I awoke to the sound of loud gears grinding. I opened my eyes but there was nothing but total darkness around me. Panicking, I quickly sat up and felt around in the darkness. I could feel something solid, smooth and cold behind me like a metal wall. I stood up carefully feeling my way up the wall. I couldn't reach the top so I slid my hands along the side feeling for an opening but all I found was a corner. I felt my way around the walls but still there were no cracks that would indicate any sort of doorway.

The room jerked and I fell backwards into one of the walls bumping my head. It hurt. I slowly rubbed my throbbing head feeling for blood but luckily there was none so I decided to feel around some more on the ground desperate to find an escape route. Well there were no openings in the ground.

I guessed that the box or more accurately elevator must open at the top but there was nothing I could use to climb up and check.

I had no idea why I was in this 'Prison' or whatever the box was. I tried to think back to how I had gotten myself into this mess but there was nothing. Actually I couldn't remember anything. It was as if my mind had been completely wiped. Sure I could remember how metal felt. I knew what an elevator was and I even knew that being locked in some sort of box wasn't right but I couldn't remember anything in my life before waking up.

I think as hard as I can try my best to remember something, anything, but all I see are flashes of images and everything is blurred. Nothing sticks, nothing except one word, a name.

Allyson.

I assume since it's the only thing I can actually remember that it must be mine.

After what feels like hours the box suddenly stops. Then the box opens and I'm blinded by the bright light coming from above me. I quickly raise my hand to shield my eyes.

I can hear people above me but when I move my hand and look up all I can see is a shadow due to light behind whoever it is. The person gasps.

"It's..." the voice pauses "It's a girl."

What were they expecting? An elephant I thought wishing someone would just hurry up and help me out of this thing.

No one helps me out instead they begin to shout excitement and disbelief in the voices.

"Yea right."

"Is she hot?""

"Why would they send us a girl?"

"Good joke."

"I call dibs."

"No I do."

"Will someone please help me get out?" I shout up hoping someone will listen to my plea.

My voice was stronger than I had expected considering I hadn't spoke in... Well I couldn't remember when I last said anything but still it had been a while.

"Everyone shut your shuck mouths!" An angry sounding voice shouted as a rope was thrown into the box.

There was a loop tied into the end so I placed my foot in it and held on tight. Someone began pulling me up. As I neared the top I reached my hand out to grab the edge of the box so I could pull myself out but before my hand connected someone grabbed hold of it and helped me out.

When I had firmly planted my feet on the ground I spun around taking in my surroundings. I was in a field there were plenty of trees and some buildings. Like a small village. Everything was encased by four gigantic walls. There were openings on each of them. I was going to have to check those out they looked like my best chance of escaping from here. Wherever here was.

I then turned my attention to the people surrounding me. Or should I say boys surrounding me. There were around twenty of them. I slowly examined each of them double checking, making sure I hadn't overlooked the girls.

"Where are all the girls?" I asked.

"You are the only one that has come up." One of them answered me "So far anyway."

He was big and intimidating looking.

"What's going on?" My curiosity kicked in. "Where am I?"

"Welcome to the glade greenie. Can't tell you everything right now but you'll learn in time." Another boy stepped forward. "I'm Nick, leader of the glade."

"Why can't I remember anything?" I asked the boy who claimed to be in charge.

"We all woke up here same as you remembering nothing' but our names." He answered. "And speaking of names what's yours?"

"Uh... Allyson. I think it's Allyson" I answered a little unsure.

Nick turned around and began addressing the other boys. He called a 'gathering' whatever that was for the 'keepers'. I assume this meant that he and the other leaders were having a meeting. Probably about me.

He instructed a boy named Newt to give me the tour and make sure the shanks (yet another word I didn't understand) stayed away from me.

Newt introduced himself then began showing me around the glade. He explained each job and told me that starting in the morning I would work my way through each of them on a trial basis before the keepers decided which one I was best suited to.

"What job do you do?" I asked curiously.

"Third in command, that and I take care of the greenies." He answered with a smirk.

"What's a greenie?" I asked for the first time about one of the weird words they used.

He laughed. "It means newbie or newest newbie really."

"So, me then?" I guessed.

"That's right greenie." He smiled at me.

"What about the other words?" I wondered.

"You'll pick up on the slang eventually." He informed me. "You done with all the questions? Cause' I can't give you any more answers"

"No" I answered honestly. "I still don't know anything."

"None of us really do." Was his reply.

We finished up the tour at the kitchens where I met Frypan the cook and we got something to eat. I hadn't realised just how hungry I had been until I took my first bite. It was the best food I could remember eating. Well the only food I remembered eating but still it was good.

There were a few boys gathered round staring at me. It made me feel uncomfortable. Thinking about it I realised that none of them had seen a girl for a long time not that they would remember ever seeing a girl. I didn't know exactly how long they had been there for so out of curiosity I asked Newt.

"How long has everyone been here?" I said turning my head to look at him.

"Between a year and a half and a month." He told me. "There was a small group to start off then every month from then on they sent up someone new."

