𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐔𝐍𝐀 | TMR, Gally

017; beaten up

"...and then someone knocked him off," I finished explaining to Alby about what happened.

"Hm, okay," he thought for a moment. "By the way, it was Alex who shoved him off of you, he said that he was building and then he saw you running from the Deadheads with Theo behind you."

I blinked, surprised. The last time Alex and I had talked was... not exactly friendly. I'd asked him about his memories, curious if he remembered anything helpful. He'd snapped at me, told me to leave him alone, and after that, I figured he didn't like me much. But now he'd been the one to help?

"Guess that's one less trip to the Slammer, huh?"

I let out a chuckle, though it felt hollow, like he thought I should be grateful for him sparing me.

"Wait," I said slowly, "what do you mean by that? One less trip to the Slammer? How does Theo being stung change things?"

"Theo's been stung, Rosa. If he'd been affected like that, there's a good chance he wasn't in his right mind. And because of that, it's likely that he was... responsible for what happened to Leo."

I froze, the weight of his words sinking in. Everything had happened so fast—the attack, the accusations, the confusion—that I hadn't even pieced it all together myself. Theo. He had been the one behind Leo's death.

Just days ago, we had all sat together at lunch, laughing and joking. I remembered the sight of Theo next to Leo, both of them sharing stories and teasing each other. Everything felt normal.

How could it have come to this?

"What... what happens now?" I managed to ask, my voice shaky. "Is Theo going to go through the Changing too?"

Alby's jaw tightened, and for a second, he looked away. When he looked back, he shook his head. "It's too late for the serum to do anything for him now."

No, no, no, no—

"Theo will be banished."

✦

The Gladers gathered near the massive stone doors of the Maze, waiting in tense silence. I kept my distance, watching from by my hut, but the weight of Newt's words about the Banishment rang through my mind.

"It's when someone gets sent out beyond the walls...for good."

I swallowed hard, picturing Theo out there alone in the Maze at night, with the Grievers prowling. The thought sent a chill down my spine. I couldn't bear to come any closer, but my eyes stayed fixed on the scene.

From the distance, I could see Minho, dragging Theo forward with a grim look on his face. Theo struggled weakly, pleading with him, but the Keepers stood ready with long poles to keep him from getting too close to anyone else. Alby stepped forward and started shouting something, but his words were a blur.

Without realizing it, my legs started moving, and before I could even process it, I was jogging closer, only a few meters from the doors now. I couldn't stop myself. The closer I got, the clearer I could hear Theo's voice, pleading and broken.

"Please!" he cried. "It was an accident, I swear! I didn't mean to... I— I can get better. Just... please!"

His voice was thick with sobs, and my heart clenched painfully. But the Keepers pushed him forward, forcing him between the massive doors as they slowly began to shut. Theo's final, desperate yell echoed through the Glade, piercing and haunting.

Then, with a heavy thud, the doors closed tight, sealing Theo inside the Maze for good.

The moment the doors slammed shut, cutting off Theo's last cries, I tore my gaze away, feeling sick to my stomach. The memory of his desperate eyes burned into my mind.