Julia- Night had fallen; it was time to lock up the trouble-making idiot Greenie. Gally and I entered the Med-jacks hut, and it felt tense in here. Everyone was looking at Alby and everyone looked disheveled. "Sundown, Greenie. Time to go," Gally said. Why is this bitch in here? The girl noticed me looking at her, and she looked terrified. I snarled at her, and she backed up. Thomas followed us outside and over to the Pit. "What's your problem with me, anyway?" he asked Gally. I snorted. "You want a list?" I asked. Gally answered him, and I was thrown by how calm he was; probably because he got the satisfaction of locking Thomas up. Gally opened the door, and I pointed inside. In Thomas went, like a good boy, shocker, then spoke to Gally again. "You know we can't stay here forever, right?" Gally paused, looking directly at Thomas, but said nothing as he finished locking him up, then walked off. I sighed, and told him to go ahead, then walked over to the kitchen to catch the little thief hiding inside.
"Chuck," I called. Slowly, he emerged from his hiding spot, clutching food and water. "I… I was hungry…" he stuttered, looking ashamed. I crossed my arms and smiled softly at the boy. "Go and give that to him," I whispered. Chuck smiled and hugged me, then walked off to Thomas' cell. When I entered my hut, my mind was in turmoil. Gally wrapped his arms around me, kissing my head, and swaying us slowly. "Why is he right?" I whispered. The swaying stopped, but Gally said nothing. "Why does he get to come here, mess up everything, break our rules and still gets to be right?" Gally sighed and started kissing the back of my neck, holding me tighter. "Don't worry about him; we're home. We're safe here." His words, which were meant to be reassuring, just stressed me out. "But…" I started, but Gally shushed me gently, cradling me in his arms. We got into bed, but sleep did not come easy for me.
**The Next Day/Time Skip*
We all stood in front of the Maze Doors, waiting for Minho and Thomas to return. Whatever was happening in there, the Maze was going nuts. We couldn't see anything, but we could hear, and it didn't sound good. I stood between Newt and Fry, no one talked, just stood in silence. Finally, the boys appeared, and newt immediately asked what was going on, while Gally just accused Thomas of doing something. They told us they had found where the Grievers possibly lived and that it could be our way out. Gally had immediate rejections on that, and so did I, if I'm honest. Then Thomas got in Gally's face, and I marched over, ready to crack this Greenie in the face. They yelled at one another, and I pushed Thomas away, about to swing at him, but then the girl, Teresa, stopped us. "Alby's awake." Me, Gally, Newt, Thomas, and Minho bolted over to the Med-hut. Alby was quiet until Thomas spoke to him, and no one liked what Alby had to say. It was all about the Greenie; he said he saw him, asked why he did this, that he was always "their" favorite. Then we all heard a commotion outside and left. Somehow, it was night, and people were panicking. The Doors were opening, all of them. I felt Chuck grab my hand, and I held it tightly. I tried to stay calm, but I was scared too.
Thomas, Newt and Gally started giving orders, but before anyone could leave, a group of Glader's started screaming and running back to the Glade. "Grievers!" I felt my blood go cold, and then we heard them. We all ran off in different directions, Gally pulling me by the hand, telling me to run and not look back. We dropped into the Box, along with a couple other Builders, shut the grate, and Gally clung to me. I was shaking, but I tried my hardest not to cry, it would solve nothing. Gally was in full-on protective mood, focused on me one hundred percent. Every time I heard the shriek of a Griever, or the screams of a Glader, my heart stopped, and I felt like I was being stabbed. After what felt like hours, it was finally over. Gally flung open the grate and pulled me out. We stood, frozen in horror, and I choked back a sob. Our Glade, our home, everything we built, was gone. Fire was everywhere, the smell of smoke was thick. Everything else had been torn apart or smashed. Gally looked toward the direction of the Homestead, a look of pure rage on his face, and started marching over. I glanced back at the Builders and followed after him. I was angry too, and if he tried starting a fight, I was helping.
Once we walked through the smoke, we saw everyone standing outside the Homestead, but Alby was nowhere to be found. I prayed he was still alive, but I knew I was kidding myself. Gally reached Thomas before I did and punched him, hard, a loud crack sounding from it. I jumped at him too, but Newt grabbed me and held me back while everyone else had Gally, who was screaming at Thomas. I glared at him while I screamed at Newt to let me go, fighting tooth and nail to get to the Greenie and rip him apart. And then, as if he somehow got dumber, the Greenie stung himself, and down he went, convulsing on the ground. Everyone ran to Thomas, freaking out, while Gally and I stood there, shocked. I knew Gally; he cared so much about everyone; he just didn't know how to show it sometimes. We looked at each other; we were done. We were tired, miserable, broken. We'd lost our peace, our home, our friends; we'd lost it all. We turned back to Thomas and the others; Chuck had handed Teresa a syringe, which she hurriedly jammed into Thomas' chest. He stopped spasming and lay there unconscious. I walked over, holding Gally's hand, and tapped Newt's shoulder.
