Left Behind -Gally-

Chapter 60

The festivities lasted well into the night. By the time things settled down and the fire was out, many people were already asleep. Tomorrow, the real work started. Things would still be good, great even, but they had to start building their home. Preparing for the future.

As everyone fell into a peaceful, happy slumber, Emma remained awake in her hammock. It was ironic. Comical, even. She always had trouble sleeping when things were steady. It was a curse at this point.

She could practically hear Newt laughing at her.

As the darkness surrounded her, Emma found herself staring up at the sky through a gap in the tarp. The sky was full of stars. It almost didn't look real. She had never seen anything like it.

Emma had always loved the night sky. Back in the Glade, she spent her nights in the tree hut with Gally. They'd talk and laugh, surrounded by the vast, open sky. It was the only part of her life that didn't make her feel trapped.

Other than Gally, who made her feel like she wasn't just a girl stuck in a Maze. He made her feel like she was more than that. Like she was worth something.

And despite everything, Gally had come back to her.

He was alive and sleeping twenty feet to her left. But what happened now? The what-if question still lingered in the back of her mind. Why was she still holding back? The future was bright and full of promise.

Emma wanted to embrace it, and she wanted to do it with Gally.

Taking a deep breath, she gathered all of her courage and slipped out of the hammock. A few lanterns illuminated the area just enough for Emma to wander around the beds and hammocks without falling. Finding Gally was easy. She knew exactly where he was: On a long cot beside Frypan's hammock.

His eyes were closed as he laid on his back, head turned slightly to the left. His breathing seemed steady, and Emma found herself hesitating. Would he be upset if she woke him?

Deciding to rely on her gut, she carefully pulled back the blanket and climbed in beside him. Gally felt the movement. Opening his eyes, he noticed the girl. Instantly, he moved to the side and allowed her space to lay down. The bed was small. Too small for two people, but that didn't matter.

Hesitantly, he rested his hand on her waist. When Emma didn't push him away, he drew her closer. Emma turned on her side and draped an arm over his stomach, holding him closely. She could feel the exhale he released at the contact and felt the tension leave his body.

Emma gazed up at him in the dark. She could see the green in his eyes, which were staring back at her. The freckles on his face have faded since the Glade. She found herself missing them. "Is this okay?"

"Yeah," he whispered breathlessly. "Yeah, it's okay." It was more than okay. It was perfect.

That reassured the girl. It gave her the confidence she needed. "I was angry," she began, unsure how to start. "When I saw you. I was so angry." Without realizing it, she began gripping the back of his shirt. Fingers twisting in the soft fabric.

"I know," he responded softly and fondly. "It's okay."

"It isn't."

"It's okay-"

"I was angry because I was scared. Being angry is so much easier than being scared," Emma explained. She's holding onto Gally like he might disappear.

"I know." Gally did know. That was something he knew well. He knew what it was like to be scared, to mask that emotion with anger. It was easier. He could never be mad at her for that, not when he understood.