The Hawk / Maze Runner/ Harriet

𝒜𝓅𝑜𝓁𝑜𝑔𝒾𝑒𝓈

I drop the heavy log onto the ground by the woodshed. Sweat drips down my face and I use my shirt to whip most of it off. I've been working alone for the entirety for the morning, I've just been hauling the wood that Adam cuts to the storage hut. And for the entire time while I've been working, I've been trying to come up with a plan to talk to Gally. I've actually spent the last few days thinking about what to say, but most times I've come up with nothing. But today I'm determined to talk to him, or at least apologize.

I start to walk toward the kitchen. At first I was planning to talk to him before lunch, but maybe I'll do it after I eat.

...I'm not procrastinating.

Nobody is in the kitchen, so I creep inside and grab an apple. I take slow bites as I observe the Glade, keeping my eyes out for Gally.

I'm done with my apple with no sign of Gally. I vow to keep an eye out, but I know I should go back to work.

I walk towards the forest again, Adam is going to show me how to replace the handle on a worn out hammer.

As I weave through the trees, I hear a noise in the distance, I move towards it, assuming that it's Adam.

I can see through the leaves that it is not Adam. It's Gally. He's tinkering with something that I cannot see.

I take a deep breath. No chickening out Charlotte.

A stick breaks as I walk towards him. I see Gally glance back at me briefly, but other than that he doesn't acknowledge me.

"We need to talk." I say.

The boy doesn't respond.

"I'm sorry." I state. "You were right, I should've never kept that from you and I was selfish and rude. I should have never kept that from you and you have every right to be mad."

Gally doesn't react.

"Gally-" I pause, trying to conjure up what to say. "Gally, I'm sorry for what I did. And I want to get to know you, and remember this time."
I wait for Gally to say something, but he just stays silent.

"Gally-"
"Okay Charlotte." He says coldly, cutting me off in the process.

I feel even worse now.

I walk away from him, leaves crunching under my feet as I do.

—---

That went terribly. He didn't even react to anything I said.

I finished Adam's lesson, but truthfully I didn't pay much attention.

I walk through the woods, looking for a nice secluded spot. I think back to the oak tree that I sat in previously. I think I can remember how to get to it.

I eventually made it to the tree, it changed in those past weeks, flowers are now blooming in the tall grass. I reach down, plucking a few of them into a small bouquet. I examine them, their delicate petals that meet in the middle. For a moment I'm calm, for a moment I feel fine.

But that doesn't last long. Why do the flowers get to be peaceful and happy? The flowers don't care that they're trapped, they don't even know that they're trapped. It's not fair. Why do I have to be here?

I drop the flowers on the ground, my foot presses them into the dirt.

My emotions flare up, and soon I'm kicking dirt and sticks around like a madman.

I just feel angry. But my anger is the unexplainable kind. I'm not angry at a person, I'm only slightly angry at myself. I think I'm angry at the world.

I have felt like I've accepted that I'm here and I'm okay with it. BUt deep down I never was. One bad situation and the volcano has erupted.

Suddenly my feelings shift, and all I feel is despair. I sit down, my back leaning up against the great oak.

Tears of many emotions flow down my cheeks, it all just feels so overwhelming. I throw my head back, and I stare up at the sky. The perfect blue sky that doesn't even look real. It all infuriates me.

I get to my feet, tossing my satchel to the side. I stare up at the tall tree, it seems bigger than last time.

I hook my fingers into a tree knot and I place my foot against the abrasive bark. I shuffle my way up the tree, not taking much time to think about my moves.

I'm almost at the thick branch I sat on last time. Without looking down I place my foot onto a nearby twig.

Time moves slowly as I hear the branch crack beneath me, sending me hurling at the ground.

I desperately try and cling onto the tree, but it's too late.

I land on the ground, my ankle lets out this horrible cracking noise. My entire body hurts and I sit up. For a moment I don't realize the throbbing pain in my foot, but once I get a grip on what had happened, I feel the pain.

"Shit!" I exclaim as I hold my ankle.

I take off my shoe and look at my foot, it hurts badly but there's no visible damage. It should be fine.

It's slightly swollen, but I put my boot back on while I still can.

I use the tree to help me get to my feet. I breathe through the pain, slowly putting weight on my foot.

I hobble through the forest until I eventually walk semi normally again. It'll heal by itself.