The Maze Girl

Time Passes

A week later, Gally was still out of it, though the screaming and crying had decreased greatly. No updates on the meeting had been released yet, though Winston seemed to be keeping a closer watch over me than usual.

He finally woke one night while I was visiting. All week I had gone to hum to him. Today I was quiet, watching.

"Survive, Gally," I finally said. "If you shucking die because of this..." I didn't finish. I didn't exactly know what to threaten with. I sighed and started to hum, then to sing.

"There was a boy," I sang in a whispery tone. "A very strange, enchanting boy. They say he traveled very far, very far. Over land and sea. A little shy. And sad of eye. But very wise, was he.

"And then one day. One magic day he passed my way. And though we spoke of many things, fools and kings. This he said, to me." I blinked as my eyes watered. "I'm sorry Gally. I can't remember any more." I stood and planted a little kiss on his, now deformed, giant nose, and turned to leave. I barely reached the door.

"The greatest thing," I heard him moaning out, barely singing it. "You'll ever learn, is just to love. And be lo-" He was cut off as I ran over and threw my arms around him.

"You stupid shank," I said, pulling away. "You should've told me you were awake."

"I wanted you to finish singing," he said, smirking at me.

I slapped him lightly on the arm. "I know I don't sing well. You'd better not hold that on me."

"Don't worry," he said, sitting up and groaning from the effort. "I only heard half of it."

"Good," I said, then looked at the door. "I should go get one of the med-jacks."

"Wait a minute," Gally muttered. "If rather have some time to talk to you."

I smiled. "You focus on getting better. Besides, they'll come to check on me if I stay too much longer."

"You mean you don't spend the nights with me anymore?" he asked, jokingly.

I shrugged. "I did the first night, but they told me it wasn't going to be tolerated more."

He nodded. "What time is it?"

"Nearly dinner."

"I guess you can get them then."

I smiled. "I'll come see you after dinner." With that I skipped out and started searching for the med-jacks, eventually finding Clint to drag upstairs to Gally. Once he saw Gally was up, he ushered me out to do some testing or something.

I went downstairs to get dinner, and apparently I looked pretty happy.

"What's with the schoolboy look, Greenie?" Newt remarked when I passed him.

I pointed up at the roof. "Gally's up," I said. For this, Newt raised an eyebrow his expression darkening, but said nothing as I took my plate of food to the forest, where I had gotten in the habit of eating. Admittedly, a beetle-blade or two had landed in my food, sitting out there, but so far, they've all gotten away before I ate them. At least the ones I've noticed.

After a quick (mechanical bug-free) supper of soup and bread, I rushed back to the homestead to see Gally. There was a sound of voices, so I waited outside his room. Not my fault they were talking loud enough to be heard.

"What the shuck do you mean, banished?!" Gally was saying.

"It's how they voted," I heard Nick say. "Besides, we don't know what dangers this could bring. You got hurt, and she nearly did too. But you didn't see what happened afterward."

"How the shuck does that matter?!" Gally was yelling.

"It matters a lot," Alby said. "No one before could fight a Griever, and she managed to make it retreat."

"So what?! She's scary sometimes, sure. But that doesn't mean she could survive out there." Gally seemed to be getting more aggravated.

"Well what do you expect us to do about it?" Nick asked. "We barely managed to get them to keep her here this long. They agreed to stall until you woke up, since you were so protective and since you're a keeper as well. But not much longer."

"Well tell them that there's no way I'm letting that happen!" Gally exclaimed. "They lay a finger on her, or even push her in the direction of the maze, I'll kill 'em. No second thoughts."

"Gally, they aren't going to respond to that well," Nick spoke again. "The way they see it, she's broken two of our three rules. They didn't seem to care when Eliot was a guy, but that, plus the fact that she's different..." The room went silent for a minute, save for Gally breathing heavily.

I shook my head and moved into view, knocking and causing all three of the boys to jump at the sudden sound. I smiled. "How are you feeling, shank?" I asked, looking at Gally.

He scowled, glancing at Nick and Alby. "Slight headache," he responded, turning his gaze to me and his face going neutral. "But it's better than being stung."

"If you'll excuse us," Nick muttered, as he and Alby left the room. I watched them leave, then smiled at Gally.

"What's on your mind?" I asked.

"They had a meeting without me," he said with a shrug. "I want a revote now that I'm back."

"Oh really?" I asked, sitting down. He nodded. After a minute: "Hey Gally?"

He grunted. "Yeah?"

"What does getting banished mean?" I asked.

He stiffened. "Why do you want to know?"

"I heard some of my coworkers talking about it earlier," I replied with a shrug. The tension in his back and shoulders lessened.

"If someone breaks enough of the rules, they're forced into the maze just before the doors close. Especially if the rule they broke was hurting another Glader." He scowled again. "No one survives a night in the maze. If they do, they know better than to come back here."

"What would happen if they did?" I asked.

"Likely, people would assume they worked with the creators, so the Grievers won't touch 'em..." he didn't say it, but I could figure well enough that that was what some of the keepers must have been thinking of, during the vote on my life.

"Hey Gally?" I said.

"Yeah?"

"How did you know the last lyrics to that song?" I asked. "You didn't have any memories, and I never sang it."

"...You did, though," he said after a long pause. "I heard it during the changing. Someone else was singing it too and..." he smiled, "you looked so happy. Pretty, like an angel of chaos. Glowing..."

The doors closed, quite audibly, outside and I stood up. "I'd better go," I said as he looked at me curiously. "I have a little more to do, and you should rest. Especially if you're hallucinating me in so many poetic forms." I chuckled.

He nodded, chuckling as well. "Sleep well."

"You too," I said, then went outside. I still had the voices in my head, that they may banish me. Hopefully, Gally could help change my seemingly grim fate.