CH. FORTY - TWO
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"Ahwww!" She gasps, pointing into the distance.
Camil turns his head. "What?"
"This is adorable." A gulp. "Look!"
"I see Gally, with a knife, and Chuck staring at him with wide eyes."
"Gally's teaching him how to carve!" She squeals.
"He seems to be doing this unwillingly," Camil comments. "And Chuck seems disturbingly uncomfortable. Didn't know that was even possible for that kid."
She almost makes a jump. "I'm glad they're finally starting to like each other. Well, Gally must've always liked him. He's just too 'tough' to admit it."
Camil sighs. "Make a baby and he'll like the kid for sure."
"Perhaps in the future."
He chokes on his water. "I don't know what I expected, but not that," he coughs. "Don't inform me about that."
"I thought you liked gossip. You watched me make out with him a few months ago. Together with Minho and Fry!"
"So what? After that, it has crossed a line I'm certainly not gonna step over."
"You know what happened last night?"
"You shucked him," he states. "Please just reply with one word and then let me live in peace without me having to imagine how you survive with still like fifteen inches between you."
"Notjustthat," she says.
He pulls a face.
"What? You said one word."
And shakes his head. "I'm not in the mood for this."
Slowly, her eyebrow furrow. Yeah, he's been a little off today, but she guessed he just wasn't very enthusiastic to hear her rants about Gally. "What's wrong?"
He shrugs. Lowers his head. "Minho said you, him, and Ben are the only Runners left. Everyone else quit because the Maze has been abnormally dangerous lately," he sighs. "I'm losing hope in escaping."
You should, she almost wants to say, but she doesn't. Instead, she just swallows. Blinks a few times.
Of course she doesn't want to make them sad, but her belief that this is still better than living in the outside world won't leave. Everything is literally free here. Not dangerous. Grievers won't enter the Glade as long as she keeps them under control.
"I mean, I know you don't have interest in escaping, but imagine meeting more girls. Living in a real house with Gally, and having a big garden. Being able to buy things instead of having to wait a month for it. And even about the baby thing— if you ever want that to happen, do you seriously plan on raising a kid in here?"
"You know about my theories. We're here to be kept safe."
It doesn't make sense that there's a way out then, but alright. That could be for emergencies. Or maybe it's not even a way out after all.
Woman, he suddenly calls.
What?
Come over here for a sec. Chuck's being annoying and I need your help.
You'll handle it just fine.
No. He refuses to believe I can talk in your mind, feel your emotions, and share I don't even know what else.
Well, have fun trying to convince him, then. I'd love to see you try!
Come on—
Have fun!
A sigh. Joan—
And she cuts him off. Because a) it's funny to see him try without her, and b) she's talking to Camil at the moment.
"—and I just don't know what to do now," he finishes.
Joan blinks a few times. "Eh— sorry, but what did you say before that?"
Grunting loudly, Camil throws his head back, along with his hands. "Never mind. Imma head to the Gathering. For Chuck's job. And then steal a dessert because y'all ate everything before I even finished my dinner."
Oh yes, likely another Tool-Maker! But doesn't the Gathering only start in an hour—
She quickly jogs after him. On their way, Camil calls Gally with him.
It doesn't take too long to arrive at the door. The two boys, who haven't even noticed her following, get inside and then close the door behind them, blocking the view, but not their voices.
"There you are!" That's Alby. "Minho said twenty minutes ago, man. Not twenty minutes later."
"Sorry," Camil says. "Let's just start."
Newt clears his throat. "We already did. Heard each other out."
"Alright. What did you talk about?"
"There's only three Runners left. Ben, Joan, and I." Her breathing hitches a bit at her name. "Everyone else quit. First of all, they're weak for that. Second of all, there's a reason. You've all heard it. There's Grievers everywhere. Blocking paths, following us... which is weird behavior. Usually, they would've stung us. Hurt us."
"But if they don't harm, why did the others quit?"
"It's getting impossible to properly run," Minho summarizes, annoyance in his voice. "And I don't know what suddenly causes this."
"Since when has it been happening?"
"Like a year ago. Few weeks after Joan joined us."
A silence falls, and a shiver runs down her spine. Has it been this cold the whole time? Her jaw automatically clenches. They're too close to finding out. And she knows that was she's been doing is wrong. Wrong enough for everyone to start hating her.
But it's for good results.
She won't stop.
Something keeps her from stopping. A feeling inside her stomach. A heaviness on her chest. A tingle against her temple. It almost feels...
good.
"You think she would...?"
"Dude," Camil and Newt snap at the same time, then Camil continues, "How would someone control the Grievers in the first place?"
"I don't shuckin' know, but she's smart," Alby argues. "And I like that girl, really, but it's possible that she's causing this. You know she's against escaping. Only reason she joined the Runners is so the rest won't lose hope."
"Gally, you're suspiciously quiet. Any opinions? Thoughts? Things you know of? And Clint? Billy? Eric?"
"I think we should just move on to Chuck," Gally snaps.
"How about we figure out why Runners have quit first?" Billy, the Keeper of the Baggers, speaks.
"How about we call Joan here and not leave her out," Gally spats back. "Maybe you forgot, but she's also a Keeper. And if you're that suspicious, go ask her yourself."
"You don't seem worried at all."
"No. I don't have interest in escaping and as long as those Grievers aren't harming, I don't care," he says. "Neither do I really care what she does inside the Maze, as long as it ain't dying or hurting herself."
"Yes," Camil insists. "Let's just talk about Chuck. I mean, I want to escape, but let's not bring my best friend into this."
"Gally," Alby starts, ignoring Camil, "you said you saw her during the Changing. What did you see?"
"What I saw has nothing to do with this. All had to do with our interactions. So suck it up and move on to Chuck."
A sigh. "Fine. But if more suspicious things happen, you tell me."
A/N: Phone & laptop have been acting weird, so that's why the symbol in the beginning is a bit cray cray.. et cetera, sorry!!