Gladiolus ~ The Maze Runner

3~4: I'm on the Highway to Hell

 "Fuck that shit."

Mandatory infection site, scary dark tunnel, no other way around?

No thanks, Thomas. Let's turn back and find a long way.

Newt nods, agreeing with my outburst. "You really want us to go in there?" He asks Thomas with a very skeptical look on his face. "I don't wanna come across as too negative, but if I was a Crank, that's exactly where I'd be."

"I don't think we have much of a choice," Thomas sighs, glancing down at the map.

"Alright, I get shotgun."

***

Per Newt's claim, he got to sit in the front with Fry while Thomas and I sat together in the backseat. Fry drives us through the entrance, the dark surrounding our little car.

"Well, here we go," Fry sighs, not enthused in the slightest. I grab Thomas's hand, very uncomfortable. I hate the dark, and I hate Cranks.

"Just take it nice and slow," Newt orders, holding a large light ahead of us to illuminate the way.

Fry weaves around the broken-down cars and brakes at the sight of a lone Crank, standing directly in the middle of the tunnel. The Crank's posture was angled slightly, and he stood still, choking.

"It's okay," Thomas calms. "It's just one, so take it slow. Go around him. It'll be fine."

He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze while Fry sarcastically muttered, "Take it slow."

Newt flips off his light and rolls the window up. Thomas sits back and I stifle a yelp as a woman appears out of nowhere next to his side of the car. Thomas lurched back against me, making a surprised sound as the woman begs for us to help her.

Eyes wide and hands on the glass, she begs, "Please. Help me." She grabs the door handle and pulls on it repeatedly. "Please."

A smack against my side of the car makes me spring away from the window. Another person, this one a man, is banging on the glass, gnashing his teeth.

"Fry, we gotta go," Thomas orders. Cranks appear on all sides as Fry panics, unsure whether to run them over or not.

"Just floor it!" Thomas shouts, and Fry takes off, the Cranks falling away from the car. The lone Crank that was in front of us lands on the hood of the car, hissing at us. It punches at the glass with inhuman strength as Fry tries swerving to throw it off. It maneuvers over to the driver's side, continuing to beat at the glass.

"Hold on!" Fry warns, before swerving into a nearby truck. The Crank makes impact with the truck and is ripped from the car.

"Fry, watch out!" I yell, but my warning was too late. The car collides with a large piece of debris and overturns. Great, now we're upside down.

"Ow," I mumble, heading smacking into the roof.

"Everyone okay?" Thomas asks.

"My head," Fry moans. Same.

"Guys, we gotta get out right now," I warn, throwing my body weight against the door, trying to open it.

"Move, babe," Thomas orders, and I lean away just before he kicks through the glass. We shimmy out through the windows as Fry continues fighting with his door. "Fry, go around," I call, as Thomas gets Newt's door open. Newt spills out, followed by a groaning Frypan.

A very angry scream echoes through the tunnels. "We gotta go right now," Thomas orders. And the horde comes into view.

Well, this is great. I didn't exactly pack an infinite amount of shotgun shells to mow down all these Cranks.