho again?"

"GALLY!" Jeff yelled

"COME HERE!"

Aria got up, she saw newt laying on the ground.

She ran over as fast as she could.

"Oh my god."

Aria knelled next to Newt.

"What happened to him?"

Jeff sighed "You did this to him."

Aria gasped tear spilled from her eyes.

"It feels like something was inside of me, I would of NEVER done that to him."

Aria rubbed her hand on Newt's cheek

"Please." She cried

"Wake up."

Newt's eye's flickered.

He rubbed his head.

"What happened?" He asked.

Aria helped him up and said "I'll fill ya in later."

"I need to speak with you and Minho." Iris said, She and Newt walked to the Map room, where Minho stood at the door.

"I have important News." Iris said she shut the door behind her.

"I found a dead Glader. In the Maze, with this note." aria handed the note over to Newt.

"You're Not alone." Newt read aloud, "You're not- what? What the Bloody hell dose that mean?" Newt shook his head and handed the note to Minho.

"I don't think the Grievers are the problem, not the real one at least."

"They're just an Obstacle, And obstacle to the Real Problem, something else is going on here,"

Aria walked in the circle, she placed her hands on her hips.

"I think who put us here is the true problem."

Aria looked over at the door, she saw a shiny light. She walked over to it.

"Beetle Blade," She said

Aria lifted her foot up and then crushed the beetle. She walked out the Map room and looked around.She knew that they were trapped there.

aria ran up to her new room. She climbed up the ladder.

Gally walked up to her,

"How come a Greenie much like yourself can survive a night in the Maze?" Gally huffed

"I don't know, I really don't." she sighed, She looked up at Gally.

she walked away She ran out into the Fields where Newt still worked.

"How do you not go nuts over always being in the Fields?" Aria giggled.

"I don't know, I just.. Try not to think about it?"

aria put her hair up an adjusted her Runners pack.

"Go get some fertilizer." Newt handed Iris a bucket.

Last time he ordered that. Iris was attacked by Ben.

she ran into the Woods. as she walked through the thick timber, she passed the Graves. Aria squatted down and read one.

"He jumped down the box an-"

before she knew it, Aria was pushed over the grave,

She fell into some gravel.

"Son of a Shank." She moaned.

Iris got on one knee and looked up. She saw Peter, but his eyes were Green.

Iris stumbled back, Peter chased her, he yelled out. Screaming.

Aria ran as fast as she could, she stopped and threw the bucket at him.

"I thought he was banished!" She screamed inside her head.

Peter tackled he and pinned her on the ground. He bit her arm and iris shirked in pain.

"HELP ME!" She screamed, tears spilled from her bloodshot eyes.

Aria shoved him on the ground and ran out to the Glade.

She tripped over a few rocks and fell onto the ground.

Peter chased after her and pulled her leg.

"HELP!" Iris cried.

Over in the Fields. Newt and Zart looked over,

"COME ON!" Newt yelled, he grabbed a shovel.

"GALLY! MINHO!" He yelled

Gally and Minho came bursting from the food shack.

They all ran together, While Iris kicked and fought Peter away from her.

Newt hit Peter with the Shovel and knocked him away from Aria.

"DIE!!" he yelled

Alby came flying out of homestead

"NO!" Peter yelled "Alby please.." he begged, Peter was thin and pale.

He tried to get up and attack Aria . "EVERYONE HOLD HIM DOWN!" Alby yelled

Gally held down Peter, with Minho, Alby, Newt, Frypan, and Zart

"Calm down Peter." Gally yelled

"Calm yourself!" Newt yelled

Peter growled at them Baring his teeth.

"Lift him!" Newt commanded

Gally, Minho Frypan, ably, and the others carried Peter away.

Aria and Newt walked out together, They watched the Maze doors close, Newt sighed "Curse those bloody walls." he murmured

The next day was the worst for weather,

It was extremely hot. It seemed like the hottest day in the Glade to honest, Aria was basically a walking puddle. She didn’t seem to notice how much she sweated, but one could assume it was pretty bad if people were looking at her the way they as she walked by.

What are they all staring at?

They’ve seen a girl before, clearly. Iris weren’t some new toy or anything, though they were looking at her the way they did when she came. Gally was only a few yards away talking to his builders aria walked up to him.

When he saw you he sent them away. That was always something she loved about him. He’d always talk to her.

"Gally!" She called him.

"ARIA!!" He mocked. "What can I… What can I do for you?" He asked, looking at her strange.

"Don’t look at me like that. Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

"Maybe because we can all see through your shirt." He whispered regretfully. her eye's got wide eyes before you looked down at your shirt, he was right.

"Oh my god!" She yelled. It was almost dinner time… Had she been walking around like this all day?

"Yeah, sorry. I wish I wasn’t the one to tell ya , You should go change." He said, ushering her away.

Aria ran over to the homestead, she slipped off her Denim shirt and pulled on a black tank top. She pulled her brown curls up into a ponytail and looked down making sure she was ok. Aria ran back out into the Glade, she walked over to a pond and splashed her face off. Aria stared into the pond at her reflection.

Marcus came up behind her and sat next to her. Aria looked over at him, "I remember when you first came in the box." He said, "I never thought you would turn out to be Gally's minion."

"I'm not his minion." Aria answered in a quite tone.

"He's just nice to me," She added, She sat there staring in the pond.

that night he moonlight shining on the whole Glade was eerie, the Moon seemed to have an evil grin as it stared down at everyone. The rumbling of the maze made her tense she passed the sleeping boys.

A of whimper of fear escaped through the Glade, aria turned around to see Gally on the ground.

He was shirtless; his back completely ridden in sweat and his breathing was loud and labored; not even noticing her. ari just stood there with a weird look on her face.

His head lowered in shame. She could see the muscles on his back arch as he stretched.

"Gally?" ari whispered. Gally’s head whipped around and she hesitantly stood next to him.

"Greenie." His previously weakened and afraid look disappeared. "What are you doing up?"

"I heard you. Your nightmares sound awful Gal."

"I don’t have nightmares."

Sighing, Iris looked up at him. “What are they about?” She placed a hand on his cheek “Come on Gal.”

His head dropped, closer to the warmth of her hand.“Everything,”

“We’re trapped here Girly.” He said

He sat down and as Aria turned to walk away.

“Get some sleep.” She sighed.

she crawled into her cot. She groaned and rubbed her hands through her hair.

she sighed and rolled her self up in the Blanket she had.

Aria shut her eyes and caught a vision of The Maze, of Peter, Ben, and everything.

aria tossed and turned, Nightmares plagued her minds. Aria groaned, she saw herself, Back in the hospital with her cut up arm, the cuts now healed and scared. She could here her deep breaths whisking through the air.

Aria sat up and looked around, she could hear some of the boy's snoring. She could hear Gally's mumble's . . He tossed and turned, groaning and whining. Aria placed her hand on his shoulder softly. His shirt was back on a full of sweat and dirt. Gally jumped and flicked his eyes open seeing her "You're ok." She whispered. Gally shook his head, and sat up, "Why are you here Greenie?" He asked.

