CHEATING DEATH - A Maze Runners' Tale • 001

CHAPTER 26

"are we gonna stick the night out here again?" I asked as we ran after the grievers.

"Maybe. One of us should at least. We need to know how many of them are really returning to the griever hole." He answered.

"I'll stick it out tonight." I said.

"No, you got thrown out of a window and you want to run after some grievers right after?" He questioned.

"In case you didn't already know, I have a death wish." I replied.

"I'd be shocked if anyone didn't know." He spat back in a snarky tone.

"I'll be fine Minho. I haven't died yet and they aren't even going after me so just go back and I promise I'll be there in the morning." I said as we turned a corner and I pushed him back.

"Fine." He said as he rolled his eyes and cupped my face in his hands.

"Thank you for trusting me." I said with a sad smile.

"Be safe, don't die, I love you." He said as he smashed his lips against mine.

He said 'i love you' then ran. He looked back for a moment then never again. He must not have realized he said it but he definitely meant it. He trusted me but did he really think I would make it out this time?

I stood there for a few more moments taking in what just happened then I remembered the situation at hand. I didn't need to follow the grievers I just needed to run to the cliff where the griever hole was. The sky was still gray to no one's surprise so I had clear sight of each wall and turn unlike the last time I spent the night in the maze. I'm shocked I haven't killed myself yet. I'm shocked that a feel so relaxed. I should be in pain right now but I'm not. I feel completely numb about everything. Except for the fact that I love Minho too. I am completely in love with that slint-head and no one knew, not even him.

I wasn't moving super fast as I had to make sure nothing was going to see me but I did come across a beetle blade that was following me. I stopped to see if it would go past me but it also stopped in it's tracks so I decided to have some fun. I pulled my shoes off and and held each one out like I was going to throw it at the robotic lizard. I threw my shoe at the lizard then threw my other shoe slightly to the right and there was a mechanical buzz then a spark. I picked up my shoe and saw that I had successfully killed the kiss cam.

I picked it up and shoved it in my pocket then put my shoes back on so that I could continue. I picked up the pace as I turned one of three right turns that should lead me straight to the cliff. As I turned however i froze in place when like ten grievers stampeded past me from behind. I accepted my fate of being trampled but surprisingly I came out fine.

The grievers completely avoided me. One slower one was squelching beside me and I decided to catch a ride to the cliff so I jumped on it's back and held on to one of it's appendages as It rolled on its way.

The ride was rough as grievers continued to rumble past me but I managed to make it all the way to the griever hole. I named the griever I was riding frumpy because it moved so slow and I had jabbed the griever countless times to get it to go faster. I was surprised I hadn't gotten sucked into the grievers skin or stung yet but maybe this griever liked me for some odd reason.

I was beginning to get attached to frumpy until he flung me off of him and used a mechanical leg to grab me and start dragging me.

"Bad frumpy! Let me go frumpy! I said let me go! So now you decide not to do what I tell you too?! Shuck you frumpy! I never loved you!" I screamed at the griever but it didn't let go and continued to drag me towards the cliff.

I was clawing at the ground trying to grab something to keep the griever from taking me but there was nothing but cracks in the ground that were to small for me to get my fingers in them. I used my other leg that I wasn't getting dragged by to kick the mechanical arm and it was mildly effective as the grip slid from my calf to my ankle.

I looked around and saw I was coming up on a turn and was able to grab a vine on the wall just in time. I pulled back as much as I could and I was holding frumpy from going any further until a griever crawled up the side of the wall and used a mechanical arm to snip the vine I was holding on to.

Just like that I was being dragged by the leg once again. Cracks in the ground were becoming more frequent and I was sometimes able to get my fingers in them but could never get enough grip to actually stop myself.

I assumed I was getting closer to the cliff as I was hearing grievers launching themselves behind me. Deafening screeches sounded through the maze almost making me go deaf. I wouldn't be surprised if my ears were bleeding right now but I had to keep my eyes open so that I could find something to grab a hold of still.

Frumpy was clearly getting tired of dragging me because he just dropped me in the middle of the path to the cliff. I scrambled to my feet and began running away when another griever, much faster this time, griped my ankle painfully and dragged me quickly to the edge of the cliff.

In the nick of time I grabbed onto the jagged edge and found a nice grip to hold on for dear life as the griever failed to drag me into the hole and fell down. The grip on my ankle loosened upon the weight of the griever falling and it slipped off my ankle making the griever fall into the abyss below.

I waited for the rest of the grievers to jump off before I climbed up the side and back onto the mostly safe floor of the maze. When I looked down at my leg it was scraped and bloody and my shoe was no longer there so that was just great.

I got to my feet and the imbalance in my shoes bothered me so much after I took my first step that I just took my shoe off and stuck it in my running pack for safe keeping.

"Another day running bare foot in the maze, and for the same exact reason. This is why I wish I didn't give a Klunk about anyone." I said talking to myself.

My leg was stinging in the cool air as I walked and all my muscles were tense and sore to the point where I was unable to run but at least I could still walk. According to my watch it was only three in the morning so I still had plenty of time to make it back into the glade.

•~❇️~•

Hours of walking later it had become morning according to my watch and my feet were sore to the point where walking had taken all the will power I had left and I couldn't think about anything else. I could see the final turn I had left to make and I was beginning to feel a burst of adrenaline that allowed me to jog around the corner.

When I turned the corner I saw Minho's face light up as he started running towards me sweeping me off my feet in the biggest hug.

"Im tired. I don't want to walk anymore." I said as i wrapped my legs around his waist.

"I'll carry you." He said simply as I closed my eyes tightly and buried my head in his neck. I felt so safe now. Minho made me feel so safe when I was in his arms, it was almost like I wasn't trapped in a deadly maze that almost killed me for the thousandth time.