Third Person

Minho and Thomas waited by the maze doors. Minho was stretching leasurly while Thomas paced up and down, anxiously biting his nails, twisting around trying to see the whole Glade at once.

"Dude, slim it! She's probably kissing that ridiculous eyebrowed shanky boyfriend if hers good bye!" Minho rolled his eyes.

"I don't know man... something is off. I can't feel her!" Thomas worried.

"Well that doesn't sound appropriate!" Minho smirked.

Thomas groaned and threw his hands in the air. Minho chuckled.

"Look there's Gally." Thomas cried, and marched over to him. Gally had just showed up at his builders table and leaned against it, folding his arms looking at the ground

"Where's Charlie? We gotta get going!" Thomas called even before he got over to him.

Gally slowly raised his head, his eyes narrowed.

"She's not going. She's still sleeping, not feeling well." He said and turned his back on the two Runners.

"You didn't knock her up again! Ya filthy shank!' Minho asked narrowing his own eyes at the builder.

Gally stiffened his shoulders tense for a moment, and his voice was a forced calm.

"Ha ha. No. She's just...pushed herself too much lately. She's taking a much needed break. I'm sure you'll be fine without her."

Minho threw his hands in the air, "Fine. Whatever. Come on Thomas, we're burning day light!" He grabbed Thomas and pulled him away.

Gally watched the retreating Runners, arms folded tight and jaw clenching and unclenching. Thomas looked back over his shoulder, and saw Gally glaring at them. Something didn't feel right.

He turned back around and followed Minho into the Maze and into section 7.

Gally felt a stab of guilt. He knew Charlie was going to be pissed. But...he still didn't fully trust the Greenie, and after Ben's and now Alby's accusations...he was more determined than ever to keep her away from trouble...from the Greenie.

It was noon when Newt asked if he would quickly take the new girl lunch. She was still in the slammer. He was slightly intrigued by this new girl, but NEW was never a good thing, especially in The Glade. After fumbling with the keys he got it unlocked, it creaked open, sitting on the ground cross legged, like she was meditating sat this raven haired Greenie Girl.

Her eyes snapped open, revealing the most bright starting blue eyes he'd ever seen. Her eyes meet his and she smiled. He frowned, there was an uncomfortable sensation in the pit of his stomach and the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

"Lunch."

Was all he said holding the plate and water. Rolling his eyes he thought of all the times he had to feed Charlie...what was the Glade meals on wheels? Why was he always in charge of feeding the girls. He didn't mind doing it for Charlie. He wasn't good with words...or feelings...but it was one small way to show he cared about her. She had a hard time remembering to eat, so he made sure she did.

The girl got up gracefully and walked over. She took the food with a smile. When she grabbed the cup her fingers almost caressed his hand. He flinched and backed up.

"Oh I'm sorry! I know my hands are so cold! It's freezing in here!" She pouted. Her big blue eyes looked up at him, full of sadness.

He didn't say anything. He took another step back. She took a small step forward, following him.

"You're Gally, right? I remember you from yesterday." She smiled sweetly at him, "Thank you for taking that awful Charlie away, you know she tried to hit me?"

"Yeah. She does that."

The girl's lips turned down into a frown.

"Well I guess living with so many boys...she had to eventually turn mean."

"She's not mean." Gally growled.

"Because she has you to protect her? And Tom?" She asked, her voice was dripping with sweetness and it made Gally's skin crawl. He backed up to the door and turned to leave when her next words made him freeze.

"I'm sorry you lost your baby. I'm sure that must be very hard for you. Especially when...it was Tom who helped her grieve in the graveyard."

Gally's senses were on high alert. How did she know? No one knew that but a very select few. Charlie was right, she girl is shucked up and dangerous.

"Thank you for your condolences. Enjoy lunch."

He stepped out of the Slammer. He was locking the door back up when two slender hands slid around the bars.

"It's so cold in her Gally!" She pouted, "and all I have is this blanket ...can I have your hoodie...I know you like to share it."

