Lost in a Maze

Chapter 40: Is it over?

We were all a little shaken after having watched this doctor kill herself. Ava Paige. Created the Maze. Put us all here, all to find a cure? Was the world really gone out there, or was she exaggerating?

Thomas turned to stare at something, his breathing getting heavier by the second.
I looked to where he was gazing. To our left, behind a glass screen, lay a woman on the floor, in a white lab coat, her strawberry blonde hair half-fallen out of the bun, her red lipstick nearly the same shade as the blood that pooled around her head. And the gun lying next to her hand.

Thomas took the steps forward, closer to the glass to see her better. Everyone followed him, noticing the same thing, realising that it was her. Ava Paige.
Then a large pair of doors opened beside us, leading out into a dark tunnel, a little light at the end. This was it. We were free.
"Is it over?" Chuck asked, I felt like we were all breathing heavily in union, an uncertain feeling settling into our chests.

"They said we were important." Newt said softly, staring down the tunnel. "What're we supposed to do now?"

"I don't know." Thomas answered shakily, looking over at me. I looked back at him, just as uncertain and confused. I didn't like this.
I was expecting Gally, I'd almost forgotten him. I wanted to run, to leave now. But another part of me wished I'd close my eyes and open them again, lying beside Newt in bed in his Hut, ready to tell him all about the crazy dream I had.

"Let's get out of here." Thomas said firmly, and took the first step forward. We barely had made our way forwards when someone said, "No."

I shivered and stopped in my tracks immediately, I knew that voice better than anyone. I swivelled around, Thomas just as quick. "Gally?" I breathed, staring.
He was about to cry. Red, bulging veins stuck out of the side of his neck, his hands shook vigorously as he opened his hand, allowing the Griever Key to clatter to the floor.
I didn't even think about how he'd gotten it.

Thomas took a step towards him but Emily pulled him back. "He's been stung, don't."

I couldn't describe the pain that seared through me as I watched him stand there, dirt covered, shaking from head to foot in fear. My eyes trailed down to his other hand, he was holding a gun. "We can't leave." He said shakily, drawing in a short deep breath.

Thomas noticed the gun too, and put his hands up slowly to try calm Gally down. "We did it Gally, we're out. We're free."

"You think we're free out there?" Gally cried, tears rolling down his cheeks. His eyes were dark and unrecognisable...empty. Gally was different, dying.
I felt Thomas tense up on my right, and I dared a glance at Chuck who stood on the other side of him whilst Gally continued to sob, straining his voice to answer.

"No, there's no escape from this place." He blubbered, still drawing in short breaths of air. Panic started to pound against my ribs, he was raising his left hand. The gun was pointed at Thomas, directly at Thomas.

"Gally listen to me, you're not thinking right." I started, Thomas took over. "You're not. That's the Griever sting doing this to you, we can be happy out there just, just put the gun down. We can help you."

"I belong to the Maze." Gally cried, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Gally put down the gun," I said hurriedly, this couldn't happen, this shouldn't happen and yet, it was happening.

"And so do you." Gally breathed.
"GALLY NO!" I screamed as the gunshot went off, stepping out in front of Thomas. Chuck had the same idea and we collided, knocking eachother backwards slightly.

A sickening thud had came after the gunshot, Minho had thrown a spear at Gally, pierced him right through his chest. Gasping and wheezing, his breathing hollowed, Gally dropped to his knees.
He looked at me, gasping for air as he was rapidly running out. "I'm- sorry-" He choked, before falling onto his side, the life slowly draining from his eyes.