The Glade ♚ TMR x TW - Complete

10; victory's expense

Morning passed into late afternoon.

They made their way through the maze, moving swiftly as though they would run out of time. They wanted out, wanted to be free already.

Rounding a corner, close to the door Thomas and Minho had discovered, they heard shrieking from the Grievers echo around them and stopped where they were. The monsters did not sound happy.

Thomas peeked around the stone wall, seeing only one griever guarding the exit. It paced back and forth, squealing and squeaking as it moved along the stone platform. Behind it was the stone wall that would allow them access to the exit, that was their goal.

He hid himself again before he was spotted and looked to the group of people behind him. Minho handed Chuck the cylinder they'd been carrying, as they suspected it was the key to their way out. "Keep this Chuck, stay behind us." Minho told him with a stern stare.

Teresa was tying her hair back and she smiled at him, "just stay with me."

Hayden stepped beside the other female and looked at her and then Chuck, "I'll be with you two." Teresa nodded, accepting her help. Being the key holder, Chuck needed protection and had to get to the door no matter what. While the others would battle the Grievers, they would get him there, especially since he was the youngest- he had to survive.

Everyone looked to Thomas as he curled his unhurting hand tighter around his machete. He wasn't sure how much help he'd be with a broken arm but he had no choice. "Once we're through, it'll activate and the door will open," Thomas began, looking at each and every one of the people who followed him in the dangerous maze. "We have to stay close, stick together. We get through this, we get out now." He paused, staring at them all. "Or we die trying."

They all stayed silent, breathing heavy as they accepted their fate. They would fight hard for their freedom or die.

Thomas looked at Scott who nodded to him with a tight grimace. "Ready?" Every one of them held their spears and machetes tighter, gearing up for a fight. Thomas started walking backwards and raised his machete up as he yelled, "let's go!" And they rounded the corner, ready to fight any griever who stood in their way of freedom.

The clashing sounds of metal smacking onto metal made Thomas' hair stand on end. Nothing they were doing was maiming the griever at all. One jab to its side however; had it squealing in anger. It shot a tentacle out, grabbing one of the Gladers and threw him over the edge of the walkway down into the dark abyss. Thomas watched with wide and frightened eyes as the kid clawed the concrete to try and save himself until finally he fell from view.

They're all going to die.

A small voice ran through his head and he momentarily forgot a major fight was happening all around him. His face paled when he realized the voice he heard was from Lydia.

Lydia. He hoped she was safe. She had to be safe.

To his shock, she responded to the statement he tried to convince himself with.

Safe for now. Protect Chuck. Survive.

Scott was behind Thomas and suddenly grabbed his shoulder, shocking him out of his state of awe and yanking him away from the griever's claw. Lydia had answered him in his own mind. Questions raced through his head but he had to help Chuck. He thanked Scott before turning back to the fight to find Chuck barreling away from the group for the key that had been smacked from his hands with the two girls following quickly after him.

The chubby kid threw himself at the key as it made its way to the edge of the concrete. He hit the ground and caught the cylinder as it flew over the edge, just barely grasping it with his little fingers. He dangled with the front of his body hanging off the side of the ground, eyes wide as he watched another griever starting to climb up the side. Teresa and Hayden grabbed both his legs and with all their strength they pulled him back up to safety. "We got you Chuck," Hayden smiled at him, his face red as he panted from all the running.