𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 ᐅ 𝙣𝙚𝙬𝙩

𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

Get the shucking Med-jacks!

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

"Let's go!" Ben's voice is shrill, running in a shiver through my entire body. The noises are distant, bright colours flashing sporadically around me, obscuring my view of the Griever. If it weren't for Ben gripping my hand and pulling me with him, I think I may have collapsed in a heap, subjecting myself to the Griever and its beckoning claws. My pulse quickens as Ben and I dash through the Maze, our sweaty hands grasping together in an attempt to stay near each other. I'm a confused wreck, my body shuddering as I run faster and faster, the Griever not far behind us. I don't dare look back.

I don't want to know how close that monster is.

"Hurry up!" Ben shrieks, his voice trembling as he pulls me further, heaving me along with him as the clattering of the Griever gets dangerously close, marking the end of our lives with each click of metal. One foot in front of the other, Thea.

A white light flashes in front of my face, and I falter, but Ben pulls me back up with a groan and we dash round the corner, the sound of our weighted breaths echoing in our ears. My mind spins. A needle. They injected me. They were experimenting on me.

My blood runs cold.

"Slinthead, keep going!" Ben growls to me, stumbling as we round yet another corner, the Griever so close I can almost feel the gunk spraying from its throat. "Focus!"

"I'm trying!" I protest weakly, barely able to speak through the heaviness and fatigue in my chest. A terrified scream rips out of my throat as Ben is torn from my grasp, helplessly struggling underneath the Griever, covering his face in an attempt to save himself.

My hands fly to my belt underneath my shirt, where a dagger is waiting eagerly for my use. Adrenaline courses through my veins like a drug, my terror banished as I lunge at the Griever, and in one swift motion use its filthy legs to push myself up onto its back, swaying on top of it as I find my centre of balance. I plunge the dagger into its back, and it lets out a horrified screech, its call piercing through my head, so shrill and astounding that it throws me from it's back, and I crash against the coarse stone, my head smashing against it before I crumple to the floor.

Pain blinds me, erupting through my head before I fall against the ground with a thud. A ringing sound explodes in my eardrums. My vision blurring as I reach out for Ben who's sprawled across the floor, the Maze spins dangerously fast around me. I can barely see the Griever back away from me, its legs shaking from the blow I caused in it's back. I let out my breath as it's timid figure disappears around the corner, shrieking in pain as it moves. I didn't kill it.

Damn.

"Ben," I say as harshly as I'm able to.

"Here," he murmurs, his voice laced with pain.

Mustering all of the strength I could possibly summon, I drag myself over to him, and my eyes fall upon his lower abdomen...

"Shit," I curse. A deep gash lies in his stomach, the veins around it blackening and the skin bloodied and torn. I sway slightly as I grip him by the shoulders and hoist us to our feet, ignoring Ben's groans of protest. "Ben, keep talking to me, okay?" I say, gagging on the bile rising in my throat.

Ben doesn't talk for a couple of minutes while he gains his strength, and manages to walk for a while before his body gives in, and all of his weight is supported by me again. Its the most taxing thing I've ever had to do, but since being a Runner I've gained a lot more strength than I started off with. My muscles are small yet defined and their screeching under the pressure put upon them but I ignore them to the best of my ability. I can rest when Ben's back in the Glade.