The Maze Runner

Chapter 8

My heart was already racing, what creature was behind this sticky stuff? I swear I only took a couple steps into the path when I heard a long moan, sounded like a noise a cow would make. I stood still for a moment, I listened, I heard it again, but it was followed by a grunt this time, where was it coming from? I went further down the left path, I heard it again, but fainter. I walked back, it got louder. I went alittle ways down the straight path, I waited for the moan again...There it was, it WAS coming from the straight path, I had to follow it.
I slowly walked down the path, observing the walls, bloody handprints, bloody floor, but no yellow gunk. The further I got down the path, the louder the moaning got. It was definitely human...Anna! Or it could be another Runner, either way I raced down the path, well...jogged, I didn't want to miss anything important, eventually the handprints stop appearing on the walls, they were on the floor, someone must have stopped walking, and started crawling. I kept jogging, there was only one way to go, right. I turned, dead end...It was dark, I jumped when I heard a moan, it was loud! It was coming from here...I looked around, I didn't see anything, but something started to come out of the shadow in th corner...a hand. I stepped back, who was it? Slowly a figure crawled out, I didn't recognize the figure at first, they had blood practically covering them from the waist down, they had bloody hands, and on top of that they had a bunch of the goo all over them...they lifted their head...Anna!

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She looked up at me, weak, her lip was quivering, what the heck happened to her?! I ran to her side, I tried to help her too her feet, but she just collapsed again,

"Anna, what happened? Are you hurt?" She looked up and scrunched her nose,
"N-No I'm peachy!" She said in a low trembling voice, even when she's hurt she's nasty.

"What happened? Where are you hurt?" I noticed she was gripping her side, she lifted her hand, it was a gigantic cut, huge. It was really deep too, no wonder there was so much blood...

"What did this too you?" She was breathing hard,
"A-greiver.." Woah...she survived that?
"Wait, you said they only come out at night..." She nodded, her hands shaking,

"That's w-why this is so un-usual." She was gonna fall flat on her face if I didn't pull her up,

"We'll have to follow the Griever another night...you can't do it like this." She stood up but most of her weight was supported on my shoulder,

"Are you insane?! I'm never going near one of those things again!" She was bailing on me? I couldn't blame her tho, she was pretty pale from all the blood loss...she probably wasn't thinking straight.

"Okay, fine, we have to hurry, the walls close soon. We have to get you bcK to the Glade or you'll die." She nodded, she wobbled alittle but she grabbed my arm. We ran, well jogged as fast as we could, it's kinda hard with Anna almost falling every 20ft! We turned corners and I practically dragged her through paths, I was getting tired, but we had to make it, we had too!

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It was getting dark, no, not this quick, I found a tight right turn, Anna still gripping my arm for support, wait...tight right turn! We were almost there, I stopped, we'd never make it at this pace!

"Anna, get on my back! We only have a few more turns! Hurry!" She grabbed my shoulder, she couldn't hop so o had to lift her, she was heavier than I thought.
"Hang on tight." She nodded, I could tell she was about to pass out, we turned a few corners, my legs and back ached but I can't stop running, can't stop. Then I saw the long path that led to the glade!

"Anna let's go!" I started to run but she fell off! I tried to get her up on my back again, but she went limp!

"No Anna not now!" Then I heard the familar grinding sound...the walls! No! I grabbed her legs and pulled with all my power! I turned the corner, there was the entrance 25ft away, I heard the Gladers shouting,
"Come on!" "Leave her!" "Let's go Mack!" "You can make it!" I kept pulling, the gates were almost closed, I dragged her some more, so close! I pulled and dragged then, at the most unconventional time...I pulled my leg muscle, i yelped!i stopped dead in my tracks, I couldn't move my leg! I knew I couldn't make it...but Anna would, I took whatever strength I had, I couldn't run her over there, so I slid her! I pushed her so hard I thought I might pop my shoulder right out of its socket! She slid right in between the gate, the Gladers pulled her in, I couldn't make it...it was too far...I stood just staring at the gate, looking in. Probably the last time I'll see anyone. It was kinda sad, only being here for 2 days and most likely going to die. Then...something came through the gate! I heard the others shouting!
"No stop!" "Idiot!" "Come back!" The figure was out, right as the gate shut.