Conflicted

✩Chapter 18- Safe Haven✩

I yelped as the circle of ground around the flag started to move.

Instinctively, everyone backed up into the center of the circle, trampling the tiny flag that signaled where the supposed "safe haven" was. Slowly, about two dozen metal contraptions popped up, surrounding us. With a pang, I realized what they were.

The tubes.

They were used for holding WICKED's monsters, giving them life and instructions from WICKED themselves. I felt a clenched hand brush mine. Thomas was holding on to his spear like it was his lifeline. I didn't blame him. Whatever was going to come out of these tubes, they weren't going to be friendly.

One by one, they opened, sending hissing steam out. It was almost like a action movie, per say, with the whole dramatic revealing of the monsters and the dark storm clouds gathering overhead. There was going to be another lightning storm, no doubt about it. The air was already sticky with humidity, which made any movement slow and groggy.

Finally the monsters revealed themselves. And they were hideous. They were vaguely humanoid, with no facial features and elongated limbs. They had veins bulging out of their slimy skin, as well as yellow bumps all along their bodies, which resembled lightbulbs. And of course, they start moving towards us.

~

I don't know who did it, but someone screamed a battle cry and everybody charged. Since there was roughly two dozen of the horrid things, everyone took on one. I sized up mine before charging, and it was considerably bigger than the rest. I ran at it, dodging its swinging arms and barely moving out of its gnarled grasp.

The thing was bulky, so it moved slow, which I turned into my advantage. I was lighter and quicker then it, but I had to go close to do any damage. It swung out an arm, and I easily dodged and leapt behind its back. I took the window of opportunity and slashed at its leg, but my knife hit... metal?

Oh that's wonderful, I thought, frantically trying to pull the blade out of its leg.

I was too slow.

The monster swung his freakishly long arm and sent me flying. I landed with a thud on the hard-packed desert ground, but luckily it had helped pull my knife out. I could feel the blood oozing from my right cheek, but I ignored it and ran at it again.

At the last second, I slid underneath it and brang my blade upwards in a high arc. These things may not be human, but they had a humanoid body. The monster screeched, which I didn't know was possible for something with no mouth, but it did. Now on the monster's backside, I hacked and slashed away. I quickly realized this wasn't doing anything to harm or even slow down the monster.

I glanced sideways to where Thomas was fighting. He was popping the bulbs all over the monster's body, and it was evidently slowing down with each bulb destroyed. I took the hint and turned to face my monster. But I had looked to long. The monster swept its foot out, knocking the breath out of me as I fell onto the floor again.

I rolled out of the way as the monster stomped down on where I was laying just seconds before. I jumped up, using my quick motion to pop at least three bulbs on the monster's leg. The monster screeched again, which was a ear-shattering, ominous sound that sounded like death itself.

Using the monster's pause, I was able to pop the bulbs on the monster's back. The sudden sting of rain blurred my vision, but I could still see clearly enough that I was still useful. Dodging the monster's enraged flailing, I popped the bulbs on the monster's abdominals and chest. There was only one bulb left.

On the neck.

Dear lord, why did the last one have to be so hard to get to? I growled, steeling my muscles. I ran at the monster, sliding under its legs again. Once on it's backside, since the monster's movements were now even slower than before, I pounced. Literally. I landed on the thing's back, its slimy skin even slicker with the sheet of rain pouring down. Lightning cracked nearby and I heard someone scream. I couldn't let this bother me as I held on for dear life like a bull-rider.

During all the flailing and screaming, I managed to pop the last bulb. The monster shut down like a robot with a satisfying buzz. Now aware of my surroundings, I saw several people lying on the floor. Some girls, some boys. Dead. I felt someone pull me along as my eyes wandered over the bodies of the fallen. I felt a sense of relief - it wasn't anyone I knew.

"Brenda, bloody hell, move!"

I felt the firm grasp of Newt's hand on my shoulder and I started trotting along with him. The pain in my ankle had subsided significantly, and I quickly overtook Newt's pace. A Berg had landed sometime during the chaos, and the WICKED workers aboard made no move to help us aboard the already departing Berg.

The two of us were the last ones to hop onto the rising platform, soaked and out of breath. We joined the surviving Gladers and slumped against the wall, completely and utterly exhausted. We had done it.

We had made it to the safe haven.

~

Ooo, long chapter haha. And yes, if you know the plotline of TST, this fanfiction is coming to a close :( But there is a sequel planned, so get ready for that! I really hope you have enjoyed reading this, and thank you for the support! I never thought I would ever reach even 100 reads, let alone 300!

Much love, Kalespia