CHEATING DEATH - A Maze Runners' Tale • 001

CHAPTER 12

"alright all you shuck faces, I've decided we need to have a little fun around here and it's been a while since we played glader tag so I'll give a refresher on the rules." Alby announced.

"The Runners, or Minho and Margo, will start on opposite sides of the glade. The chasers are tryin' to grab 'em and take 'em to the team captains. Me and newt. The chasers have to throw the runners in the slammer. The first team to throw a runner in the slammer gets the day off. The Runners are tryin' to get to eachother without gettin' dragged off but they have to run to the box hole together to win." Alby gave the objective of the game.

"Right, well, I'm team captain of team beetle blade. The permanent members on my team are Margo as the runner and Winston as the head chaser. We also have Jeff, Ben, and Adam as chasers." Newt announced.

"I'm captain of team griever and we've got Minho as our runner and gally as the head chaser. We've also got Clint, zart, and mark as the chasers." Alby said.

"Mark died three weeks ago!" One boy called out making a good point.

"Minho why don't you pick another permeant member." Alby suggested.

"Chuck!" Minho called out and I smiled at how kind Minho was being for the first time ever.

"Come-on man you couldn't have picked someone better at the game?" Alby complained quietly.

"Slim it. I want chuck on our team." Minho said and made it final.

"Fine." Alby said reluctantly as he slumped.

"Should I go over the rules?" I asked as I leaned into the conversation.

"Yea." Alby said as I climbed onto a different picnic table and clapped to get everyone's attention.

"We've got nine rules that you better listen too or your shucked so be quiet." I shouted at them and everyone went silent.

1- team captains can't touch the runners.

2- teams are allowed to fight eachother for custody of a runner but If the runner gets hit they are freed and get 30 seconds to run away.

3- runners must hold hands once they get to eachother or the game is invalid.

4- the losing teams captain has to spend the night in the slammer.

5- fists only. "I'm lookin' at you eyebrows."

6- the head chaser must keep a headcount and if at the end a runner gets put in the slammer and a chaser is missing the runner is free.

7- runners can sabotage chasers so they won't be there in case the runner gets captured.

8- team captains must have a hand on the slammer at all times and runners are able to try and tag the captains to get released.

9- only an opposing teams chasers are allowed to touch a runner.

"Thanks Margo, now we wrestle to see which team has to play shirtless." Alby said with a grin as he looked at me.

"I thought I vetoed that rule." I said with a sigh as I stepped down and met Minho in a circle of boys.

"Can't wait to finally see your-" minho started before I cut him off.

"Slim it!" I shouted as I jumped on him nearly nocking him over as he tried to throw me off.

After five minutes Minho was on the floor and all the boys on his team were being forced to remove their shirts. I went to chuck who looked nervous.

"Hey chuck, you can keep your shirt on if it's more comfortable." I said gently.