The Link // Maze Runner Fanfiction // Book 1

chapter four

This was it, I thought as the thing scuttled closer. My death would be at the hands of an ugly bitch.

I scooted backwards until my back hit a wall. The Griever rolled closer and made a weird excited gurgle. I watched my only memories flash like a slideshow in my head. Running laps with Alby, laughing with Minho, falling asleep on Newt, even seeing Gally working in the Glade.

No, a voice in my head shouted. You will not die. You will not go down unless you are fighting.

As if in a trance, I scrambled to my feet and stared at the Griever. It jumped back as if I surprised it. I saw an opening and made a run for it. My heart pounded against my chest and my hair whipped around my face, but I refused to stop. Only a few more turns and I'd be home.

I think the Griever realized that I was almost safe and made a last attempt to get lunch. It extended one of it's legs and yanked me backwards by the hem of my shirt. I struggled and screamed as it dragged me along the concrete. My back burned and stung, but I had more important things to worry about. As I thrashed around, a long knife fell out of my bag and clattered against the concrete floor. I grabbed it and reached backwards to try and stab the Griever. I felt something sink into my upper arm. Pain filled me, but I ignored it and flailed around until I was able to cut off the piece of leg that was holding me.

As soon as I got out of it's hold, I got back onto my feet and ran as fast as I could. My feet carried me around each bend and down each pathway until the retreating light of the Glade came into my sight. I stumbled in and made it two steps before darkness engulfed me and I passed out.

When I woke up, I felt like I had been stabbed in each muscle a million times over. Every inch of my body ached and my head throbbed. I tried to sit up, but heavy chains held me down to the bed. I had just looked around my room in the Homestead when the images started. It was like a nightmare, except a horrible feeling in my gut told me that they were not made up.

I saw horrible, twisted images. I saw thick columns of black vein-like plants branching out over buildings and charred bodies warped from fire. I remembered thin people with pale skin and white lab coats. I saw a terrified little girl with wavy brown hair and blue-green eyes brimmed with tears. In the worst of the images, I saw people with black veins creeping up their bodies and tar-like bile pouring from their mouths. Some looked like regular people that had gone loony and others were just bony aliens from another world. An imprint of a little girl's scream engraved itself into my brain and rang in my ears.

A wave of physical pain hit me like a gut punch. The pain I felt when I originally woke up was magnified by 200. I screamed out, an inhumane sound that made my throat raw and scared me. Another flash of memory hit me; it was the same brown-haired girl hugging me tightly until someone forcibly yanked us apart.

Two more waves of excruciating pain hit me, accompanied by more gruesome memories. I cried out until my voice was scratchy and tears crusted in my eyes. I could feel the dull ache of bruises forming all over my body, especially where the chains bit into my wrists. It was nothing compared to the pain I was feeling now, but I knew they would hurt after this was all over. Now that the pain subsided for a bit, I thought the little girl looked familiar but I couldn't be sure.

Waves of unbearable pain kept me in agony all day and night long. I had no sense of time, but occasionally I could see blurs of faces through the tears. They would look in the doorway for a second and disappear. The visions I had seen were so bad that I writhed and squirmed under my restraints. Once, I had tried to claw my way out and ended up leaving deep crevices in my wrists with my nails. I woke up the next morning with fresh bandages wrapped protectively around the raw skin and two crimson stains on the sheets.

Finally, after what felt like years, Alby came in and undid my restraints. It must have been a few days since the Griever attack. The waves of pain lessened and the visions began to fade. I croaked out a thank-you and waited until he left to drink the soup he left me.

I caught a look at myself in the mirror that hung on the opposite wall and grimaced. My eyes were bloodshot, my hair was a tangled mess around my face, and deep purple bags were set under my tear-crusted eyes. Countless purple bruises and pink scratches dotted my arms, legs, and stomach. I splashed a little water from the bowl beside my bed on my face and looked down at myself. I was in my sports bra and a pair of elastic shorts that I recognized as Newt's. It unnerved me that one of the boys changed me, but I pushed the thought of my mind.

Nobody visited me until the sun had sunk below the walls and electric lighting lit up the room. Newt, followed by Minho, Gally, and Alby, filed in and crowded my room.

"Do you remember anything?" Minho asked.

"Yeah. I distracted the Griever until my shuck self tripped and it cornered me. I had almost gotten back to the Glade when it started dragging me backwards. I felt like I was stabbed, but I just kept running away from it. I remember stumbling into the Glade and passing out. Then I woke up in excruciating pain and restraints. Which one of you shucks tied me up huh?"

"Easy, chickie. You were stung and went through The Changing. You were lucky you got back in time to get the serum. In fact, you were lucky enough to make it back alive. You were out for three and a half days," Alby informed me.

I subconsciously rubbed my sore wrists and looked around. Everyone wore concerned expressions, even Gally. Newt bent down and ran his hand over the scabs forming on my arms. I winced involuntarily and tried to sit up. The movement sent more pain through my back and the back of my thighs. I don't know how, but I didn't realize before. I felt like someone had used my back and legs as target practice for knife-throwing.

"Give me the extent of my injuries. And don't over exaggerate them, I'm sure I'm fine."

Gally rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Jesus Ellie, you got attacked by a Griever and you think it's funny? All of us, even me, have been worried sick. You got stung, scraped up pretty bad, and almost tried to kill yourself by clawing at your wrists. You aren't fine and you probably won't be for another few weeks. Do you even realize what you put the boys through? Newt hasn't eaten in 2 days, Alby cursed you out under his breath all the time, and Minho flinched every time you screamed."

I ignored the throbbing pain in my limbs and torso and shifted to face Newt. My expression was full of concern, worry, and a little anger. "You haven't eaten?"

He looked away, full of shame and regret. I reached out and grabbed his hand before addressing the boys. "I'm going to get a shower and change. This changing stuff, it hurts like a mother and it isn't pleasant. Don't worry guys. At least I'm not dead."

Nobody even smiled. There were grim expressions all around as I stood up and winced, but refused help from anybody. Each step I took hurt, but I finally made it to my room. I quickly grabbed a pair of black jeans, a clean set of underclothes, a black t-shirt, and a gray hoodie.

The bathrooms were a small room made of ivory. There were 10 stalls on each side of the room, separated by chin-high dividers. Shower heads were mounted on the wall and each shelf had a single bottle of soap. I showered and brushed my teeth quickly, grimacing at the dirt and blood that swirled down the drain. The cold shower felt good though and when I came out fully changed I felt a little more alive.