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Gally isn’t even sure he’s going the right way. He’s only been in the Maze once, and it resulted in his Griever sting that brought back some of his childhood memories. The mark still scarred into his back to this day. Gally pushes the memory down and focuses on the path in front of him, hearing the Gladers fighting what he assumes are Grievers close by.
If he had only followed them to begin with. He made the stupid mistake of taking charge, trying to think of what was best for the group as a whole. The Glade was perfectly safe, it was home. Gally shakes his head, growing tired of running. He wasn’t a Runner, definitely not. He doesn’t have the endurance like Minho and some of the others do. His strength is in his upper body, his arms, torso, hands. Gally rounds a corner as he hears what sounds like the Maze doors slamming shut.
He forces him to run faster despite his chest and lungs demanding air, turning another corner. Once he’s turned the corner, he’s shocked by what he sees. A semi-circle of ceiling provides some shade to the area. The word “WCKD” is printed on either side of the walls. And down the middle is a long platform, almost like a runway. The path is only about twenty feet wide, massive drops into darkness on either side of it. At the end of the platform is a solid concrete wall that looks like it opened from the bottom at one point.
That must’ve been where the Gladers went. Gally is too late. He missed them. He missed Minho.
Gally places a hand on the concrete door, leaning his forehead against it as a few tears leave his eyes. He’s too late. They’re gone, forever. He’ll never see Minho again. Gally closes his eyes, tears flowing freely for the first time in what feels like ages. Gally hears the familiar click of a beetle blade scurrying up a wall beside him. He gives it a cold glare before laying his forehead against the wall once again, wondering what on Earth he should do now.
Ava Paige-head of WCKD and the Maze studies-watches Gally’s reaction closely, her lips pursing into a thin line as she taps a pen against her chin. She nods before turning to a scientist beside her at a control panel.
“Send a Griever to sting him. Then open the door and allow him in. It could bring interesting reactions from the subjects.” She orders, her eyes sparkling as she watches the blond boy cry on the monitor in front of her and the other scientists that are busy taking notes. She then turns her attention to the other subjects, who are distracted by the video playing in front of them. Ava smiles and nods to herself before sitting back down at the head of the table, writing some notes down.
Gally straightens up as he hears the eerily familiar whir and click of a Griever behind him, something that has haunted him in his nightmares ever since he got stung. He whips around, pressing his back against the stone wall, as if he’s trying to teleport through it by crushing himself against it. More tears prick his eyes as the Griever gets closer to him, drool coming from its mouth as it stands up. Gally’s breathing becomes shallow as the monster towers over him, its tail swinging upwards, just like it did before. Gally braces himself for the inevitable sting that he knows all too well. He squeezes his eyes shut, expecting to see darkness. But he doesn’t see darkness, no, he sees.. Minho. He sees Minho’s face, his smile, his hair. All of Gally’s pleasant memories with Minho come crashing down on Gally like a wave on a beach. He finds himself smiling slightly as the Griever stings him.
What’s the point of living if Minho isn’t with him, anyway?
Gally’s last coherent thought is a prayer. A prayer that Minho didn’t receive the same cruel fate as he did. He prays that Minho is safe somewhere, happy, away from danger. He feels himself sink into darkness, and he lets go.
Minho is watching what is supposed to be the world before it apparently fell apart, when he hears the rusty hinges of a door open. He turns around, looking towards the sound. All of the other Gladers are too busy watching the screens to notice.
Minho walks around the dark corridor, ignoring the glass window that shows Alby and Ben’s bodies on display for the Gladers to see as they walked past it moments ago. He follows where he thinks the sound came from.
Minho immediately freezes when he sees who opened the door.
Gally stands at the entryway of the laboratory, a Griever key in his hand. Minho smiles and steps closer, ready to throw his arms around the taller boy and celebrate the fact that they’ve made it out. And they made it out together. But as he moves closer, Gally puts his hands out in front of him, arms shaking.
