Into the Maze

Chapter 21

Boys were running by outside, and we all walked out, confused. They all had torches, and were shouting things.

"Hey, Winston, what's going on?" Thomas asked, as I looked around, surveying the panic rising among them.

"The doors, they aren't closing." He said, as my heart rate increased. The doors were what kept us from the Grievers at night, and if they were open, then it was free game.

We followed Winston over to the door, which was still open. It was just a bit past sun down, and that meant they should have closed a minute or two ago.

We all jumped as a loud noise echoed through the Glade, followed by more loud screeches. Our eyes filled with fear as three more doors opened up, one by one, each along a different wall.

"Chuck, I want you to go to the Council Hall, okay?" Thomas said, turning to Chuck as I watched him. "Start barricading the doors."

"Winston, you go with him." Newt added, his voice strong, like he was trying to portray a bit of confidence in this situation. I knew it was acting, but it worked a little bit.

"Get the others, tell them to go to the forest, go hide. Now!" Gally commanded, his voice a bit more filled with worry.

"Minho, I want you to grab every weapon you can find. I'll meet you at Council Hall." Thomas said, as Minho adjusted his harness.

I watched Minho step forward, a few boys following. Newt looked back to me as I nodded, I was going to stay with Thomas. He watched me, before nodding back and running after Minho.

"Parker, Teresa, we're going to go get Alby-" He started, as I watched him talk, the sky darkening even more.

"Grievers! Run!" Someone shouted off in the distance, as we all looked over. Flames were sprinting across the fields, dark shapes running after them.

Grievers bellowed behind us as we turned, watching a few turn the corner in the maze. I think I stopped breathing.

"All right everybody hide!" Thomas yelled, as we turned and booked it across the field. Teresa didn't move at first, Thomas and I had to literally turn back and pull her so she'd start running.

Gally and a few others ran a different direction, as the rest of us ran into a corn field. We got a few feet in before Thomas stopped us, and we all ducked.

It was silent around us, but past the corn, you could hear the yells of boys who were being taken, being killed.

It was almost in slow motion, as I watched a Griever tail appear above our heads, and swoop down, grabbing one of us by the foot.

"Zart!" I shouted, trying to reach for his arm, but he was pulled away too quickly. And then with a scream, he was gone.

I stumbled back, my breathing out of control, as I watched the spot he had been mere seconds ago. I had only talked to him a few times, but just knowing that he was right there, and then he wasn't was too much.

He was just a kid. We were all just kids.

Thomas reached back and pushed me up off my feet, as we all booked it out of the corn maze. I hated it, but I had to push Zart out of my mind if I wanted to be able to focus enough to live.

We dodged Grievers, who were taking boys left and right, as we made it to where Alby was. Jeff and Clint were holding him up.

"Alby!" Thomas shouted, as our group ran up to him. He searched our faces, looking very worried. We all were.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, as he nodded slightly. I glanced behind us at the yells of boys, still tearing through the village.

"What's going on?"