The Desolation (The Maze Runner)

25. In the air

Minho was moving slowly and sweat covered his face. His hands were getting weak but he was still holding on.

"Don't you have something that secures him and the line?" asked Brenda.

"Do I look like an equipped climbing coach?" asked Salsa.

She was irritated. The obstacles they were finding on the way grew bigger and slowed them down every day. She was also so mad at Newt because of the letter. He lost hope when he promised her that he would fight. He wished to die and she was fighting so hard for his survival. She hated him so much. How could he be so selfish?

"Hold on Minho, you're nearly there!" shouted Thomas.

Minho was in the middle of the distance but Thomas' words encouraged him to move faster. He felt his sweaty hands slip on the rope but he used all of his strength to hold on. His arms were aching from the effort as he focused on the gruelling task.

"You're nearly there!" Thomas repeated.

The boy was so near to the other edge. Finally, he reached it and tried to pull himself up but his hand slipped, nearly falling down. His heart hammered madly when he tried not to look at the abyss underneath him. He tried again, and his hand managed to grab the ground firmly, finding a root of a lost tree to pull himself up.

Minho let go of the rope and tried to gain some footing, but there was nothing so he placed extra effort to pull the weight of his body up until he was safely waist-over the abyss. He paused, panting and gasping over the ground.

"Keep climbing!" shouted Thomas and Minho put his knee over the edge and was finally able to catch his breath as he laid on the dust between the tree and the next ruined building, his feet still dangling in the air.

"Congrats, you're great, Minho!" Thomas cheered then looked around. "Brenda, you're next."

She nodded and bent down, grabbing hold of the rope.

"It'll be easier because Minho can help her up on the other side," muttered Salsa.

She was scanning the place around them- more Cranks was the last thing they needed.

Brenda was faster than Minho. Salsa was surprised at how quickly the young woman conquered the mile distance on the rope. Minho helped her up on the other end.

"Jorge," gestured Salsa and she had a worried look.

The pilot was very weak after the injury. He started to lie down on the ground but she stopped him.

"Wait, no, you'll go last. Thomas go," she looked at the boy.

"But..." Thomas stopped.

"I have a plan," she said and he nodded.

He clung to the rope and made his way through nearly as fast as Brenda.

"I'll go next. When I reach the other end, you grab the end of the rope and free it here," she pointed at a little metal trigger. "Make a good knot around your legs and waist, then you're gonna jump. We'll pull you up."

She looked Jorge in the eyes and the pilot nodded. Salsa lied down on the ground and grabbed the rope to pull herself along it. She used her legs to support herself and was in the middle of the distance when she heard Thomas' words.

"I saw something."

She moved quicker, reaching the end of the rope where Brenda and Thomas helped her up. Salsa looked back at Jorge. The pilot unclipped the rope and started to bind it around him.

"Where did you see something?" asked Salsa, glancing at Thomas.

"On both sides," the boy looked at her fearfully.

"Here, but shoot wisely," she gave him more bullets and whispered to him. "I'm running out of ammo."

Jorge finished tying himself up and moved to the edge of the abyss. He looked at them and jumped. A second later, Cranks black with mud and blood appeared on the side he had just left.

He fell and finally bounced against the stone wall.

"Pull him up!" ordered Thomas and all four began to pull on the rope.

They heard a scream and a Crank jumped into the abyss, others blindly following.

"Not too clever, those shanks over there," muttered Minho.

They pulled Jorge up and helped him to stand. Brenda immediately started to unbind him.

"Just cut the rope off," Salsa handed her a knife.

Brenda took it and worked quickly.

"They're here," whispered Thomas who was watching the buildings behind them.

"Shoot only if there won't be any other way," ordered Salsa as she stored the rest of the rope into her backpack.

"It's pretty heavy," muttered Jorge. "The rope."

"I have bigger problems," Salsa shrugged her backpack on and moved around the next building on the left.

"What do we do?" asked Thomas.

"Hide and run," she replied, turning into a small alley. She saw two Cranks jump in their way before taking both knives from her shoe and belt, flinging it at their chests. The Cranks fell down, lifeless, and she hurried to retrieve her knives. She cleaned them on the dirty clothes of her victims.

"Keep quiet," she said and the group followed after her.

They hid behind walls and in the shadows. Crossing bigger streets was complicated as the city was flooded with Cranks. Salsa needed to use her knives in few more situations, while Minho and Thomas supported her with their fists.

They made their way through the city, making seven more miles from the chasm. Before nightfall, Salsa climbed up a higher building to check their distance from the White Tower.

It was gleaming pink and gold under the setting. She felt that reaching it will be hard, but finding the clue in it maybe even harder.

She moved back to the devastated Italian restaurant where their group had taken up residence in to rest.

"It's closer than I thought, about less than ten miles from here," she told them.

"At this pace, we'll need at least two days," Minho looked up.

"We'll see. Let's rest for an hour, and we continue after nightfall," Salsa found a place on the floor and dropped down.

She was so tired that she fell asleep immediately.

Thank you to all the readers. I hope you still enjoy this adventure. 

I dedicate the chapter to GracetheLoricGlader, thank you for your help :) <3

If you want, you can leave some feedback I'm always happy to see comments from you 

:)