"I'm going to take care of you," Aria whispered

"It's a long shot, but I remember, A song. My mother use to sing to me. When i had nightmares." Ari sighed

Gally watched her with the most unhappy look on his face.

Ari sat next to Gally, She brushed her fingers through his hair.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when you awake, the sun will rise." Iris sang gently", Gally closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you."

Gally feel asleep, Aria kissed his forehead.

"Good night douche bag." She smiled

She walked back into her cot, she laid down and looked up at the sky.

"I love you mom," She whispered streams of tears crept down her face.

The next day Aria woke up early, she threw her hair up into a side braid. She grabbed her Blue denim button down shirt and put it on, she rolled her selves up to her elbows. Her shirt was very similar to Minho's.

Today, the would go into The Maze. Iris was a runner, they say. She wasn't even sure if she was. Gally hated that Thomas and Her were Runners. she looked over at Gally's cot, which was all straightened out now.

Aria walked down to breakfast, she sat next to Thomas and Newt, Iris piled on a bunch of Bacon.

"Aye there Greenie," Newt laughed "Ya think you got enough of that Bloody bacon?" he laughed

Thomas scooped up some eggs and scarfed them down.

"Gally's still a bit of a jerk." she mumbled

"Gally's just a big Grumpy teddy bear." Newt laughed into his mug

"Yeah." Chuck giggled

Aria cleaned off her plate and set it back down.

"So where is the grumpy teddy bear?" She laughed

Chuck shrugged

"He's just an A-"

Aria glared at Thomas.

She shook her head and looked over at Minho,

"Will we go in The Maze today?" She asked him.

"Yeah." Minho said as he walked away

Aria saw Gally stomping into the homestead and sped past Frypan over to Thomas, He sat down next to him and glared at him, Aria stood next to Newt,

Minho walked over to Aria and Thomas, he nodded at them.

Aria and Thomas walked over with Minho,

"Meet me with the woods in half and hour, he said

Aria and Thomas nodded.

"Hey Gally," Aria said approaching Gally with his builders, "For a small part of the day, Can I hang out with you and the builders?" Aria asked.

One builder smoothed his hair back, "Absolutely honey pot." the boy grinned

A few of the boys clapped and whistled. "Ya know what, I really need to go and help Newt and Zart today in the fields." She said walking away.

Gally looked over at the Builders and shook his head "What's your guy's problem?" He asked

One boy sighed and looked over at Gally. "She's just so hot." he said, other boys nodded in agreement.

They watched as Aria and Newt walked over to the fields together laughing, and smiling. Aria laughed

"I always use to hang out with you for my first 2 weeks or so." She laughed

"Yeah what happened to that?" Newt shoved Aria playfully. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, he smiled at her "I guess I just started to get attached to that thing." Aria said pointing to Gally.

Gally was back near the homestead where the Med-jackets hung out. Thomas was at the edge of the woods, he gestured for Aria.

"I gotta go." Aria said letting go of Newt.

She and Thomas ran to find Minho, they found him in the waiting in the woods, he was with Zart, Winston, Frypan, and Chuck.

"I figured if were going to bring back some Griever parts to the Glade, were going to need some extra help, will this work?" Minho asked

Aria shook her head yes and looked over at Thomas "Let's do this." She grinned

Aria and the others ran up to the doors, "It's time." Thomas smiled the all ran into the Maze with excitement Aria turned around to see Chuck still at the doors.

"HEY GUYS WAIT UP!" She yelled the boys turned around and stopped "Chuck, what's wrong?"Thomas asked

"I-i-i-i.." Chuck stuttered

"You don't need to go," Aria said placing her hand on chuck's shoulder

"be the look out, make sure they don't find out we left." Aria hugged Chuck and ran back into the Maze.

"Let's go guys!" Minho cheered as the turned corner after corner, the found their way to the crushed Griever.

"It looks old, and moldy." Frypan stated as he bent down to look inside.

Aria stepped up to the Griever, "whoa." She gasped as she almost slipped on some goo, Minho grabbed her in time helped her regain her balance "Thanks Minho." She said. Aria stepped closer and looked in between the doors

"That's disgusting," She heard Zart say

"well ya don't say?" Minho snorted

"There's something else in there." Aria smiled, peering as hard as she could through the walls she saw a tiny red light. Minho stepped in front of her and looked in, "She's right." He smiled.

Minho reached his arm into the Griever, his facile expression changed, he looks disgusted. The other boys gagged in disgust, He pulled out a part of the Griever that had a metal part in it, Minho grabbed the end of it and pulled it out, he flung some on the ground, the boys gagged, the device looked like a tracker, they didn't know what it was.

"That's cool and all." Frypan started to say, "But I don't wanna meet this guys friends, can we get back to the Glade?"

"He's right," Minho stated "It's getting late."

Minho slipped the device into his pack and they set off to leave the maze.

Aria and the others ran out the Maze, chuck stopped them

"Hey guys!" He yelled

"what's going on chuck?" Thomas asked

"Gally found out you guys left, he called a keepers meeting, he's in the council hall." Minho started running to the Council Hall inside gally gave his speech to Newt.

"He's completely abandoned our rules." Gally huffed "we need to do something out Thomas."

Minho busted down the door. The others followed him, Gally smirked "Have fun on your... *Field trip?"* He growled

"You called a keepers meeting without us!?!?" Minho yelled

"Last time I checked, Greenie here and *Thomas* weren't keepers, ya mind leaving?"

"THEY STAY!" Minho yelled, Aria put her hand on Minho's shoulder "Calm down."

Aria walked up to Gally he looked down at her with the most unpleasant frown.

"At least we made a move." She snarled

Gally and Aria got closer to each other, Aria's chest touched Gally's as she stared him down, giving him the evil eye, she glared at him. Gally shoved her back, "wow," he said shaking his head.

Gally backed a step away and pointed at Aria and Thomas "These Shanks need to be punished."

Gally grinned at Aria, "especially you."

"Me?!?!" Aria yelled, Gally shoved Aria "YOU'RE NOT EVEN A RUNNER YET!" He yelled.

Newt sighed "Gallys, right, you aren't a runner yet." Newt walked over to Aria and the others "We can't have no runners running around The Maze like a bunch of Shanks."

"One night in the slammer, and no food."

"One night!?!?!" Gally yelled "One night?"

"You think that's going to stop her?" Gally shook his head and walked preprocessed to walk. Aria pulled him back, "Wait a second."

"And starting tomorrow you become an actual Runner, no more training, for real this time."

"Throw her in the parade if you want, After all I can't stop you, But she's not ready, She's gonna get hurt! She could get stung!" Gally proposed.

"That's a risk I can take," Aria said

Gally glared over at Aria and walked out slamming the door behind him.

Aria turned around and hugged Newt "Thanks Newt." She smiled

"No problem Greenie."

Newt walked out he turned around and looked at Thomas and Aria "I want you two Shanks to come with me."

"Where are we going?" Aria asked

"Ol' Alby's gotta get some Shuck's to visit him sometime." Newt shrugged pushing open the door.

