Edge of Insanity

Chapter Twenty One

We rose at dawn.

The sun was crawling slowly into the sky leaving a trail of red that bled into pinks and gold. It looked too much like blood for my comfort. As if foretelling what would come. We stood at the West Doors, silent and solemn. The air was thick with fear and nervous energy. Nearly every Glader gripped a weapon of some kind.

I glanced to my right. Minho stood, staring at the un-moving grey slabs of the Maze walls. His eyes were dark and I could tell he was thinking about the Creators. To my left was Thomas. Unlike Minho, he was shifting from foot to foot, chest rising and falling in anticipation. Teresa was beside him, raven hair unbound and falling around her shoulders.

The girl still intrigued me. I had yet to get to really know her and there'd been no time to talk about me randomly guessing her name. I sifted through the memories I'd recovered but didn't see her face there. Why had the Creators chosen to send up another girl?

She said something softly to Thomas then, who stilled his anxious movements. I caught a glimpse of their hands intertwined. Apparently I had missed a lot. My wrist watch beeped as did Minho's and the rest of the Runners'.

It was time.

The was a groaning noise and a grating of gears. Then the enormous doors slowly began to open in front of us. A cold wind blew in from the Maze, rustling leaves and dust. We waited until the doors were completely open before Minho stepped up. "This is it!" He yelled. "Stay behind me and the other Runners and no one will get hurt. Be careful, don't die."

"Great, we're all bloody inspired." Newt shouted from the back. Minho rolled his eyes and, with me at his side, ran into the Maze. The first few steps were awkward. I had to adjust my stride to accommodate the limp but eventually I figured it out.

It also helped that I'd inhaled practically every drug Clint could think of to give me.

The group of us ran on, the non-Runners jostling for places. Our footsteps were loud, as if an army were racing into war. Breath came in short pants as we turned right and left and right again. We ran in unison until we reached the huge number on the wall marking which section we were in.

Minho slowed to a walk, catching my elbow as he did. "How's your leg?"

"So far, so good." I told him.

He jerked his head in the direction of the missing wall. "It's right around that corner. All you need to do is get to the keypad and type in those words."

"Right," I adjusted my grip on my knives. "Keypad. Words."

And that was when the Grievers appeared.

As we rounded the corner and the black hole became visible, a row of Grievers stretched out before us. They were blocking the only path to the keypad.

"Shit," Thomas said beside me.

"That's for bloody sure," Newt echoed.

Alby spun towards the Gladers. "We knew this could happen, so let's fight! This is it! Time to show those Creators who they were messing with. Let's end this!"

Something resembling a battle roar erupted from the Gladers. Minho gripped my elbow again. "Stay close to me," he yelled.

Then the Gladers charged. Boys of all ages surged around us, sprinting for the hideous mechanical creatures. And with a great clang, the two forces collided. I shot forward, Minho close behind as I made for a gap in the fighting.

A Glader skidded into my path, hurled by a Greiver. I jerked to a stop, narrowly avoiding the Glader's flying weapon. Minho slammed into my back and then we were off again.

A scream sounded and then a crunch, reminding me of the horrific night in the Maze. A Griever's angry shriek split the racket followed by a victorious yell. Something splattered to my right, splashing onto my face and hair. A metallic taste filled my mouth. Blood.

"Ari!" Minho yelled and I refocused in front of me. A Griever was coming at me fast. My fingers closed around and knife and with a shout, I hurled it at it's bulbous body. The knife struck home and the creature reeled and screeched. Then a Glader was there, stabbing it over and over again with a spear as we sprinted past.

I could see the keypad now, feeling Minho panting behind me,  long knife at the ready to fend off against any oncoming threat. The fighting continued around us, a building crescendo that had no end in sight. I dared a single glance back. Boys and machines still fought. Griever slime and blood covered the ground.

"Watch out!" I spun around too late. A Griever leg caught me in the shoulder, sending me tumbling to the ground. I faintly heard Minho's yell as the Griever reared back, wickedly sharp leg glinting in the sun-

And then Alby was there. Throwing his body in front of mine as the Griever stuck home. Blood squirted from the wound, hot and thick and crimson.

"Alby!" Newt's voice was distant.

"G-go, Ari. Go." Blood spilled from Alby's mouth. I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears and I slowly and painfully inched away from the Griever. Minho severed it's leg in one clean swipe, spinning to look at me. Fear was written all over his face.

I have to end this

I sprinted for the keypad, moving so quickly I slammed into it when I got there. The screen was black but lit up when I pounded my hand against it. A keyboard slid out in front of me. Then screen was blank at first but then lit up with six empty spaces. I heard a scream from behind me and then someone yelling, "Hurry!"

My fingers flew across the keyboard as I typed. And then I waited. And nothing happened. I tried it again with the same results. And again. And again and again.

"What's taking so long?" Newt screamed from the clamor.

I slammed my fist into the screen. Why wasn't it working?

"Pull!" A new, younger voice called. Chuck. Suddenly he was beside me, pointing underneath the keyboard. "That last word is pull. So pull the lever!"

I ducked down and yanked on the lever, hoping-praying-wishing-

And everything stopped.