those who fall - the maze runner ¹

[014] success.

CHAPTER 14

success.

THE GLADERS WALKED OVER TO THE WOMAN'S BODY TO GET A CLOSR LOOK. The group was startled when a door alarm blared, a large door next to them sliding open. "Is it over?" Chuck asked.

"She said we were important." Newt spoke out. "Well, what are we supposed to do now?" The group was silent for a few moments.

"I don't know." Thomas said breathlessly. "But let's get out of here." As the group were about to walk through the newly opened door, a different voice rung out through the room.

"No." The Gladers turned to see Gally standing to the side of them, a pistol in his hand.

"Gally?" Thomas said, about to walk up to the boy.

Teresa lightly held him back before he could get any closer. "Don't. He's been stung." As the group looked closer, the boy was obviously upset and angry, his eyebrows furrowed. He dropped the key that had been in his left hand onto the ground before he lightly shook his head.

"We can't leave." The pistol in his hand shook.

"We did. Gally, we're out. We're free." The group became more cautious seeing how the upset he was.

"Free?" He let out a light sob, turning his head to show the black veins starting to run up his neck. "You think we're free out there?" He continued, gesturing to the door that led them the outside world. "No. No, there's no escape from this place." Gally then lifted the pistol, pointing it at Thomas causing for the rest of the Gladers to stumble back.

"Gally, listen to me. You're not thinking straight. You're not." As Thomas spoke, Minho tightly gripped the wooden spear in his hands, looking to Gally cautiously. "Now, we can help you. Just put down the gun."

"I belong to the Maze." Gally said as tears continued to run down his face, the gun still pointed towards Thomas.

"Just put down the gun." The group became increasingly uneasy, unsure of what the boy would do.

"We all do." Screams were heard throughout the room as Gally prepared to shoot. Minho suddenly lifted the spear in his hands, swiftly throwing it towards Gally, but not quick enough to stop him from shooting the pistol.

The gunshot rang throughout the room as Gally gasped for air. The spear remained stuck in his chest, therefore affecting his ability to breath. He fell to his knees despite the glass shards scattered on the ground. Gally then fell onto his side, still facing the group of Gladers as he gasped for air.

"Whoa. Thomas..." Chuck said as he slightly stumbled, letting out a painful groan. Thomas looked to the boy only to see a splotch of red blood bleeding onto his shirt, quickly becoming bigger as seconds passed.

The young boy fell to the ground, Thomas quickly grabbing him to soften his fall. "Chuck. Chuck!"  The Gladers were quickly gathered around the young boy, taken aback by the suddenness of the situation.

"Oh, no. Chuck? Chuck?" Newt said, worried for the boy, other Gladers muttering profanities to themselves.

"Shit, shit. Hey, look at me, look at me, look at me." He said trying to get the boys attention and distract him from the burning pain in his chest. "Oh, shit. Chuck, look at me, all right? I got you. I need you to just hang on."

"Thomas, Thomas." Chuck said. He then pulled out the small wooden figure he had shown to Thomas when he was thrown into the pit only days ago; when they were still in the Glade and they hadn't completely lost their leader to the Grievers.

"No, no, Chuck. You're gonna give it to them yourself." Thomas assured the boy. "I told you that."

"Take it." He said. Oizys watched on in silence, tears that had gathered in her eyes now running down her face as she watched the young boy she had grown close to now on deaths doorstep. She watched the boy let out a final breath, his chest no longer rising and falling as his body went limp.

She slightly turned away from the sight, the sound of Thomas' wails only making her heart ache more. Minho gently put his arm around the girl, pulling her into his side to block the view from her, sadness evident on his face as he felt disappointed in himself for not reacting fast enough to save the boy.

Oizys body shook as sobs fell from her mouth, Chuck didn't deserve death, none of them did. He was only young, he should have never been sent to the Maze in the first place, and yet there they were, mourning the boy who's body was still warm. Another door suddenly opened, letting outside light take over the room as soldiers ran into the building.

They rushed over to the group of Gladers, instructing them to move outside, Minho helping Oizys as the two rushed outside, tears still falling from their faces. Inside, the soldiers pulled Thomas away from the young boys body as Gally watched on, still struggling for air.

The group of Gladers ran through the sand towards the helicopter the soldiers instructed them to go towards, the light was blinding as they looked at the buildings around destroyed from the state of the world. The soldiers closed the helicopter door as they all sat inside.

"You guys all right?" One asked as he took off his mask. The Gladers looked around to one another unsure. "Don't worry. You're safe now." The helicopter then took off into the air, flying away from the place the group had once called home.

The Gladers looked to the Maze, seeing the aerial view of the Maze as well as the Glade. Due to being so high up, the Maze walls that had once towered over them appeared tiny. The Gladers looked on in awe, many feeling as if it was a mere dream that they escaped what many of them had been stuck in for years.

"Relax, kid. Everything's gonna change." The solider spoke.

The helicopter flew over large sand dunes, past destroyed buildings obviously worn down from the destruction of the world. The Gladers sat silently in shock after all they had been through. Thomas clutched Chuck's wooden figure in his hands, his heart still racing after his death. Oizys remained tucked into Minho's side, Winston on her other side. Minho gently rubbed the girls arm to give her some type of comfort while Winston tightly held onto her hand. The girl felt her hip aching, sending sharp shooting pains throughout her body.

The group was silent for the most part, many in mourning and other simply exhausted. They had lost many of their friends, those who they had considered family, and now they were gone. None of them knew exactly where they were going, and in all honesty, none of them asked, all they knew was they were finally leaving the Maze. Though they were leaving the place they once called home, it was a refilef to many, they were trapped there agains their will, and now, they finally got to leave. They could finally live a life outside of the Glade, where they were free; and that's what they believed.

IN ANOTHER ROOM FILLED WITH MORE HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT, DR. AVA PAIGE WALKED TO THE HEAD OF THE TABLE. Other workers sat around, looking up to the woman as she spoke. "Well... I think it's safe to say the Maze Trials were a complete success. I wasn't expecting so many survivors, but the more, the merrier. Thomas continues to surprise and impress. With Oizys survival, she will have maintained her knowledge, allowing us to continue to build up our sanctuary. With her, we will survive."

"And for now, they seem to have taken the bait. It's too soon to say... but they could be the key to everything. So let's move forward. It's time now to begin Phase Two." She finished, looking around the room at the workers who sat around the table.

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