Disclaimer: I do not own the Maze Runner franchise or anything to do with the lovely characters and James Dashner's works. Though OC is MINE! Mine I tell you, MINE!

A/N: This is my prequel take starring one of the most undermined characters in the story (in my opinion), Gally, who I feel strongly for because of his character, so I'm gonna make a backstory of him!

Oh, reader must read at least read the first part of the novel or have watched the movie to get the better understanding of the story. Also, the events in the story takes place a couple of months (almost a year) before The Maze Runner, so no, there won't be much of Thomas or Teresa, as well as some of the others before them. Some concepts from the movie and the book will be mixed together for convenience, however, I will focus more on the aspects found in the novel series than of its movie counterpart.

Lastly, I will follow the depictions of the characters in the movie because I'd prefer Gally looking like Will Poulter instead of a scratchy voiced potato-nosed guy.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

Unexpected Things Happens In Unexpected Places

It was Gally's first day. First day inside the Maze.

He wore a proud grin on his face. It seemed easy enough. Might be the best job there was in this shuck place. He just had to trudge along some random path, write it down on a map, and then head back before sundown. Gladers said it was complicated, problematic, even dangerous at times, but he only liked the thrill of adventure that comes along with it.

A knock sounded from the rickety door of their wooden home. Then, a lanky boy with a blonde cropped hair peeped out of the doorway and called with a clipped posh accent. "Ready, shank? Time for your big day."

"Yeah, yeah." The other boy inside who didn't even looked at him, replied with a short huff.

Gally didn't waste time. He took off his yesterday's clothes and wore his today's, whatever today was. After a few short minutes, he went out and ran maybe a football field's distance from the Homestead to the southern door of the Maze. There, he saw many of the Runners; all the names forgotten except for the important ones, like Newt, who was the one who called for him before, and the Keeper, Minho. Judging by the group, Gally thought he was probably the tallest and the biggest among all of them. Shame, I thought we were well equipped for this. He thought.

When all of the Runners have gathered, Minho huddled them all forward and reminded them on some minor details before the Run.

"Okay, so we all know the details, right?" The slint-eyed Keeper clasped his hands together. "Runners go on clockwise order. Even Sectors, remember the change from last month. Odd numbers, double check your reports, maybe there's a pattern we don't know about…"

Gally didn't focus his attention after that and only gazed at the vast pathway in front of him. There were steel needles of maybe five foot in diameter protruding on one side of the wall, then gaping holes of the same size punched on the other. He practically dreamt of this day— a day that would fulfill his purpose inside the Glade, for what could be a better way to do it than to become a Runner?

"… Got everything, Runner newbie?" Minho smirked the same time Gally's thoughts went back to him, his mouth had a little 'o' shape in awe.

The Runners chuckled near him, hearing some snickers and insults all 'round the small semi-circle they formed.

"Aw, shut it, slintheads. You shucks won't even last a minute after nightfall inside the Maze."

Then the small crowd began there "ooohs" and "aaahs" on his challenge, some even joked and laughed about it, that was all until Minho shushed them in order.

"Slim it. There'd be no talks of anything about going anywhere inside the Maze after night. You know what happens during that time." Minho's glower intimidated the many, instantly silencing them from their ruckus. Gally didn't appear to be fazed at all, even scoffed and crossed his arms in defiance.

Of course, the Keeper didn't even bother to take notice though. "Everyone ready?" He motioned towards the maze.

One by one, the Runners went on, Minho tapping them one by one by the shoulder, his mouth silently counting the heads that passed by him. Lastly, Newt and Gally passed through the Keeper. Minho clasped both their shoulders and grinned. "Good luck on the Run." Newt just smirked in return.

Newt then nudged Gally on the arm. "C'mon, you're in 3 with me." to which he just nodded in reply.

After that, they all jogged and entered the Maze within.

