SACRIFICE {Newt | The Maze Runner}

ii. The Great Escape

Song: BANG MY HEAD; david guetta

     RACHEL and I were both now regretting our decisions to volunteer to spend a night in the Maze. Grievers had relentlessly pursued us around the stone-walled labyrinth for the past few hours, never tiring or losing strength.

But, by now, several of the monsters had cornered us against a wall, leering down at us from their great height. I felt Rachel's sweaty palm slip into mine, I softly squeezed it in reassurance, tightening the grip on my knife with my other hand.

Moments before one of the metal legs crashed into us, I dragged the dark haired girl to floor, spearing one of the creatures with my knife as we went.

Still with Rachel clutching tightly to my hand, I led her down one of the corridors that wasn't open tomorrow, hoping that it would close in the next few moments.

Our booted feet pounded on the stone floor, soon joined by that of metal legs and mechanical whirrs. Sure enough, the walls slowly began to move closer together.

"Come on, Rachel!" I urged the girl, tugging at her pale hand.

We both passed through the wall, breathing out a sigh of relief as they moved too close for the Griever to pass through. I pulled the girl into a tight hug, a few giggles passed between us.

But she saw it first.

The metal stinger of the Griever plunged through the minuscule gap in the walls. Rachel shoved me to the ground, letting out an agonizing scream as the needle entered her flesh and injected the Changing Serum.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I sat up in bed. My breaths were fast, as if I really had relived my dream and it took me a few moments of compose myself before I pulled myself from my bunk.

*

Dinner was, for the most part, the same as ever. The food was near inedible and Aris didn't say much. I'd noticed that more and more ever since the others left. He gradually withdrew into himself, barely exchanging a word with me.

Appearing with great purpose in his strides, Janson began to list off the names of today's 'lucky' subjects.

"Alice. Barry. Walt. Edgar. Samantha. Aaron. Dennis. Sally. Henry. Tim. David. And, last but not least, Orla."

Aris's gaze snapped to mine, concern glazing over his blue eyes. With great reluctance, I rose to my feet and began to move towards Janson and the other selected subjects. Along the way, I caught Thomas's eye and sent him a look of weak reassurance.

I was the last of the subjects to get there, Janson plastering a less than sincere smile on to his face. The other three girls and eight boys exchanging excited glances with one another.

As Janson began to lead us away, the three girls walked beside me, the boys deep in eager conversation.

"I can't believe we're finally getting to leave this place!" a short, blonde haired girl began, she was the second girl to be called up, meaning she was Samantha.

"Might finally get some decent food." Alice joked, the other two girls snickering in response. But, instead of listening to their conversation, my eye was dragged over to Thomas, who was watching me with great concern.