How I survived in an all boys glade

Chapter Thirty-three

- a night in the maze -

When I reach the top of the wall, I don't waste a second. My feet pound against the uneven surface as I take off, desperate to put as much distance as possible between myself and the monstrosity below. My chest heaves with every breath, my pulse pounding so hard I can feel it reverberating through my body.

The narrow path abruptly ends ahead, and I skid to a stop, nearly losing my balance. The drop below is dizzying. I turn quickly, glancing behind me, and my stomach clenches. The Griever is closing in, its grotesque body skittering across the wall with unnerving speed.

With no time to think, I face forward again and leap, my hands outstretched toward the thick vines on the opposite wall. My fingers catch hold, and the impact jars my arms, but I cling on. The Griever, undeterred, launches itself after me.

"Not today," I mutter under my breath, sliding down the vines in a desperate attempt to escape. The added weight of the Griever pulls the vines taut, the strain too much for them to bear. They give way with a sickening snap, and I plummet, tangled in the vines with the screeching creature.

The ground rushes up to meet me, and I hit it hard, the impact sending a shockwave of pain through my body. I groan, my chest heaving as I lie there, stunned and unable to move. Every nerve in my body screams in protest, but I know I can't stay down.

The Griever's ominous clicks snap me out of my daze, and adrenaline floods my system. I stagger to my feet and break into a run, the fear coursing through me numbing the pain for a moment.

Then I hear it—the sharp, metallic clicking of the Griever preparing to strike. I zigzag as I run, trying to evade its relentless pursuit, but it's too fast. I feel the sharp sting of its claws piercing through my shirt, tearing into my right arm. A searing pain shoots through me, and I scream, the sound raw and guttural.

"GOD DAMN IT!" I yell, clutching my injured arm with my left hand. Blood streams between my fingers, warm and sticky, as I press down hard, trying to stem the flow.

The Griever's screeches echo behind me, driving me forward despite the fire in my legs and the agony in my arm. I force myself to keep running, the fear of being caught outweighing the pain coursing through my body.

I round another corner and glance back, relief washing over me when I see no sign of the creature. But before I can process the fleeting moment of safety, my foot catches on a cluster of loose stones.

"SHIT!" I cry out as I crash to the ground, landing squarely on my injured arm. The pain is blinding, a white-hot intensity that leaves me gasping for air.

Tears blur my vision, but I grit my teeth and push myself up, cradling my injured arm as I limp forward. My body feels like it's shutting down, the blood loss and exhaustion threatening to overwhelm me. Still, I press on. I can't stop now—not with the greenie still out there.

"Come on, Y/n," I whisper to myself, my voice trembling. "You've made it this far."

I close my eyes for a brief second, forcing myself to focus. Panicking won't help. I need to think, to remember the layout of the maze and where I haven't searched yet.

Then, cutting through the oppressive silence, I hear it—a scream, faint but unmistakable.

My heart leaps, and I pivot toward the sound, pushing my battered body into motion. Each step feels like a monumental effort, my injured foot barely cooperating, but I keep going. The screams grow louder, and with every twist and turn of the maze, I will myself to move faster.

The labyrinth seems endless, the walls towering over me like silent sentinels, but the sound guides me.