A Way Back - The Maze Runner (♡Newt) UNDER EDITING/REWRITE

Chapter 16

Cally's pov

     Left, right, right, left.
For making my way through the Maze on my own for the first time, I was doing pretty good up until now. Didn't take a wrong turn, noticed  some weird scratches on the walls, and wrote some things down. But nothing too alarming.
      Left, left, straight, left, right-  wrong. A dead end. Of course. I just had to run into a dead end.
     I wrote it down and turned back. At the beginning of the day, I had been nervous, going in alone for the first time... it's a big deal. But thirty minutes in all of that was gone. I had found my own pace. A fast one, faster than the ones I ran on with Minho or Newt.
     When I reached the spot we usually took a lunch break, I saw on my watch that I was fifteen minutes earlier than normal.
     Even though I could've taken more time for my break, I didn't spend that long eating. Standing still wasn't really something I wanted to do when I'm full of adrenaline, so I continued.
     Straight, straight, right, straight.....
     After hours of running, I reached the end of the section. I looked around a bit to make sure I didn't miss any changes. But it quickly became clear to me that nothing had changed at all, and I started on my way back to the Glade.
     It's been weeks since I've started running, and still, I could't remember a God damn thing. It was getting really frustrating. I should remember something more than what I did. In the movie, they ran into the Maze after everything went to shit. Maybe the way out only appeared when that happened? Maybe this is all pointless, and we need to wait until that happens....
     Quickly, I shook that thought away. I shouldn't be thinking like that. Instead, I should be thinking as those Developers. If all we had to do was sit, wait, and make sure we don't die, what would be the point in testing us? There's a purpose for all of this. I know more than the others, so I need to use that information and make sure we get out.
     The rattling of stones pulled me from my thoughts. I focused on the sounds around me, but I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary after that. I could have imagined it, but just to be sure, I wrote down that I heard something I couldn't place and put my notebook away again.
     Weird... I thought, but shook it off, letting my thoughts wonder to what I would do when I got back in the Glade. God, I wanted to take a shower so badly. I was so sure that I was sweating more than usual... I couldn't wait to be back in the Glade. Bark is so adorable when I come back, her happy little face is so cute!- Wait... maybe I shouldn't be so excited about a place where I'm literally locked up between four walls surrounded by murder things and a bunch of guys just because of the dog... Oh well, it was better than being stuck inside the Maze anyway.
     Click, click, click.
     This time, there was no question, I did hear something. My head jolted back into the direction it had come from, but my eyes couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.
     Click, click, click, click.
     There it was again. It sounded louder this time, but I still couldn't see anything. I slowed down a little, I know that sound... why can't I-
     Then I remembered. It was a Griever. It was the sound Grievers made when they moved their metal pins, or legs.
     I looked at the next turn. It was a crossroad where I had to turn left. The clicking sound kept becoming louder and clearer, but I couldn't see a Griever anywhere. My heartbeat started razing, and I stopped running. I took a deep breath in an attempt to force my body to calm down while still being alert. Trying desperately to find the source.
     I slapped myself on the forehead, duh! It's around the corner! The moment I realized that the panic did not subside. I had to turn that corner, if the Griever is there I've got a big problem...
     Slowly, I sneaked up to the corner to make sure the thing couldn't hear me - If those things even could hear anything - anyway, I didn't want to risk it. I gathered all of my courage before looking around the corner. When I did, I expected to see an ugly snail monster, but I didn't. There was nothing there.
     First, there was a wave of relief, but it didn't stay long. It had to be somewhere close... Quickly, I looked behind me and to my right. checking every turn I could take. It wasn't anywhere.
     Click, click, click.
     The sounds had become kristal clear now, and my heart was pounding so fast that I thought it was going to  break out of my rib cage.
     My eyes widened when a new realization hit me. slowly, I started to turn my head up to look above me. My breath got stuck inside my throat. The big, ugly thing hung over my head as a spider watching its prey walk into its web.
     For a moment, I froze, but I snapped out of it when the Griever's lights shone on me. Without thinking about it, I took the turn and ran. A few moments later, I heard a loud BANG, followed by the metallic sounds of a running Griever.
     Click, click, wheeeeze, click, click, click. 
     Without looking back, I ran, I ran as fast as I could. Even faster than I ever thought I would be able to run.
     LEFT! I shouted inside my head. By every turn I took, I called out the direction I needed to go inside my mind. To make sure I was going in the right direction. RIGHT.
     The clicking sounds of the metal legs hitting the stone ground made me forcefully clench my jaw shut. Don't look back. Don't look back. Don't look back. Just run. RIGHT!
