We will stand tall,face it all together

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As Minho, Newt and I sprint through the maze, I try intently to remember the route. Left, right, left, straight ahead, left. But it seems impossible. Minho must have run here so many times to know his way around so well. After only a short time, I hear the noise again, but this time it is much louder and closer and it also sounds like several ones. Minho curses and that somehow makes me more nervous than the noises themselves, since he is by far the most familiar with the labyrinth of us and I assumed that he would know what to do in such a situation. Minho, Newt and I run around the next corner and stop abruptly. A huge something made of slime and metal is coming towards us and I desperately try to suppress my panic. That must be a Griewer. I hadn't imagined these creatures to be nearly as disgusting. Without a second's hesitation, we spin on our heel and run back down the hallway. But suddenly a second one of these disgusting creatures appears at the end of the alley. "Shit.", Minho says and pulls out his machete. "Well, great," I say and roll my eyes and also pull my machete out of my belt, hoping that my fear won't show. Why did these cloned Griewers have to show up here too! I was hoping they only came out of their holes at night. I look at Newt, who is holding his bamboo pole. I don't know if that's the right weapon against a Griewer, but he still has his machete. Newt meets my gaze and says, "Listen, Minho and I will take care of the Griewers.You try to get back to the clearing, while we keep them away from you." I shake my head violently. "Forget it, Newt! I'll stay with you and Minho." "He's right, Y/n," Minho chimes in and I think it's the first time he doesn't call me 'newbie'. I want to object, but then the Griewer attack. "I'll take care of that one up front! Newt, Y/n, take out the other one!" Newt and I spin around, weapons ready, as the Griewer we saw first runs towards us (or whatever you call that form of movement). The monster attacks Newt, who fends it off with his pole, which works quite well - Newt seems to be able to handle the thing. I lunge at the Griewer from behind, try to avoid his metal arms and stab him with my machete. The Griewer lets go of Newt and points his syringe with the Griewer poison at me. I dodge it just in time and back away, panting. Newt hits the arm with the syringe with the pole and the arm actually seems to give way a little. "Keep going!" I shout and attack again with my machete to distract the Griewer while Newt continues to hit his arm with the staff. I plunge the machete into the Griewer's slimy body while trying to avoid the metal claws the monster uses to lash out. "I'm almost there!" I hear Newt scream and then a crash as the arm finally breaks off and the syringe slides across the stone floor. At the same moment I feel a sharp pain in my left arm and stagger back."Y/n? "Are you hurt?" Newt shouts as he continues to hit the Griewer with his pole to stop him from attacking me again. I look down at my left arm and see a long bloody cut from wrist to elbow. I curse, but I'm glad it wasn't the right arm and scream to Newt, "I'm fine!" I look at Minho and scream his name when I see he's badly injured on the ground during the Griewer leans over him. I sprint over to him and stab my machete up to the hilt in the Griewer's backside. He whirls around and lunges at me. I fall down, lashing out with my weapon, only to hear a sickening sound as a slimy piece of the Griewer smacks onto the ground. I have no idea what part of the body it was, but apparently it was an important one, because the Griewer staggers back and I quickly get to my feet. I dare to take a look at Minho. He tries to get up and spits out blood. "Stay away, Minho!" I yell. But even this brief moment of inattention is enough for Griewer to brush against my shoulder with one of his circular saws. The left one again. I fall to the ground screaming and the Griewer leans over me and I see his syringe out of the corner of my eye. Luckily I didn't lose the machete when I fell and I stuck it in the Griewer's face. He backs away and immediately I throw myself at him, screaming in excruciating pain, and hit him in the mouth with the machete. Instead of blood, only this yellowish mucus shoots out. I kick Griewer in the face and he rears up. I immediately take the opportunity and stab him in the stomach.The Griewer falls to the side, the machete gets stuck and I have to let go of it. I stagger back and fall against the wall, breathing heavily. The Griewer lies some distance away and is nothing more than a twitching heap of slime and metal. Minho tries to sit up against the wall and Newt hits the second Griewer one last time with his pole before he also remains