Survive Till Dusk (The Maze Runner)

Chapter 12 // Taken

*Scarlett's P.O.V.*

We burst through the market, each of us following tightly behind Keith. Johnson covered our backs as we ran as fast as our legs could carry us. There was no way I was dying here if I survived the Maze, I thought to myself. 

Keith took a sharp turn to the left as — one by one — we followed through a narrow passage. As I took the corner, I could see two men in white suits and helmets charge after us. Johnson was no longer behind me. I was starting to panic, even as the tight corridor had widened. Soon after, I felt Alex tug me in front of her as Keith let us pass and took to covering our backs. I heard a few shots fire off when Johnson appeared at the front of our group.

"Everyone good?" he shouted back at us. No reply. "Then come on." 

Rapidly, he ripped open the wooden door of a vendor's hut, urging us to enter. When Alex was inside, Johnson nearly threw the door closed with a forceful swing. He shoved a wooden bar between the handle and a small grove in the wall, shutting the door like a padlock. 

"What about Keith?" Alex questioned with slight worry. 

None of us were all too familiar with the man, but she was right; we couldn't leave him out there to die. After all, he had helped us through this scorched world and our little group was still well... or alive, to say the least.  

"We have to go," Johnson stated blatantly. "Keith knows what he's doing." Unsurety lingered in the air. 

Alex wasn't having it. Her stubborn and caring personality came forward as she turned and went to dislodge the piece of wood wedged in position as a lock. In a split second, Johnson had swiftly opened the hut's back door. Robin grabbed Alex before she could unlock the front door and pulled her towards the exit. "We have to go." 

Johnson went first, followed closely by Alex and Robin. Newt attempted hard to keep up, running after them with a nearly imperceptible limp. Then came Thomas and Minho. I started up last, hearing the door rumble as I made my way out. Someone was trying to break through. Splinters of wood flew forward with each blow. Without a second thought, I sprinted after the rest of our group and slammed the back door with a loud crash.  

A few feet after leaving the hut and heading down the corridor behind it, I heard an ear-splitting crack of wood. I pushed to increase my already maximum speed, almost catching up to Minho in my spurt. 

We turned corners, reminding me of the times we ran the Maze, before Johnson came to a halt at a dead end. 

"Do we have to climb out of here?" Robin began huffing out of breath. She was pointing at the ceiling, which was just about a meter above our heads. It was covered with densely tacked tarp, to allow seeping light yet simultaneously block the most intense sun rays.

Johnson shook his head in a fury, reaching down and pulling on the latch of a rock-slate trap door. "Go." He hustled us to hurry down into the dark underground. 

Robin went down first, still groaning some punchlines amongst the tense situation. "I can barely see anything down here. Not that I'd want to see your faces that much, but still." 

I could hear the not-too-distant scraping of shoes against the sand-covered rock floor.

"Quicker," Johnson ushered. 

A still weary Alex nearly leapt down the ladder like it was a rabbit-hole. Newt headed down next. 

"Watch out!" Minho yelled as I spun around in time to see a blast of brightness spark in front of me. Taking a second look, I saw that Keith stood infront of Minho and I, a gun-like device in hand. One of the people dressed in white lay on the floor, their body pulsating aggressively. 

"How'd you get in here?" I stammered incredously. "The door was..." 

"Been here a few times, Scar," Keith replied. "There's more coming," he stated briskly. 

Did he just use my nickname?  I didn't have time to think about it much longer. Keith headed to the trap door, slipping down to the space below and Johnson trailed after him, identically disappearing down the hatch. 

"Scarlett, watch out!" I heard Minho shout at me. 

Before I could react, Minho had grabbed my arm and pulled me towards himself and the trap door. In the blink of an eye, he had pushed most of his body in front of mine in a swift forward motion. A glaring flash appeared before my eyes, hurling towards me. I instantly tensed up, not knowing what I was bracing myself for.

In the next moment, I felt a jolt of electricity spark through my veins as Minho collapsed onto the floor, shaking vigorously. I gasped for air, but nowhere near as forcefully as he was. 

"Run." The one word I could hear Minho say until his entire face was unreadable and shaking. And I knew I had to.

My shaky legs carried me to the trap door, stumbling down into it as another blast of lightning whizzed past me and struck the wall. 

I plummeted down the ladder, catching one last glimpse of a few figures in white gear heaving Minho up and  taking him away. I felt someone catch me and let me slip onto the ground more softly in the darkness. 

As a flickering row of light panels was switched on down the tunnel and a gas lantern was lit up, I saw Johnson shut the rock door above me with a dampening thump and twist the lever to lock it.

"No!" I heard Robin exclaim, startling me. "No, no, no!" 

She collapsed in Alex's grasp, trying to prevent herself from crying. 

"We can't leave Minho behind," Newt joined in. 

"I. Agree." I managed to cough out, still feeling the aftermath of the flash of electricity.

"We won't," Keith said, in a determined tone. "We'll get him back."

And although none of us knew whether what he said was true, we didn't have the energy to argue or distrust his words. 

Thomas had stretched his hand out to help me up. I took it with gratitude as he lifted me onto my feet. 

Suddenly, jolts of electricity sparked my brain and memories — terms I had forgotten — flooded into my head. Thomas. The awkward kiss we shared in the Glade. Teresa. The short-haired girl. With Thomas. In that dark tunnel. Their kiss. My blood froze. 

"Tom," I breathed out, shakily. "No." 

Thomas' eyes widened — he was evidently shocked.  

I started walking towards Keith and Johnson who were heading down the tunnel. 

"Scar." I felt Thomas grab onto my wrist gently.

I shook his hand off in confusion of how I felt about him, now that I could suddenly remember. He accepted the defeat in dismay, respectfully backing off and keeping his distance, yet maintaining a befuddled expression through his wrinkled eyebrows. 

We set into action once again, although silence hung amongst us all; grief over Minho and frustration alike. 

Together we travelled along the underground paths for a while longer until we finally reached our destination. 

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