maze to her heart ~ newt¹✓

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪 | exit

EXIT

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Thomas and Minho took charge when it came to leading everyone through the maze while Rae stayed in the back of the group, running alongside Newt. Through her peripheral view, Rae could see the blonde boy struggling to keep up with the rest of the group with his limp, but he wasn't the type to give up. By running in the back, Rae noticed some of the Gladers stare in awe at the towering walls surrounding them. 

It was one thing to see the Maze from inside the Glade, but actually being in it was a different experience. It seemed as if some air from your lungs would escape just by stepping foot in the Maze. The five senses would immediately heighten because it was all about survival.

Eventually, the group made it out of the labyrinth of walls to the open part of the maze. Written on one of the walls was the number "3" in dull red paint. Thomas made sure to say words of encouragement as they all kept running until they reached another wall where Thomas stopped at. Beyond the wall was an open passage, a tunnel of sorts, where the Grievers would come out from. But like Thomas had said, their way in was their way out.

Thomas peered from behind the wall and immediately turned back. The look in his eyes made it clear to everyone that they weren't alone. They were going to have to fight if they wanted to leave. Minho handed Chuck the Griever's tracker and told him to stay close but away from the fight.

"And Rae--" Thomas started, but the redhead cut him off by grabbing the second wooden pole that he was holding.

"I'm fighting."

Thomas lightly smirked at the girl. She was stronger than most people thought. Even though Thomas and Newt would rather have had Rae stay with Teresa and Chuck, they both knew they weren't going to change her mind since she was set on fighting.

"We stay close, we stick together, and we get through this. We get out now or we die trying. All right. Let's go!" Thomas yelled, riling up the Gladers as they charged from the safety of the wall to the open passage where the Griever stood guarding the door. The hell beast noticed them right away, baring its sharp teeth as it hurtled at the group.

Minho's spear was the first to pierce the monster, it roaring in pain as the Gladers stabbed it with their poles. The Griever jumped behind them, giving Chuck and Teresa a somewhat clear path to get to the door. With the continued stabbing and shoving by the Gladers to the Griever, the wooden poles were not the ideal weapon to challenge a metal monster. The mechanic tail whipped out from behind the Griever, surveying for its first victim until settling on one of the Gladers. Although they tried to fight it off, the talon on the tail managed to snag one of the boys, throwing him over the ledge, his screams echoing as he fell down into darkness. 

For a split second, Rae paused at the sight of another lost boy, until one of the Griever's metal legs came crashing down towards Rae. If it wasn't for Newt tackling Rae to the side, she would've suffered the same fate as the last boy. In one swift motion, Teresa ran up to the two and smashed her weapon against the side of the leg, causing it to buckle and knock the key out of Chuck's hand.

The young boy, although discombobulated, scanned around the place until he noticed the key rolling to the edge. Lose the key, lose the way out. Chuck didn't want to be the reason the Gladers failed. He ran to the key, praying it wouldn't roll off the edge, but it wouldn't stop. In a final attempt to save it, he leaped towards it, wrapping his chubby fingers around the metal device just as it flew off the ledge. It took Chuck a moment to realize he was dangling and staring into a pit of darkness before Teresa grabbed onto him, trying to pull him up.

While Chuck had managed to save the key, the rest of the Gladers were still struggling with pushing the Griever to the edge. Thomas repeatedly struck the Griever in the face while the other Gladers aimed for its body. No matter how hard they pushed, the monster wasn't giving in that easily as it dug its metal claws into the floor.