teenage wasteland ;; the maze runner

2.24

antony and florence had been through enough near death experiences to know sitting and staring was not the best idea. flo was a big believer of "fuck around and find out," and the last thing she wanted to do was, well, fuck around and find out.

her flashlight beamed upon the creature as it rose from its dark coverage of black vines. it croaked as it came to life, eyes open holes boring at them, almost complimenting the creature's lack of teeth in its decaying mouth.

"oh my god," florence whispered, instinctively stepping back into antony. his hand gripped her bicep, pulling her against his chest as he raised his own flashlight to scan the tunnel behind the stirring crank.

her mouth went dry at the sight.

about eight more of the creatures were stretching, limbs cracking as they turned their hollow gazes toward the two teenagers. florence could guess their intentions even if those soulless eyes couldn't convey emotion.

"if we don't move, we're their next meal," she mumbled, urging both of them to take another step back. the cranks were waking up, looking more and more ready to close in. she pressed against antony, their bodies stiffening with fear as they stumbled back together.

antony stayed silent, his heavy breaths loud in her ear. she felt the warmth of his breath against her neck, making the hairs on her arms stand up. "yeah," he murmured. "good idea."

but it seemed the cranks had the same thought. just as they began to turn and run, one of the creatures straightened fully and locked eyes with them. it opened its mouth, letting out a guttural warning croak, and florence felt her heart plummet.

without a second to lose, she grabbed antony's shirt, pulling him with her as she broke into a sprint. behind them, a roar echoed, filling the tunnel with the stench of decay. the air around them grew hot and thick, as if they'd plunged into a cloud of humid rot.

florence's feet barely touched the ground as she sprinted down the tunnel, antony right on her heels. the roar of the cranks filled the air, growing louder with each step, as if they were just a breath away from catching them. her lungs burned, and the stale, rotting stench thickened the further they ran, pressing in on her like a weight.

the tunnel twisted and turned, plunging them deeper into the darkness, their flashlights barely cutting through the thick shadows. every breath florence took tasted sour and stale, like she was inhaling the rot clinging to the walls. her mind raced alongside her heartbeat, struggling to keep track of every corner and fork, searching for any way out.

"flo, right!" antony's voice snapped her out of her daze just in time to swerve with him down a narrow passage. her shoulder scraped against the rough wall, and she winced, biting back a curse. but the sound of scrambling feet and guttural snarls was right behind them, urging her to keep moving.

another turn, another dead end dodged. the tunnel was a maze of suffocating darkness and echoing growls. florence's mind raced—she'd been through enough of these tunnels to have an idea of where they were headed, but the cranks were gaining, their twisted forms darting through the beams of their flashlights, each one more horrifying than the last.

antony's hand found hers as they stumbled into a wider part of the tunnel, his grip anchoring her in the chaos. he pointed ahead, his face pale but determined. "we have to take the next left—there's a ladder up there!" he pointed his flashlight out in front of them, and flo could just barely catch sight of a metallic glint from the light.

florence nodded, adrenaline and hope mingling in her veins. "let's pray it's not locked."

they pushed forward, lungs heaving, each footfall a desperate measure to keep going. the roar of the cranks was relentless, echoing off the tunnel walls as the creatures grew nearer, their silhouettes flickering in and out of the light.