Clint and Jeff sat on a bench eating ham sandwich's, Jeff looked up and waved "Yo Newt." He mumbled between bites.

"Has he gotten any better?" Newt asked

"No," Clint frowned "I'm afraid not, He's only gotten worse, and it's gonna get worse." he explained

"What do you purpose we do?" Newt asked

Jeff looked up and sighed "We may have to banish him," He said

"What!?!" Newt yelled

"No, we.... We... We just can't." Newt frowned and crossed him arms "You need to find a solution and fast." he ordered.

Newt walked out, Aria and Thomas stood together in the doorway looking at each other.

"We better get some lunch." Aria whispered she patted Thomas on the shoulder and walked away.

Aria through the door open and walked up to Gally. "What's you Problem?" She asked pulling him aside.

"He's up to something!" Gally explained, Aria shook her head "That doesn't mean to get to act like a douchebag." Aria shook her head once more and looked up at Gally. "I want to like you," She grinned "But you make it sooo hard." Aria smiled and patted Gally on his cheek. Aria walked away up to the line got her food and sat on a log, Gally followed her she glared over at him, "What do you want?" She asked

"Just to spend some time with my buddy." He grinned as he wrapped his arm around Aria's shoulders. Aria shook her head and looked back over at Gally "Sure."

Gally smiled at her, Aria couldn't help but smile back. "So, the builders think I'm hot?" She laughed

"A lot of Shanks do." Gally let out a long sigh. They ate as they stared out at the Doors.

"You gotta wonder how those walls were built." Aria said between bites.

"I dunno know." Gally responded

Aria got up and laid her plate on a table and headed back over to Gally. "What are you and builders doing today?" She asked Gally rubbed his neck and thought for a moment "A Few repairs to council hall."

"Just patching stuff up."

"I'd like to help," Aria said, Gally looked at her Funny "Are ya sure? Cuz those guys will flirt with you and everything else."

Aria smiled at Gally "I'll stay with you." Aria hugged Gally tightly They made their way across the Glade when Gally spoke up and said "I loved that fact that you sung that nice song to me last night."

"You have a pretty voice." he added, she blushed and said "And you're a not such a bad guy, even though you hate you know who."

Aria stopped and looked at Gally "I get you paranoid," Aria let out and deep sigh and looked up into Gally's eyes

"You just need to stay positive."

"Now," She paused

"Give me a piggy back ride ya shank!" She laughed, Gally smiled at her and squatted down so she could hop on his back, Aria laughed as Gally carried her to the Council hall, she hopped off his back at the door, "Stay with me." He ordered

"Ok." Aria and Gally walked into the Council, all of the builders stood silent and staring "What ya looking at shanks?" Gally asked

"Get back to work!" Aria yelled

"So what can I do?" She asked "Stick with me" Gally said

He looked at some wood and bricks that set in a corner "We're making a new row back there." gally pointed to the very back near the door.

"We need some new seats, and were going to make the structure out of Tree branches and the seats will be those bricks as soon as they get smoothed down." He explained

Aria and Gally walked together to the back, The completed the back row in no time, The rest of the builders straightened things out. Aria sat with Gally in the back, "What ya thinking about?" Aria asked Gally

"nothing." He answered, Aria leaned against Gally, He wrapped his arm around her. Aria leaned over and kissed his cheek. Gally looked over at her in amazement "What was that for?" He asked. A few of the builders saw, their mouths were hung open in disbelief, Aria smiled at them then at Gally "I dunno." She said. Newt opened the door and looked around "Not bad Shanks, and Lady." He said grinning at Aria, she got up and hugged him, "You're gonna have a long night Green bean." He said

"Nights in the slammer are awful."

"I can handle the pit." She smiled. Newt looked around at the builders "What's going on?" He asked "You guys look like ya saw a Bloody ghost."

Aria pulled Newt aside "Is it any different than their causal dopey look?" She laughed. Newt looked around and shook his head "It's all the same I suppose."

Newt walked down to the center of the Hall with Gally. Aria stood by the door knowingly the door crept open. She felt 2 sets of strong hands pull her back,

"HELP ME!" She screamed. Aria pulled and kicked, she was drug out of the Council Hall into the Glade. She couldn't see the Gladers or get free, she was stuck. Aria was taken into the woods and threw on the ground. She tried to get up and stab the Gladers put she was hit back down and her knives thrown out into the woods. She heard 2 boys snicker. "What's wrong?" one laughed "Ya defenseless?"

Aria spit on the ground and looked up, She saw a slicer Finn, and Marcus. "Didn't Gally teach yo how to fight?" Marcus snickered.

In the Glade Newt and Gally ran around looking for Aria

"ARIA!" Newt yelled Aria could hear him from the woods.

Gally ran into the Map room and found Minho. "Aria's was taken away bye two Gladers." He said. Minho ran out the Map room, the 3 ran around.

"They can't find you now," Finn laughed

"Finn," Aria mumbled "Why are you doing this?"

"Peter was my friend!" Aria yelled "You're the reason why he's dead!" Finn kicked Aria in her stomach.

Aria yelped in pain.She took a deep breath and yelled "GALLY!!!!!!" at the top of her lungs.

The Boys came bursting into the woods.

"Finn?" Newt asked

"Marcus.."Minho growled

"She's the reason peters dead!" Finn cried

Finn grabbed Aria and held her knife to her throat.

"Don't touch her." Gally said pulling a knife at Finn "You dare to hurt her and it's all over for you." tears dripped from Finn's eyes. "Move now." Minho ordered Shoving Marcus back to the Glade "You're a slopper join chuck."

"Finn, let her go!" Gally yelled.

"no." Finn cried, He threw Aria on the ground, and ran away, Aria picked up a knife and chased him.

"NO!" Aria heard Newt yelled, Aria just ran faster, not looking back, she ran fast. Faster than ever before, she hurled the knife at Finn, cutting him in the back, Aria caught up to him and jumped on his back, knocking him over on the ground. Gally caught up to her, "What was that for?!?!" He yelled

"I got him, didn't I?" She asked

"That's not the point," Gally murmured, Aria just rolled her eyes, "I can take care of myself." She sighed

Gally threw Finn against a tree and stared him down "Your facing time in the slammer," He growled

Finn's brace's gleamed in the sun light, "PETER WAS MY FRIEND!" Finn cried against the tree, Newt caught up to them in time, he looked at Finn with a cold tone "2 days in the pit." He growled

Aria watched Minho and Newt drag Finn away, she stood alone with Gally. Aria let out a relived sigh, she walked up to Gally an stared at the muddy ground, crossing her feet. "I feel sorry for Finn," She said

"He's a good kid," Gally just furrowed his eyebrows "He *was* a good kid."

"You don't feel sorry for him?" Aria asked

"He's a Shank," Gally rolled his eyes. He just walked away, Aria stuck her tongue out at him as he walked away, Aria looked around and realized she was stuck in the woods, alone.

