Glitch

Chapter 2

This can't be happening. I thought. While I stared at its formidable legs puncturing the stone; sending shards of limestone, and thick ivy in several directions. It's bright crimson light lingering at the top of one of its mechanical arms- blinding me. The light grew brighter as it moved up the wall.
Any form of ambition drained from my body. Leaving me in a bitter, cold sweat.
I've ran from them plenty of times, but that was before I hacked the system in the maze. The information must've gotten back to the creators. Ignoring the recognition of each Beetle Blade; how they followed my every step. Crept in my shadows. The creators were waiting for me to become vulnerable.
And I played their little game.
This Grievers looked different. The legs of the bulbous creature shifted as though it was copying a Beetle Blade; having sharper picks that dug into the cement stone wall. Creeping its way up.
The limbs of the beast portrayed more ominous torture devices. Many legs sparking electricity, and the others extracting numerous needle points from each angle of its mechanical features.
This Griever has been reengineered.
I feeling of hatred rushed through me. Wondering what kind of sick mind WICKED had to create such abhorrence, petrifying creature. Giving them the motive to kill those who tried to find answers.
I need to run away. That was my only option. All I've ever known. I needed to escape, to find a distraction, to create a plan. I needed to work fast. I grabbed ahold of the thick ivy; being my only source of salvation. My only resource from causing me to fall to my death.
Wrapping it around my hands, testing the vine as I repeatedly yanked onto the plant. Slinging myself along the side of the wall, using the ivy as a rope. Plantly both feet onto the wall, with my back facing the ground. Adrenaline kicked in, as I moved incredibly fast down the wall. Like some expeditious tree frog. Grabbing ahold of another vine. Then another. Jumping from vine to vine.
The more I pulled on bits of ivy the more loosened up each vine began to feel. Pulling myself more towards the right, as I shuffled my body onto another side of the stone. Moving away as far as I could from the Griever. Distracting the creature from realizing it was getting tangled within the net of thick ivy.
I was losing strength in my hands. The grip on my fingers started to dissipate. The ivy-rope stung my palms while sliding several feet towards the ground. Blistering pains flared in both arms as I slid down one vine after the next. Then another. Making my way only to reach half of the stone wall closest to the ground.
The creature was losing its momentum. Sluggishly sliding down the side of the wall, unable to fully move many of its mechanical legs. It's spine-tingling cries echoed through the maze, as it's thrashed. Inches above my body. Clasping and unclasping, unable to get closer.
Finally grasping onto one last ivy rope, a sharp pain suddenly reaching throughout my torso. I feel the adrenaline wearing off. My entire body feeling as though I was going through some kind of shock. I was tired of fighting. So tired of fighting. Pushing off the stone wall with both feet one last time as I felt the ground beneath me.
As soon as I felt the bare stone walls under my feet, I sprinted the opposite direction from the Griever. Hearing a massive crash behind me, followed by clinching metal and a single blood-curdling scream from the creature. The Griever finally noticed the entanglement of thick ivy surrounding it in several knitted locations. Each leg caught and tied down. Unable to move. Thrashing furiously, and monotoned clanking of its claw hitting the ground several times sent a vibration just under my feet.
I rounded a corner, quickly fleeing the scene. Not wanting to be around after it manages to get free again. Pounding the stone with my feet, as each step felt heavy. I need to run, I thought. Breathing hard, feeling my chest winch as I tried to quicken my momentum. Right, then left; copying that pattern which each turn I encountered. Down a long and dark corridor, then right and left again, following that over, and over again.
I continued to run, fighting the feeling of being weak. Forcing myself not to lose ground. I have to keep going. I repeated. My throat remained dry, and every deep breath stung my sore throat, forcing my body to take in more oxygen.
I rounded another corner, finding myself mirroring the enemy. Staring down at the corridor at three menacing Grievers, digging each spike into the stone walls, and eerily rolling, yet their notion wasn't on me, but a boy perfectly diagonal from where I was standing.
Heading straight for him.