"What about you?" I wondered "How long have you been here?"

"I was one of the original group." He answered.

I hadn't even been in the glade for a day and already I was desperate to leave. How had these boys survived for so long without going crazy? I couldn't imagine staying here for that long.

We finished our meal in silence before someone came up to us requesting the we join the keepers. It was the intimidating boy who had spoke earlier when I arrived.

I followed him and Newt to the meeting. I learned that the boy's name was Alby and that he was second in command. They led me to a room where the 'Keepers' were gathered.

They decided that I would be treated no different from the boys with only one exception. I was to be given my own room which was usually only a privilege given to keepers. I was glad that I would be getting my own space after all I did need privacy to change my clothes and I didn't want to be stared at all night while I tried to sleep.

I spent the rest of the day relaxing as I was told that it would be the most free time I would have because I would be expected to start working in the morning.

As it got later I made my way over to the kitchens to get something to eat but on my way something caught my attention. There were people running into the glade from the openings in the walls. I stood and watched as they all ran into one of the buildings. It was one I hadn't been shown on the tour.

Curiously I made my way over to one of the openings. I was about to take a couple of steps through when I was suddenly grabbed from behind and pulled back into the glade. I turned in annoyance and found it was Newt. I opened my mouth to snap at him but he spoke before I could.

"It's for your own good." He told me still not loosening his grip.

"I just want to look. Let me go" I tried to pull away but he only wrapped his arms around me and tightened his grip.

I hear a loud noise coming from the opening and looked away from Newt to see what was going on. The walls were moving closing the opening. I gasped in shock. If Newt hadn't grabbed me i could have been stuck out there or even crushed by the wall.

He let go of me.

"I should have said earlier but we have three rules here." He informed me. "One: Everyone does their part. Two: Never harm another glader and Three: Never go into the maze. Especially at night."

"But I just saw people coming from the... Wait did you say maze?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes maze and those people are the Runners. Runners and only Runners can enter the maze it's their job to find a way out." He told me.

"You didn't tell me about Runners earlier." I pointed out. "When do I try out for Runner?"

"You don't" he laughed. "Runners don't try out. They are selected by Minho the keeper of the Runners. It's not an easy job and we can't be sending greenies out into the maze it's far to dangerous."

"What if I want to be a Runner?" I asked. "I want to find a way out."

"Then you have to prove yourself to Minho and that won't happen any time soon" He told me. "But believe me. You don't want to be a runner. Now come get some dinner before bed. You're up early for the final piece of your tour."

"There's more to the tour?" I was curious. "What is it?"

"It's the reason you won't want to be a Runner." Was all he would tell me.

I knew I wouldn't get any more answers out of him so silently I walked with him to dinner.

Again I was stared at and I still didn't like it. I mean seriously yes I'm a girl bloody get over it already! They were really annoying me now.

"Hey Newt, and Greenie." A boy I hadn't met before said eyeing me up. "I heard the greenie was a girl but thought the slintheads were confused or delusional."

"I prefer Allyson not greenie." I informed the newcomer snapping at him. "And whatever you have to say just say it cause' I'm sick of being gawked at. It's rude"

The boy stared at me in disbelief. "So's snapping at someone who just said hello."

Newt laughed at me.

"What's so funny shank?" I asked using a glader term for the first time.

He laughed some more "Really catching ob fast with the slag aren't you. Oh and that's a great first impression there greenie."

"Honestly I don't give a damn about bloody first impressions." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"And I thought you were serious about wanting to be a runner." He laughed.

The newcomer raised an eyebrow at this.

"What's that got to do with anything" I retorted.

"I never introduced myself properly." The newcomer said a wicked smile on his face. "I'm Minho"

My mouth dropped open and I could feel the heat creeping up on my cheeks. Great I had snapped at the one person I really wanted to impress. "I-I am so sorry. I just. Everyone has been staring all day and I was just so sick of it" I tried to redeem myself.

Both Newt and Minho laughed.

"What's so funny?" Alby asked from behind us.

"Greenie here wants to be a Runner." Newt answered his friend.

"I seriously didn't mean to snap at you" I apologized again.

A smile crept up on Alby's face.

So they all thought it was funny.

"Well maybe you should get some sleep and start fresh in the morning" Alby suggested.

I yawned. It had been a long and confusing day.

"Um... where to I sleep?" I asked.

"Come on Greenie I'll show you" Newt offered.

I followed him to a small room. Inside there was only a sleeping bag and a candle. I watched as he lit the candle for me.

"What do I look like?" I asked him before he left.

I was curious as I had never seen my reflection before.

"Reddish brown hair, Green eyes like really green. Maybe about fifteen or sixteen years old it's hard to tell." He answered. "Not to ugly either."

"Hey!" I exclaimed.

He just laughed.

"Get some sleep Greenie. I'm getting you up first thing." He said before walking out and leaving me alone.

I had nothing to change into and It was too cold to sleep in underwear -Not that I would knowing Newt was coining in to wake me- so I slipped into the sleeping bag fully clothed and slowly drifted off to slepp.