He looked at me with worry and pain, and as much as I wanted to comfort him, I knew what needed to be done. "Newt; as you are unfit to be in command of the Glade, I'm taking over." Everyone started to yell at me, and I held up a hand, silencing them all. "Your friendship with this Greenie blinds you, therefore you cannot make the right decisions for the rest of us." Gally looked at me, proud, while Newt looked shocked and hurt. "Gally, I'm letting you take over. I'm done with all of this." He kissed my hand and turned to address everyone that had survived. "Everything started going wrong the moment this Greenie arrived, and we all know it. Let tonight be all the proof you need!" He glared at Teresa and Thomas, then looked back at me. I stepped forward, "Tomorrow we'll Banish Thomas and," I stopped to glare at Teresa, "And this bitch. She's a part of this too. This was a set-up, this was planned. Whether by the two of them of by the Creators, it doesn't matter. I want them gone." I glanced at our Builders, "Throw them in the Pit!" They didn't hesitate, they dragged Thomas and grabbed at the girl. Gally took my in his arms before speaking again, "Anyone who sides with them, gets Banished as well!"
No one spoke, everyone just stood there, heads hung. I ordered them to start putting out the fires and then find places to sleep for the night. Gally pulled me away so we could help, and I turned around to look back at my friends. Minho looked at me with disgust, but Newt, Newt's face was blank, but his eyes were blurry. I shook my head and focused on the Glade, pain ripping through my heart at everything Gally and I had built. Everything we worked for gone in a single night. Gally held me close, but my strength was gone. I slumped in his arms, willing for it all to be a bad dream, but the smell of smoke was too strong, the echoing sounds of screams rang in my ears. This wasn't a bad dream; it was a nightmare. It was Hell.
**Next Day**
Newt- "Julia and Gally have taken control. They gave us a choice; join them or be Banished later with you two," I told Tommy, forlorn. He looked surprised. "Julia? Really? How did that happen?" I sighed. "She's a leader too, Tommy. You keep forgetting; said I was blinded by my friendship with you, and it made me unfit to lead. So, she took over." Teresa sighed. "They have everyone convinced you're the reason all this has happened. Both of us." I shook my head; this was so stupid! "They're right; we worked for the people that put us here. I saw it. I remembered," Tommy said, snapping me out of my pity-party. "What?" He looked at me while he explained, and he sounded as sorry as he looked. "It doesn't matter. None of it matters. Because they people we used to be are gone. These Creators took care of that," I said. "What matters now are the people we are today and what we choose to do from now on." Minho nodded, impressed by my little speech. Then Tommy brought up Alby, and I felt my heart break, but I stayed strong. I told them if we do nothing then Alby died for nothing, and I couldn't have that. Tommy smiled at me, and even now, I felt my heart burst. Damn it, Julia! I can see how smug you'd be right now. She was always right! Why did she always have to be right?
Tommy broke away from me and said if we were going to get out of here, we had to get through Gally first. "Oh, really?" We all jumped; Julia was standing next to us, narrowed eyes and arms crossed. Then she slowly knelt to glare at Thomas through the bars. "And how do you think you'll achieve that?" she asked, scoffing. "Love…" I called to her. She glanced over at me, sadness in her eyes. "Love, please. You know this isn't right," I pleaded. "Yeah. It's one thing to be loyal because the shank's your boyfriend, but it's another thing to…" and she cut Minho off by pulling out her blade and pointing it at him. "Don't! Don't you dare, Minho," she growled. "You really took control, went above Newt, and acted like…" "I did what I had the right to do, and what was right to do. It's not my fault you all shut down Gally's concerns, mine too, for that matter."