"No. And that's more than Charlie got her first night, and she didn't complain once."

The girl pouted. And batted her eyelashes. Gally spun away and stormed away as fast as he could. This girl was dangerous. She knew things no one else did. He went to find Newt.

That's when he heard a faint crashing noise from the Maze. And screaming from the Homestead.

Charlie was awake.

____________________________

Charlie

I felt my mind wake up slowly before my body could move. I felt like I was in a coma for a week. My limbs were heavy and slow. My mind seemed even slower. I was comfortable and warm. I sighed contently, happy to roll over and try to go back to sleep. But my mind was waking up. And my body didn't feel so heavy. I blinked my eyelids open a few times. It was bright in the room.

Bright? I blinked a few more times, confused. I rolled my head towards the window. The shuck? Gally and I never had shutters before. Confused, I slowly sat up, looking around the room. Gally was gone, which was strange. I was always the early riser, I always had to wake him up. Furrowing my eyebrows and rubbing my eyes for a moment trying to figure out what the shuck was going on.

I looked down at my watch.

12:46pm

"The actual shuck?" I yelped.

Scrambling out of bed, the blanket still tangled around me I fell onto the floor with a thud.

I lay there panting for a moment. And everything from yesterday came slamming back. Hard. Gally's little speach. His insistence on me eating everything... felling weird and then asleep.

"He wouldn't dare!" I whispered.

I untangled myself from my blanket. My blood was boiling and I was seeing red.

I went to open the door but the handle wouldn't budge. I tried harder. I slammed my shoulder into it. Still nothing. Running to the window, what I thought were shutters ..was actually boards nailed to the outside of the window.

Gally shucken locked me in my room!

I felt myself snap. I rammed into the door over and over with wild angry raging heart broken screams.

Why would he lock me up? Why would he do this? I thought we had sort of come to an understanding. All his words from yesterday, his little I trust you, your not the bad guy speach...all lies. Locking me up like this, it was no better than the slammer. He didn't believe any of what he said. He thinks I'm bad...

My heart broke. I stopped trying to break the door down and I slid to the floor, crying big horrible angry hurt tears.

_________________________

I was curled up on my bed again. My shoulder was sore from slamming into the door so many times. The tears had long since dried up. The anger had slipped away, I was replaced with an empty numbness. I lay curled up, staring at nothing.

My head started to vibrate.

Tommy?

Oh no, it's not him

I felt a shiver run down my spine. I hated how her voice and precense in my mind made me feel.

Go away. Leave me alone.

Oh sweetheart. I told you everything was going to change. And that I triggered the ending.

Shuck of you bitch

Such launguage. Wonder what HE would say if he heard you...again. You always were...a troublesome one.

Whatever your trying to do, it won't work. Leave me alone.

You know...it was your idea, sneaking out. It was your fault you got caught. Everyone payed dealy for your mistake.

I don't know what your talking about.

That wasn't the only time you were bad... and not just bad...Charlie you were horrible. If they knew what you did... Why no one would like you.

Shuck off.

Why so angry?

'Cause you won't leave me alone.

Your big boyfriend came to see me this afternoon. He's pretty steamy, those big dark brooding eyes, chiseled jaw, and oh those arms and shoulders. I almost threw myself at him.

Should have. Then I would have laughed when he pushed you over.

I don't know. He almost cracked when I was oh so sad about your teen pregnancy.

Bitch.

Slut.

Leave me the shuck alone Teresa.

I felt her laughing and then the connection finally broke. Leaving me feeling even worse then before. I don't know what she's playing at, but it made me feel like klunk.

Hey Tommy?

I tried to focus on the only person who could possibly make this situation less shucked up.

CHARLIE?! OH THANK HEAVENS!

His frantic yelling and panic made me sit up

Tommy, what's wrong? What's going on? Where are you!

