in another life; the maze runner

☆sixteen ☆

A/N: GALLY STANS, YOU'RE WELCOME

Grievers. The monstrous beasts that lurked in the depths of the Maze at night, the main reason you wouldn't want to be a Runner. Mae had only heard about them from Thomas's story, and they didn't seem like the type of creature you'd want to keep as a pet. However, she had never seen one, and had hoped to never have to.

But that was all going to change.

With four pairs of doors wide open, they were bound to come wreaking havoc on the Gladers at any given time. The Gladers stood in shock, unsure of what to do. For three years, they'd been living the same routine. Wake up, work, eat, sleep, throw in a new greenie and repeat. But over the course of a little over a week, everything was different.

Thomas took action with no hesitation. Mae admired his bravery and composure, even as everything they had ever known was falling apart. He touched Chuck's shoulder, addressing him with a serious tone of voice. "Chuck, I want you to go to the Council room, start barricading the doors." He looked over the crowd of people and found who he was looking for nodding his head in Chucks direction. "Winston, you go with him," He ordered.

"You got it," The slicer nodded, following after Chuck toward the Council room in the Homestead. Mae watched as they walked into the distance, and she almost followed them, but she knew that she had to put her trust in Thomas and do what he suggested to do.

"Go, tell everyone to get to the forest and take cover!" Gally told his own collection of friends.

"Minho, grab every weapon you can find. We'll meet you at the Council room," Minho nodded at Thomas's organization, clearly determined to help. "Take Newt, Fry, anyone else." The boys looked at each other with courage, before preparing to head off.

"What about Mae?" Newt asked his friend, and at the sound of her name the girl snapped out of her trance she had been in, having been staring into the Maze and listening for the sounds it emitted.

"She can come with me and Teresa. We need to get Alby," Thomas responded, and Newt reluctantly nodded, starting for Minho and the group that he had been assigned.

He took hold of Mae's arm with his right hand, and Teresa's with his left, turning toward the Med-jack hut where Alby awaited them.

"Thomas, we've gotta hurry!" Mae said quickly, noting the shrill shrieks coming from all directions.

They didn't have enough time.

A group off boys were fleeing from the left, out of the dark forest. The deep moans got louder and louder from the passage way in the Maze in front of them, clearly coming from something they all dreaded.

"Griever." Mae squeaked under her breath.

"Everyone hide!" Thomas shouted, quickly darting out of harms way from the doors, taking Teresa with him. But his hand slipped, leaving Mae standing there by herself, eyes wide and breath caught in her chest as she watched the creature emerge from the shadows.

The Griever was worse than she imagined it to be.

Something out of a nightmare, one that she would never wish upon even her greatest enemy. It appeared half devilish mechanic, half repulsive slug, with several pairs of legs that made menacing sounds as it scuttled across the mossy stone floor.

"Mae!"

Thomas and Teresa yelled at the same time, but it was no use. She wanted to move, she really did, but she felt as if her feet were glued to the ground, and she was sinking further and further into an oblivion of panic. It was getting closer and closer now-