I don't know when I fell asleep but it must've happened because I woke up to the bright sky as well as the sound of branches breaking on the ground beneath me. Clenching my eyes shut, I crossed my fingers, hoping it was an animal or one of the metal lizard things I'd seen the night before.
I peek down at the ground and deflate realizing that it infact is not an animal but a Glader. Not one who I was expecting though. It was Gally. "Hey Eliza I know you're around here! Can you come down so we can talk?!" He shouts into the woods, eyes scanning the tops of trees for me. Silently I climb down from the tree, leaving my bag of food up there. With how things are going so far it seems stuff like this will happen often, may as well be prepared right?
His back was to me and he hadn't noticed I was there yet. "Talk." I said and he spun around so fast he lost his footing for a second. "Okay for starters, that's creepy as hell." He says, holding up a finger (not the middle one, lol). I laugh, brushing some stray hairs behind my ear. "Secondly I just wanted to start off by saying," he stops, looking down and takes a deep breath before looking back up at me. "Good job, last night. Against me, I mean. Not the whole other thing. I'll get to that in a second. But really, you did good, I was going easy on you of course. Next time I won't underestimate you." He holds out his calloused hand for me to shake.
I hadn't expected this from Gally, I'd pictured him to be more like the hotheaded asshole he was last night. He seemed like respect was really important to him and I think I earned his last night. Hesitantly, I shake his hand, he had a nice firm grip and let go after a respectable amount of time. "Now to talk about the other fight last night." He said and I tensed up and looked away from him but he kept speaking.
"All the keepers had a Gathering this morning and each gave our thoughts on what should happen. Usually you'd be there since you're relevant to the matter but no one knew where you were. Except for Newt apparently who didn't speak up about it until the meeting was over. Something about giving you space I guess."
Newt
God, Newt
The image of his face last night would never erase itself from my memory. Every time I pushed it down my brain managed to find a way back to it. His thin brows were pushed together, furrowed. His shoulders slumped. His jaw clenching and unclenching as he watched me run the other way. He'd looked a painful mixture of angry and disappointed and I could only pray that neither was for me. But a sinking feeling in my gut told me otherwise.
I didn't know how I could possibly face him or anyone else in the Glade again. Gally was different though, last night he seemed like an absolute dick. I didn't care what he thought of me then and I don't now. It's comforting, actually. "What'd you guys decide?" I ask, wincing when I hear the slight waver in my voice.
"Usually we would punish the both of you but given the fact that you nearly killed the bloody shank we decided to have Alby give him a "stern talking to", which is actually just him yelling." He holds up his fingers making air quotes. I can't decide why I feel a bit guilty from his words. Do I feel bad because I almost killed him? Or because I don't feel bad for it?
I didn't say anything, I didn't trust myself to, so Gally continued. "Anyway he's doing fine and will be back to work soon. I gave him a stern talking to myself, he's one of my builders. We also decided that everyone would be told to keep their hands off you and treat you with respect etc. Though I doubt after last night anyone would plan on trying anything. Good that." I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was getting to the part of the explanation that he didn't wanna give and I wouldn't want to hear.
"Come on, hit me with it. What's gonna happen? Starve me for a week? An eye for an eye type thing? Stick me in the Maze before the doors close?" I list, my mind racing with all the possibilities of what they could do. My hands had accumulated sweat throughout the conversation and I nervously wiped them on my shorts. "No, no, it's not a banishing." He shakes his head, the words left his mouth so naturally that I couldn't even question if it was a joke.
"Wait you guys actually stick people in the Maze as a punishment?!" I took a step back from him it was small but noticeable. Gally puts his hands out, trying to calm me. "Rarely, yes. If he hadn't done what he did, or if you'd actually killed him then banishing might have been a possibility but you don't have to worry about that."
I nod for him to continue and tell me my punishment. He takes the hint and opens his mouth to speak, hesitates a second before proceeding, "3 days in the pit, you'll be fed twice a day. Only water and bread though."
I'm beginning to think I should've had Alby give me the tour instead of Newt. There seems to be quite a bit of shit he left out. "What the hell is the pit?" His weird eyebrows furrowed in response. "You weren't told during your tour?"
