𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐀 - TMR, Gally ¹

𝟢𝟢𝟫，𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐞𝐫?!

CH. NINE
┗━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━┛

She's not really able to sleep, so before the Doors even open, she's already under the shower. The ice cold water matches with how cold she feels, so she doesn't feel much of the normally stinging feeling.

Then she dries herself, takes the warmest clothes she has, and crawls back in bed only to stare at the ceiling, overthinking.

She wants whatever is causing those weird hallucinations gone. She's not crazy. Doesn't want to be, at least. And that dream? A promise to Gally? She knew him, Minho, and Camil before the Maze?

Or it's all fake, just like the damn hallucinations.

Eventually, she gives up on trying to sleep and steps onto the damp morning grass. Water splashes up her legs, the fresh air sends a shiver over her spine, and her arms automatically wrap around her own torso to stop the cold.

She notices that besides the Runners, who are about to leave, most Keepers are already up. Clint is prepping the Med-Hut, Alby checks up on everyone, Fry is making breakfast, and Gally is carrying wood toward the Homestead.

She makes a mental note to start doing this, too. In a year, she might have more kids that are Tool-Makers, so she'll have to put supplies down every morning, too.

Wow. Her own job. Every month a Greenie she has to train for a few hours, and now that she's a Keeper, she's allowed to be at every Gathering.

But for long? When are they going to escape? She doesn't want to be here with the hallucinations for the rest of her life. Yet the thought of the unknown scares her. No one said paradise is outside the Maze.

"Hey, Fry." With a hoarser voice than usually, she enters the kitchen. "Need any hands?"

"Oh, hi." He smiles. "I've got bacon. Boys will appreciate it if ya warm it up."

"Will do," she promises, and gets to work with a pan and bacon. The fire that's soon coming of the pit also warms her up. "Do you think we have chamomile plants here? I might have a cold, and that helps."

He shrugs. "Not sure. You'll have to look for yourself. I'm impressed by your knowledge of plants, Greenie."

"Maybe I worked a lot with them in the past," she replies. Her mind goes back to the dream, but she doesn't remember any plants. Tubes, though. And liquids all over the floor, along with broken glass. "Have you always been able to cook this good?"

"Nope." He laughs. "I mean, I was alright, but got better through the years. Takes a lot of practice."

She shows she understands by nodding. "Are all the current Keepers boys who came up with the first thirty-five, or whatever it was?"

"Yeah. Except for Eric. He came up a little later, but they've all been here for over a year," Frypan confirms.

"Wow. It would be nice to know what y'all went through and how much y'all changed. For example, I'd like to know if Gally was ever a sunshine."

The boy scoffs as he cuts food. "As if you're that much of a sunshine."

"I'm not as grumpy as him. I mean, I can't blame him because he got stung, but there's no reason to snap at me."

"Well, you have been messing with everyone here." He chuckles again. "Gally doesn't like change. Let alone that he likes trusting someone."

"But he trusts you," she says. "Right? I'm talking shit about Gally to his best friend."

"I've heard worse," he assures. "You're right, though. He's my friend. So be careful before I'll hit you. With my name."

Joan lets a laugh slip. Then she gets serious again. "He's just been an ass. I was glad to discover something that proves I might not be crazy, and he got angry about it."