Edge of Insanity

Chapter Nine

When I opened my eyes again the sun was setting. I slowly sat up, groaning as the dizziness came back again. I rubbed my hand across my forehead and it came away smeared with  sticky blood. I must've hit my head when I fell.

Then the events came rushing back to me. The new section. The black hole. The Grievers.

Ben was dead.

And I'd left him.

I climbed to my feet, leaning heavily against the wall for support. The pounding in my head intensified and I swallowed. My throat felt like sandpaper. I glanced at my watch.

Shit. I had to get to the Doors. Now.

I felt around for my pack but couldn't find it. I must've dropped it back with Ben. My knife lay a few feet from me and I snatched it up. I ran through all the Maze patterns quickly in my head, searching for the quickest way to the door. Then I started forward.

I had to alternate jogging and walking as the ringing in my ears became so unbearable I had to stop several times. I'd only been going for thirty minutes when I glanced at my watch again.

No.

It was 7:00.

No, no, no, no.

I threw myself forward in a sprint but it was too late. I heard the rumbling even this deep in the Maze. The grating noise as the Doors slid just.

"No!" I screamed aloud this time as the resounding bang echoed through the Maze when the Doors slammed shut.

Panting, I stopped and slid down the wall into a crouching position.

Nobody survives a night in the Maze.

Every single thing I'd ever learned about the Maze led up to one phrase: get out before the Doors close.

Panci squeezed my throat.  I was going to die. I was going to shucking die without ever seeing Minho or Thomas or Chuck or Newt or anyone else ever again. I was going to be hunted and torn apart by the Grievers. My heart hammered in my chest. I knew what happened when the Doors shut. I knew the horrors and so did Minho. He'd torture himself by imagining the worst possible scenarios over and over again.

I buried my head in my hands, trying to control my breathing. Damn it, no.

I'd survived 2 and half shucking years as a Runner. If I was going to die tonight, I would die fighting. Fear squeezed my chest but I forced it down. My pack. I needed to get my pack.

I stood. That was going to take me back to Ben's body. To the Griever that killed him. I swallowed. That pack had food and water and my other weapons. I needed it to survive.

Gritting my teeth, I started jogging back the way I'd come.

~~~

When those doors slammed shut, Minho felt a piece of him tear in two. He fell to his knees as the wall sealed them in and Ari out.   She was trapped in there. In the shucking Maze. Scared and alone.

No, not alone. He reminded himself. Ben is with her. He'll take care of her.

He heard footsteps from behind him. Alby and Newt. Kyle had gone to get them.

"What happened, Minho?" Alby crouched beside him.

"They never came back," Minho whispered hoarsely. "They never came back from the Maze."

"Bloody hell," Newt swore.

Alby didn't say anything at first. Then he stood. "You guys need wash off and eat. There's nothing we can do now but wait and hope."

There's nothing I can do, Minho thought. I promised her I'd be there the next time to protect her. But I wasn't.

"Minho, come on." Alby set a hand on his friend's shoulder. Minho numbly climbed to his feet and followed the others back to the Glade. She'd be okay. She had to be.

He let the water in the shower run over his body, staring at nothing as he stood there until Thomas finally said, "Minho, come on."

He shut off the water and walked back to his own room in the main structure to change. He swung open the door once he was finished but paused in the doorway as he heard voices down the hallway.

"...it's weird, I know."

Minho resisted the urge to groan. Gally and his usual lackeys. Someone else said something and there were chuckles from all around.

"Yeah, well maybe it was about time that bitch got put in her place. Maybe a night in the Maze will teach her something," Gally said and the others laughed again.

Minho's vision filtered to only red as he slammed the door and wheeled around the corner of the hall. In an instant he'd grasped Gally by his shirt and thrown him against the wall. "What the fuck did you just say about her?"

Gally choked, struggling in Minho's vice-like grip.

"Hey, hey, hey! What's going on here?" Alby entered the room and Jack and Kyle both pulled Minho away from Gally.

"Nothing, Alby. I was just talking about Ben and Ari trapped in the Maze and how unfortunate it is." Gally glanced at Minho with a shrug. "And then Minho just came out of no where and attacked me."

"You son of a bitch!" Minho lunged forward again but Alby stepped in front of him. "Minho, go cool off, okay?" He pointed to the door. "I know this is hard for you- it's hard for us all but especially for you. Just go take a minute, okay?"

Minho didn't say anything. He just ripped his arms from Jack and Kyle's grasp and exited the room, slamming the door behind him.

He didn't want to go in the woods- not where her shack was and where everything reminded him of her. He headed for the now closed Doors, leaning back against the huge structure.

He loved her and he had no idea what he'd do without her. She was going to survive- had to survive. Minho buried his head in his hands. Ari had to come back.

Because if she didn't, Minho was going to lose his fucking mind.