I sigh, slightly annoyed, "Nope, Newt gave me the tour. He left out quite a bit." Gally looked even more confused at this and I remembered what Minho told me about how Newt has always refused to give the tour to Greenies since it's Alby's job. "Weird. Anyway it's pretty much like a mini jail cell I guess"
Before I could respond I heard someone else walking behind me, dry leaves crunching under their heavy steps. I turn around to find Alby heading towards us. His was in light wash jeans and an off-white cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
"You were taking a long time. I was worried she'd beat the klunk outta you again." Alby said as be neared us. Gally crossed his arms defensively, but didn't argue with the leader. "I assume he's already explained everything." Alby crosses his arms too and the light reflects off his dark, muscled forearms. "Great, let's go then." He turns and starts walking in the other direction, back to the Glade, not bothering to look behind him and make sure I'm following.
I leave a good chunk of distance between him and myself but I do eventually follow him with Gally walking by my side. Once I could spot the clearing I began to panic, I didn't want to walk past everyone in the Glade on my way to the pit. "Hey," I whisper to Gally, I don't know why I'm whispering but he said nothing and looked over at me to continue.
"Do you think you could like, carry me over your shoulder or something? Make it look like you knocked me out after I put up a fight?" Gally deadpanned, "Are you serious right now?"
I sighed, narrowing my eyes at him, "Look you can either do it the easy way or I'll actually put up a fight and make you have to knock me out. But don't worry, I'll be going easy on you." I smile, sweetly. His nostrils flare, exaggerating the look of his already big nose. For a second I think I've done nothing but piss him off before he rolls his eyes and sweeps me off the ground, throwing me over his shoulder, he did so with ease. I guess being Keeper of the Builders has its perks.
"Thank you, Gally." I mumbled, unsure if he heard it but I knew I wouldn't be repeating those words in my lifetime so he better have. He was only using one hand to hold onto me, his right hand rested on the back of my thighs, holding them against to his upper chest.
We hadn't quite reached the Glade yet so my body had not yet gone limp. I kept my eyes open, watching the trees grow smaller and smaller the farther we moved. Eventually curiosity gets the better of me and my eyes dart down to his backside.
Mhm, indeed, just as suspected. He is suffering from the burden of great cake and no one to show it off to. Well- I'm sure there's at least one gay guy here but I doubt that he'd be checking out Gally. There is plenty of eye candy here. "You know I can feel you staring at my ass right?" He grumbles, readjusting his grip on me as we near the Glade. I chuckle, "Couldn't help it. Very nice. 10/10 I must say." My voice has sarcastic undertones but I'm still being at least partially honest.
Gally says nothing but I feel his shoulders shake beneath me with silent laughter. Who knew it was possible to make Gally laugh? Finally we reached the Glade and I let my body go limp against him and shut my mouth tight. As we walked I could feel the stares of all the Gladers burning holes through my skin but I didn't dare look up.
After what felt like the longest walk of my life (and I wasn't even walking) I was finally put down, placed on a cold stone floor. I finally open my eyes and find myself in a tiny stone room. Looking up I see a barred window with Gally and Alby on the other side of it. Alby must've been locking the door cause I heard some metal clanking around then one final sound of metal hitting metal before Alby stuck a small object in his pocket, probably a key.
"Someone will be by in a few hours to give you your meal of the day." Alby said, his voice almost devoid of emotion other than a tiny hint of annoyance. "When I get out of here can you give me a tour? Newt did it but he seems to have left some stuff out." I was a bit scared to ask something of Alby, as intimidating as he was. Especially after I dropped a branch on his head. Alby said nothing, only let out an annoyed grunt and walked away.
Gally still kneeled by the door though, looking down at me for a second before he left too. Alone now, I look around, scanning my new home for the next 3 days. The floor was cold and dirty and the room was empty except for a small rusty bucket in one corner and a metal stool in another corner with 4 legs of different lengths.
I leaned my head against the cold wall behind me and rubbed my hands down my arms. Being in here is probably better than being out there, for the time being at least.
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