Into the Maze

Chapter 24

We had finalized a plan. It was a bit risky, and may have had a few things that could go wrong, but it was going to work. It had to work.

Gally was over on the wall carving out Alby's name, and the others, when he sent a few of his minions over. It was nearing sundown.

We backed off as they opened the pit, letting Teresa and Thomas out. Thomas was acting like he was still unconscious, like we had planned.

Two boys picked Thomas up, slinging his arms around their shoulders, as one roughly jerked Teresa to her feet.

"Hey- woah." I scolded him, as he looked up and glared over to me. She didn't do anything to him, besides maybe hit him with a rock a day or two ago, and he was yanking her around.

"It's okay, I'm okay." She nodded at me, as I stepped back, eyeing the boy. I didn't want to ruin the plan but I wasn't going to let him just toss her around like that.

They carried Thomas and Teresa over to the door, the original one and not one of the other three open ones. There was a large stick in the middle, and Gally had just left the wall, coming over, as Newt, Minho, Chuck and I stood behind.

There was something about Gally, he seemed to be fighting. He didn't have his normal, cocky grin, he had a more worried look. Was he still unsure if he should be doing this?

The boys threw Thomas to the ground as I about bit my tongue open trying to stop myself from saying something.

Gally walked over, and looked down at him, sighing. "This is such a waste." He said, looking up, the sun shining on his face.

"Gally." Someone said, as I looked over, all of us looking. Winston shrugged, his hands out. "It doesn't feel right, man."

Gally looked to him, and then Jeff. "Yeah, what if Thomas is right? Maybe he can lead us home." I frowned at Jeff, he was just 14 or so, if only he did side with us.

"We are home." Gally said, stepping forward, as my heart broke. He either convinced himself that, because I know he knows he didn't just grow up here. Or he needed to believe it. "Okay? I don't want to have to cross any more names off that wall."

"You really think banishing us is going to solve anything?" Teresa asked, the guy still hadn't let go of her.

"No." He said, as I glanced up, almost hopeful. Until I saw his face. "But this isn't a banishing. It's an offering."

I looked to Newt nervously, as he glanced back. We hadn't planned for this. He held his finger out, slightly, showing that we should wait a few seconds.

"Gally! What are you doing!" The boy shoved Teresa against the pole and tied her hands at the top, Thomas still face down in the ground.

"You really think I'm gonna let Thomas back into the maze after what he's done?" Gally raised his voice, as I watched him turn. "Look around you! Look at our glade! This is the only way."

Newt looked back to Minho, slightly scratching his cheek, as Minho nodded. I bit my lip and looked forward again.

"And when the Grievers get what they came here for, everything goes back to the way it was." Gally tried to convince them, as I saw Chuck begin to walk over. He was carrying supplies, things we might need to survive out there.

And I don't think any of us wanted to watch him fight, so we let him carry the things.

"Are you listening to this?" Teresa asked, trying to look at the boys as they attempted to turn their heads away, but couldn't. "Why are you all just standing there. He's crazy."

"You shut up?" Gally asked, pointing his hand towards Teresa, who barely even glanced his direction.

"If you stay here, the Grievers are going to come back." She told the boys. "They're gonna come back and they're gonna keep coming back until you're all dead."

"Shut up! Tie him up!" Gally yelled, as I side glanced Newt, who nodded slightly. "Do you hear me? I said tie him up!" Two boys reached for Thomas, and as they began to pick him up, he kneed one in between the legs. He grabbed the stick that one was holding and knocked the other boy across the face.

Minho stepped up and tossed me a spear, as Newt and I knocked two of Gally's minions down. Gally stepped forward, but Minho placed his machete on his shoulder, stopping him.

Chuck came sprinting to us, with the supplies, as the fighting subsided. Frypan handed Teresa a knife, he hadn't been in on the plan, but now he was. Gally looked to Minho, who raised his eyebrows and tilted his head, as he circled Gally. We slowly moved to Thomas, standing in front of the door.

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" Gally asked Thomas, who was still holding out the stick. I glanced over, as Thomas nodded.

"You don't have to come with us but we are leaving." He said, as I lowered my spear a little bit, holding it by my waist. "Anyone else who wants to come, now's your last chance."

"Don't listen to him. He's just trying to scare you." Gally told the boys, as I scoffed lightly. What good would it do to scare them more than they already were. "All right?"

"No, I'm not trying to scare you, you're already scared. All right, I'm scared." They watched him in silence, as I saw the votes leaning. "But I'd rather risk my life out there than spending the rest of it in here."

The boys looked at each other, exchanging glimpses, as I watched their faces. They were confused, but I knew they knew what to do.

"We don't belong here. Okay? This place isn't our home. We were put here. Okay? We were trapped here. At least out there we have a choice. We can make it out of here. I know that."

We watched slowly as Winston walked over. And then Jeff, Clint, and a few other boys. Eventually, the only ones left standing with Gally, were about 6 boys, his minions.

"Gally, it's over." Thomas said, as Gally looked around at the people left, and then to us. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Just come with us." I nearly begged. It didn't seem right to leave him here, it didn't seem right to leave anyone here.

Gally looked to me, and watched my face for about ten seconds, slowly nodding. "Good luck against the Grievers."

I sighed, looking down, and away from him, as Minho tapped my arm. I looked to him, a bit of sorrow in his eyes, before we all slowly started running off into the maze.

Out to our real homes, or straight forward into our deaths. Either way, I think we made the right decision.