Runner of Group D (Maze Runner fanfic)

Chapter 21

"Nice to know you're alive," Carol said, grinning from ear to ear. Sandra climbed off her kill, following the rest of her small band into the crowd. She wrapped her arms around Carol, glad to see her alive. The redhead, in turn, hugged her back.

"We're down about sixteen girls," Sandra mentioned to her, stepping back. They had to keep moving or get killed. Carol gave her a downcast look.

"I've got fifteen deaths on my end. That brings us down to about sixty-eight. Not counting your group..." Carol paused, counting the number of people added to her mix. "Twenty-seven or more still missing. Marge and Maxi are part of that count too." Sandra's eyes widened.

"They're not here?" Carol shook her head, her eyes growing darker.

"They were beside me one minute, then gone the next. I'm not sure where they could be. The Maze keeps-"

"Shifting," Sandra finished. "We had that issue. It's how we lost Zip and five others. The other ten we found in the hall where we picked up this guy's trail." Sandra gestured at the oozing Griever when she mentioned the trail.

"Sandra!" Leo came out of nowhere, wrapping his arms around Sandra's middle. She was sure his grip would kill her faster than any Griever. He let go just as quickly though. "We were worried. Yes, you can take care of yourself, but this Maze is acting weird." Sandra nodded.

"Figured that out. The Creators-"

"Don't want ninety-nine people walking into their base. I meant to say something, but I forgot. There are too many of us. They wanted to kill off the weak ones so the stronger 'participants' made it to the end. I can't remember why, but that's why-"

"They're making up for lost time," Sandra finished, glaring at Leo. She didn't like being interrupted, especially when the outcome of the sentence was something she had already figured out. Leo realized this, blushing under her gaze. Sandra turned back to Carol, satisfied with his punishment.

"We have to find the exit and hope we cross paths with the others on the way. We can't waste any more time."

"I agree," Carol replied, nodding, "but I don't know where we are or where the Abyss is. We might as well be racing around in circles." Leo stepped in again.

"There's gotta be a way to figure it out. The Creators don't want all of us, but they want us to get to the end." Sandra pursed her lips, pacing mentally. Her rhythmic "thought steps" transferred into actual steps, the sound of her boots hitting the floor filling her ears. If Leo was right, which she knew he was, there would have to be a way to find the Abyss.

"I'm not sure if pacing ever helped anyone figure something out," Carol commented. It was her nice way of saying, "Quit moving. You're making me dizzy." Sandra would have been ok with that rebuke, her own head swimming at the constant shifts. Her eyes had to look at something other than the floor, which was starting to spin. 

So she looked up and found herself staring at the Griever. The experimental disaster resembled a giant puddle of puke. A green translucent puddle of puke. Mixed with scrap metal and dozens of wires. It still had a little red light flashing, its "brain" still intact. 

Sandra stopped pacing. While Carol sighed with relief, her mind raced through the possibility. She went up to the Griever and pulled the last remaining wires, freeing the little device. It must have had a battery powering it, the little light still blinking. She turned toward the crowd.

"Who's a Techno?" Sandra shouted into the crowd. A couple girls turned to look at her. Psych, thank goodness, came up first.

"Need something?" she asked, brushing her cropped hair back behind her ear. Sandra held out the blinking device.