He paced along those paths the corridors that stood tall across the maze. It's my first time, he repeated on his head. The first time he noticed the crack and dented walls made with something tougher than steel. He tapped the walls and a spray of dust fell from above where vines and mosses crept up almost endlessly in the sky. Continuing with his run, he tried to write down all those twists and turns they've made, but couldn't memorize them at all, and Newt, for the love of him, didn't even have him his paper and pen.

"How the shuck can you even do it?" Gally asked while placing his hands towards the left side of the wall. He thought about those theories shelved in his brain about mazes. About how walking only to one side will find you the exit. It's a common theory actually, though it's a wonder the Runners never thought of it yet, but who's to say, though? Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. He was only ordered (much to his comeuppance) just slim it and never one-up the other Runners.

Newt shrugged after a long silence while jogging from one side to the next. "Been doing this for months now. Guess you'd get used to it." Gally only grumbled at response.

Looking at the bland plain sky, they both noticed it was almost noon judging by the position of the sun.

"Should we take a break?" Newt suggested.

Gally unpacked his bag and opened up a pair of sandwich the Cooks had prepared for them. They stopped near a corner where they could see three pathways: one on Gally's left, one on Newt's and the other one in front of them. They sat there in silence, eating and drinking their food for a short while.

So far, being inside the Maze wasn't what he'd expected. He was bored actually. He thought there'd be more to this like maybe finding some clues and what not, but all they ever did was doing their standard procedures and just record things. Sure he was already told by his superiors that this was what they all do, but he probably thought it's just a thing they do to newbie Runners like him. He had also expected some kind of running, but not this kind of it all.

I thought we're supposed to see some of those slimy shucks? He pondered, though they were never sure if they could actually meet one.

Yes. Them. He'd heard those things from time to time, especially during the night before he slept. Those mechanical moaning from whatever side of the maze they came from. It echoed throughout the Glade in random periods. Its screeches sometimes woke him in the middle of the night, sounding so close as if they were right outside Homestead, but they weren't. The experience of them were like children's bedtime story come to life.

Goodnight,

Don't let the Grievers bite.

Gally only laughed inwardly at the thought. It didn't rid of him though the fact the he was indeed scared out of his mind, but he was also curious about those shuck things. He never knew why. Usually he looks outside the maze during the day and expect those things to swoop out in the open. Just to see what it looks like. He swore that he'd never seen those Grievers before in his life, but there's just something about them that made him what he was today. A Runner.

"You should see the look on your face, Gally." Newt smirked, interrupting his thoughts. "It really is quite pathetic when you're so deep in wherever you are."

Gally gave him a stern once-over and simply spat the unchewable ends of the burnt toast.

No sooner, they finished their food and went on their way. It was quite simple and brisk after that. They continued their way, turning lefts and rights (though Gally didn't know where the heck were they), and Newt was finally marking his maps and giving them to Gally. He only prayed that it's going to end so he could get out of this boring place. It's all just jogging and writing and jogging back again. It's really somehow not what he had signed up for.

But, it was all until they heard a hoarse shriek just a few walls in front of them.

The two ducked their heads and Newt placed a finger in his lips, gesturing to keep quiet. They looked skyward and concentrated on their hearing.

It was deafening silence at first. The quietness seemed to buzz and bled his eardrums. Gally was caught in a daze. I thought Grievers didn't come out in the day? But he heard it. That mechanical slur of a sound was clear as the first sign of light he saw when he first entered the Glade.

There was another hoarse shriek.

Then another, and another.

"What the—"

Another one was heard, only this time it was very, very close.

The two ran the opposite direction where the sound came from. The mad dash was inexplicably fast. Of course, this gave Gally the thrill, he never expected his first day inside the maze to actually "meet" one. Stories around the campfire usually spoke of Runners experiencing this, but their fates were usually determined after that.

"If they see you, you're dead."

When the moaning was at a far off distance, their running pace slowly had come to a full stop while they took in air and rested their legs.

"Gally, Minho's in 4, right?" Newt said, panting between breaths.