"Hey wait up!" Aria called out to Gally, catching up to him. Gally turned around seeing Aria trying to catch up

"Slow down, I have little legs." She mumbled as she caught her breath, Gally chuckled at her, "You ok?" He asked, Aria dropped to her knee's and raised a thumbs up. Gally reached down and picked her up, "Let's get back to the Glade," He said as he lifted her away, Gally threw Aria down on the ground, as he walked away, Aria sat up and looked over at Newt, talking to Jeff, she stood up and walked over to Newt, "How's Alby?" She asked

"Jeff say's we can visit him in an hour," Newt explained looking up at the doors, "It's starting to get dark, you'll be in the pit in a few, Gally will come to get you when it's time," He "smiled". Aria felt bad for Newt, Alby was his long time friend, and knowing that Alby could be dying Killed Newt, Aria saw it. Newt was always kind, and cheery.Aria could picture the nightmare of Alby finding Newt in the Maze, after Newt tried to kill himself, Aria reached up and hugged Newt, she leaned back and rubbed her thumb on his cheek, "Alby's going to be okay." She smiled, Aria kissed Newt on his cheek, "Can I tell you something?" She whispered to him. Newt shook his head in approval

"When I kiss you on the cheek, it means you my friend. And you Newt, are the greatest friend I have ever had, And the Greatest to Alby too." Aria hugged Newt, as tears crept down his cheek's "You're okay." She said as she stroked the back of Newt's neck.

"Go and report to The blood house," Newt sighed "Winston needs to speak with you,"

Aria walked away over to The Blood House, she walked inside, Chickens ran around clucking, as piglets rolled in mud. Aria walked over to Winston who stood playing with a baby goat, "Meet Carl," Winston said to her, he lifted the goat up to Aria, "Hi Carl!" She laughed, petting the goats little head, "Newt said you needed to speak to me," She said

"Oh yeah...." Winston remembered "What happened with Finn?" he asked

"He's just upset, and over reacted, Gally thinks he's just crazy."

Winston laughed "Gally's the crazy one,"

"Who's crazy?" a Voice asked behind Aria. It was Gally...

Aria whipped around and stuttered "um-uh-um-" She just laughed and smiled "How amazing your designs are, You're very good with your hands," Aria put her hand on Gally's bicep and squeezed it "You're very muscular," Gally pulled his arm away and crossed his arms, "Newt say's it's time to visit Alby, so go ahead," Gally said

Aria just walked out, looking back at Gally, she went into the dark room, standing next to Newt and Thomas "Has he gotten better?" Aria whispered to Newt "He's making progress."

"Well..." Thomas said "we need to figure out what to do with The tracker thing we found, I think-"

"That it's used to track when each section opens?" Aria asked. Thomas just stared at her in amazement, "Me too." She finished. Aria bit her nails, Alby laid on the bed knocked out, "he going to be ok." Jeff said standing up, Newt let out a long sigh, Aria put her hand on his shoulder "He's going to be okay." She smiled, the door opened but no one bother to look behind them, "Sun down Greenie."

Aria turned around, Gally stood with a torch "You're gonna need some sleep," Newt smiled "Go with Gally,"

Gally held the door open, waiting for Aria, he held the door as she walked out, Gally closed the door and started walking to the pit. "Sometimes I wonder," Aria sighed "Why you hate me so much,"

Gally shook his head "I don't hate you," He said, Aria glared at him in disbelief, "umm humm," Gally squatted down and unlocked the pit, by that time Finn was out, Aria shivered, it was chilly out "Gally," she whispered. Gally looked over his shoulder at her, Aria sat down next to him "You realize we can't stay here forever,"

"Right?", Gally set his torch in the Sconce, not paying attention, He opened the pit down and shoved Aria in, she poked her hands through the bars as Gally tied a knot locking the pit, Aria smiled at him "Gally," She said

"Do you ever wonder about your family?"

Gally sighed and sat down, "No not really, I'd like to know who they are... or were."

"I may never know," he frowned. Aria sat up and leaned against a wall in the pit "I remember something... I had brother,"

"Sometimes I wonder if they miss me, I can't really miss them, because i can't remember them. But, I keep telling myself things that I'd like to believe they are. That they love me... and want me to come home," Aria pulled her bangs back, a few tears escaped her eyes, "This isn't our home Gally," She cried, Aria shivered, she looked up at gally with her now blood shot eyes "Those monsters took us from our families, Why would they do that?"

"I don't know..." Gally whispered he got up and left Aria alone. In the dark, she leaned up against a wall, closing her eyes as she took deep breaths.

*Her eyes flickered open, to a bright light. She looked up expecting to see Chuck or another Glader but it wasn't. It was a girl, that looked exactly like her, but the girl had eerie yellow eyes, that gleamed in the light, like a monster's or the eyes of a wolf, with it's lips curled baring it shiny bright teeth, "Wakey Wakey Ari." The girl cheered. The Girl grabbed Aria and threw her on the ground, "You-y-y-y-y-y-"*

*"Look like you?" The girl laughed "Honey, I am you." She grinned her yellow eyes gleamed in the pale light. Aria stumbled up, she ran as fast as she could away from Her clone. Aria turned back around checking for the clone but she was gone,*

*"thud." Aria was dragged onto the ground, she looked up to see the clone, laughing at her and baring her teeth. The girl laughed in a low deep laugh*

*"Ther-e--e--e-e is no- **ESCAPE**!" the girl stuttered, she seemed to glitch, in and out like a hologram. Aria's heart pounded, she kicked the clone back. she kicked her clone backwards she ran into the woods screaming "HELP ME!"*

*She stopped at a tree, trying to catch her breath, she looked around, she could here herself breath, she closed her eyes tight,and opened them, she watched as he breath wisped through the clod breeze, she shivered and lifted her hands up, looking at her fingers, red and bruised, encased in gleaming frost. Aria heard her heart beat*

*"Thud."*

*"Thud."*

*"Thud, Thud, Thud, Thud." Aria's heart raced as she looked around the Glade,*

*It was abandoned and set to ashes.*

*"oh my god..." The once green Glade was a waste land, ruined by fire and chilled by the harsh wind, it was a frozen ghost town. Aria looked down at her feet, her boots covered in snow, it had to be like 5 inches at least. she walked around the Glade, making her way to council hall. Aria took a deep breath before opening the door, she looked down at her feet and pushed the door open,*

*Aria let out a blood curling scream, falling back in the snow, she pulled herself away from the building, The Gladers.....*

*all of their corpse's lay all over the Glade.*

Aria's eyes opened, she pushed herself against a wall, she realized she was safe, still in the pit. Aria reached threw her pockets looking for a knife, she found one and cut the rope that tied to door shut. She let herself out and looked around for the Gladers, the sky was... unusual. It was gray, like a big ceiling. All of the boys gathered around the box, Aria ran over to them "Minho, what's going on?" she asked

"Something's wrong.." He mumbled

Aria stepped down on the platform next to Gally, The cool wind brushed through the Glade, everyone stared up at the gray sky. "something's wrong." He said. Newt came up behind Aria and tapped her on her shoulder "No Runner's going into that Maze today," Newt sighed

"WHAT!?!"

"WHY?!" Aria fussed. Newt crossed his arms and arched his brow "Safety reasons."

