Stealers (Newt x Reader)

Chapter 26: Instincts

Newt's POV 

No one moved. No one spoke. No one dared to breath too loud. Just in case he was being serious, just in case this really was the last moment we could see (Y/n) alive. The thought sent icy chills to all parts of my body, numbing them, hollowing them out. Nothing had even happened yet and I could already feel the emptiness that would be left if she was gone. She tried to keep her face straight but the terror in her eyes screamed for someone to help her, pleaded with death itself to not take her and all I could do was stare. The knife was long and perfectly sharp, glinting in the setting sun and I guessed he took it from the weapons room.  How he knew about it, I wasn't sure.

"Okay, Gally, just put the knife down and we can talk," Minho's voice was steadier than I expected but fear still tinged the edges of his words. Gally shook his head and I noticed how crazed he looked: there was a wildness in his eyes, like a rabid beast and his whole body was shaking slightly, despite the warmth of the afternoon. His clothes were torn, hanging off his body along with skin that was ripped and bloodied. There were several puncture wounds across his body, deep and black with dried blood, showing that he had been stung far too many times and must be going insane. He almost didn't look alive but he definitely was, even if I wasn't sure how. "Come on man, just listen to me, we can ta-"

"No! You listen to me!" Minho was cut off by Gally, who snarled and shouted his words at him. Everything about him had become so.. animalistic and it sent a shiver down to my bones. "You can't go! You're.. not.. going!" With each word of his last sentence, he pressed the knife down harder, drawing a small drop of blood. (Y/n) winced, throwing her hands up to the knife and his hand to try and pull them away but he whispered something in her ear and she grew still again, a new wave of terror washing over her. I didn't understand how he got to this point, maybe it was being stung, maybe it was his genuine fears of the world outside. Probably both. Either way I couldn't stand watching it unfold any longer.

"Why not? Why should we not go?" I tried to level my voice, not too scared but not too angry, just calm, even if calm was the last thing I felt.

(Y/n)'s POV

Newt tried to stay calm, hide his fear as he asked Gally why. I could tell he was because I was doing the same thing. Maybe I was trying to make myself believe that I was and would be okay more than anyone else but I could barely think through the sound of my heart beating viciously against my ribs. I could hear it pound in my head, making the blood rush around my body at an alarming rate as I tried to keep my breaths even. My mind couldn't process how this could be it, that I may not even have the chance to leave the glade. I had plenty of 'why' questions myself but none of them formed into a solid question and I wouldn't be able to ask them even if I tried.

"Because it's bad.. so so bad," he was whispering but I was sure the other could hear him, his voice then grew into a loud growl. "And him! You can't trust him!" Gally took the knife from my throat and pointed it at Thomas, who gulped in response, his face becoming a little paler.

"Stop it Gally! We can trust him, he's one of us," Newt took a step forward, my eyes widening as Gally held the knife against my throat, only this time it was twice as hard. I felt a sharp pain spread through me, as I let out a whimper, not wanting to make any sound that would irritate him further.

"Don't come closer! I swear to god I will end this girl!" Newt stepped back. The tension grew as no one spoke. Everyone just watched. Newt opened his mouth, trying to come up with words to help but nothing came out.

"You can trust me, I promise I am as much a part of this as you are," Thomas broke the growing silence, his voice soft like he was talking to a child having a tantrum. I just closed my eyes, trying not to scare myself thinking what could happen but what I could do. An idea sparked in my mind but it was risky. Maybe too risky. I opened my eyes and looked at Thomas, trying to signal for him to keep talking. He did.

"And I want to get you out, I want to get everyone out of this hell," as he spoke I looked at Minho and Newt, hoping they realised I was about to do something. I felt panic rip at every muscle I had, my thoughts a spiral of emotions as I worked up the courage to speak.

"Gally I need to tell you something," my voice was quiet and strained from the pressure on my throat but he heard me.

"Shut it shank."

"Please listen," he gave me a strange snarl in response and I turned my head back slightly to look at him. He didn't look like himself, it was as if something had invaded him, making him something that wasn't himself. All I saw was a vicious creature staring back at me. "I love you."

It was that one second of shock that I needed, that one second of absolute confusion. I felt him take the knife away and I took full advantage, elbowing him sharply in the ribs, making his grip around my body loosen. He sprung into action, flailing the knife at me, just missing my face as I turned towards him. Newt was by me in a second, followed by Minho and Thomas. Everyone else simply watched in shock, as if we were characters on a screen. Gally sprang at Thomas, throwing him to the ground and knocking the air clean out of him. He wheezed as Gally straddled him, readjusting the knife in his hand. He threw a punch, hitting Thomas right in the lip, my heart jolting at the action. Before I could react Minho dived at him, the knife flying out across the floor. They wrestled, throwing punches where they could, blood on the hands. It was a blur of movement that happened so fast, and something about it was sinister, maybe it was the fact that I knew Minho had wanted an opportunity like this, where he could let out all his hot-headed rage on Gally. I guess it came at the right time though, otherwise Thomas, or me, could be dead.

My mind had gone blank as I watched the scene in front of me unfold but as my eyes flicked to each person fighting, the glint of light against the knife's edge snapped me out of my thoughts. Without thinking I ran for it, Newt trying to grab me to pull me back but he was too late. I swerved around the boys, ignoring Gally who had pulled himself away from Minho and was now focused on me, and ran, reaching for the knife. I dived to the ground for it as if my life depended on it. Maybe it did.

"Give me that! Give it to me now! I need it!" I turned onto my back, Gally charging and screaming at me in a fit of rage. I knew he wouldn't stop, I knew he wouldn't listen to me now, he was too far gone into his blind insanity. My heart rate had become inhumane, the panic rising as he got closer with each running step. He jumped, lept into the air. He would surely kill me. I tried to scoot backwards but the wall was behind me, blocking me from the escape I desperately needed. I saw Newt dart towards me but he wouldn't make it in time. My eyes turned back to Gally, midway through the air, falling down on me. I did the only thing my instincts let me, and as he landed I felt the pressure of Gally's body sink onto the knife, thick blood already seeping from around the blade. I gasped, tears running down my face as he coughed and wheezed, an odd gargling sound coming from his throat. I threw him off me and onto the ground, kneeling by his side. I never wanted to hurt him. But did I have a choice? The glade had become still and as I looked into his fading eyes, he brought his hand up to my face.

"I'm sorry," I said, only a whisper through the tears.

"It's.. okay.." it was almost silent but I heard it. He looked at me and I saw the old Gally, the real Gally in his eyes as he took one last breath, and they faded to black.