Left Behind -Gally-

Chapter 29

"Yeah." Some people agreed with Gally.

He lifted his hands. "What does that mean for us?" Emma wasn't sure if there should be consequences for Thomas killing a Griever or if he actually made a difference. What she did know was that Minho and Alby survived. That was what mattered.

"What do you think we should do?" The question came from Newt.

Gally paused before speaking. "He should be punished."

A debate broke out amongst the group. Emma didn't think Thomas should be punished. It was reckless, sure, but he survived a night in the Maze. What if that helped them? It didn't matter that he broke a rule.

"He killed a Griever," Clint yelled.

"No," said Chuck as others shouted their agreements.

Emma sat up straighter when Gally finally looked at her. She shook her head disapprovingly, which made him frown, but it only lasted a moment. He was quick to mask his emotions.

"Minho," Newt called over the crowd. Everyone went silent. "You were with him. What do you think?" Emma glanced at Minho, wondering what he thought. He had been with Thomas in the Maze. 

He didn't say anything for a moment. He thought carefully about what he wanted to say. "I think," Minho began. "In all the time we've been here. Nobody has ever killed a Griever before." That was true. "When I turned tail and ran. This Shank," he gestured to Thomas. "Stayed back to help Alby. I have no idea if he's brave or stupid." Thomas looked down at his hands. "Whatever it is, we need more of it. I think he should be a Runner." Emma's eyebrows raised. She hadn't been expecting Minho to say that. However, she wasn't upset about the suggestion.

"A Runner?" Everyone broke out into arguments again.

"Minho, let's not rush into this." Emma noticed the way Newt grinned at Minho's words. He seemed to agree with the idea. Gally, however, did not. That was clear in his expression and the way his cheeks turned red in anger. Emma was on edge, ready to drag Gally out if he started a fight or argument.

"Thomas! Thomas! Thomas! Thomas!" Chuck tried to start a cheer, but nobody went along with him.

"Okay, calm down." Gally was mad. "If you want to throw the Greenie a parade, that's fine. But if there is one thing about the Maze, it's that-" he was cut off by the alarm.

The alarm for the box.

That meant that box was coming back up.

Gally and Newt looked at each other with wide eyes. They were the first to react, running out the door. Then everyone was running toward the box. Emma rushed out the door with Jack, both side by side as they ran to see what was happening.

The box came once a month. It never changed and never varied. The box coming back up after three days wasn't normal. It had never happened before.

Gally and the two others opened the doors. Newt jumped down and opened the second door. Emma made her way to the front, looking down to see what was inside. Newt stood above what looked to be a person. His body blocked most of theirs, but she could see their feet. It was a new Greenie.

"What is it?"

"Can you see?"

Newt was standing over the person. He looked back up at them, lips parted. "It's a girl." He took a step back, revealing a dark-haired girl. A few Gladers looked at Emma while others began talking.

"It's a girl?"

"Another Glader girl?"

"No way."

"It's only been three days."

The girl wasn't moving. Her eyes were closed. "Is she dead?"

"What's in her hand," Gally asked. He gestured to the piece of paper in the girl's hand.

Newt noticed the paper for the first time. He bent down and grabbed it. Everyone watched as he unfolded it. "She's the last one ever," he read. "What the bloody hell does that mean?"

Suddenly, the girl was gasping for air, causing nearly everyone to jump. Her eyes opened, and she looked around lazily. She was panting heavily, blue eyes shining. "Thomas." Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she was unconscious again.

Every single Glader looked at Thomas. "Do you still think I'm overreacting?"

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

They got the girl to the Med-Jack hut quickly. Getting her out of the box wasn't easy, but they managed to do it. Jeff and Clint went to check on her and make sure she wasn't going to die. Gally and Zart were tasked with calming everyone down while they figured things out.

Meanwhile, Newt had pulled Thomas, Minho, and Emma aside. The girl had said Thomas's name before passing out. He wanted answers. He had asked Emma to join them because she was a girl, and he thought that could be useful.

"Jeff," Newt greeted him as they walked into the Med-Jack hut. "What's going on with her? Why isn't she awake?"

"Hey, man," Jeff said. "I got my job the same way you did." There wasn't much Jeff could do. He had never experienced anything like this before.

Thomas stared at the girl, head tilted to the side. "Do you recognize her?"

"No." To Emma, he seemed unsure.

"Really? She seemed to recognize you."

Newt then glanced at Emma. She stared at him. "What?"

"Well?"

Emma understood what he was asking without him saying it. "You think I recognize her 'cause we're both girls?" She had no idea who this girl was.

"What about the note?" Emma had nearly forgotten about that.

"We can worry about that later." Newt didn't want to think about the note when there was an unconscious girl in front of him. A new Greenie that had arrived only three days after the last.

"I think we should worry about it now," Thomas argued.

Newt glared at him. "We have enough to deal with right now."

"He's right." All eyes went to Jeff. "If the box isn't coming back up. How much longer do you think we can last?"

"Nobody said that. We shouldn't jump to any conclusions." The boy thought carefully about what to say. "We'll wait until the girl wakes up and see what she knows." It was the best he could right now. "Someone has to have answers."

"Okay." Thomas turned around and walked out of the hut.

"Where are you going?"

"Back into the Maze." Emma was shocked by his words. Newt glanced at Minho, nodding at him to follow the impulsive Greenie. The Keeper of the Runners rushed after Thomas.

"How's Alby?"

"Not good," Clint said. "But we're doing what we can, but it isn't enough." They could help Alby with his injuries, but not with the Griever sting. There was nothing they could do about that.

Emma sighed, rubbing her chin. She wasn't sure what would happen next, but she knew it wasn't good.