Trapped ➝ The Maze Runner ✓

Vines

Vines

(Newt's P.O.V)

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The vines weren't working; they were doing nothing to hinder its movements at all! If anything, I think we angered it, for the strange bulbs of light protruding from its body began flickering distinctly, making me squint.

It was driving us back; I heard Thomas emit a small gasp as his back touched the wall. This was it... the end. There was nothing we could do now...

My eyes suddenly widened as I remembered the dagger tucked under my breastplate. Perhaps it will come in useful after all; if I just aim it for one of those lights, perhaps it would do some damage. It wouldn't even scratch it's metal body if I aimed it anywhere else.

I slid the knife from it's sheath tucked away under my clothes and flicked it forward, watching with satisfaction as it thudded into one of the dangling bulbs, causing it to diminish with a sickly pop! The griever emitted an irrational shriek and cowered back. Minho instantly grasped the opportunity and dashed forward, nimbly dodging the protruding spikes. I followed his lead, sprinting forward after him, hearing Thomas' ragged gasps behind me.

The Runner led us through the maze with no hesitation; panic drew us onwards.

Finally, as the scrabbling of the griever faded, we paused for a break, standing in a solemn silence as we regained our breaths.

"What now?" Thomas asked, breathlessly.

Silence reigned for a few seconds, before I suddenly glanced up and something in my head clicked.

"Climb the walls!" I suddenly hissed, jabbing a finger behind me. My voice sounded shaky and irrational, but the others didn't seem to notice.

"What?"

"Climb the walls; wrap the vines around yourselves and climb! Surely they won't be able to reach us there!"

Minho looked at me skeptically.

"Just do it, you bloody shank!" I hissed at him. "Unless you wanna stay down here and get ripped go shreds by those bloody monsters."

Minho gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Fine."

With no hesitation, I grabbed the nearest vine I could see and tugged on it, hoping it would hold my weight. It seemed sturdy enough and didn't give any sign of coming lose as I yanked it, and instantly began hauling myself up the wall, searching blindly for fissures and cracks in the ragged surface and slotting my hands in them. We slowly began scaling the wall, our feet and hands groping in the dark for breaches in the stone. I dared not look down, for a dizzying sensation took hold of me. I wasn't sure how high I ought to climb; reaching the top of the walls was impossible!

I eventually stopped as my hands and feet began to ache and urged myself to look down. Thomas was only a few meters behind, with Minho struggling with his broken foot. They seemed okay, though. I wrapped the vine around my body like a cocoon, so it also acted like a hammock. I just hoped it would hold; if the vine snapped, we'd all be dead. The others imitated my actions and the three of us stayed as we were in silence, hoping the night would pass by swiftly.

What felt like an hour or so later, we heard a strange sound, like a piece of wood splintering. Thomas suddenly gasped, snapping up his head to peer into darkness above him.

His vine was going to snap!

The splintering groan proceeded to wail through the night, and Thomas suddenly jolted to his left as the cord of vine snapped half-way, and leaves fluttered through the air. Loosing his balance, he tumbled forward, but managed to catch himself on another trail of leaves.

I stared in horror as one of his arms flailed out wildly, trying to catch onto another vine as the one he was currently clutching began to sway precariously. Panic and desperation lined his face as he glanced up at me for help. But what could I do!? He looked so helpless, dangling there; his eyes sunken and dull, his face pale and sickly.

It was Minho who helped in the end.

Just as Thomas' only hope snapped, Minho jerked out his hand and caught him by his arm. He gritted his teeth as Thomas struggled to find his footing, but eventually relaxed as he grabbed another vine and heaved himself up the wall.

He looked visible relived, his eyes sparkling again. That was too close. But perhaps we would make it through the night, if the grievers passed by heedless under our dangling figures.

I leaned my head against the wall, closing my eyes with a sigh. I felt something press near me, and they instantly fluttered open. Thomas was next to me, breathing heavily.

"You okay, Thomas?"

He nodded, looking too exhausted to do anything else.

I kept silent after that; we all did, in fear. Constant fear the grievers were going to hear us and find some irrational way of reaching us.

But for now, we remained dangling off the Walls of the Maze, waiting to see the sun rise once more.

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i was supposed to be having a break from wattpad but i couldn't resist writing. so here's an update. hope you enjoyed it. i think this short story is pretty much finished. great.

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