LIMERENCE ﹐ the maze runner.

45

Clara felt as if she was gonna fall over as her legs went numb. Maybe she and Alby hadn't always gotten on, but now he was gone.

And it could've just as easily been her or Thomas.

She felt Newt pat her on the back, and as she looked at him, she saw that he had a tear in his eye, that he was desperately trying to blink back.

Clara hadn't even noticed the commotion that was going on around her, and she mentally cursed herself for being so emotional in a moment like this.

"Clara-" a voice from behind whispered, and she turned around to see her best friend.

"Archie!"she cried, and flung herself into his arms. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

"What for?"he whispered into her ear soothingly, holding her body close to him as she frantically shook.

"For being a bad best friend. For ignoring you once Thomas came -"

"You don't have to apologize. It's okay, Clara. I love you, Clar," Archie told her, and she smiled into his shoulder.

"I love you too, Arch," she told him. He was her best friend, and so much more. If they survived, she made a promise to herself to be a better best friend.

The hug was interrupted when she saw Thomas grab Minho's arm, and nodded towards the rolling pack of Grievers between them and the Cliff - they looked like one big mass of rumbling, spiked blubber, glistening with flashes of lights off steel menacingly. "Somehow I have to get through that!"

Minho glanced at Newt, then to Clara, trying to think of a plan to get Thomas to the Cliff.

"They're coming!" Teresa yelled. "We have to do something!"

"Yeah, no shit, sherlock," Clara replied, shaking her head to snap out of the emotional state she was in.

"You lead," Newt finally said to Minho, his voice a hushed whisper. "Clara and I will follow. Make a bloody path for Tommy and the girl. Do it."

"No-" Thomas started, his voice soaked with panic. "Clara has to come with me-"

"No, Tom, go," Clara told him, grabbing his hand quickly squeezing it, trying to smile reassuringly. "I'll see you later, 'kay?" She pulled her hand away from Thomas, and looked at Minho, "Let's go fight these little fuckers."

Minho nodded, a steel look of resolve hardening his features. Then he turned towards the Gladers. "We head straight for the Cliff! Fight through the middle, push the shuckin' things towards the walls. What matters most is getting Thomas and Teresa to the Griever Hole!"

Clara heard Thomas breathe shakily, and looked behind her - the Grievers were only a metre or so away.

"I love you," Clara quickly told Thomas. He needed to know that.

"I love you too," Thomas said. They locked eyes for a second, but to Clara it felt like an eternity, until Thomas spoke to Teresa telepathically, Stay close to me, Teresa. We have to get through that Hole.

I know, Teresa replied. Stick together.

"Ready!" Minho yelled next to Thomas, raising his barbed-wire-wrapped club into the air with one hand, a long silver knife in the other. He pointed the knife at the horse of Grievers; a flash glinted off the blade. "Now!"

The Keeper ran forward without waiting for a response. Newt went after him, followed by Archie and Clara, the rest of the Gladers following them.

As the first Griever approached Clara and Archie, who seemed to be sticking together throughout this battle, Clara lifted her machete to block the attack of the Griever's metal claw, and Archie kicked it back, but it only moved ever so slightly.