"Julia," Tommy called. She glared at him, "I know you know that this isn't our home, that we can't stay here. I saw you when I told Gally that; you know." "Once, you stood up for me, you talked about how nothing was done when Minho and Alby were stuck in the maze. Then you broke the rules and went in it too." She looked away from him, hissing. "Don't think I don't bloody know about you going against Tommy's punishment and letting Chuck bring him food either," I told her. She rolled her eyes, as if it meant nothing. Then she stood, her face impassive, but her eyes flashed in anger. "I don't trust you, Greenie. I made that clear. And I want you gone as quickly as possible." "No, you don't. You want what Gally wants because right now he's the only thing secure. You just want this to be over," Tommy spoke to her calmly and pleadingly. I realized he was understanding her, and I was both shocked and proud. She looked like he'd slapped her and took a few steps back. "Julia, please. Just help us. Gally will listen to you, you know that!" She looked at Tommy, then at us and our pleading faces. "Julia," I whispered. She turned her head away, as if to block all of this, and ran off. I sighed, hurt. But I pushed it away and focused on creating a plan with the others. I didn't want to have to fight her. I didn't want to lose her; we promised. But I wanted to get out of this place, and if I have to leave her behind… NO! My heart shattered at the thought of leaving her. Please, love. Please see sense.
**Skip to the Escape Plan**
Gally- When Minho pointed a sword at me, I grabbed Julia and pulled her behind me. This is not happening… Thomas started talking about them leaving and offered the other Gladers a chance to go with them. "Don't listen, he's just trying to scare you." I felt Julia's grip on my shirt tighten, and my anger went up a notch. If anyone touches her! The Greenie started going on about how we were all scared, including him. Then he started blabbering about how the Glade isn't our home, and that we were put here on purpose, trapped here. Then people started going over to their side, actually believing Thomas. I turned around, only my fellow Builders and Julia stayed. "Gally, it's over. Just come with us!" Thomas pleaded, why I don't know. I shook my head; they were all going to die. "Good luck against the Grievers," I told them. Greenie looked annoyed, like he really couldn't understand why I wouldn't go with him.
Next thing I knew, Julia started walking over, and I yanked her arm back. "What the hell are you doing?!" She looked at me with tired eyes, and she seemed at war with herself. "Gally, just… hear me out for a minute," she whispered. "Now, I don't trust him, and I sure as hell don't trust that bitch, but what if they're right?" she asked. I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off. "Look at our home! Everything we built is gone! It would take years to re-build everything, and that's if we're even alive to do it!" I watched as her eyes went glassy, but she rubbed them harshly, not letting any tears form. "What happens if the Grievers come back? And pick us off one by one? We're supposed to just let it happen and live in fear until we're dead?" I stepped closer to her, ready to argue. I could've shaken her if I didn't love her. "So, you're choosing to listen to the guy that ruined everything over me? You're choosing to trust someone else's word over mine?!" I screamed at her. She looked hurt, then she shut her eyes, did some deep breathing, then flashed them open, anger replacing the hurt. Conviction replacing the pain. "No! no, I'm choosing my life and my freedom! I'm choosing me!"
I stepped away from her. Why? Why is she doing this? Why is she leaving me? Leaving us? Why!? My thoughts were scrambled, my anger making it worse. I was spiraling and the one thing I had left I was losing right in front of me. "Come on, love. Let's just go," Newt called softly to her, and I snapped. I should've known. "So, it's like that, huh?" I asked. She looked back at me, confused. "This is why you're leaving? Because you want to be with him?" "Gally…" Newt tried to speak, but I cut him off. "No, shut up! You think I don't know you have feelings for her?" I screamed at him. Julia's eyes went wide, and Newt looked hurt and ashamed. "Yeah, I saw you two that night, two years ago. Is this part of your little plan? You knew I wouldn't go with you, so this was your chance to take her?" Minho and Thomas stared at Newt like they were seeing him for the first time.
Julia took slow steps towards me until we were chest to chest. She placed her shaking hands on me, and tried to breathe, looking at me with pleading eyes I knew were masking anger. "I'm going to overlook that if you come with us. Just… just please come with us. Come with me!" She sounded close to tears, but I had more to say. "You should want to stay with me, instead of throwing away two years for nothing," I growled at her. I thought I had her there. Julia, come on, prove me wrong! A part of me begged. But she shook her head in disbelief and stepped away from me. Minho walked over and took her arm, but she didn't move. She stared at me with watery eyes, but she refused to cry. So, this is it… "You want to go, then go!" I snapped. She looked ready to beg again, but I pointed at the Maze and told her to go. Slowly, she stepped away, Minho gently pulling her until she reached Newt, and he placed a hand on her back, whispering something in her ear. And then, they were gone. She was gone. And I was alone.
