Edge of Insanity

Chapter Twenty Two

For a second, no one moved.

Then as the Grievers fell immobile there was a rumbling sound, similar to the noise of the Doors opening. The wall in front of me shook as the black hole slowly began to expand.

"Get back," Minho's hand was wrapped around mine as I stumbled a step back. The hole grew bigger and bigger before it suddenly stopped, roughly twice the size it had once been. Thomas stepped forward cautiously. "I think we have to go through," he said staring into the abyss.

Nobody said anything. From a glance behind me, I could tell we'd lost over half the Gladers.  Chuck was still there, as was Newt and Teresa and Thomas.  Alby's sacrifice flashed through my mind and I winced.  Kyle was no where to be seen and neither was Gally.  I couldn't make out anyone else's faces.  

"Alright," Minho said as everyone looked at him. "Let's go. It's not like anything worse can happen." His voice was hollow. We approached the hole and I watched as he went first, disappearing into the inky blackness. I took a deep breath and then followed him in.

At first the darkness was so thick I could almost feel it. Then I was sliding down. It was a tube of sorts, I determined. Completely smooth all around there was nothing I could do but let gravity take control. I picked up speed and the tube began to wind, around and around and around.

Then it straightened out and my stomach lurched as I felt it begin to steeply descend like some kind of horrible carnival ride. Without warning, the tube opened up and I was falling. I could see again and I landed half on Minho, half on a squishy mat. I heard him grunt before reaching for me and pulling me out of the way.

Thomas came flying out next and then Teresa. As the rest of the Gladers emptied out, I glanced around. We were in a large industrial looking room. The steel walls matched the floor. One the wall directly in front of us was a large glass window where dozens of people stood, watching and writing. With a hissing noise, a door opened on the far wall. We all swiveled to see a woman approaching. The crow-looking woman from my memories.

All the Gladers were on their feet now as she stopped a few paces in front of us. She waited a minute as if she wanted to make sure she had our full attention before speaking. "We were hoping more of you would have survived but I guess this will have to do."

Stunned silence.

Then- "Are you fucking kidding me?" Minho exploded from beside me. I felt his muscles coil as he if were ready to attack her right then and there. I gripped his arm tightly.

"I assure you, Minho, I am not kidding you. All will be explained in due time but congratulations on passing the Maze Trails. It was Phase One of the program and you all did exceptionally well."

"Exceptionally well?" Newt spat out the words. "Over half of us are shucking dead!"

"An unavoidable loss." She waved her hand as if dismissing the fallen boys from the conversation. "It is our hope that-"

She was cut off as gunfire erupted through the window. The glass shattered and I ducked as the shards fell around us. Panic was visible on the woman's face and several black clad figures leapt through. Guns were gripped in their hands as she faced them, her arms rigid at her sides. "No- you can't-" With a torrent of bullets, her body hit the floor. I stared, dazed and half deaf from the noise.

Then the black figures were turning to us. "Come on!" One was yelling over and over again. "Come on!"

Then we were running again, Minho beside me, and Newt in front of us both. We wove through the halls littered with paper and blood and bodies. The splotches of crimson stood out sharply against the pristine white floors. We turned another corner and then there was an opening before us.

It was pitch black outside and pouring down rain. I lifted my face to the sky and realized the sun we'd seen in the Glade was never the real thing. Rain hit my cheeks, hot and sticky.

"This way!" Someone was yelling as we were herded towards a bus. "Get on!"

One by one, we flew up the stairs. I collapsed next to Minho in an empty seat, my entire body shaking with adrenaline.

"What the hell is going on?" I heard Thomas ask.

I looked out my window to the right. Someone was running for the bus. I looked closer. Running wasn't the right word, more like... half dragging, half sprinting. It was a woman, I realized, as she drew nearer. Her mouth hung open like she had no ability to close it and her face... her face was covered in open sores like I'd never seen before. Then she slammed into the side of the bus, hands grappling at my window.

Minho and I both lurched back in surprise and her gnarled fingers scraped at the glass. Her eyes were crazed, not shred of humanity in them. She was screaming, a hoarse, guttural scream that sliced through my mind.

The bus lurched forward and she fell away. My head slammed into the back of the seat as the driver stepped on the gas. My heart was in my throat. A glance at Minho revealed he was just as shaken up as I was. "Somebody better start explaining what the shuck is going on."

The nearest figure in black turned toward us. It was a man, with grey eyes and pale blond hair. He had a red smear across his cheek and dirt covered his forward. "We got you out. Away from WCKED."

"Are you saying you rescued us?" Teresa asked.

The man nodded.

"Where the hell are you taking us?" I demanded. "And what was that thing that just came at the window?"

"I promise you that we will explain everything as soon as possible. But first we have to get you to safety. We're going to our compound thirty miles east of here."

"Where are we?" Thomas finally asked. "Where's here?"

The man finally looked at us fully in the eyes. He smiled but there was nothing humoring or comforting about it. "Welcome to the Scorch."

END OF BOOK ONE