Left Behind -Gally-

Chapter 7

Gally blinked a few times, processing her words. Emma's cheeks were flushed from the rush of nerves that overtook her while she spoke to Gally. Standing in front of him while he stared at her was overwhelming. Knowing he hated her and was, most likely, annoyed by her presence was nerve-wracking.

And then, he spoke. "We're busy." It was the first time he had spoken to her directly since the box. "I'll add it to the list of things that need to get done around here."

Emma shifted her weight between her feet. She understood the Builders were busy, but the stand could break at any point. What if it hurt someone? "I understand, but it's-"

Gally dropped the hammer in his hand. "And I said I would add it to the list. We're busy." His rude tone didn't deter her. If anything, it fueled her annoyance. Gally constantly helped out when others needed him. He couldn't say no to her simply because he didn't like her.

She took a step back. "Okay, then can I use a hammer and nails? We can do it ourselves."

Gally huffed, almost offended she would even ask such a question. "No."

"Why not?" He didn't say anything. The Builder simply glared at her. "Look," she waved her hands. "The stands are holding heavy barrels of fertilizer. If the thread snaps and someone is standing close by, they could get hurt." Fixing it was important. "There's no telling when it's going to rain again. If you don't want to fix it, that's fine. Just give me the proper tools, and I'll give them to Brandon."

Gally remained silent for a moment. "Fine." Emma was surprised he had agreed. She expected him to glare, huff, and continue working. "I'll be there in a minute."

Emma smiled at him. It was something he didn't return. "Great, thank you, Gally." He didn't respond, but she wasn't expecting him to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma stood beside Newt as they weaved vines through the wood. She watched Zart and Gally, who were beside them. She expected Gally to wait hours before helping, but he didn't. He appeared only minutes after their conversation ended with a box of tools to help fix the stands. Newt was surprised he had agreed but didn't say anything.

Gally bent over, eyeing the stands curiously. Zart had his arms crossed over his chest. "What is it?" He couldn't tell what the Builder was thinking.

The freckled-faced boy stood up. "These stands are garbage—the woods rotting from the inside. Nails won't keep it together." Emma listened but continued working. "The fact they haven't fallen apart is a miracle in itself."

"Really?" Zart wasn't expecting that.

"Yeah," Gally confirmed. "I'll have the Builders make some new ones."

"Thank you, Gally," Jack said.

He gave him a curt nod. "Stay away from these. They're unstable. Someone could get hurt." Emma stopped what she was doing and turned around. Newt did the same. They hadn't realized the stands were that unstable.

"Good that."

"Thanks again, Gally," Emma spoke. She appreciated his help. Gally glanced at her. Locking eyes, she smiled brightly at him. He didn't return the smile. Instead, he turned away. Without saying anything else, he walked away. Emma's smile instantly fell.

"That's great," Zart muttered under his breath. "You heard Gally. Everyone, stay away from the stands. It's unsafe." Emma nodded, not planning on getting near the stands at all. She didn't want to be anywhere near the stands if they fell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sleep was becoming harder with each passing night. Emma constantly found herself unable to sleep. It was as if her mind couldn't shut off. There were too many thoughts running through her mind. At first, the Glade felt like it could be home. It was home, but at the same time, it wasn't.

At the end of the day, it was a place she was trapped—a place she was forced into without any memories of who she was before. This wasn't home. Her home was beyond the Maze. She had hope that the Runners would one day find the exit, and they would be able to leave.

But it had been years. Emma knew many had given up hope. They no longer believed in an exit. They had made peace with being stuck in the Glade forever. Maybe Emma was naive or hadn't been stuck here long enough, but she believed there was an exit. There had to be.

"Hey," a voice spoke. It tore Emma from her thoughts. She looked to her left to see Jordan.

"Hey," she greeted him.

He looked around. Hands shoved in his pockets. A few people were roaming the Glade, but most were preparing for bed or showering. "What are you doing over here?"

Emma sat on an older picnic table that had been pushed aside near a large tree. It was dirty but the perfect spot to sit and relax. Her original plan was to sit in the tree hut, but there were people. "Just enjoying my evening."

"Nice," Jordan nodded, moving closer. "What's in your hand?"

He leaned over her body, placing one hand on the table, and the other grabbed the object. "Just a figurine Zart had. He didn't want it, so I've been messing around with it." He left it on the table, and Emma hadn't set it down. It gave her something to mess with while her thoughts ran wild.

"Nice." Jordan's chest brushed against her back. Emma's breath hitched as she realized he had his body caging her. She knew he probably didn't mean anything by it. There was a chance he didn't even realize what he was doing. At this point, many of the Gladers thought of her as one of them. Still, she didn't like it.

"What are you doing over here?" It was all she could think of to say.

"Was walking by when I saw you," he explained. "You looked lonely. Thought I would join you."

Emma nodded, eyes searching the Glade. There was nobody nearby. A chill went down her spine. Something felt off. "I was just about to head to bed."

"Really? That's too bad. Missed you at dinner tonight. Had to sit with the other Slicers."

She forced a chuckle, but it came out strained. "Sorry to hear that." Emma forcefully stood up, but Jordan kept his position. She turned around, keeping her head down. "Excuse me."

Jordan moved back an inch, at most two. Emma had to slide against him to get past. As she went to step away, he grabbed her arm. At that moment, her heart stopped. Before she could question him, Jordan raised his hand. "Did you want this back?"

He held up the figurine. Emma visibly relaxed, letting out a breath of air she hadn't realized she was holding. "Yeah, thank you." Grabbing the figurine, Jordan held on for a minute. She eyed him skeptically, her hand touching his. His eyes were piercing, staring at her intensely. As she pulled again, he let go. The air was tense. Emma took a step back.

"Night, Greenie."

"Night." Emma didn't correct him. Instead, she walked away quickly. There was something off about the encounter she just had. It was uncomfortable and weird. Peering over her shoulder, she noticed Jordan watching her. Emma whipped her head back around, walking a little bit faster.