He gave him a bemused look. "Yeah, but what's that—"

"It's that way." He pointed at the east corridor with the only large but decrepit doorway stretching within miles between them. "I want you to go there and report to him. I'm going to 2 and hold off our runs for today." Before Gally could even ask questions, Newt already ran to his left and turned until he was out of view.

Gally now paced to where he was ordered to go, alone and scared to death. But the thrill. It excited him. Now this, this was what he signed up for. And this was just on his first day! How it must be exciting things starting from now on.

But when he was about half a kilometer away from the door, the most unexpected thing happened.

"Help!"

He pulled into a complete stop; looked at the four pathways where he stood. The mechanical noise wasn't too far but not that close either. When he looked behind to where it came from, there was nothing.

Then became the stifling silence again. The quietness rang in his ears. The buzzing noise he didn't know where it came from was too loud.

He took a deep breath and inhaled.

"Help!" He heard it again. It stopped the silent noise.

He then motioned in front of him.

Right there, in the beckoning echo of a voice…

A running figure appeared.

Gally squinted his eyes together to get a better vision.

He gasped.

It was a girl.

She was running to his direction, looking behind her in fear. When she looked up front, she slightly slowed, as if trying to connect the pieces running through her head when she saw the just-as-surprised boy in the same distance. But then when it finally clicked, she went on a mad dash to him.

"Help! Help me!"

He didn't want to.

He wanted to run the other away and hope she gets to be baited by those shucks.

She wasn't part of the plan.

And certainly, the Gladers were going to throw a fit if they find out that someone could appear out of nowhere in the maze and not just pop out of the Box.

But then a thought rose to him.

What plan?

Instinct came the better of him and ran towards her direction.

Halfway through, they met with each other. Her breaths were heaving and her knees wobbling; holding it out with her palms while bending forward. He noticed she had scrapes all over her jacket, the opposite side of her hand had small wounds and bruises with a tinge of blood in them.

"You alright there?" He asked confusedly, still quite dumbfounded from everything.

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Just out of breath." He could obviously tell from the way she exhaled those breaths. He took a good look at her while he was at it.

She seemed she had some enough meat on her bones, but was obviously built for speed, undoubtedly small compared to his height, also young by the looks of her; probably about the same age as he does. Sixteen, maybe? She had soft black hair tied into a neat braid, hands skinny and probably soft from her pale whiteness. He noticed that yes, she indeed looked like a girl, but she had a strained build of a thin boy.

She huffed her final tired breath then hunched back and stood straight. She looked at him and then eyes were suddenly locked to each other.

And deep gentle blue eyes met smoky silvery green.

"You're a Glader, aren't you?"

The whole question took him by surprise. His mind before was muddled with questions waiting to be answered but now she bombarded him with more. It's like the whole world exploded behind him with the sudden realization of how much she actually knew something about this wretched place. How did she know the Gladers? Where did she come from? Why was she running like she's running for her life?

Noticing the wide-eyed expression on his face, her fingers nimble and light, she held firm on his shoulders and gazed right at him.

"Alby? Minho? Newt? Winston? Clint? Zart?"

He stood there agape. How the shuck did she knew all those names!? He was flailing inwardly with all these questions starting to form in his head!

Her steady eyes were searching his, like she's trying to coax him out of something when out of the blue, he spoke up.

"It's Gally." He said in kind of a daze.

Her face bobbed up and down. "Right. Gally. Sorry, I didn't memorize all of you guys. Just— just bear with me okay?" She was eyeing him up close, probably making descriptions of him inside her mind just like he did. Gally replied with an awkward nod no sooner and she did the same thing but more stern and straightforward.

"Okay. I need you to take me back to the Glade. Alone." She looked back and then towards the walls as if to check if the coast was clear. "It's the safest place I could be right now."

She then looked at him again and continued. "Can you do that?"

"I—"

"Good." She then took his wrist and made a run for it, dragging him to her own pace. His surprised look then turned into a scowl. Who the heck was she to order me around? He inwardly growled. Heck, she was even running towards the wrong direction.