“..Don’t- Don’t come any closer. Stay away.” Gally says, voice cracking as he holds his hands up to block Minho from coming any closer to him. Minho shakes his head, taking a few steps closer to Gally.
“Gal.. It’s alright, we made it out. We’re safe now.” Minho smiles, extending his arm to grab Gally’s hand. Gally shakes his head, slapping Minho’s hand away. Minho stares in shock as Gally shakes his head again, faster, as if he’s shaking bugs off of him. He claws at his arms, drawing blood.
“Gally- Stop it! What’s wrong with you?!” Minho yells in horror, grabbing Gally’s hands. Gally snaps his head up, staring directly into Minho’s eyes. Minho gasps, taking a step back in realization. He tries to move away from Gally, but Gally has a grip on his arms, digging his nails into his wrists.
Minho cries out in pain as he tries to rip his arms out of Gally’s grasp, but Gally has always been stronger than Minho. At least, his upper body has Minho beat by a long shot, Minho knows this. He’s lost plenty of fights in the ring to Gally.
Gally pulls Minho closer to him so that they’re chest to chest before using all of his strength to lift Minho up and throw him into the glass pane beside them. Minho flies through the window, crashing into the medical tray laid out beside Ben and Alby.
The other Gladers immediately rush over upon hearing the crashing noises, staring as Minho scrambles to get up. Thomas quickly grabs a knife from his harness, ready to defend Minho if Gally went to attack him again. Teresa stops him, grabbing Thomas’s arm.
“Thomas, don’t- He’s stung, look.” She whispers, pointing to the growing bloodied and black spot on Gally’s abdomen. The same place that Ben was stung. Thomas swallows as Minho stands up, stumbling as he feels glass biting into his back and legs through his pants and shirt. Minho shakes his head at the others, trying to get them to get away from the two of them.
“Please.. Leave us alone, please. I don’t want any of you to get hurt.” Minho breathes out, wincing as he feels blood trickling down his back and arms from a mixture of glass and Gally’s fingernails.
“But-” Chuck argues, glancing back and forth between Gally and Minho. Gally has his eyes set on Minho, as if he’s prey. Minho shakes his head at Chuck, giving him a small smile to try and comfort the boy he’s grown a soft spot for.
“It’s okay. You guys find a way out of here.” Chuck opens his mouth to protest but Newt grabs his shoulder, giving a nod at Minho. The Gladers rush to find help, leaving Minho and Gally alone once again.
Minho blinks back the tears gathering in the corners of his eyes as he slowly reaches for the knife in the back of his running pack. Gally immediately notices the shift in his demeanor and lunges at him again, trying to tackle him to the ground to grab the knife.
Minho darts out of the way, running into a medical cabinet. He ignores the bodies in front of him. His eyes betray him, though, gravitating to the bloodied part on Alby’s stomach that is seeping through the sheet covering him. Gally rushes forward while Minho is distracted, grabbing him by the collar of his buttonup. Minho bats his hands away from his collar, but Gally grabs his neck instead. He lifts him off the ground once again, choking Minho.
Minho grasps at Gally’s hands, trying to pry them off of his collar as Gally slams his back into the glass window of the cabinet behind them. More glass splinters into Minho’s back and neck. Gally finally releases him, stumbling back as glass falls onto his face. Minho cries out again as he hits the ground, his ankle screaming at him as he struggles to stand upright. He grabs one of the sheets, ready to start pulling himself up. He pulls the sheet, but quickly realizes his mistake. Something heavy lands on him, pinning him to the floor.
Ben.
Ben's body is laying on top of him. Minho is pinned underneath one of his dead best friend’s body. The one that he helped throw into the Maze to his death. His former running partner.
Minho cries out in terror at the realization, pushing Ben off of his chest. He shoves Ben away from him, scooting as far as away from him as possible. His back hits the wall and he lets out a scream when he sees the blood on his shirt from Ben’s body. Ben's blood. Ben’s blood is on his shirt. Minho’s chest heaves as he looks up to see Gally slumped against the opposite wall.
