zugswang - the maze runner

| 5 |

Eliza ran over to Alby, his forehead dripping with blood.  She touched him gently, furrowing her brows. ''Minho, what happened?"

''What does it look like?" He snapped. "He got stung.''

''What about his head?"

"I did what I had to do.'' Minho replied, not looking at Thomas or Eliza.

''He's going to die if we don't get him the Grief Serum.'' Eliza said, examining the wound. Suddenly, growling could be heard a great distance away. Eliza's blood ran cold.

Eliza grabbed Alby's shoulders. ''Thomas, Minho, help me.''

However, Minho got up and started limping away. ''We have to go. The maze is already changing.''

''Slinthead!'' Eliza snapped, ''Get your ass over here and help me, I'm not letting you abandon Alby.''

Minho stopped walking, his back still facing Eliza. ''We're not leaving him here. So help me lift him.''

Thomas and Minho had Alby around their shoulders while Eliza carried his feet. They had managed to place him against the vine-infested wall, while the growling of the Grievers sounded closer than before.

''This isn't going to work. We have to go.'' Minho insisted, looking for a way to escape.

''Wait, what are you talking about? We have to hide him.'' Thomas interrupted.

''Where?"

''I don't know - you're telling me there's not a single place we could take him?" Thomas asked.

Minho grunted in complete frustration before launching himself at Thomas, his hands gripping the front of Thomas' shirt. Eliza shot up and grabbed Minho's wrists. ''Back off!'' She sneered.

''Listen to me, shuck-face,'' Minho said, ignoring Eliza. ''Take a look around. There's no where to go!'' Minho let go of Thomas' shirt and took a step backwards, his face showing defeat. ''You don't get it. We're already dead.''

Thomas just stared past Minho and stood up, making Eliza turn to see what he was looking at. Thomas moved his body towards the vines on the wall, making Eliza laugh slightly. She walked up besides Thomas, ''Good thinking, Tommy.''

Together, the three of them managed to wrap enough vine around Alby's muscular figure to lift him off the ground. The sound of the maze walls changing made Minho stop pulling and look around the side.

Minho's grip faltered on the vines, ''We gotta go. We have to go now!''

Thomas shook his head, ''No, just a little more and then we'll tie him off.''

Eliza could hear the growling coming closer and this made her heart race and breathing increase rapidly. She was struggling as it was trying to keep Alby's body up. Eliza was physically the weakest in the Glade.

''Just a little more, just a little more.'' Thomas repeated, "We're almost there.''

''Minho, please, help!'' Eliza said, harshly. She and Thomas were losing the hold they had on Alby.