motionless. Newt turns to us, runs to Minho and helps him sit up. I stand up and stagger over to them. Halfway there I tip over and fall to the ground. "Y/n!" Newt calls worriedly and comes to me. He picks me up, kisses me and sits me against the wall next to Minho. But my thoughts are foggy and I hardly notice it. "Newt, you're hurt..." I murmur and point to his shoulder, where there is a deep wound. The blood has already turned half his shirt red. Newt looks down, almost surprised, as if he hadn't even noticed that he was bleeding and then says to me: "Not nearly as bad as you two." I look at Minho, who is leaning against the wall, half unconscious. "We told you to go to the clearing, newbie!" he says. I have to grin despite my pain. "I saved your ass, you idiot, so be grateful!" Minho twists his lips into something similar to a grin. "We have to get out of here before more show up," says Newt. I look at him. He looks completely exhausted. I reach out and, following a sudden impulse, stroke his hair. Newt smiles. "We can do it," he says. I nod and struggle to push myself up against the wall. Newt tries to support me, but I fight him off and say, "No. You have to carry Minho. I can do this alone.""You've got to be joking..." Newt mutters and I'm not sure if he means my statement that I can walk myself or the fact that he should try to get Minho out of here. After all, Newt is rather lanky and Minho is very strong. Newt bends down, grabs Minho under his arms and drags him down the hallway. I hobble after them, supporting myself on the wall. "You need to stay conscious, Minho. You're the only one who knows the way." I say to him. At every intersection, Minho gives brief instructions about which direction we have to go, but after about half of the way to the clearing he finally loses consciousness. "Great," Newt says through gritted teeth. Beads of sweat cover his forehead from the effort of pulling Minho. "Let's take a break," I suggest. For both my sake and Newt's. Newt just nods and I fall exhausted against the wall, while Newt leans Minho against the wall again and then sits down next to me. "Man, that strunk is heavier than he looks," he gasps and I answer, looking at Minho's strong arms: "Well, that's saying something." After a short pause, Newt asks: "Do you still want to be a runner? ?" I hadn't even thought about that and I think about it for a moment before answering: "Yes, I think so." Newt turns his head and stares at me as if I'm completely lost. "Seriously? Those clone Griewers almost killed us and you still want to become a runner?" I shrug. "That never happens otherwise. And it's better than sitting around in the clearing all day."Newt just shakes his head and doesn't answer anything. I pull myself together. "We have to move on. The gates will close soon. I think I know the way back even without Minho." Newt nods, gets up and goes to Minho. We continue walking along the corridor until we come to an intersection. "Where for?" Newt asks me, already exhausted by Minho's weight. I try to remember where we came from and then point to the right aisle. Newt doesn't question my answer in the slightest, but instead turns unerringly to the right. So we continue through the labyrinth without incident. At every junction I decide where we go. Sometimes I know the direction straight away and sometimes I have to think longer. My injuries are getting to me more and more and I know I won't last much longer, but I can feel that the clearing is not far away. After a while, Newt turns the next corner and I see his face suddenly brighten. "We're here!" he calls to me. But I can only guess what he said, because at the same moment there is a huge roar as the gates begin to close. "Damn!" I curse loudly, push myself off the wall and stagger as quickly as I can - and that's not particularly fast - to Newt and Minho at the corner. Newt looks at me worriedly and is about to leave Minho lying there to help me, but I shout against the rumbling of the gates: "Come on!" Newt hesitates for a moment, but then drags Minho on. I turn the corner and see the gate to the clearing just closing. If only there was someone who could help us, but none of the lights are visible. I run - or at least I try - towards the gate. Newt has reached the gate with Minho and leaves Minho lying in front of the gate before running back into the maze. I want to shout to him to go back, but I'm too exhausted. Newt comes over to me and picks me up. It must be damn tiring to carry me, he's already so exhausted from Minho. But Newt bravely carries me through the gate, just in time before it finally closes with a loud crash. As soon as he reaches the clearing, he falls to his knees exhausted and I roll out of his arms and onto the ground. I'm just aware of the other lights rushing over before I pass out.