Feral → newt, tmr

Chapter 7: Someone Got Their Pants On Fire

The trip to the maze isn’t as bad as Katherine expected. Thomas and Minho lead her, Frypan, Winston, and Zart toward the dead Griever.

The ivy hangs down the maze walls like waterfalls, and it would be a lie to say it isn’t beautiful. It’s as if the maze is a nightmare dressed like a daydream, both haunting and captivating.

“Come on!” Thomas calls, taking a sharp turn, his determination evident.

Katherine follows closely, her heart racing with a mix of fear and exhilaration. They reach the Griever, its massive body squished between two walls, flesh and blood splattered around like grotesque art. Its limbs protrude from its body, a horrifying mix of animal and machine. Even with the memory wipe, Katherine is certain she has never seen anything so repulsive.

“That’s disgusting,” Zart remarks, wrinkling his nose.

“Why does this giant blob monster remind me of Gally?” Katherine asks, a disgusted expression crossing her face. The boys chuckle, and for a moment, the tension eases.

“Because you hate him,” Minho states, grinning.

“That, my friend, is a reasonable answer.” Katherine mocks Gally, and laughter fills the air, a fleeting moment of relief in their dark reality.

“There’s something in there,” Thomas says, pointing at the dead creature.

“You mean besides a Griever pancake?” Frypan quips. Katherine feels her stomach churn at the thought.

Minho steps closer to the Griever, and Katherine instinctively reaches out to stop him. “Whoa, dude, what are you doing?”

Without a word, he thrusts his arm into the gaping wound of the Griever, and Katherine's heart skips a beat.

Suddenly, the Griever’s leg jolts back, and Minho stumbles back, followed by the others.

“I thought you said it was dead!” Frypan squeaks, his eyes wide with shock.

“Was it a reflex?” Zart wonders, glancing around nervously.

“You hope,” Winston replies, a hint of worry in his voice.

“Okay, come on. Let’s try and pull it out,” Thomas suggests, stepping forward. He grips the Griever’s leg, urging everyone to help. “Everyone gets a hand on it. Come on.”

“This is nuts,” Katherine mutters, crouching down and grabbing the leg along with the others.

“All right, ready? On three,” Thomas says, his voice steady. “One, two, three!”

With their combined strength, they yank the Griever’s leg free with a sickening crack. The force sends everyone sprawling backward, Katherine hitting the ground hard.

“Are you okay, Kat?” Thomas asks, extending a hand to her.

“Yeah. Thanks, bro.” She takes his hand, the warmth of their connection easing the shock as he pulls her up.

Minho approaches the Griever again, examining it closely. He reaches down, pulling something slimy and glistening from the creature’s appendages.