"I can very damn well take care of myself!" Aria yelled

"Ari," Frypan said as he stepped into the middle of the top of the box. "How can i put this?" He asked him self.

"To us," Fry sighed "Your like a little precious delicate Water lily,"

"And, we, have and are trying to keep you safe, so you stay well and Beautiful."

Aria smiled "Thanks Fry." She said leaning over to hug him, "What can i do?" Aria asked

"You can help me, we're setting up blankets and pillows for everyone inside the homestead, People will sleep on the 3 separate floors, just for safety reasons."

"Ok," Aria responded.

That day the gray sky seemed to cast a large shadow over the Glade. Aria and Gally threw pillows and blankets around, "A few keepers are staying on each level of the homestead,"

"Level one is Alby and Winston,"

"Second, is Me, Newt, and Minho."

"Third, is Zart, Frypan and Clint."

"Newt wants you on the second level with us," Gally explained as he walked up the crooked steps to level 2.

Gally threw down Aria's blanket and pillow Near window "You'll sleep between me and Newt, It'll be a bit crowded since there's a lot of us in these small floors."

"You okay with that?" He asked

"Yep," Aria answered,

"Okay..."

Gally ran up the steps to level 3, when he was gone Aria walked over to the window, she peered out, she gazed at The Maze, she could barely see through the darkness of the Glade, by that time the Gladers had a fire built. She heard Gally's foot steps come down the stairs

"Ok Greenie, we're done." he said, Aria didn't listen she just stayed at the window. She watched Winston as he got all of the animals locked in the barn. "What ya looking at?" He asked walking over to the window,

"This makes no since, why the sky is so dark and grey, it's only 7 in the morning." Aria turned around and faced Gally, he just shook his head "Something's just weird..."

They left the inside of the homestead and reported back to the kitchen, Frypan was boxing up fruits and vegetables.

"Hey Fry." Aria smiled

"Hey there Ree-Ree." Frypan answered, Chuck walked up to the table as well, he was smiling and cheery, "I gave him an orange slice," Fry smiled

"Poor boy never had and orange before..." Frypan walked into the back of the food shack and continued to work.

"Oranges are amazing!" Chuck cheered as he jumped up and down. Aria couldn't help to laugh and smile, she loved Chuck. He was like her little brother.

"I know right? I love oranges too." Aria looked up at Gally, he just leaned against the table with no particular expression.

"What's on your mind?" Ari asked him. Gally tapped the old wooden counter top and bit his lip "Well.. I mean, Nothing really,"

Unexpectedly Chuck came up to Aria and hugged her "Aria, you're so nice to me, You're like my big sister!"

Aria squeezed Chuck back "I would be proud to be your big sister," She grinned

Gally was just not paying attention and biting his nails Aria leaned down and whispered his chuck's ear "Gally loves hugs too, You should give him one." she winked, Chuck gave her a thumbs up and walked in front of Gally. Chuck hugged him tight, alarming Gally at once, Gally looked down to see Chuck holding on to him.

Aria elbowed Gally in his side "Hug him back *or else*!" She hissed. Gally quickly leaned down and hugged Chuck back. Chuck let go and skipped off to the lookout tree, Thomas sat on the stairs eating an apple.

Hours passed, things in The Glade were still... off.

That Night the Gladers surrounded themselves by the fire, cuddling up to each other trying to keep warm, "It's so cold out here." Aria said as she shivered, Newt just stared into the fire. Aria let out a long sigh. "It's be a long day greenie," Newt finally said.

"Been a klunk of a day, eh?"

"Yep," Aria responded

"Yes it has." Aria took a bite of the crisp lean fish Frypan served that night. It melted in your mouth as swiftly as water vapor.

Suddenly a blood curling scream rang out in the Glade. All of the Gladers jumped,

Alby stood up around everyone and yelled "THAT'S IT! WRAP IT UP FOR THE NIGHT!"

"GET TO THE HOMESTEAD **NOW**, STAY WITH THE KEEPERS AT ALL TIMES!"

The keepers struggled to get the Gladers to the homestead. Aria got trampled over as she struggled to Find Newt, Minho, And Gally. Aria pushed her way through the boys and found Gally directing people to the Homestead. Aria yelled his name, he looked around and saw her, Aria grabbed his arm and stayed next to him.

Everyone made it inside, Aria lay underneath a big blanket, placing her head on a big pillow, A few of the boys sat up and chatted. Aria just looked around, she pushed the hair out off her face, Newt came next to her grabbed his blanket and laid down, he tucked himself in nice and tight. "Strange day Greenie." He said

Newt looked behind Aria "Gally's already practically asleep." Aria smiled at Gally behind her, She put her hand against his warm face, Aria smiled down at him "He's grown to be Sweeter," She said

Gally's eye flicked open "Hey what's going on?" He mumbled rubbing his eyes, looking around the darkness. It was really dark in the Glade, a bit of moonlight shone in the Homestead, Aria could only really see the outline of Gally and Newt's figures. Aria looked across the room, she saw a tall figure Standing up

"Must be Minho." She thought

He was biting his nails, "This whole grey eerie sky thing has Minho all out of wack." Gally said

Aria lay on the ground, and pulled the blanket up to her face, Her pillow was all messed up, and her blanket was a big brown old rag. Aria rolled over and lay on the right side, facing Gally. Gally lay down too, his blanket was much larger, he face Aria as well, "We've got to find out way out here Gally," Aria whispered

Gally wrapped his arms around Aria and pulled her closer, "Maybe," He said

"Maybe not." Aria put her head on his chest, he was pretty warm. Compared to the coolness of The Glade, Aria smiled up at Gally, Suddenly Jack farted really loud Everyone started gagging and coughing.

"JACK!" Aria yelled

"Man, why would you do that?" A Glader said

"That's just raw."

"You're gross."

"Nice one." Frypan laughed

Eventually everyone fell asleep, Aria still was cuddled by Gally,

It was around 1:00 am when her eyes opened once more, It was still insanely dark outside. Aria on her left she faced Newt, he was sound asleep. And didn't make a single noise. Aria tried to pull Gally's arm off of her but he had a death grip on her. She closed her eyes... and saw Images, They were quick and faint. She saw a file hanging on a wall that read Aria Berglund, Subject A13, she saw herself in the Desert Her and Minho, walking along. Leading a group.

She woke up breathing heavily. In fear, she had no idea where those nightmares came from. Aria just shook her head and closed her eyes.

The next morning everything was back to normal. It was cool and peaceful in The Glade. Aria could feel someone poking her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see Minho looking down at her Gally and Newt were gone, "Get up sleepy." Minho laughed, Aria rolled over and grunted

"ok Greenie," Minho sighed

"You can sit this one out."

Aria sat up at once and saluted Minho "YES SIR!" she yelled, Minho just laughed at her, they both were quick on their feet to get down to breakfast. As they walked Aria pulled her hair over to the side, it was curly mess. all of The Gladers waved to her.

Aria smiled and waved back to them, Newt and Thomas. "big day for ya Greenie," Newt smiled, "Good morning Newt," Aria said.