That’s when it all clicks in Minho’s mind. One of his closest friends got stung by a Griever, Minho had to banish him. Which led to his death. Now, his boyfriend is standing in front of him, an insane look in his eyes as he stares into Minho’s soul. Minho realizes that he’s going to have to kill Gally too, or die himself. A sob erupts from his throat as he thinks about it, the thought of hurting Gally makes him sick to his stomach. He looks up at Gally, hands covering his mouth to silence his cries.
Gally stares at him for a moment, and Minho can faintly see his eyes clear. Gally blinks, tears filling his eyes as he shakes his head.
“Minho- I’m so sorry-..I don’t know- I can’t think straight. You need to leave, right now. All of you need to leave me here.” Gally cries, chest heaving with his own sobs. Minho sits in shock for a second more before regaining his senses. He crawls closer to Gally, glass pricking his palms as he reaches the blond. Minho takes Gally’s head in his hands, cradling his face. He wipes over Gally’s cheek, blood seeping through the cuts made by the shattered glass.
“It’s okay- It’s okay, I’m here- We can figure something out.” Minho brushes his thumb over a cut on Gally’s cheek. Gally keeps his eyes locked on the forming bruises covering Minho’s neck. Gally shakes his head, tears forming as he stares at Minho, taking in the horror etched into his features. He pushes Minho backwards, pointing towards the window that he threw Minho through.
“Go! Get out of here, Minho! I’m not safe to be around, I’m hurting you.” Gally says, pushing Minho forwards again. Minho stumbles over the window, using the wall to steady himself as he moves to follow the Gladers, who are still frantically looking for an exit. Minho turns behind to check the door they entered through. He attempts to turn the door handle.
Locked.
Minho curses, glancing back at Gally, who is once again clawing at his skin on his chest and arms. Minho yells in frustration. He begins kicking and shoving his body weight against the metal door, desperately trying to break it down. It doesn’t budge.
Gally climbs over the shattered window, the murderous glint back in his eyes. Minho shakes his head, running to warn the Gladers.
“Thom-” He’s cut off when Gally tackles him to the ground, attempting to choke him again. Minho kicks him off, managing to get on his hands and knees. Gally lets out a scream that resembles something that isn’t human, grabbing Minho’s belt and pulling him backwards as Minho tries to get on his feet.
Something shiny grabs Minho’s attention as he struggles to get Gally off of his waist.
A gun. The same gun the doctor in the video had.
Minho can’t let Gally get to it. He throws his arm out, trying to swat the weapon underneath one of the monitor tables. Gally has him pinned, his legs squeezing against Minho’s thighs to keep him from moving.
Minho catches the sight of Thomas running over, along with Newt. He’s about to tell them to leave when Gally wraps his hands around Minho’s collar, hoisting him up before slamming him back down on the concrete floor. A splitting pain radiates through Minho’s skull as his head hits the floor beneath him.
Gally is about to do the same motion, when both Newt and Thomas barrel into him, sending him crashing to the floor. Thomas and Newt grab Minho’s shirt, hauling him up and back away from Gally. The trio turn and run to rejoin the rest of the Gladers, who are watching the events unfold in horror.
The Gladers start towards the long passage that appears to have sliding doors at the end of it, when they hear Gally’s laugh ring out. The group turns around to see Gally standing up, his bloodthristy gaze shifting from Minho to Thomas.
“Gally..” Thomas warns, putting his hands up in defense. The group takes a step backward. Thomas’ eyes land on the gun in Gally’s shaking hand. Minho lets out a small cry at the realization that Gally has the weapon. He looks around for anything that could protect them, his eyes landing on a spear that Winston is holding. Minho slowly reaches behind his back, grasping the spear in a fist as Thomas tries to talk to Gally.
“Gally.. We’re free, we’re out, safe. Just put that down.” Thomas says, his voice quivering as Gally raises the gun, aiming at Thomas. Chuck glances between the two of them, waiting for Gally to pull the trigger.
