Azure• the maze runner

19

The group had continued to follow Thoms throughout the maze, trying to keep up with the fast pace he had set while also trying to not make too much noise in case they came across any grievers.

"Keep it up guys, we're almost there!" Thomas shouted to the group, running to hide behind a wall, everyone stopping behind him. Thomas quietly peeked around a corner, making sure it was clear for them to go before silently cursing to himself.

"Is it a griever?" Chuck asked as Thomas nodded, "Yeah."

"You take this Chuck." Minho said, passing Chuck the part of the Griever that they all hoped would be their ticket out of the maze as Chuck sent him a worried look, "Stay behind us."

"It's okay, just stick with me and Aria." Teresa smiled at the young boy in hopes to calm his nerves.

"Once we are through, it'll activate, and the door will open. All right, we stay close and we stick together, we get through this. We get it now or we die trying, ready?" Thomas spoke as everyone hesitantly nodded, Aria subconsciously reaching over to give Newt's hand one last squeeze of encouragement.

"Here we go."

"Let's go!" Thomas yelled as everyone turned the corner, running towards the grievers with their weapons drawn, immediately attacking the creatures as Aria, Teresa, and Chuck stood back, trying to find a way around the chaos.

The grievers began to fight back, whipping their arms around to try to hit someone as a few of the boys began shoving it to try and push it off the ledge which they thankfully did.

Aria stood frozen in place in fear, knowing that she or anyone she cared about could die at this moment as they were disadvantaged in this fight against the monsters the creators purposely kept to keep them in this maze.

"Aria- we have to go!" Teresa tried to encourage, gently grabbing Aria's wrist as she tried tugging the smaller girl towards her, Chuck trailing behind the two.

"Aria? Are you okay?" Chuck shouted out, worried that his rock was frozen in fear.

"Aria, listen to me, I get it, it's getting real, and people could die, including the three of us if we don't move now." Teresa shouted at her, trying to snap her out of her trance before leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Chuck looks up to you, and I need you to be strong for him. He is only growing more worried with every second you stand frozen in fear, watching as some of our friends fight to their death."

Teresa's words seemed to snap Aria out of the trance as she was quick to look at Chuck and seeing his worried face made her spring into action. Aria grabbed Chuck's hand and pulled the boy closer to her as they watched a griever grab one of the boys, Aaron, and threw him off the ledge. Aria audibly gasped as her eyes began to water, knowing that was the first fatality.

Aria quickly blinked away her tears, the three beginning to walk quickly through the group fighting the grievers before one of the griever's arms came swinging towards them, knocking their only means of escaping through the air, hitting the ground, and start rolling towards the ledge.

Aria softly pushed Chuck in Teresa's direction before sprinting towards it, throwing herself on the ground as she skids forward, grabbing the cylinder as it fell off the edge, hanging half her body off the ledge as her fingers wrapped around it.

She let out a sigh of relief that she had caught it before she started to panic as she didn't think she would be able to get back up without falling over the edge. The situation worsened for her as she began to see more grievers climbing up the wall.

Before she could even yell for help, Theo noticed what was happening and ran towards his friend.

"I got you Aria!" Theo yelled, grabbing the girl's waist as she pulled her up on her feet before they turned back to the group who had just pushed another griever off.