Gally walked up behind Aria munching down on an apple "Hey there Girly." He said between bites. "Good morning Gally,"

Minho pulled Ari to the side and whispered in her ear "Today we're going to scope out most of what's open in the Maze."

"Sound's like a plan." Ari whispered back.

Minho nodded.

"WAIT WAIT!" Frypan yelled

"Aria isn't going in that blasted Maze!"

"Jeez oh Pete," Frypan sighed

"Let her stay a day in The Glade, please?" Minho just rolled his eyes and bit his finger nails debating on what to do.

"No can do," Minho responded

"Now we gotta go,"

Aria smiled at Minho and followed him to the doors, "Ok, so Today's the day!" Thomas whooped. They turned a corner leaving The Glade, The Maze stunk, it smelled like armpit's and Griever. Minho checked his surrounds and slowed down to a steady walk "I know we normally run, but today we may have time to spare."

Aria looked over at Thomas, and then..

Everything.

went.

### **Black**.

Aria woke up to the sound of voices,

"She's awake!" She heard Gally gasp.

Aria looked around and realized she wasn't wearing a shirt, a big bundle of wrap was placed across her stomach, she felt weird. Not to mention embarrassed she was in a room of boys with her bra on. "What happened?" Aria asked.

"A Griever came out of nowhere and stung ya love." Newt explained

"Did I go through the Changing?" She asked

"No, oddly." Thomas answered, Thomas gulped "You just... Blacked out."

"That's a little strange, isn't it?" Aria asked

"It's a lot strange, never happened before." Gally said, as he sat down next to her handing Aria her shirt "You might wanna put that on."

Aria slid the shirt on and looked over at Gally "You're not a Med-jacket, how would you know?" She asked

"*I may not be a Med-jacket*, but i do know that this is a strange." Jeff popped out from the corner holding a bucket of water "He's right, I've never seen anything like it,"

Newt shook his head in agreement, "He's right." Newt sighed

"We can't have her going back out in that Maze knowing that this could happen again, or her wound could get infected."

"For now on, someone watches her and makes her stay in The Glade, no more Maze time."

"WHAT!?" Aria yelled

"NO!"

"I can take care of this, i can mange myself!" She fussed. "That's true," Gally answered, "but we're looking out for ya."

Aria gave him a death glare, all see could hear was Gally gulp "Ok then...." Jeff randomly said.

"I think that this has been enough fun for today,"

Jeff walked off to another room, Aria whipped her head around and Glared at Newt and Gally "I'm just looking out for you," Newt said

"You're cooping me up! I need to go out there, I can find a way out of here!" Ari exclaimed

"Aria, we seem to live in a place that has no way out." Gally sternly scoffed, Aria walked up to Gally and looked him in the eye "You're negativity isn't helping this whole cause."

Newt stepped between Ari and Gally to prevent any fights "Okay people, how about we go get some bloody food and pray we don't bloody choke and die." Newt walked Aria out of the shack

"We've just gotta keep that from getting infected, if you get gangrene you may die from it, and I can't have that happening." His tone sounded heartfelt, Newt was a bit upset that Aria didn't notice how he tried to protect her from sickness. "In the mean time," he smiled "You can take a few day's off, or hang around with me and Zart in the fields."

Aria just walked away, Newt stood there and shook his head "She doesn't understand," a voice said Newt looked behind him to find Gally. "She's curious and there's no way to stop it."

"I wish she'd understand how much we really ***DO*** care about her, protecting her is hard." Newt shook his head in agreement. "She's like my little sister," he said

"I'll never know if I had real sister, but still." Newt looked up to Gally "Look after her, and make sure absolutely ***nothing***, and I do mean nothing, harms her. Keep her away from Finn, Marcus and any others like them that would have a absurd reason to bring her any harm." Newt ordered

"And Gally, I'm trusting you." Newt walked away leaving Gally alone.

That night it was dark, cricket's hummed as The Glader's sat around that famous fire. They all ate, most of them sat on the log's but not Aria, she sat on the ground and leaned up against the log. "What's wrong with you?" Zart asked

"On your period?"

Aria turned around and glared at Zart "No," she answered

"I'm not." Zart just laughed "Really? cause ya seem like it,"

"You're not your usual self."

"Newt won't let me back in The Maze after the sting today," Zart let out an "ohhhh", He understood.

"And Gally's still a douchebag." Zart looked behind him, "Speak of the devil and he appears."

"I'm not a Douchebag," Gally gagged behind Aria. he proceeded to sit next to her until Minho rushed over and took his spot "Um, you better not do that, she may hurt you."

Minho wrapped his arm around Aria "Why such a grumpy Shank?" he asked

"You know why..." Aria huffed

"Awwwww, we just care about your silly butt."

"So, you're just gonna sit down here and pout. ok i see how it is...." Minho said walking away.

Aria just shook her head and looked at Zart next to her giggling "Don't worry about it, to be fair you spend more time in that maze than ya do in The Glade! And sometimes we miss you..."

Aria got up and walked over to the Food shack where Frypan and Newt sat smiling and laughing. as Aria approached them Newt wrapped his arm around her "Hope you're still not mad at me."

"Not that much anymore." Ari laughed. Newt hugged her, he had a big smile don his face "Glad we cleared that up, tomorrow do what ever you would like that doesn't evolve that Maze."

"You can Bloody Bug Gally all day if you want, or give Clint a hair cut!"

"Why doesn't every one keep fussin' about my hair!?!?!" Clint yelled from a far.

"OK EVERYONE!" Minho yelled standing next to the fire "That's a warp, You shank's shut your cakes holes and get some shut eye."

Everyone stampeded back to the homestead. Aria sleepily followed behind, they were all going to sleep in a big dog pile tonight, they didn't normally do this, but they were doing it tonight. It was safer for The Gladers, air found her blanket and wrapped herself up in it. She could hear Chattering around the room. "Quite now shanks." Newt said as he blew out the candle.

"Good night jeff." a voice said

"Good night zart!"

"Good night Newt."

"Good night Finn."

"Good night Minho."

"Good night Aria!" almost the whole room shouted. Aria smiled and yelled Back "Good night boys, I love you guys." A few moments later everyone was asleep, Thomas was talking in his sleep and he wouldn't shut up. So Aria threw her pillow at him and shushed him. he threw the pillow back and hit her in her face, Thomas laughed. Aria's faced got red, she laughed the pillow back at him. Waking Gally up "What are you Shank's doing?" He growled as he whipped his face off. "Thomas is talking in his sleep and won't shut up." Aria spat

"Oh, kinda like you?" Thomas smirked. Aria gritted her teeth, she stood up and ran to Thomas and beat him with a pillow waking up the other Gladers, "What the bloody hell is going on?" Newt sighed

Thomas through Aria down on the ground next to him, causing her to lose grip of the pillow and drop it, Thomas scrambled for the pillow, Ari grabbed his foot and tripped him while they wrestled for the pillow the other Gladers watched annoyed "Ok guys stop what ever *that* is." Minho ordered

Thomas and Aria looked back at him and backed away from each other slowly. Shortly everyone was fast asleep. Then Hit Aria's visions,

*A woman with a tight bun slammed her binder down on the table. "We need to stop Aria." She growled. One man with a Rat like appearance raised his hand "What happens if she figures it out, and solves The Maze. We all know she can do it."*
"Aria isn't like the rest, she thinks out side the box. She's more Divergent than the rest of the subjects." a woman added. The woman with the bun smiled "You know what,"

"Let's just let her go,"

"See if she can get them out."

