His Little Distraction ✔️

5

Gally was surely surprised to hear my request, especially with the whistles from the other teenage boys, which made him feel uncomfortable. I was sure he would refuse.

Alby's voice silenced the boys, "Stop your childish behavior. Be more sensitive and attentive," he commanded them. Then he turned to Gally, "Can you stay with her, Gally? She looks very shaken. I would be more worried leaving her alone."

Newt, standing beside us, also chimed in, "Yes, it would be wiser if you stayed with her now. Especially since she seems to trust you more than the other boys."

Gally didn't comment but didn't leave either. He just gave one command to another boy to fetch a blanket.

Then, calmly, he sat next to me, wrapping both of us in the blanket. Underneath it, unseen by the other teenage boys, he pulled me closer and let me stay in his embrace.

Strange but true, he was a stranger I had just met. But being so close to him felt safe and comfortable.

With the warmth from the fire and his body, I slowly began to relax. My body surrendered, letting myself feel weak. My eyes also felt heavy the longer I stayed awake. Then, without warning, the warmth carried me into the realm of dreams.

Yet, it didn't feel like a dream. The images that appeared were more like snippets of events. Was this a memory? But whose memory was it?

It felt like mere seconds. But when I opened my eyes again, I was greeted by the morning sun shining through the window.

It took a few minutes before I grasped it and returned to consciousness.

When I finally did, I jolted, sitting up on this makeshift wooden bed. I looked around, trying to figure out where I was now.

The blanket still covered half of my body. As I looked down, I saw a crumpled shirt in my hand.

"This shirt...,"

Before I could finish my thought, the door suddenly opened, and Gally slipped in, a tray in his hand.

"Oh, you're awake. Good, quickly eat this and get ready for practice."

Still confused, I chose to ask first, "Uh, Gally, where am I? Why am I here?"

Gally scratched his head, seeming reluctant to explain.

"Do you remember after the incident you screamed out of the woods?"

I nodded, vaguely recalling the embarrassing thing I asked of him.

It seemed it was clear on my face, so Gally continued, "Well, then you also remember asking me to stay by your side afterward, right?"

I nodded again.

"You fell asleep shortly after. The fire was starting to die out, and I couldn't stay out there with the risk of letting you get colder. So, I brought you to my hut," he explained.

"Hut?"

Gally nodded, "every leader has their own hut. Since I'm the leader of the builders, I made my hut larger and bigger than the other leaders' huts."

I didn't really want to listen to him brag about his hut. So when he noticed my lack of response, he cleared his throat and continued explaining.

"You were sleeping so soundly. And you have an incredibly strong grip. No matter what I tried, you wouldn't let go of my shirt. You know, I couldn't possibly sleep with you, so I willingly took off my shirt and let you hug it until morning while I slept on the floor."

Regret surged within me, equal to the embarrassment for my rude behavior.

"I'm sorry...," I apologized, expecting Gally to show some displeasure, which he didn't.

"Don't worry about it. Besides, starting today, you'll sleep here. Start adapting and consider it your own home."

Hearing his statement, I started to feel confused, "stay here? What do you mean? This is your hut."

"The leaders agreed to place you under my responsibility. No one will dare touch you as long as you're by my side. And I agree to do so."

Gally once again gave a casual response as he placed the tray on the bed, which I accepted gratefully as my stomach was already growling. I hadn't eaten or drunk anything since yesterday afternoon.

I began to nibble on the sandwich filled with fried potatoes, an odd combination, but it still tasted good.

"So, what was that creature last night?" I asked between bites.

Gally walked to the window, observing his friends who had already started working outside.

"I suppose neither Alby nor Newt has finished explaining it, right? That creature is a Griever. One of the reasons we can't leave this place. They inhabit the Maze, but they only come out at night. But as you know, the Maze doors close when the sun begins to set. So, you can imagine, if someone gets trapped in there when night falls, there's no hope left."

I shuddered at the thought. The maze walls shifting and changing every night. You couldn't predict where you'd be or where to run.

"What are the other reasons?"

Gally gave me a brief look before returning his gaze out the window, "the lack of an exit."

"What?" I asked incredulously.

Gally sighed heavily, "for over two years now, the Runners have been circling the area inside the Maze, mapping every corner. They know the streets inside out, but there's no indication of an exit. Well, of course, this information is a crucial secret. The Gladers don't know about it, and if they did, it would cause a huge uproar. I'm not even sure if it's a good thing to tell you about this."

Even so, I deserved to know what was going on. It was the risk to bear for staying in a place like this. I had to learn to survive or die like those already buried. And I chose to live.

"So, what's to be done?"

Gally looked at me longer this time, "nothing. There shouldn't be anything done, right? If the situation outside is indeed that dangerous, why bother going out? Living here is comfortable enough, everything's provided, we just have to use it."

"But then, no one would progress."

Gally looked at me with a questioning look, "what do you mean?"

I wasn't sure why I said it. But it felt wrong to just stay and give up. There must be a reason why these kids were sent here.

What if this was a test?

Gally snapped me out of my reverie, "well? What are you thinking, Greenie?"

I didn't realize when the sandwich was gone, or that I was biting my own nails.

"I'm not a Greenie."

Gally observed quietly.

I released my nails from my teeth torture. Looking back at Gally.

"My name is Riley."