Escaping This Ivy Nightmare

Chapter 26

No one said anything, they all just stared at the woman. Or at least that's what Audrey thought they would all be doing. It's what she would be doing if Minho wasn't engulfing her in a tight hug that kept her face pressed against his shoulder. But she didn't mind, and definitely didn't want him to let go of her yet. If he let go she might just fall to the floor and crumble into a million peices. 

But then there was shouting and commotion from outside the entrance through which the woman had come. Minho loosened his grip enough that Audrey was able to turn back to face her, only to see the blood draining from her face as she turned towards the noise. Now what?

Several men and women dressed in grimy jeans and soaking-wet coats burst through the entrance with guns raised, yelling and screaming words over each other.

Suddenly the WICKED woman was on the floor, gun aimed at her head. Flashes lit the air as several shots exploded from the gun, slamming into the woman's body, leaving a bloody mess in her place.

Minho had somehow moved them in the midst of it all, and suddenly Thao and Newt where right in front of them, ducking down as the shots continued to fire off in every direction. Everything was happening so fast, and it was all so confusing. 

One of the men with the guns approached the Gladers, who were all huddled close to where Audrey and the others where. He had dark hair, his face young but full of wrinkles around the eyes, as if he'd spent each day of his life worrying about how to make it to the next. 

"We don't have time to explain." He said, his voice as strained as his face. "Just follow me and run like your life depends on it. Because it does."

Audrey felt herself being pulled towards the door where one of the gunmen was standing. She followed Minho, running with her head low, as gunfire and screams rang out. She didn't know what she had been expecting when they left the maze, but it definitely wasn't this.

They reached the end of a long hallway and were faced with a tall staircase. Newt slowed at the bottom, beckoning a few people to go ahead. Audrey grabbed his hand and pulled him up the first flight of stairs.

"I'm going to slow you down. Run!" He yelled, trying to free his hand. She knew his leg must be killing him.

"You better shuckin' run faster then." She countered, pulling his arm. He took a deep breath and continued running. They ran down another hallway, and then up another flight of stairs. It dragged on and on. Another hall, another staircase. On and on until Audrey thought she might collapse.

They reached the end of the hallway and burst through a door. They were immediately met with a downpour of rain. Newt stumbled slightly, and Minho caught him. Audrey hadn't realised Minho had fallen back with them, but she figured he was just as concerned about Newt as she was. Minho held Newt up as they ran.

In front of them sat on rusty old bus, that looked like it'd been in it's share of accidents. Their leader ushered them onto the bus. One by one the Gladers crammed on. Newt was in so much pain by the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, that Minho had to piggy back the boy onto the bus.

Audrey heard a yell of panic just as she started to make her way down the aisle. She turned around to see Casey being yanked onto the bus by Frypan, and Thomas on the ground outside, a crazy looking woman over top of him.

"Gonna save us all!" The woman yelled so loud that Audrey could hear her though the walls of the bus. "Gonna save us all from the Flare!" She laughed, although it sounded like more of a hacking cough. Suddenly the people who had saved them from the chamber in WICKED were pulling her off, dragging her away from sight. "Don't believe a word they tell ya! Gonna save us from the Flare, ya are!"