I'm a Keeper (Gally and Thomas Fanfic) [#Wattys2016]

Chapter 1

She slowly gained consciousness, opening her eyes only to find herself surrounded by complete darkness. She slowly got up but fell back instantly on the cold, metal ground when the room suddenly started moving upwards. She crawled into a corner, while the room gained speed. Where am I, she thought, suddenly aware that she couldn't remember a thing. Where did all my memories go?
She didn't understand. How was it possible to not have any memories? She knew she was lying on a metal ground, she could tell by the smell. Yet she didn't know where she had smelt it before. An image popped up in her mind. A metal bar, she could tell without hesitation. But again she couldn't tell where she had seen it before.
My name is Manon, she thought.
So she did have a memory after all. Her name. But she couldn't remember anything else.
Suddenly some light trickled into the room. She looked around, and saw that it wasn't really a room after all in which she was lying, but it looked more like a metal cage. She looked upward as the ray of light grew brighter. Suddenly the cage slowed down, until it completely stopped moving. Manon must be at her destination. All she could see was a clear blue sky, no sign of clouds.
She winced as the cage suddenly popped open. Then she heard the voices. One after another.
"Bloody hell."
"What is it Newt, did the shank klunk himself already?"
"No, it's –"
"Is it the ugliest shuck-face you've ever seen?"
"No, that's you, Minho."
"Then what is it?"
"It's a bloody girl."
Lissa didn't dare look up. She just sat in the box, face buried in her lap. What are they talking about, she thought. I can't understand half of what they're saying.
She shrieked as someone jumped in the box, forcing her to look up. A boy looked down to her, hand stretched out to help her stand. He looked gorgeous, muscles flexing as she gratefully took his hand, and together they climbed out of the box. She squinted her eyes against the bright light and saw that she was standing in the middle of a circle of only boys. I have to get out of here, she thought immediately.
"Where am I?" she asked.
"Welcome to the Glade," a boy said, while he too stretched out his hand, this time for the purpose of introducing himself. "What's your name?"
Manon hesitated before she shook his hand. "Manon."
She observed the boy for a moment. He was good-looking, with his sandy-blonde hair and green eyes. And he looked like a nice, friendly guy. She decided that she wanted him as a friend.
"Nice to meet ya, Manon. My name's Newt." Then he turned to the boy next to him. "Chuck. Do me a favour and go get Alby for me, will ya?"
The boy, Chuck, nodded his pudgy head and took off, shouting to other boys as he trudged past them. "Let me through, I need to get Alby! Orders from Newt."
Manon followed the boy with her gaze, until he could no longer be seen. Then she looked at the rest of the boys, who were all staring at her hungrily like wolves. A surge of panic engulfed her. She couldn't stay here, not with all these boys. Suddenly her eyes found a way out. About sixty-five feet from where she was standing she saw huge doors. And they were open.
She glanced at Newt and the other boys, weighing the odds of her making it to the exit. Then she made a run for it.
She only focused on her goal up ahead, trying to lock out the shouting and hollering of the boys behind her. With no luck.
"Holy shit, look at the Greenie go!"
"Look at Gally go! Get her, Gal!"
Manon frowned. Who is Gally?
Then, when she almost made it to the doors, someone suddenly jumped on her, tackling her to the ground. Manon let out a cry, while her head slammed against the cool grass. She tried to wriggle free of his grasp, but he was too strong, it was pointless. She groaned when he turned her on her back, so she could face him. She was startled when she saw that it was the handsome looking guy who helped her out of the box. So that was Gally.
"I don't think so, Greenie," he said matter-of-factly. His voice sounded harsh, not a hint of kindness in it, unlike Newt. "No one leaves the Glade."
"And what about him?" Manon scolded. She looked at a boy who suddenly came running through the doors.
"Everything will be explained later, Greenie. Just try to relax and let it all sink in for now, good that? Tomorrow you'll get answers." Gally's face was unreadable. Manon wondered what he thought of her. Did he hate her? Or did he actually like her? She hoped the latter.
"You found yourself a Greenie to order around, Captain?" The boy who just came running through the doors walked over to Gally and Manon. His eyes locked with Manon's, and he suddenly stopped, gaping at her. "It's a –"
"Yes, a girl. We've figured that out by now, shuck-face," Gally sneered.
The boy glanced at Manon, and stuck out his hand.
"Name's Thomas," he said.
"Manon," Manon mumbled back, struggling to breathe.
"I think you should get off of her, Gally. She doesn't look like she's enjoying your company."
A couple of boys started laughing. Gally glared at Thomas, but obeyed him anyway. He even helped Manon on her feet.
"Don't think you can just walk around like you own this place, Greenie," Gally warned, before turning around and walking away.
Manon followed him with her gaze, his words echoing in her head. It was clear that he didn't like her, but it seemed as if he truly hated her. And she didn't have a clue why.
"Let's get you to Alby," Thomas said then, not bothering to explain Gally's behaviour.