Thomas is brought to a place known as Glader with no previous memory of his life or the outside world. He and the 50 other Glade teenagers call themselves Gladers, and they have developed a community in which each Glader is assigned to his or her own job. The Glade is surrounded by a giant maze where vicious creatures known as Grievers roam at night. Massive walls known as gates surrounding the clearing protect the blockards from these creatures by closing each night. Each week, supplies are brought to the Glade and once a month, a new boy is sent down an elevator known as a box. The day after Thomas arrives at the Glade, a girl receives a message claiming that she is the "last". A girl has never been brought before and the Gladers are excited and confused by her unexpected arrival. Immediately after her arrival, the girl falls into a coma. Meanwhile, Thomas learns more about the Glade. He learns that the Gladers have been trying to solve the maze for two years and that the Grievers' sting can bring back memories of the past. The process is laborious and feared by other gladers. He feels strangely connected to the new girl and also befriends an enthusiastic (if slightly annoying) young Glader named Chuck. He also befriends a boy called Newt. On the other hand, he forms a somewhat negative relationship with Gally, who thinks suspiciously of Thomas and claims to have seen him, after being bitten by a Griever, in a process known as the Change. Thomas also feels an inexplicable need to be a runner, the people who explore, trace, and try to find a way out of the maze. One day, a runner and the "leader of the clearing", Minho and Alby return late from work. Alby has been... middle of paper ... identified as Gally, and as the final part of the test, he pulls a knife out of his pocket and throws it at Thomas. Before he can react, Chuck throws himself in front of Thomas and with his last words he asks Thomas to find his mother. Thomas attacks Gally before bursting into tears and feeling immense guilt, since he had promised Chuck to bring him back to his family. Suddenly, a group of armed people that Thomas can only call rescuers rush into the building and attack the Creators. The leader tells the Gladers that they don't have time to explain but asks them to follow him to a bus. Before he can continue, a crazy woman grabs Thomas and mentions the Flare, but she is dragged away. Thomas gets on the bus and the leader runs over the woman in cold blood. The Gladers are taken to a dormitory where they are fed and given a comfortable and safe shelter for the time being...