"But Dr. Paige!" a girl yelled "She could spark the end of the trails for good!"

"we could just program a new Griever to hunt her down and kill her."

"Or..." Dr. Paige scoffed "we could see if she can get them out of The Maze trials. And then... we'll let group B do the rest."

Aria's eyes flickered open in fear. Her chest rose up and down. her deep breaths condescending through the room, she rubbed her eyes and sat up. It was still dark out, Gladers were sprawled across the room. she peered out a window,

The Box was gone. "What..." She groaned to herself. finding her balance she stood up and leaned to the window trying not to step on Newt. Aria stumbled back, and sat on the floor and looked over to her right seeing Gally asleep. *"Why not ask him what's going on?"* Aria thought

*"He seems to know everything!"* She sarcastically stated.

"Hey Gally," she whispered as she poked his shoulder. "What?" He moaned twisting and turning.

"The box is gone," Aria whispered

"Yeah and?" Gally asked. Aria rolled her eyes at him "aren't you a little bit curious?"

"You're not gonna leave me alone about this," Gally sighed "Are ya?"

"Nope." Aria replied with a smile. "fine.." Gally murmured

Gally got up and slid his shoes on, Aria did the same as she followed him across the room, he grabbed a torch and lit it. "Come on follow me." he whispered to Aria, taking her hand as they walked down the winding stair case. They made it down to the first floor, Gally looked out the room and walked back to aria, who was still standing on the stair's "Jump on my back." He told her, "I'll carry you." and Aria did so. Gally gave her a piggy back ride to The Box "It's so pretty out side." she smiled. Aria jumped off of Gally's back and ran over to The Box. And surely, it was gone. "What The Shuck." Aria over heard Gally say.

"Could we be getting a New Glader?"

"No, not really." Aria turned around and faced him "what do you mean, *not really*?" She asked

"Teresa was suppose to be the last, we didn't expect you. You were never suppose to come up." Gally shook his head in confusion.

"So, I'm a accident." Aria mumbled. "You're not an Accident." Gally smiled. he set the torch down and leaned in and hugged Aria. "We're lucky to have you here." He kissed her forehead softly, His lips were warm and soft, he looked back down at Aria his facial expression was different. "This ***NEVER*** happened." Gally's word's were cold. "Ok." Aria responded

She gulped wondering why he was like this, he could be sweet but he was just a douchebag. Aria knew that his sweetness towards her clouded her judgement about him. In reality, maybe Gally really wasn't that nice.

A few hours later Aria found herself sitting on a bucket in the fields staring at the box. The sun shone bright on the Glade it was a nice breezy day. "What's on your mind Greenie?" Newt asked, he grunted as he pulled up a root. "That Box went down last night, and it's still not back up."

Aria turned around and faced Newt "It's bit odd, isn't it?" She asked. Newt's face was covered in sweat and dirt, "Umm... I'd say it's very odd." Thomas and Minho approached Aria with smiles on their faces. Aria got off the bucket and walked to them "What's going on?" She asked

Minho leaned in and hugged her "I'm sorry you can't go in the maze." he said

"But," Minho started to whisper "I'm gonna see if you can get into the Maze tomorrow." Minho backed away and headed for The Maze. Thomas stepped up to he "look over to your right." he said

Aria glanced over to the right to see Gally a few yards away, standing there. His arm's were folded as he watched Thomas. Aria looked back at Thomas with a large smile and they both started to laugh "So he's stalking you?" Aria giggled

"Nah, I think he's stalking you."

"But, we're getting you back into That Maze." Thoma smiled. Aria leaned in and hugged him "Thank's Tom." she whispered

"HEY!" Gally yelled from a distance charging at Thomas "I don't think Minho wants to wait on your Shuck-face. let Aria go and just leave." Gally growled. Thomas winked at Aria and ran away, Ari turned back around and faced Gally. who's face was red, "What's your problem?" Aria asked

"Nothing," he groaned. Aria shook her head "sure..." She sarcastically said. Gally walked away to his builders, the day was so hot. So all of the builders were shirtless and "stretching." so they could flex and try to impress Aria, but it didn't work on her. When Gally got to his builders Aria could see him yelling at them and turned around to point at Aria and back a round. After that the builders got back to work and so did Aria, she turned back to Newt. Then everyone heard it, a loud screeching buzzing.

Aria turned around and saw the box was up, she was the first one to run out to the Box, soon Newt and the others followed. Aria stood in front of The Box, she could hear breathing from the inside.

"What do you think it is?" Aria asked Gally whom just appeared next to her. "A Greenie." Gally pulled up the box.

Everyone was amazed, a tall girl with Red hair sat with her arms folded and the most unpleasant look on her face, "Took you Idiots long enough." She scoffed. The girl looked up at Gally and twirled her hair with her finger "oh." She laughed "You're cute."

"Do you remember your name?" Aria asked

"The Names Heather," The girl snapped. She climbed up out of the box and straight to Gally, Heather put her hand on his chest and messed with her hair "You're like really cute." She smiled. Aria just stood their rolling her eyes telling her self not to Hurt Aria.

"Hey, Maybe you should leave Gally alone." Aria suggested. Heather turned to Aria, she was actually pretty tall around 5ft8. "What did you say to me?" Heather clenched her fist, only to be pulled away by Gally "Leave her alone, now you go follow him." Gally pointed to Minho who stood their with his arms folded.

"He'll show you around." as soon as Heather and Minho walked away, Aria said to the remaining Gladers "I can't stand her,"

"Me too." Frypan gulped "She scares me."

Newt looked at Gally "She seemed awfully Interested in you."

"I'll take what I can get." Gally responded. "Wait till she get's to know you better." Jeff laughed. Soon all of The Gladers started laughed "Come on guys." Aria butted in "Gally's a great guy." Aria rubbed Gally's shoulder,

"Hey Aria," Newt said from inside the Box "What's this little box for? It has your name written on it."

Aria jumped in and snatched the tiny box, and sure enough. Her name was written on The Box. "I-i-i-i-i.." she stuttered. "I gotta go."

Aria sprinted away with the box, when she reached the homestead, she ran up the stairs and ran over to the window sitting on a window sill. She opened the box carefully, and wrapped in a bow was a pile of pictures, Aria took out the first picture, it was one of her and a boy sitting together on a bench hugging, both faces were happy and smiling.on the Back written in neat handwriting read "Chase and Aria. Ages 17 and 15."

Aria remembered Chase, he was her older brother. The next photo was one of Her and her family. Mom, Dad, Chase, and Aria at what appeared to be the pool. Chase her Dad is swim trunks, Aria and her mom in bikinis. This photo wasn't that old, couldn't be.

