Questions: Gally x Reader

Questions: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

You came up in the box like every other Glader. But that was where the similarity ended. You knew where you were, as the walls outside the metal bars of the box rushed by. You knew what was in each of the boxes that shared the space, as the crates full of supplies creaked and groaned as your elevator moved steadily upwards. You knew who you were, where you had come from. You were different. You remembered.

But you wouldn't be able to tell them that.

The box stopped right on time. You had been counting the seconds in your head. It would be another couple... there. The light flashed red, green, alarm sound, off. Darkness.

Seven... eight... nine...

Sliding doors open. You heard them. Swish, woosh. Then, a few seconds after that...

Two... three... four...

Voices. Boys laughing. Names, in your mind. You heard the voices. You knew the names. Sunlight. Blinding, but you didn't make the same mistake most greenies did, looking directly at the light. You kept your eyes on a fixed point in the box, waiting for your eyes to slowly adjust. The noise above you grew louder, and a boy jumped in behind you.

"Day one greenie..." He began, slowing as you fearlessly rose, unarmed, unpanicked, and perfectly calm.

"Rise and shine," He finished, with a suspicious tone and a haughty glare. You met his gaze, challenging him nonverbally.

He accepted your challenge, stepping forward and grabbing the collar of your shirt. He threw you bodily out of the box, and you landed, gasping, on green grass at the feet of fifteen or so teenage boys.

You had anticipated the move and, after taking a second to slow your breathing, you stood. Turning slowly, you took in your surroundings. Four walls, two doors, the kitchens, the meeting hall, the pit, the lookout tower... it looked just as it did through the security cameras. But the boys were much rowdier than you had anticipated. One of them shoved you, and you stumbled a few paces before regaining your balance. You hadn't heard their teasing and taunting until this point. You were trained to zone it all out.

Now, however, you stepped toward the nearest Glader and opened your closed fist, revealing a plain white envelope.

The jeering stopped immediately.

"What's this?" The boy you were handing it to questioned. You said nothing, and he curiously took it. When he did, you stepped back, crossing your hands neatly behind your back. The boy stared at your curiously, suspiciously, for only a moment before reading the single word on the front of the envelope.

Alby

"What is it?"

"Let me see, Newt!"

The other boys pushed and pulled to look at the note, but Gally held his hand up.

"It's for Alby. Who knows what the bloody creators will do if anyone other than him opens it. It's for him, alright! Someone get Alby."

"I will, Newt!" A small, chubby Glader who looked no more than 13 volunteered. Newt nodded at him and off he ran, leaving you staring curiously after him.

Charles. Chuck.

The name clicked in your mind, but you said nothing.

"Who are you?" The boy who had thrown you from the box poked a suspicious finger into your chest, forcing you to take a step backward. He noticed, grinned, and positioned himself directly in front of you, trying to intimidate you into backing up again.

"Scared, greenie?"

You looked him dead in the eye and stood your ground.

"Leave them alone, Gally," Newt warned. To you, he smiled and said, "It's alright. You're safe. It's hard the first day. You have a lot of questions, we understand. Alby will be here soon... do you remember your name?"

The first question... did I know my name? Yes. Yes, I did. But I couldn't tell them that.

You took a deep, slow breath, and said nothing.

"You deaf, greenie?" Gally said again, pushing you backward, until you were only a few inches from the edge of the box, which was embedded in the ground.

"Knock it off, Gally." Newt cautioned again.

Gally smirked in your face before turning away, yelling orders at the unloading crew.

"Get those boxes out of there! The rest of you, shows over, get back to work!"

"Newt!"

Alby ran up with Chuck following like a lost puppy.

"How's the greenie?" He said, nodding in your direction. You nodded too, chin up, acknowledging his arrival.

Nod with chin up, acknowledgment. Nod with chin down, respect.

You had received training in every aspect of the glade, including manners. Alby returned the nod and took the note from Newt's hand.

"You know anything about this, greenie?" He asked you.

The second question. Did I know about the note? Yes. Yes, I did. I watched them type it. I felt it in my hands as they gave it to me.

But you said nothing and remained silent as Alby opened it. He read it aloud, but you had the words memorized.

A17: The Silent One. They know everything... if you can get them to tell you. They're the last one. Ever.

"The last one?" Newt asked, exchanging uneasy glances with Alby.

"Do you know what this note means?" Alby asked you. You stared at him with glazed eyes. The realization struck him then, and he stepped back to look at you.

"You don't talk." Alby looked from you to the note and back to you. "But you know everything... can you write? Do you understand what I'm saying at all?"

There we go.

You smiled. He had caught on much faster than you had anticipated. You held up one finger, first question, and shook your head. You couldn't write, no words, Wicked had been very clear. You held up two fingers, second question, and nodded.

"Alright. We can work with that."

"I'm sorry, am I missing something?" Newt questioned, looking from you to Alby in a confused manner.

"We'll discuss this at the bonfire tonight, Newt. Make sure everyone comes. I'll show the greenie around."

"Alright..." Newt shot you one final confused glance before Alby beckoned you to follow him, and you walked away from the box.

"If you know everything already... do you know where you are?"

You nodded.

"So, our three rules?"

You held up one finger, and Alby spoke for you.

"Rule one, everyone does their part. No slackers in the Glade."

Two fingers, "Rule two, never hurt another Glader."

With a nod and three fingers, Alby continued, "Rule three... never go outside those walls." He pointed to the doors seriously.

You stopped to stare at them for a minute. You knew what was out there. The maze. You had memorized every turn, every wall, every rotation. You had run it in the simulator. It was a lot bigger in real life.

"Greenie?"

You nodded and continued after Alby. You would obey his rules. For now.