     To my relieve I started to get closer to the Glade. I recognized the walls around me, but I couldn't stop running. If I would set one foot wrong, just one tiny mistake, I would be dead meat. Straight!
     I could hear the Griever get closer to me. I started to sprint, afraid it would get me, but I was getting so tired, every muscle in my body wanted me to stop, screaming at me to stop. But I didn't. Pain was better than getting ripped apart by one of those monsters. That would hurt more.
     As I came closer to the door to the Glade, I started to panic even more, what if the Griever follows me into the Glade? What if I led it straight to us? It would kill everyone, all my friends would suffer. I can't let that happen. I need to lead it into another direction...
     Before I could think of what other direction to run to the door to the Glade was already visible. Ow shit, ow shit ow shit... 
     The sounds of the running Griever started fading away. The sounds of metal against stone disappeared, and without thinking or slowing down, I looked back. The Griever had started running into the other direction. A wave of joy and relief washed over me. "Ow, hell yeah!" I exclaimed.
     When I turned my gaze back in front of me, I saw that I was about to enter the Glade. Not only that, but I was about to crash into one of the guys.
     I was going too fast and couldn't stop in time before colliding with the Shank. The hit forced all the air to escape from my lungs. I hit the ground, rolling a few feet further before I stopped, gasping for air.
     I ended on my back, eyes closed tightly while trying to get more oxygen back into my system. A short moment later, the wed tongue of Bark was striking across my face.
     I pushed the dog off of me and opened my eyes. Bark was violently slamming her tail from one side to the other while trying to get back to licking the sweat off of my face.
     "What the bloody hell was that 'bout. Ya really couldn't slow down, could ya?"
     I looked to my right to see Newt crawling up from the ground. I smiled awkwardly while I pushed myself up to a more comfortable sitting position, still trying to hold Bark away from my face. "Sorry..."
     Newt brushed some dirt and leaves off of him. "Yeah, sure. Why were ya going that fast anyway?" He asked me while helping me up.
     "I uh- There- give me- a sec please-" I was still gasping for air with short jerky breaths. My body was a bit shaky and hurt, but I was glad I got back in one piece without unleashing hell on the other Gladers.
     Newt was still holding my upper arms to make sure I wouldn't fall again. "Cals, are ya okay? What happened?" His voice sounded worried now.
     "I'm fine- I- Okay." I sat down again, letting my back slide down the in ivy covered wall. "I was making my way back when one of those freaking Grievers let himself fall down from the bloody wall and started chasing me."
     I saw Newts eyes grow wider as he knelt down beside me, more worry in his eyes than I had ever seen before. "It didn't sting you? Right?"
     "No, I don't think so. Pretty sure I would've noticed that."
     "What's a Griever?" I looked up from Newt to see a boy I hadn't met before standing behind him. He looked around the age of 15, he was taller than me and had black hair and dark eyes.
     "I'm sorry, I must've forgotten your name. Who are you again?" I asked him.
     The guy seemed a bit uneasy, "that's Brandon, the new Greenie." Newt answered in his place.
     "Slim it, Newton. I asked him, not you." I bit at him, but smiled directly after to show I was teasing him. "Anyway," I turned myself to the new guy again, "my name's Callidora, but you can call me Cally. Everyone does that."
     "That's because you tell them to," Newt said with a grin.
     "Ow, I'm sorry, I thought to make it easy for you guys. I mean, Callidora is a pretty long name. Do you really wanne say that every time you talk to me?" Newt laughed before getting up again. He offered me a hand, but I had already pushed myself up against the wall. When I walked away from the wall, I staggered for a moment before regaining my balance.
     "You sure y're okay, Cals?" Newt asked me again.
     "I'm fine, Newt. Really. Don't you have to finish the tour?"
     "That I do. Let's continue the tour. Shall we, Newbie?" Newt said to Brandon, who nodded in agreement. He clearly wasn't fond of the nickname.
     "I'll leave you Shanks to it, see ya later, guys." I said while walking into the direction of the Homestead with Bark on my heals.
     "Cally." Newt said.
     I turned around, "Newton."
     "Aren't ya forgetin' something?"
     I crossed my brows in confusion for a moment before I hit myself on my forehead. "Of course! The Map room! I should probably..." I laughed nervously, "Yeah... Map-room... that's where I was heading." Newt laughed and shook his head before returning to his tour with Brandon.
     I entered the room to see there wasn't any other Runner or Map-maker inside. Apparently, I was the first back, or the others had already left.
     I drew the map, wrote down some things I thought were worth mentioning. Including the phrase: "Grievers can climb walls, good to know." Put it in the box and left the room to go get something to eat.
     I totally forgot there was going to be a new guy. Don't really know what to think about it, though... he seemed nice, but how am I supposed to judge someone's personality if that person doesn't even knows his own personality? Maybe I should just stay away from the Shank, see what he does, and how he is. Yeah, I'm just gonna do that.

~.~.~

Edited: 30/05/2020