THE MAZE TRIALS ┃tmr love triangle

19

"Fuck you, Thomas."

Penelope

WHEN NEWT and I arrive at the council hall remains, I have to sit next to Chuck and Jeff as the keepers are supposed to sit near the front, and Newt is supposedly part of them as he was formerly second-in command.

Staring up at Gally, I don't really recognise the boy in front of me who's yelling for everyone to settle down, shut up and listen to him. It's an unfamiliar feeling of unwelcoming hatred that he speaks with, an absolute certainty that nothing we can do or say will change things.

It's like I've lost him, but he's right in front of me.

"The last time we had a council meeting," Gally speaks as everyone falls into silence and focuses their attention on him, "You shanks ignored my advice to punish Thomas, and now look where it has gotten us. The creatures that we once co-existed with have attacked, and we need to take action."

Before the room can burst out into protests, Gally continues his rant. "I suggest we offer Thomas as a sacrifice, to the grievers." The room falls into eerie silence. "We don't want them to keep coming back, do we?"

"You're trying to manipulate them, we're free to make our own choices, Ga-" Yelling begins taking place across the council hall.

"Shut up, Frypan." Gally glares over at him now, in a sickening way that confirms my suspicions that Gally has changed. He has let the fear consume him, and it's causing him to lash out on the rest of us.

In that moment, the guilt and grief seems to overcome my senses, as I certainly hadn't expected Gally to lash out on Fry, and neither did he by the looks of his hurt expression.

His eyes skim across the crowd, stopping at me slightly for just a few seconds, "Anyone who sides with Thomas is free to be banished, or sacrificed with him."

"This is bullshit." My voice finds its path for the first time since I arrived in the council hall, causing the rest of the gladers to look at me. 

"Penelope, I don't want to do this-" Gally begins, but I cut him off as I stand up as he's pacing around the centre of the room.

"No, Gally. You do want to do this, don't lie to me." My voice comes out toxic and angered, fuelled by the need to fix things as inevitable as it is, since it seems that we're doomed to die here. "You're scared, I understand. I'm scared too, hell we're all scared Gally. But the difference is, we're trying to make a change."

"Don't be stupid, Penny. You're letting love blind you." He points to Newt now, before continuing. "Just because Thomas is hot, doesn't mean he's gonna get you out of here, open your shucking eyes, Penelope!"

I snap at this, infuriated. "I'm my own person, I make my own choices Gally, and they're not directed by love or fear, that's the difference between you and I. I don't want to leave the glade, but I'd never stop anyone who wants to leave, they're free to do so if they deem that the right decision."