Left Behind-A Maze Runner Fanfic

S I X

What the hell is that smell?

The air is thick and muggy with a heavy scent of rot and mildew. It's almost like rotting bodies are just lingering around this place. It makes a shiver run down my back.

Minho gently places his hand on my lower back, my nerve endings sparking to life from the place he touched. My eyes move to his, his eyebrows furrowed as his eyes are filled with worry.

I give him a small smile, softly nodding my head, letting him know I'm okay.

"What's that smell?" Teresa asks my eyes moving back around this place, confusion flowing through my mind.

She flicks on her flashlight, sending a beam of light in front of us. A creature just like the ones in the mall springs out at us, lashing its free hand around.

A shout of terror leaves my lips as I jump back into Minho's arms, my hands automatically gripping his chest. He wraps his arms around me, holding me tight to him.

Teresa moves the light beam to another section, another one lashing out. It's almost like they wake up, the hundreds of creatures gurgling and screaming. My heart begins pounding in my chest, my arms tightening around Minho, his doing the same.

One of them in the corner starts to shout "My babies! My babies!" as she tries to crawl towards us, the chains holding her down by her waist.

"I see you met our guard dogs." A woman says as the sound of a door opening rings out in the room, a light from the door lighting her up.

She walks toward us, her gait casual as she easily glides through the creatures in chains. They try to grab her with their claws, a few of them trying to bite her by chomping their teeth in her direction.

Minho's hand takes mine as fear courses through my bones. He takes a protective step in front of me, his shoulders broadening out, his back straightening.

"Woah, you guys look like shit!" She says as she stops in front of the group, a smirk growing on her lips. "We have to take protective measures when it comes to people in the mountains these days."

Her face is finally revealed to us, showing us her deep brown eyes that have years of sadness shining in the bags underneath. She's a lot younger than I thought, she definitely isn't any older than I am. She looks us up and down, stopping for a moment at Thomas, her smirk deepening.

Letting out a soft sigh, she turns around, walking back the way she came. "Come on! Follow me." She calls, waving us forward.

None of us move an inch. I furrow my eyebrows, confusion flowing through my chest. We don't even know this girl and she wants us to follow her? What the hell?

"Do you want to stay with them?" She asks, turning around and stopping at the door.

Thomas huffs out a sigh and walks after her, the rest of the group following silently behind. Minho has to pull me alone with him, a small giggle leaving his lips. I just huff out a sigh and follow him closely.

I definitely don't trust this place...

We walk through the door into ever-turning hallways, tons of people gathered around fires to keep warm. My heart races as they stare at us, their eyes burning into my back as we pass. All of them are clad in ragged clothing, their skin covered in dirt and dust. I turn my attention back to the group, staying close to Minho.

"How do you catch them?" Thomas asks the girl. My guess is he means the creatures.

"Catch them?!" She lets out a chuckle, not turning around to look at us. "We don't catch them, we just take precautions when people start to turn."