With the thought came into mind, he instantly snapped his arm back to his side, whipping hers away from his body. She stopped running and cried in exasperation.

"What the heck is your problem?" She flailed her arms widely.

"First of all, you don't get to touch me like that, even if you are some shuck girl. And Second," He then pointed a finger to her and poked the upper side of her chest, to which she flipped it off with two hands. "Who the flipping heck are you and where did you come from?"

"Look, I don't have the time to explain, okay?" She attempted to take hold of his wrist only to be whipped again from her grip. "Would you quit that!"

"Not until you give me something first." Gally's petrifying eyes looked like it could kill her right there and then.

She groaned in defeat. "Fine! I'm going to be called Marie, okay?"

"Okay then, Marie. Wait. Going to—"

Before he could even ask, the monstrous roar came from above— no, from where she turned. Then, the frightening monster itself came into view.

At first, Gally thought it was like a blob-like shell with pointed legs and arms, if it was even called an arm. It had longblades and hacksaws whirring back and forth like a horrific madman... but it was really a robot. Worst part was, it was gaining, gaining on them fast.

"C'mon! We don't have time!" She urged, but yet again Gally shook her hand away again.

"No, you're going the wrong way." He said. It was then that he took her hand and dragged her to his way.

First things first, he needed to find that left Newt turned awhile ago. He opened his maps from his pockets, also fortunate that Newt's was with his as well. He ran turn by turn, adrenaline pumping while he was trying to memorize all those turns he made awhile ago. Heck, he didn't know he'd be a natural at this. But it was like Newt said, he was made for Running.

Finally, he noticed the corridor and headed that way, but only to be stopped when a Griever landed in front of them. It gave out a shriek and the two tumbled into the ground, but recuperated before they could get stung by the elongated tail with a needle-like tip.

"Come on! Run that way!" He pushed her into standing, ducking and evading the sharp edges of the knives that slashed through air. They ran like they were Runners. Well, one of them were, but the other looked like she could handle herself well. Of course, there was the fact that they were still being chased by Grievers.

It took probably minutes of tireless running, but when they took a sharp turn between a familiar looking corridor, Gally finally noticed the walls he was very much used to.

They were close now to the Southern Gate.

He glanced behind him to see if the Griever followed them but he didn't see anything following... but the loud screeches said those… things were still close.

A Griever, how did the Griever became so fast even though it was daytime? He didn't get it. Did it even appear during daytime? It seemed like everything he was taught about them was wrong, but the Runners wouldn't joke about something like that, right?

Shaking his head in disbelief, he took notice of his surroundings. "We're close!" Only just 3 or 4 more turns and they'd be back according to his map he was carrying. But then he realized he could be luring them back to the Glade and they could all be very well doomed.

"Wait!" She stopped. Again, she was panting for breath, beginning to feel the effects from all the running. Gally stopped too, sweating and panting like he just came out of a desert.

"If we're near, I'm pretty sure they're not gonna follow us anymore." She continued.

The screeching probably a kilometer away disapproved of what she said. He looked at her incredulously but her eyes paid attention in front of her, rather than behind.

"They're not stupid enough to terrorize your Gladers, Gally." She then gave him a once-over.

Echoes befell on them but there weren't any Grievers coming, he was somehow sure of that. Weirdly, she was correct with her theory. It's been around two minutes since they've been resting and they haven't seen any Griever coming after them at all.

"They? Who're they?" Gally thought out loud. "Are they the Creators?"

She didn't answer though. But he can tell she knew how to answer that question. She just leaned back into the wall and unpocketed a crumpled paper, unfolding it as she grabbed a pen inside her jacket on the other hand. She sprawled something on the paper, Gally wondering what she'd wrote. She finished in record time and discarded the pen. She then folded the paper carefully in her hand.

After that, she brought up a syringe filled with yellow liquid.

"Whoah, what are you going to do with that?" he raised his hands defensively, like he was trying to heel a snarling dog.

