Into The WICKED Maze | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

16. A sleeping Gally

I lay in my hammock and stared at the ceiling. It must have been at least 12 o'clock at night by now, but I couldn't sleep.
How could I? Nobody was here except me, apart from the sleeping Gally, who lay curled up on the floor in front of my hammock and snored softly. All the others were still on their feet, because shortly after Gally had stormed into the hut, Nick had announced, audible to everyone, that Stan was dead and that we would clarify the course of events at a meeting tomorrow. A murmur had gone through the crowd and it didn't take long for the first ones to suspect that I must have had something to do with it. No-one blamed me, but when Gally carried me to my sleeping place after a few minutes and we had to go through the group of gladers, everyone was silent and looked at me with big eyes.
After this excitement, nobody thought about sleeping - except Gally, as it looked like. Newt had stayed with Nick and Alby to decide what to do with Stan, but I had already overheard Alby talking about burying him in the Deadheads, right next to the monument to George. Right now they were probably busy moving his lifeless body there and I was lying here and couldn't be there.
Did I even want to? I didn't think I could bear to see him again and yet I was ashamed to be lying here when I was responsible for his death.
At the thought of it a single tear ran down my cheek. Whenever I closed my eyes I saw his empty look with which he had looked at me when he tried to kill me. And then again the eyes of this boy who was completely shaken by what was happening to him. As if dying had made him become himself all over again.
I flinched as Gally grunted beside me and then snored softly. I sat up a bit, happy that I wasn't hurting so unbearably anymore, and looked down at him. His face was relaxed and his mouth was open a little. This sight warmed my heart and I briefly forgot what had happened and just looked at him, my best friend, until I heard footsteps.
I looked up and tried to recognise who was coming to us, and it didn't take long before I recognised Newt. He probably tried to be as quiet as possible and smiled weakly at me when he saw I was awake.
"Is everything okay?" he asked anxiously.
I nodded. "What have you...?" I couldn't speak any further.
"They're filling up the grave now. Everyone is deeply shocked, but we all agree that you are not to blame. You just fought back. Nevertheless, Nick wants you to tell us exactly what happened at a meeting tomorrow morning. This is how we do things here."
I nodded again. I understood that this was how they had to handle it to keep the group together.
"I'm so sorry," Newt whispered and his voice broke at the end.
"What...?" I started. I did not understand what he meant.
"If I hadn't run out... I could have protected you. None of this would have happened. It's my fault. You wouldn't have gotten hurt, and Stan wouldn't have..." He didn't get any further than that because I had gotten up and had put a hand on his mouth.
"Stop saying these things! You wanted to get help and yet you couldn't have known that he would break free. It's not your fault at all!"
When he wanted to say something through my hand, I shook my head vigorously and said: "I don't want to hear any more, Newt. Don't talk such crap to yourself. You did everything right. I wouldn't have reacted any differently - like everybody else here."
With these words I stood on my toes and kissed him. He was visibly taken by surprise, but then he returned the kiss, drawing me closer.
For a moment I forgot everything around me, forgot the completely crazy day with its terrible end that lay behind me. And forgot that we were not alone.
I had just put my arms around Newt's neck and was completely engrossed in our kiss when someone cleared his throat loudly. Startled, I broke away from Newt and turned around. Gally was still sitting on the floor looking up at us. We must have woken him.
"Would you mind not doing that if I was lying next to you? It's kind of uncomfortable, you know," he muttered sleepily and I actually had to laugh, which felt strange after crying so much.
He got up and drove over his face. "Don't worry, Newt's hut will be ready soon."
I looked at him perplexed and gave him a pat on the chest for that last remark.
"What is it? I'm right." He yawned. Then he immediately looked serious again and asked Newt: "What's going on? Have they got him..." Newt nodded in reply and Gally swallowed loudly once. "Well, I guess I'll go and say goodbye, too, huh?" His voice sounded different than usual.
As he walked towards the forest I looked at him gloomily, but then he turned around once more. "Now you can go on." With these words he disappeared in the darkness and I couldn't help but look at him again, stunned.
"Sometimes he is funny," I murmured and shook my head.
"I think he is right. I don't want to think about Stan now and neither should you." With these words Newt pulled me close again and kissed me.