Julia- As I ran beside Newt, I bit back the heartbreaking whimpers and tears that attempted to leave my body. How could he do that? Just throw away two years like it was nothing. And to accuse me of leaving him for Newt? What the hell was that? I must've really dissociated from everything, because I ran into Newt's back, not realizing we had stopped running. Apparently, there was a Griever behind the wall we were hiding behind, so Thomas started planning and giving us a pep talk. Minho gave Chuck that weird Griever part, which turned out to be a key, and told him to stay behind us. "Julia, love, stay with him and stay safe," Newt told me. I had no energy to fight, so I patted Chuck on the shoulder, and told him to stick with me. This is it… time to see if it was all worth it, I thought, mournfully. And we bolted around the wall, I nearly froze at the familiar screeching the Griever made, but I shook it off, focused on Chuck. Teresa was with us too, but I didn't care about her. I hope she gets eaten or something. We finally had an opening to run, but Chuck lost the key and went after it, and almost fell over the edge! Teresa and I ran to him, pulling him up quickly, while two Grievers crawled up the walls. We ran for it, and the key opened the doors, but then we were stopped by another wall with no way out.
We felt all over, trying to find something, and then this bright red circle appeared with a code. Teresa yelled for Thomas, and Minho started rattling off numbers, while Teresa hurriedly typed them in. Then a Griever jumped on Minho, and I screamed, pushing Chuck behind me. Jeff ran forward to fight it off, and I watched, helpless, as it ate him. Minho finished the sequence as he and the rest of the guys slowly backed into the small room with us, and the walls began to close, trapping or killing the Grievers. Then everything went black, and we fell. Teresa opened a door behind us, which led into a long hallway with pipes. We followed it down until we reached a door labeled exit. "Seriously?" Fry said, and I scoffed, annoyed that it seemed so easy. We opened the door and were shocked by what we saw, dead bodies, everywhere. Then we walked into a large lab, surrounded by screens and broken equipment. I followed Newt over to the only working screen and gasped when I saw the Glade. "They were watching us," he whispered, grabbing my hand.
A woman's voice started talking behind us, and we turned to see a large screen, playing a video. The woman, Doctor Paige, congratulated us on completing the trials, and then told us the truth about why we were here. She said we were the hope for finding a cure for some crazy virus. Then people were being shot on screen, and she picked up a gun and shot herself, making us all turn away. And that was when we saw her body behind us. I gripped Newt's hand, he squeezed back. Then another door opened, as if inviting us to leave. "Is it over?" Chuck asked, stepping closer to Thomas. "What are we supposed to do now?" Newt asked. Thomas was silent for a moment, then said he didn't know, but that we should get out of here. But before we could even take a step, someone stopped us. "No." It was Gally. I whirled around, ready to run to him, but Newt held me back. "Don't. He's been Stung," Teresa said. A broken cry escaped my throat; Gally looked angry, crazy, he looked like he was crying too. He started saying that we couldn't leave, that we wouldn't be free out there. And then he pointed a gun at Thomas. Newt shoved me behind him, but I fought to keep Gally in my sight. There was no trace of the man I loved, and it broke me.
Thomas kept trying to calm Gally down and to put down the gun, which was shaking in his hand. "I belong to the Maze," he cried. Then he glanced at me. "We all do." The gun went off the same time a spear struck Gally through the chest. I choked, frozen, as I watched him fall to his knees, and then to the ground. And I screamed, pushing past Newt and the others and I ran to him, cradling his head and sobbing. He was struggling to breathe, but he reached for my hand, and spoke, "I… I'm so… sorry," he struggled, and I shushed him, tears falling. Then I looked over at Thomas freaking out; Chuck had jumped in front of him and had been shot. No! I couldn't breathe; I wanted to be there for Chuck, but my heart was screaming to stay with Gally. I can't leave him again. And then Chuck was gone. Thomas was screaming for him to wake up, sobbing over his body. I shook as spasms of grief took over me, for the loss of my lover and for my brother.
Suddenly, doors opened and men in black ran in, hurriedly grabbing for us and pulling us out. Two men grabbed at me, and I tried to pull away, screaming for Gally over and over. But he was gone, and we were all shoved outside and flung into a helicopter, where I collapsed in Newt's arms. Up we went, and we all looked out through the window and saw the Glade and the Maze for what it really was. The man that sat with us told us to relax, and that everything is going to change. I laid in Newt's arms and silently wept. Thomas, who sat next to us, was doing the same, clutching the little carving Chuck made. We made eye contact, and for a moment, we were just two messed up kids that had both lost someone we cared about. He reached for my hand and placed his on top of mine, while Newt tucked my head into his neck, stroking my face. And I slept.
And so, we have reached the end of TMR! *The pain of my man's death, ugh!* Time to start TST era! Let's go!