I should ask you that! Are you okay? Gally said you weren't feeling good and decided to stay...but I couldn't even feel your presence...not even the like link humming! C

I lay back down and curled up. Feeling the knife stab deeper.

Gally gave me some kind of sleeping pills crushed and must have been hidden in my supper. And I'm locked in my shuck room like a naughty child. And that Teresa witch is trying to mess with me!

What the actual shuck?

I felt his anger. There was a long pause. And then embasment.

Apparently Minho thinks it's hilarious I screamed that out loud too. He had no idea what was going on....

I mentally rolled my eyes.

So I guess I'm stuck in my shuck room like a shuck child. Tell me what's going on!

Well...this brain heart metal thing is beeping and we're following it passed the blades...further into section seven.

You'll eventually come to a wall. It goes of for miles in each direction. We have looked there already.

Oh. Well ... You never had a beeping metal brain telling you where to go.

I snorted.

That's 'cause I have my own brain...

Oh shut up!

I just chuckled. We were quiet for a while. I was glad he kept the link open. I was lonely.

So ... What are you gonna do about Gally locking you up?

I ... I don't know. He obviously has done kind of reason. It's a jacked up reason! But I don't know if there's any coming back from this, ya know? He told me yesterday that he believes me and I'm not the bad guy Ben and Alby claim. But then he locks me up? That doesn't scream trust. I'm a shucken prisoner!

Thomas didn't say anything. But I felt him. It was a long time before I finally spoke...or thought...

Newtmis!

He was silent for a while

What?

Newtmis. Newt plus Thomas. Newtmis. It's your couple name!

What is wrong with you?

I snorted and rolled my eyes.

If I told you...you would need therapy my friend.

And you don't?

Hahaha. That poor shank would run screaming for the hills. But I'm pretty shucken hilarious...so...there's that.

Hilarious? I think your mean and people think your joking.

Touche shank. But I view it more as twisted. Twisted with a dash of sarcasm...fuiled by coffee and in appropriate thoughts.

Finally something we can agree on.

We carried on for most of the afternoon. Thomas would update me here and there, told me what Minho was doing. Minho thought it was hilarious, he would ask a question or give me a riddle or joke that Thomas would have to ask me and I'd tell Thomas the answer and he would tell Minho.

Minho says it's like the words shucked up version of the game telephone.

There was a small knock on the door. I sat up so fast I got dizzy.

"Charlie?"

It was Chuck.

Gotta go.

Okay. Bye

Peace out looser

See. So mean!

The connection ended, but I still felt his presence at the back of my mind.

"Hey Chuck. What's shaken?" I called and got up and sat back down beside the door.

"I'm...okay. Not supposed to be here..."

"Why's that Chuck?" I asked, leaning my head on the door.

"'Cause Gally said not to. He said you needed a day off..."

I growled and banged my fist on the door.

That lying son of-

"Charlie?"

He cut off my swearing and angry stream if thoughts. He sounded.. sad and scared.

"Ya bud?"

"Can I...umm I gotta talk to someone, and Thomas is gone right now ..."

"Lay it on me my man! The door between us is kinda a vibe killer, but ... I'm all ears!"

There was a long pause. I sat patiently waiting for him to talk.

"I'm kinda messed up. Like...it's weird to feel sad and homesick, but I have no idea what it is you wish you could go back to, ya know?"

He rushed out all at once. He paused to take a breath and I sat in silence , shifting so my back was leaning on the door, leaning my head back. I closed my eyes and listened to the boy.

"All I know is I don't want to be here. I want to go back to my family. Whatever's there, whatever I was taken from. I wanna remember...."

I was a little surprised, I'd never heard Chuck say something so deep, so true and so sad.

"Yeah, Chucky, I know what you mean..." I said quietly.

I couldn't see Chuck, but his voice was higher than normal, and I could hear sniffling. From his next statement, I could only imagine his big innocent die eyes filling with bleak sadness, maybe even tears.

"I used to cry. Every night."

"Oh Chuck! I'm sorry I wasn't there for you!"