"What ya looking at?" a voice asked from behind her, It was Thomas.

"Nothing," Aria answered trying to hide the box. "There's gotta be something." Thomas smirked.

"What are you two freaks doing?" Heather asked from behind them "And were am I going to sleep?"

"Ask Newt," Aria answered not facing her.

Heather laughed, she sounded annoyed "And who might THAT be?"

Aria turned around, she tried not to get up and attack Heather "Newt, the tall English boy, with the dirty brown hair."

"You act like i know everything." Heather rolled her eyes and stormed out the room. After she left Aria turned back to Thomas, "I gotta go find The Builders." She said

"I thought you hated them," Thomas stated. Aria laughed "Heather's like in love with Gally,"

"So, I'm going to go hang out with him and his builders." She grinned. "You're plan is evil." Thomas shouted as Aria ran down the steps, Aria came back up and looked around the corner "Cause a little trouble, it's good for you." then she disappeared, Aria looked at the box down in her hands "Why would they send me this?" She thought as she looked up at the sky. She saw Heather at a distance, she was standing next to Gally, her arms were wrapped around his neck. Aria gagged at the sight, "You don't like her, do you?" Minho asked from behind her.

"Yep" Aria responded "I can't stand her."

"Well," Minho bit his lip "You have a good reason." Aria shook her head in agreement, she looked back to see Heather, slowly rubbing her hand down Gally's arm. "That little -" Aria growled, baring her teeth.

Something went off inside of her, a State of Mind. A part of Aria that lived in a caged. A rush or Adrenaline coursed her blood stream,

Aria clenched her fists, She charged at Heather, grabbing her by the hair, Aria knocked Heather down on the ground. Before Aria could throw the first punch Gally picked her up and lifted her away from Heather, Aria kicked and tried to get out of his grip "LET ME GO!" She screamed. "What are you doing!?!?!" Gally yelled

"I have no idea." Aria said looking into his eyes, Aria turned around and saw Heather on the ground then she turned back to Gally her words were shakey and quite "I'm really sorry." She said. Gally dropped her and stared at her with an evil glare "I don't want to see you do something like that ***EVER*** again."

Aria pulled away and ran into The Homestead and threw herself on the ground, she stared up at the ceiling. "We were born to die, weren't we." Aria said to herself. Aria glanced over at the box in the corner, filled with photos. Aria stared at the box and let out a deep breath as she got up and grabbed the box. Opening it carefully and flipping through the photos.

Aria got up and walked out into The Glade. she sat down in front of the little Pond near the center of The Glade. "You know, you're actually very pretty." a voice said behind her.

It was Newt, Aria turned around and smiled at him "What's going on?" She asked him. "Just checking on you." He said sitting down next to her. "I didn't want to hurt Heather," Aria explained. "I kinda miss being the only girl here."

"I like being surrounded by you idiots." Aria sighed and glanced at the closing Maze doors. "I don't know what to even say to Gally about that." she huffed, trying not to cry. "He's gonna hate me again." her words were muffled by the tears dripping down her face. Newt whipped her eye's "You're going to be fine greenie." he hugged her tightly. Aria rubbed her eyes and looked into his "Thank you for being my greatest friend." she smiled.

Newt rubbed his fingers through her hair "We still have to throw a welcoming celebration tonight."

"Listen, i know your worried about loosing a friend, but at least go talk to him," Newt told her "Besides." he added "I don't think Heather has a chance at surviving in here, she's not strong like you. She eventually either commit suicide or get killed."

"Like how to tried." Aria tried to stop herself from feeling bad, "Yeah." Newt answered.

"But I'm glad I didn't succeed, if I did. I would of never met you, and I would of never learned that not all queens wear crowns."

Aria hugged him "Thank you."

Newt was right, later that night they had a celebration. Every Glader enjoyed Frypan's food. They all sat around the fire, eating some of Frypan's famous Chicken. When Aria grabbed her plate she looked around through the piles of Gladers, she tried to find a place to sit. When she saw it... Heather. Talking to Gally, Aria just thought to herself *"Sometimes, we have to face our worst fears."*

"Hey Gally," Aria said to him grabbing his attention away from Heather "Hey aria." he groaned

"You're still mad at me, aren't you?" Aria was scared what his answer might be. "No." he said turning back to Heather

"GALLY!" Aria blurted "I need to talk to you, in private." she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the food shack "I think you should stay away from Heather." Aria told him "I really care about you, and I think she's trouble."

Gally laughed "And how is that?" Aria rolled her eye's "She's what we like to call a man eater, she feast's off of boys to do stuff for her."

Aria hoisted her self up on the table and sat down, She stared at Gally, eye to eye "She's gonna break you heart. And once it's broken. It could never be fixed, it will never be the same again."

"So just please stay away from her." Aria turned around and looked back at Heather "See?" she said to Gally.

"She's flirting with Thomas."

Aria waited for Gally's response. "I never really liked her," he said

. "Heather's looking at us." Aria said out of the side of her mouth.

Gally glanced over at Heather and looked back at Aria "Either stay around Minho or Newt." He instructed

Aria walked around trying to find Newt, or Minho. When she found Newt, Frypan, and Newt she stayed with them. "What ya doing little Duckling?" Newt asked Aria.

"Did you go talk to Gally like I told you to?" Aria smiled and shook her head yes, "If everyone else turns on you and hates you for possibly forever. I'll still be here for ya." Newt hugged Aria gently and turned to the ring, Gally was fighting one of the builders as all the other boys cheered. "Gally's a douchebag." Zart said in the back. "Don't let him get to you're head, he's a bit two faced."

Aria knew that to be a bit true, Gally shoved the other boy on the ground. After he was done with him, he walked around the Circle, looking for Opponent's. He pointed at Thomas and said "Wanna go Shank?"

"my name isn't Shank,"

"It's Thomas."

Thomas and Gally fought for awhile, and everyone went to sleep, Newt made sure that Heater slept on the very bottom of the homestead, outside, while the other sleep inside on the top bunks.

You could here faint screams from The Grievers. They haunted Aria's dreams.

She woke up to sun rise, the first one up. Aria gently slipped out of the homestead, dodging her way into the woods, She sped into The Map room, frantically looking through all of the supplies. She found her Runners pack and slipped it on. she turned to open the door and when she did, Gally was standing in the door way "You're not slick are ya Greenie?" He asked

"You thought you could slip out without being noticed." Gally smirked. He stepped inside the Map room and closed the door behind them "You're not going anywhere, Newt ordered that you stay in the glade no more Maze time, and yet you want to disobey him, That's kinda of pathecit."

"Ya know," He growled "Considering you're "Friends."

Aria tried to shove Gally out of the way but he wouldn't move "Gally, go away!" She yelled

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Gally shoved Aria across the room. "If you think you're getting anywhere near that Maze,"

"You're Wrong." Once Aria regained her balance, she glared at Gally.

"Just let me go." Aria stood up straight. She grabbed her bow from the corner and aimed it at Gally's face "Back away from the door before I put a hole in your face." He back away putting his hands up in the air, Aria passed him and then ran to the maze.