Complicated

Chapter 68: Sacrifice

I had run the maze for a full year, every day for a year, and then had the chance to run it at night. This evening felt different. The sounds of all the Gladers feet slapping the floor echoed off the walls made me cringe. I was used to it being quiet. The loud huffing and puffing from the Gladers made me shudder. If the Creators didn't know we were coming, they would probably hear us.

We kept a steady pace for a while. Thomas had broken off and slowed down to run with Newt. I nodded to Minho and slowed down to run with Chuck.

"Hey bud."

He just nodded, having trouble talking and breathing. I just smiled at him and kept pace with his shirt legs. He was a determined little guy, and he pulled at all my heart strings. I vowed to get him home. I had already promised, but I promised myself I would do absolutely everything to help find his mom.

So, sister...how you doing?

I smiled. It was still weird, finding out I had an actual biological brother, Tommy was my brother.

I'm...umm...I don't actually know.

Understandable.

You scared?

Pfft. No. I love blubbery biomechanical death monsters! I can't wait to meet them!

You're hilarious.

My thoughts were bleak and without humor. Truth was, I was terrified. We all night be dead in a few hours. Bloody gruesome deaths...and I apparently had a hand in creating these deaths. I shuddered at the thought. What could they possibly have done to twist my thinking into helping them?

We'll be okay .. you'll be okay. Stick close to me and Minho or Vinny- he looks pretty vicious..

Ah, my knights in shining armor! Tommy do you think I can't fend for my self?

Oh, no I'm sure you could take a Griever on all by yourself. I'm just being a good big brother!

I mentally rolled my eyes

We kept a slow steady pace. Turn after turn, pushing deeper into the Maze. We had to slow down now that we made it to section 7, with all the broken walls. The none runners were twisting around trying to see everything all at once. We had to usher them forwards. The group had spread out as we ran through the Blades. Minho slowed to a stop by the last remaining solid wall. Thomas, Newt and myself pushed our way to the front.

"Oh shuck." I whisper, "do you hear that?"

The guy's eyes went wide. Over the huffing and puffing of all the Gladers, there was the quite him of engines and the faint moaning purr the Grievers make- but it was faint, barly there.

Minho poked his head around the corner, but pulled back right away, his eyes clamped shut, and leaned against the wall.

"Oh shuck!" He swore, "oh no! Shuck!"

"Don't tell me." I said dryly, "long skinny passage?"

"Yep."

"A pack of savage deadly Grievers?"

"Yep."

"Bring it on."

Teresa and Alby had shoved their way to the front and were now standing beside them. I narrowed my eyes at Teresa, but didn't say anything.

"Well. We knew we would have to bloody fight!" Newt shrugged, I could hear the tremmir, the fear in his voice. Newt, always the one to say the right thing, trying to keep moral up.