RUN: A MAZE RUNNER FAN FICTION

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7, THOMAS

Keep running. Go. Don't look back. Come on, faster. Pick up the pace, Tom. Your life depends on it.

The Griever was gaining on me. I sprinted as hard as I could and then some. I didn't dare look back to see how close it was. That would slow me down. I just had to assume it was getting closer and used that to motivate me to run faster. 

WHHHHHIIIIRRRRR

I could hear it prepping its weapons. It was getting even closer. I had to run faster. My legs burned and my chest felt like it was going to explode. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep this up. I turned and started down a long corridor. Now was my chance to try out my new trick. 

I grabbed a vine and pulled as hard as I could while jumping and planting my feet on the wall. I ran across the wall, using the vine to keep from falling then pushed off and swung back around, right over the Griever. I pushed into the air, letting go of the vine and pulling out my knives while accidentally swinging into a back flip. I landed perfectly, coming down on top of the Griever and planting my knives in its neck then yanking them apart, killing it. 

I jumped off and pulled my knives out of the limp, gooey body. I couldn't believe I'd just done that and lived. 

"Tommy! What happened?" Minho ran around the corner, a look of shock on his face, "I heard the Griever cha-" he stopped short when he saw the dead Griever. 

I was still trying to catch my breath and it took a moment before I finally spoke. "Couldn't run from it forever." 

"Yeah. Nice job. Is it just me or did these things get smarter?" he said, examining it.

"Nah. They're defintiely upgraded. Couldn't make anything easy, could they? Because our lives don't suck enough already." I said. 

"Chill, dude. You won. What're you so worked up about?" Minho said.

"Everything. We did this once. We made it out once. We finished this before. Spent a week in that weird building then end up back in here again. Been 3 months and only one Greenie. And what with the storms and the Grievers multiplying, never going away. This is hopeless. I can't believe I'm saying it but it is. We're done. And this is a perfect example. We better get  out of here before it reforms." I said. 

"Yeah... You sure you're alright, Tommy. You been kinda... I don't know, angry lately. I mean I know about... you know... but you can't keep giving up like this or else they've already won. Come on, it's getting dark. We should head back." Minho said. 

"Uh... I'll meet you back there in a few. I need some time to think." I said. 

He shrugged. "Fine but make sure you get back before the doors close." Then Minho turned and ran off back toward the Glade.

I sheathed my knives and slid my hands in my pockets. The silence felt good. I needed to clear my mind. I flinched when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye but it was just a beetle blade. 

"You're going to pay for this. I'll kill you or die trying... for Chuck." I said, pointing a finger at it and looking straight in the camera on its head then I turned and started pacing back down the corridor toward the Glade. 

Then it hit me.