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

20. A home

"Congratulations again on the keeper post," said Gally as he sat down next to me at dinner. "I am proud of you. Will you be back out there tomorrow?"
I nodded. "Thank you. And thanks for voting for us, Gally. It's really the best way. Even though I still think that Minho is the better runner of the two of us."
"And I don't agree with you. We've really discussed enough this afternoon," Minho now interfered.
Yes, he was right, we had really spent the whole time until dinner arguing about who was the better keeper, which finally turned into a lot of fun. After all, we had finished our daily task before dinner.
"Have you decided what you want to do tomorrow?" Clint had also joined us.
"We thought that we would first explore the paths near the wall and then work our way further into the maze from day to day. This seems to us to be quite a good tactic and we are less likely to run into a Griever again immediately," Minho explained.
They continued to talk about the maze, but I faded out their voices and my thoughts wandered away, towards my very own idea of the structure outside the walls.
At night you could hear the maze changing, but it didn't sound as if it was the walls near the glade that were shifting. The sound came from further away and that told me that what surrounded us there must have been quite big. I wondered if it looked like where we had been the day before, or if where it was changing, it might have looked completely different.
But I would find that out eventually, wouldn't I?
"Anna, did you hear?" Gally's voice tore me out of my thoughts.
"Hm?," I did and looked at him questioningly.
"I was just telling him that I'll have Newt's hut ready in the next few days and that you'll finally have your peace and quiet."
He grinned at me slyly and winked at me cheekily.
"Gally!" I said punitively and threatened him with my wooden knife.
He burst out laughing and Minho and Clint joined in, while I gave them a look of anger. Newt, who was sitting with Alby and Nick, looked over at us with interest and our eyes met. I felt a slight tingling in my stomach again and grinned at him. He grinned back before he turned back to Alby.
We ate up and brought back our plates. Then I made my way to the campfire with Gally, because Clint had to check on Justin again, who had injured himself in the fields, and Minho said he wanted to look over the sketches once more to prepare for tomorrow.
"And you're really dating now?" Gally suddenly asked.
I looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you and Newt. I mean, it's none of my business, but you just met the day before yesterday."
"Yeah, and I've only known you since the day before yesterday, and I'd still consider you my best friend, cos I remembered that you were, before we came here. Do you agree that's too soon?"
I knew he didn't mean any harm, but I was still a little angry.
"No, no, you're right. So you really remember him? Do you know how long you guys knew each other?" Now he was interested.
I shrugged. "I don't know. I remember the moment we met, but I can't tell you when that was. But we were older, at least we looked like it. I remember you when we were kids. I haven't known Newt that long, I know that much."
Gally looked at me triumphantly as if he had won this competition.
"But does that change anything? I mean, what matters is that we used to care about each other, that I loved you, and that we have each other back now, right? When I think about it, that's the greatest gift anyone could give us."
I stopped, because Gally had stopped and looked at me with a warm look. I had to smile because what I had said had apparently touched him.
He spread out his arms and I let myself fall in, wrapping mine around his waist and closing my eyes. Yes, I was right that we had each other back was the greatest gift and - I was sure - my greatest wish before I was brought here.
For a while we just stood there until more and more gladers passed us on the way to the evening campfire. We joined Clint and a limping Justin and sat down on a tree trunk, soon sliding down to earth to lean against the wood.
I let my gaze wander and realised that by now everyone was there except Nick, Alby and Newt. Minho had just arrived and let himself sink to the ground next to me, so I moved a little to the side and leaned against Gally's legs. I pulled my knees up and wrapped my arms around them. The fire was wonderfully warm and I felt as comfortable in this round as if I'd been here forever.