The Transfer | Gally TMR

Chapter Sixteen

     After Gally and I had left the Deadheads, it didn't take long for us to call everyone together for a group meeting. Of course, we asked Newt first, as he was the new leader now, but he was still semi-out of it, and said that that would be fine. Last I saw of him, he was sitting off in the fields with Thomas. They'd been spending an awful lot of time together lately, but I didn't blame them. 

"Alright, attention everyone! Please, there is a very urgent matter that we need to discuss. Now, I know that Alby's passing is still lingering over this place, and we all miss that slinthead somethin' awful...but right now, we have a very serious issue at hand, and it needs to be given our full attention right now." Gally said, his voice loud and commanding. Everyone was silent, waiting patiently for Gally to speak again. Newt had joined the meeting, but he was sitting near the back with Thomas, just nodding and listening from a far. I gave him a sympathetic smile, and he nodded, giving me a small smile in return.

"Now listen, I don't want anyone judging Lilli for what she did, alright? She did what she did because she had no other choice, and let's be honest- any one of us with any guts at all would've done the same shucking thing. She gave us the gift of not having to hold that burden, so I think she deserves a thank you, if anything. It was too late to save Alby. Now, since Lilli was the only one with him when he died, she was the one to hear his words exactly, and let me tell you, they weren't good. I'm gonna turn it over to Lilli now, so she can tell you personally what she heard." He nodded, stepping aside and giving me a supportive smile as I nodded, taking a stand in the middle of the council room where we were hosting the meeting."I just wanted to say first, that I truly liked Alby. I thought his methods of leadership and forming a community were more than admirable. And I know I didn't know him the way any of you did, so I won't try to sympathize with you over how much it hurt me to kill him- but it wasn't easy. I only did it, to protect everyone else here, and I hope you can all forgive me, or if not that- then at least accept it. Thank you. Now, concerning what Alby said in some of his last moments of sanity, he became possessed. I think it was WICKED, speaking through him. His voice, wasn't his own. They were warning us, giving us instructions on how to stay alive." I paused momentarily, catching my breath as I took a moment to stare out across the eyes that were now fully fixated on me. I sighed, shaking my head.

"Essentially, we have 100 hours left to get out of the Glade. Every 10 hour cycle, one of us will die." I said straightforwardly. Gasps and shouts erupted from the crowd, but I just tuned it out, waiting for them to settle down a bit."Hey, hey, hey shuck-faces! Slim it, would ya'!?" Newt shouted, finally standing up confidently from the back of the room. Every Glader turned to face him, shock evident on their faces as the thin boy cross his lanky arms across his chest. Everyone stayed silent as he huffed in frustration.

"Now listen! This is important, alright!? We don't have time for this klunk! We need to make a game plan, and the only way we can do that is with all of the information! So how about we just listen to Lilli, and hear her out! Shuck me..." Newt demanded, sitting back down with a huff as Thomas patted his knee reassuringly. I gave him a grateful smile, and he returned it. I then nodded, turning back to face the rest of the Gladers. Like Newt said, we don't have a lot of time left. If we're still in the Glade when it reaches the 10 hour mark, one of us is going to die." I left out the part that excluded me from that threat. I noticed, however, a couple of Gladers rolling their eyes.

"Yeah right! Like we're suppose to believe some distant voice coming out of a crazy shank, and some chick who's only been here a few days!" One of the Gladers shouted. I just crossed my arms, putting on my toughest face. Gally started towards them angrily, but I stopped him.

"Listen, I'm not demanding that you believe me. If you want to stay in this shuck place then I really don't give a damn. I don't know any of you slintheads anyway. If you want to risk it, test the theory of whether or not WICKED decides to fulfill their threat, then that's fine by me. Just think about this first- has WICKED ever backed out of a threat?" I asked calmly. The room was silent, and I knew I had won their loyalty. If not that, then at least their support.

"Alright. Now, the plan is simple. Minho, Thomas and I know the location of a door, a door that we're almost certain is our only way out. We know where it is, but if we all want to survive, wee need to leave the Glade- today. We probably can't travel all the way there during the night, which means we'll be spending at least one night in the Maze. Now-" At this, the whole room erupted into panic and chaos. Gally tried to yell and calm everyone down, Minho was yelling profanity at anyone who would give him the time of day, but nothing could calm this maddened mob. The beast had awoken.

"Now all of you shut up!" This time, it was Thomas who took the role as leader. Surprisingly, everyone obliged. I think even Thomas was a little taken aback.

"Now any one of us could die if we stay in the Glade another night. It's like Lilli said. It could be your friend, or you. Either way, at least in the Maze our lives are in our own hands. I know that I'd much rather be out there, searching for an exit, than cooped up here another dreary night- waiting for death to take us away." His voice was surprisingly steady, his reason clear. Most of the Gladers nodded, silenced by his valid points.

"Thomas is right. At least out there- in the Maze, our lives are our own. If we stay here, they belong to WICKED." Newt nodded, finally standing up and making his way to the front of the Glade."They're all bloody right, ya slintheads. The Glade is not our home. We've got to get out of here. Now we've already lost enough friends, no...family, to WICKED. I'm gonna let them take anyone else. Now listen here. I'm new leader around here, and I say we go. If you wanna bloody stay, well then you're an idiot and I don't give a shuck whether you die or not." Newt said irritably, crossing his arms in front of his chest. I knew he was still upset about Alby dying, but if this was the way he was going to channel it- by taking charge- I didn't have any complaints. I nodded, s a basic restatement and support to what Newt had just said.

"Right, now we need everyone to gather together as much food and water, as well as a few blankets, as you can carry. But above all else, carry weapons. We may not be out there long, but we need to be prepared for attacks, and sudden change of plans. Got it?" Everyone nodded, most of them even sounded enthused and riled up. I smiled, turning to see Gally, already looking at me. His cheeky grin was unmistakable, and I couldn't but smile even wider at his adorableness.

"Alright then! Meeting dismissed!" Newt shouted, and I could have sworn he sounded slightly less mad than he was a moment ago. Everyone ran out, off to gather everything we needed in order to make our escape.