I could feel my own eyes burning hot with tears.

"Yeah...Like a pants-wettin' baby. Almost till the day Thomas got here! I eventually got used to it, I guess. This became home, even though we spend every day hoping to get out."

"Chuck? Can I tell you something?"

I sniffed and wiped my nose and eyes.

"Ya...of course!"

"I've cried a whole shuck load of times! It's been a long miserable year. Sometimes all I feel I've done is cry."

"You cried?" he heard Chuck say through the thick wood door.

"Yeah. It was awful. I was alone, no one liked me, they were cruel and gross and so mean. I had to fight for respect...I was very alone, and I was so scared! I was always scared! But... crying sure made me feel better. Don't feel bad about crying. Ever. Alby told me once..."

And I tried to do the best grouchy Alby voice I could. "Snips, if ya ain't scared...ya ain't human."

"Huh, sounds like something he would say." Chuck chuckled sadly.

"Newt told me once too..."

I tried to do my best Newt impression,

"Oh Love, havin' bloody emotions and buggen' feelings is what makes us human."

I heard the boy giggle. And it made me smile.

"Kinda does make ya feel better, huh? Weird how that works."

A few minutes passed in silence. I hoped Chuck wouldn't't leave.

"Hey, Charlie?" Chuck asked.

"Still here." I said, and closed my eyes, leaning my head back on the door again.

"Do you think I have parents? Real parents?"

I chuckled, mostly to push away the sudden surge of sadness the statement caused.

"Of course you do, baby shank. You need me to explain the birds and bees?"

I could feel a pain deep in my heart. I could remember getting that lecture but not who'd given it to me, I remember hearing my name and Gally's name.

"That's not what I meant, and I know how it all works." Chuck said, his voice completely devoid of cheer. It was low and bleak, almost a mumble. "Seems like the shanks who've gone through the Changing remember terrible things they won't even talk about...especially Gally and Alby...which makes me doubt I have anything good back home. So, I mean, you think it's really possible I have a mom and a dad out in the world somewhere, missing me? Do you think they cry at night?"

My eyes had filled with tears and I felt them slip down my cheeks. Life had been so crazy I never really stopped to think of real families, missing us, I mean I knew this wasn't a home, but I never stopped to think about possible families. I never really thought about it, only about what it all meant, who'd sent us here, how they'd ever get out. I felt something for Chuck so deep and it made me so angry! I wanted to kill somebody, my blood boiled and I could feel the hot anger flowing through my veins. The child outside my door should be in school, in a home, playing with neighborhood kids. He deserved to go home at night to a family who loved him, worried about him. A mom who made him take a shower everyday and a dad who helped him with homework.

I hated the people who'd taken this poor, innocent kid from his family. I hated them with a passion, I didn't know a human could feel. I wanted them dead, tortured! I wanted Chuck to be happy. But happiness had been ripped from all our lives. Love had been ripped from our lives.

"Listen to me, Chuck."

I paused, calming down as much as I could. I tried to keep my voice from cracking.

"I'm sure you have parents. I know it! Sounds terrible, but I bet your mom is sitting in your room right now, holding your pillow, looking out at the world that stole you from her. And yeah, I bet she's crying. Hard. Puffy-eyed, snotty-nosed crying. The real deal."

Chuck didn't say anything, but I'm positive I heard the slightest of sniffles.

"Don't give up, Chuck. We're gonna solve this thing, get out of here. I promise on my life I'll get you back to that room of yours. Make your mom quit crying."

I meant it, I felt it burning in my heart.

"I Hope you're right," Chuck said with a shaky voice.

"Chuck? I promise!"

I felt the ground shaking. It was too early in the day for the doors to be closing.

Thomas?! What the shuck is going on?

THE MAZE IS CHANGING! WE FOUND A WAY OUT!

I jumped to my feet.

"Chuck!" I screamed, "Get me out if this shuck room! NOW!"

_____________________________________________

**Welp. Klunk hit the fan!**