She only eyed him with one eyebrow raised. She then rolled her eyes and continued doing whatever it is she was doing. She proceeded to tear off a fabric of her clothing, wrapping the cloth around her forearm, gripping it tightly so the blood could pump easily.

He guessed she was going to administer the syringe. He only knew of one syringe, though. But that one was of different hue and color. She didn't got stung, he knew it. Because if she did, she wouldn't be here with him right now.

But why was she taking it?

Somehow, her question was answered when he noticed the look in her eyes.

Her eyes were twinkling like she was about to cry.

She looked... crushed.

This thing… What she's doing. It scared her.

"Can you do me a favor, Gally?" Although he didn't respond, she continued either way. "Promise me you'll keep me safe. The others can't know that I'm here."

Then, the tears trickled into her eyes.

"I failed. My team… my friends… they're all…" She shook her head, trying to forget whatever she was trying to forget. He didn't get anything though, all he did was stare at her and tried to sympathize.

"We didn't expect them to be… I was the only one that made it. I'm... I'm going to die…"

He approached her, but he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to touch her. For all he knew she was one of them, trying to get inside the Glade so she could rid of all of them. But how can he believe that? She really looked hurt and ruined from everything. He was somehow sure of that.

"This is the only way I'll survive…"

Next thing he knew she struck the needle to her arm. She let out a moan of pain and panted again, feeling the effects too quickly than he'd realized.

She came tumbling to the ground and her irises rolled upwards, eyes bulging but it wasn't bloodshot. Then, she began to convulse, like having an intense seizure. Sweat formed immensely on her skin, dropping bucket-like loads of it. Gally hurriedly went to her side, carrying her back and tapping her cheek if she would respond, but she didn't.

It seemed like the worst case of euthanasia he had ever seen.

But then, she stopped shaking. Her pupils returned and eyes wide open, but eerily still.

Oh my God.

He brought him to his lap and shook her, but she didn't respond.

"Hey, wake up." He tried again but nothing happened.

He panicked. He didn't know what to do. But an idea formed. Someone smite him now for what he was about to do.

Gally unzipped her jacket and neared himself closer. He lowered the upper collar of her blouse that he could see the clasps of her... undergarments. He blushed at a thought. He then turned his head to the side and placed his ear on her chest.

It thumped repeatedly but slowly.

He breathed out a sigh of relief. At least she was alive. But she was unconscious.

At that moment, Gally had an epiphany. An ultimatum of some sort. He never knew this person who was unconscious before him and the Gladers would go mad if they even see a girl inside the Maze; something that wasn't normal. Something he'd been taught to do all these months that when he faced something like this, he should ignore it and leave it alone. Order and peace were priority, and that this— she — she was not order and peace.

But.

He didn't know what happened to her. She told him that his friends, comrades, whatever, were... gone? And now she was all alone. He doesn't know the whole story yet, but something about her made him sympathetic. No one should ever be alone in this world, right? No matter how cruel and desolate it was…

Cruel. Desolate.

Something inside his head triggered. Something… he didn't know. It's like a piece of the puzzle had been placed perfectly, but the picture was still a mashed blur. And it was because of her. It was because she knew. She knew what was happening to them. She had it. She had the answers they were looking for.

And in that moment, he made a decision.

He scooped her up on his back, her hands drooped along in front of him. She was light, almost like feather. Well, to him anyways. He was built to the bone, that's for sure.

A paper flew down her hand, he noticed. It was the same folded paper she wrote on and curiosity got the better of him. Crouching slightly, he picked it up with one hand, the other holding her in place, he unfolded it neatly and read the contents.

Your name is Marie.

Don't worry.

A boy named Gally would keep you safe.

He will take care of you and protect you until help arrives.

Don't lose hope.

Believe.

R.A.

A/N: Dropping bombs like it's hot.

Btw, hints are gonna be all over the place. What hints? I don't know. If you noticed them, don't mind them. Although you could PM me and we could talk about it if you want. :3

Don't forget to review!