Light ➳ TST, Thomas [2] ✓

Chapter {7}

I tried to think straight for a second. Tried to clear my mind of running thoughts and confusion, only to come to a conclusion I couldn't control the burning panick that arose in my mind. Seeing two boys run like that, afraid and strained their voices echoed through the hallway, put me into a state of even worse fear; if it only weren't for that awful screeching that cut through my skull like a drill, waiting the moment it spilt in half.

It was completely inhuman, vicious and crazy, full of madness as if a person had lost his way and stumbled upon evil. Staring into the dark, something clicked in my mind; those screams, that ripping screech as if tearing the air apart in two pieces was exactly what I have heard only two days ago after we had escaped the Maze.

My eyes went wide. It all connected  in the back of my mind. Cranks. Yet I had no recognition of what they truly were, aside that ominous name. I felt a hand grab my shoulder, and I turned away from Thomas and Minho, from at least five shadows behind them that ran as if their limbs were badly brusied or even broken.

"Shit." Newt muttered in fright, I following his distressed gaze toward the running boys. He was scared, too scared as he started pulling back into the depth of darkness. He grabbed my shoulder again, my being glued to the ground just as same as it was when a dream before waking up in the Glade marred my brain. It took me some time to react, to focus on Thomas's yelling and screams behind them unnatural which almost made my ears bleed as they resonated in the back of my head.

I didn't even realize how close they've gotten, not until I shone a light in their direction; yet the horror I've gotten clentched my lungs in a knot. Just that bare sight before my legs involuntary started moving again forced acid to arise in my throat; the scarred face of a person that I've looked at fleetingly, veins covering its cracked skin and black eyes which snapped everywhere as if having hard time focusing on the surroundings.

My mind flooded with fear, hands shaking as my legs moved without any feeling; as if the sight forced me to do so. I ran close to Nico and Newt, my lungs squeezed by fear so I was loosing breath faster than expected. Screams echoed behind me, the mall flying past me in a whirlwind of colors, mostly brown and black as pushing further away from the pursuit our group neared a stairway. It was still, a black line against flashing of our lights and broken glass around it.

I pushed myself further, up the escalator to escape the unnatural screeching which not only seemed to grow stronger but closer as well. Cranks were following us up. I let dusty air bite the inside of my lungs, forced another intake of it as shouts continued echoing that despite the blood freezing ones of Cranks sounded human. I couldn't depict what the said, not under the heavy breathing and constat beating of my heart in my ears.

My pain increased, every step I took away from the escalator more painful than the other, yet I didn't want to stop. I urged myself to continue, urged myself not to let those awful screeches overcome me and eventually found my leg was once again abruptly loosing sense. I squeezed my teeth together, ran forward with Nico's help as then our group stopped. I got a sight similar to the horror just a few minutes ago; a thin body of a person who was yet  barely human, its limbs snapping wildly left and right and its scream  gurgling in the back of its throat.

I stood frozen, eyes wide and barely blinking as the Crank charged at us. My reaction was too slow, my legs barely moving forward as if I suddenly didn't have command over them as Aris knocked the creature over and it landed near me, too close with a painful scream that pushed another wave of fear through. I backed up, suddenly yanked away toward yet another escalator. Thomas stood there, holding my hand as my stumbling stopped when the Crank near my feet desperately started clawing toward me. Come on. I urged myself, eyeing the creature whose movement then became more violent. It charged at me, but landed with a distant, low thud on the floor when I pushed it with my good leg.

"Aria, come on!" My head snapped toward Thomas, whose extended hand violently shook with most probably fear. I pursed my lips tightly, yet with no hesitation took his hand and started backing toward the third floor of the mall.

"We have to get out of here!" I heard Minho yell, urgently as we ran toward the opening between two walls. I couldn't focus on my surrounding, only on what I heard that were still those blood freezing screams.

"Just go!" Thomas yelled behind me, closer than I firstly anticipated as he encouraged me to run faster. My mind was preoccupied with fear that it didn't notice Thomas and Newt lagged behind us which led to horrible decision to turn around and help. Thomas pushed the creature off Newt, while I slammed my leg into its chest so it rolled and fell into the abyss under the third floor.

"Thanks Tommy, Aria." Newt breathed out heavily, a lot more screeching behind us that drowned the mere sound of my breathing as three of us began running again.

"In here, come on!" Winston shouted  as our group took a right into as it seemed a fire escape. The hallway was dimly lit, too small and tight for all of us to run as fast as we could. I ran along with Thomas, stopping at every door which constantly led to disappointment; none of them would open. Behind us Cranks started piling again, their uncoordinated movement made them slam into the opposite wall and along that into each other.

I was forced forward once again, into a much more spacious hallway which barricaded on us by four walls only held the red door as our escape. Thomas rammed his shoulder into the metal, and it seemed to as if locked from the outside by a lock that barely held on. "This one!" By the time he shouted his answer the screeching got considerably louder, desperate to escape I started fearing it even more.

"I'll hold them off." Winston answered quickly, his shouting still not loud enough over the constant screaming on the other side. I didn't have to focus on anything else but that door, yet my tries were useless as I rammed against it once, twice, three times which with the help of others still wasn't enough. Bullets resonated through the hallway like a drill, a fierce determination in me as I kept trying to break through.

Stepping aside I concluded I couldn't fight it anymore as then running forward Fry slammed into the door harshly. Luckily, it snapped wide open leading into an area of parked, useless cars that had lost some paint. I held onto Nico tightly, and so did he onto me as we both, too afraid to turn around ran.

I didn't even know what had happened behind us.

•

"Hey, Winston, you okay?" Nico whispered, huddling next to the boy whose heavy breathing was far the only thing I could hear aside again, screeching. He didn't answer, maybe only gave Nico a nod which made silence fall over us again.

I hugged my knees, hands still shaking and mind replaying over and over again faces of all those people that I couldn't imagine how painfully must've been to turn into one of them. It made my heart swell to see that WICKED had locked themselves in while the world suffered under the consequences of their actions. Under the consequences of Maze they have put us all in.

"Everything okay?" Thomas shuffled next to me, breaking the silenece that I guessed everybody had fallen asleep over the shock this hour had provided us with. I gazed sadly at the rubble beneath our heads.

"Getting better." I whispered, running my hand over the painful part of my leg and remembering the moment it had all happened that still haunted me even though the Maze was long gone.

"Go to sleep, okay? I'll watch over you." Thomas pulled my closer, letting me rest on his shoulder as the world gradually faded into darkness.

(A/N):

#winstondeservedbetter2k19

Well, hello, my fellow Gladers!
It's been such a long time. Idk why is it taking me so long to update but yeah. I kinda stretched this mall scene for far too long.

Anyway, prepare for the next chapter full of Tharia. I love them sm, I actually need help.

Q: Idk, ask me anything here!!

Thank you for reading!❤️