“Safe? You think we’re safe out there? No. We’re not, we’ll never be safe.” The words come out of Gally’s mouth bitter like venom. Minho tightens his grip on the spear, his hand shaking as Gally scoffs at Thomas’ words.
Please, please, please don’t do it. Minho’s mind chants as Gally aims the gun, his hands shaking more and more every minute as the Griever’s sting clouds his thinking.
Gally lets out a sob. It’s as if somewhere in the thick mud of the Griever sting are his own thoughts, his own intentions. He’s fighting hard to control his body, but it’s as if someone else has his brain in their hands, controlling his every move against his will. He shakes his head, clearing his mind just enough to spare a glance at Minho. His eyes are so clear at this moment that Minho thinks that Gally, his Gally, is staring at him. Not the person that is standing in front of them now, the person that attacked Minho.
He gives Minho an apologetic look before raising the gun, and firing it.
It’s a blur of emotion. Panic, anger, grief. The spear is out of Minho’s hand in a split second without him even realizing that he’s the one that threw it. A wet, squelching sound is heard as the spear hits somewhere on Gally’s body. Followed by gasps for air and the sound of Thomas screaming as Chuck falls to the ground, blood seeping from a bullet wound in his chest. Minho opens his eyes just as Gally falls to his knees. The spear sticking straight out of his chest as blood pours from the wound.
Minho vaguely hears himself scream out in fear and anguish as he slides on his knees to Gally’s convulsing body. Gally coughs, raspy breaths coming out as he tries-and fails-to suck air in.
“No- Gally! No, no, no-“ Minho cries as he presses his palms against the hole in Gally’s chest. Gally’s breathing comes out in short gasps, his shaking hands find Minho’s, weakly pushing them away.
Minho doesn’t hear the soldiers come in. Doesn’t hear Thomas being dragged away by the men in armored suits, his own crying drowning out Thomas’ cries as the brunet is pulled away from Chuck’s body.
Minho sobs into Gally’s chest, clutching at his shirt with blood stained hands. Gally gives him a weak smile, placing a hand on Minho’s cheek in an attempt to comfort him.
“I’m- I’m so sorry, Gal. I didn’t- I didn’t mean to!” His chest heaves with sobs, trying to get air in his own lungs. Gally shakes his head, holding Minho’s cheek, the other hand grasping Minho’s hand.
Minho feels hands grabbing his shoulders, hauling him up. Minho immediately fights back, kicking and hitting as many spots he could find. It’s no use, the guards have padded armor everywhere Minho thinks to kick. They pull him away from Gally. Away from his Gally. Away from his dying Gally.
The blazing sun is the next thing that registers in Minho’s mind. Hot, scorching heat burns his skin as the soldiers drag him out into the open desert and towards a helicopter. Minho struggles to fight back, the adrenaline running out of his system. Now replaced with a tiredness that reaches into his bones.
Minho allows the men to throw him into the helicopter. He doesn’t bother looking at the man speaking to the Gladers, too focused on the image of Gally bleeding out on the cement floor. Minho looks out of the window of the helicopter, sees the Maze as they fly over it, but he can’t seem to pull himself out of the shock to care.
He killed Gally.
Regret seeps into Minho’s soul, overtaking the exhaustion he was once feeling. He leans against the metal side of the helicopter, closing his eyes. The rattling sound of Gally’s breathing still swarming inside of his brain, overpowering any thoughts he can try to form. Any joy he felt from escaping the Maze is cast to the shadows by the building guilt that Minho feels. The last thing he hears before he passes out is the masked man’s voice as he talks to the Gladers once again.
“Everything is going to change.”
What the man doesn’t know is that everything has already changed for Minho.
Mad__Lad Thu 10 Oct 2024 09:55PM UTC
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mxrrynxwtmas Sat 12 Oct 2024 01:09AM UTC
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NewtonSangster Sat 12 Oct 2024 01:12AM UTC
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