in another life; the maze runner

☆twenty-four☆

"No." 

A familiar voice ripped through the silence that had collected in the air, causing almost all of the Gladers to turn to the source. 

Gally. 

He looked broken beyond repair. His eyes were narrowed with sorrow, his lip quivering with each breath he took in. But the most troubling thing about his state, was the gun he held in his hand, pointed right at Mae and her friends. 

"Gally," Mae said breathlessly, her voice slightly cracking. She hated seeing another Glader in that condition, whether or not it was Gally. Even if he had thrown her in a jail cell, he had also saved her life.

"Mae, stop," Teresa hissed, grabbing her sister's forearm before she could move toward the troubled boy in front of them. "He's been stung." She said, releasing Mae's arm once she was sure she wasn't going to walk forward. 

Gally lowered the gun he had been holding to his side, and the device he had previously been grasping with his other hand clattered to the floor. He took a quick breath, biting his bottom lip slightly and shaking his head slowly, as tears brimmed in his diseased eyes. 

Mae's gaze traveled down to the gun in his hand, watching it tremble as he had a hard time composing himself. She wanted to knock it out of his hand, grab him, and take him and everyone out of here. But she knew she couldn't. They didn't have the serum, and there was no way he would just hand over his weapon and merrily walk out that door. 

"We did it, Gally. We're out. We're free," Thomas said soothingly, his hands held out slightly in front of him cautiously. 

"Free? You think we're free out there?" Gally gestured, slightly waving the gun carelessly as he looked past them and to the door. When his head moved, Mae could see the spider-like veins running along his neck. She felt her stomach do a somersault. 

"No. There's no escape from this place," Gally whimpered, his voice lowered in volume as he raised his weapon yet again, right at Thomas this time. He let out a broken sob, his eyes narrowing in on the boy as if he was some sort of target he was being forced to hit. 

"Gally, listen to me. You're not thinking straight. You're not- but we can help you." Thomas persuaded.

"Just put down the gun, Gally. Please," Mae croaked, ignoring the crack in her strained voice. 

"I belong to the Maze," He shook his head, shuddering with an over flow of unnatural emotions.

"Put down the gun," Gally didn't hear any of their pleas through the ringing in his ears. He brought his finger closer to the trigger, causing Mae's heart to leap into her throat. 

"We all do." He whispered, a single stray tear cascading down his dirt covered cheek. 

There was a burst of action, and everything moved so fast that Mae could barely comprehend it. In a flash, Minho had thrown his spear in Gally's direction, hoping to stop him from hurting anyone further. He took in several gasps of air, his eyes traveling to the spear that was now lodged in his shoulder, before he feel to his knees in defeat. Another scattered breath- and then the former Keeper of the Builders finally fell.

 However, despite Minho's effort, the trigger was still pulled. 

But it wasn't Thomas who had been struck. Nor was it Mae, or Minho or Newt.

"Th-Thomas?" Chuck wheezed. Mae's eyes widened in horror as she quickly looked down at him, and at the hauntingly dark blood seeping through his shirt. Thomas grabbed him quickly, scrambling to lower him onto the ground. 

Mae dropped to her knees swiftly, trying to ignore the tears that had collected in her eyes, and she kneeled over the young boys face as he continued choke on his breath. Thomas was next to her, his hands on Chuck's face as he desperately searched for something, anything that could help their young friend.