Defender - The Maze Runner (Book 1)

Chapter 29: Griever Tag

The Griever came screaming and slashing towards them. The trio had to split up to avoid getting stepped on. To avoid being impaled by one of it's sword-like legs Alex had to dive and roll out of the way. She crashed into the wall. Ben had ducked and ran under its leg. Minho had to jump to the other side of the corridor , his back against the wall, Alex saw him slip his knife out and slashed the lag that was coming down towards him. The Griever reared back, screaming with a machine leg hanging weird from where Minho slashed it.

Ben skidded to a halt and reached Alex's side. He grabbed her arm and helped her up.

"MINHO!" Alex screamed, "Give me one of your knives!"

Minho had to back up into the wall again. He took a knife from his belt and tossed under the Griever. It slid across the floor, Alex picked it up and felt a tingle in her arm and spread across her body. This was also familiar, holding a knife in a dangerous situation. Minho was yelling at them to run as he ducked barley avoiding one of the legs. It stabbed into the stone wall where his head had been seconds before.

"I'm not leaving you behind, you shank!" Ben screamed back at him.

"Stop being the bloody hero and run shuck face!" Alex screamed.

Minho tried ducking, but the monsters saw blade shot out, the Griever had Minho cornered. The terror in his face sent Alex back to her memory flashback. All Alex could see was him strapped to a chair, while this monster stalked towards him. Alex yanked her own knife out, now a knife in both hands, she spun them once, as if it was an old habit. She dove forwards with a wild scream, driving both knives down and into its blubbery goopy body.

The Griever had stood up on its back legs and screamed. It gave Minho just enough space to scramble away from it and towards Ben and her. Alex yanked her knives out. The Griever came slamming down. It twisted towards them and came at them again, more dangerous appendages appeared from its body.

They had to dive out of the way again, Ben jumped one way and Alex shoved Minho the other. Alex dove and rolled, coming up to stand on her feet, knives in hand, breathing hard, Minho pushed her back against the wall.

"Ben! Go! The doors close in six minutes! Go!" Minho roared at him. He had flung an arm out, pushing Alex back into the wall again. The Griever had ignored Ben, coming towards Alex and Minho, cutting off their way to the doors, the Glade and safety.

The monster was the width of the corridor , no way of getting around it.The Griever extended itself up on its legs, screaming its mechanical animal scream. Alex had an idea. It was the only way, unless they turned away from the doors and spent the night running, hoping to make it until morning. With her heart slamming into her rib cage, and cold sweat running down her face she glanced at Minho beside her. His face was blank, no emotion to see, but Alex could see his eyes. They were dilated as large as possible in sheer terror. Alex could see they were darting all over the place, trying to formulate an escape.

With her mouth dry, she swallowed hard and screamed over the noise of the Griever, "Minho! When it stands up, go under!"

Minho nodded in understanding, his face had lost most of its colour. Alex flipped her little knife in her hand, brought her arm back and with another loud scream flung it. It flipped end over end, hurdling at the Griever. The dagger buried itself in its forehead. As Alex had hoped, the Griever reared back on its back legs, screaming.

Minho grabbed her wrist and ran forward. Ducking under the Scorpion tail, Minho had to drop her hand and roll. He lashed out with the knife and hit one of its legs. It slowed him down, so he had to push himself up and run the rest of the way bent over under the Griever.

Alex sprinted forwards beside Minho, she felt him let go. Alex kept sprinting at the last second, dropped to her knees and slid under the creature, leaving a long slash in the underbelly with the knife Minho gave her. As Alex scrambled out from underneath Griever Minho grabbed Alex's hand pulling her towards Ben.

Alex had ripped her pants, and scraped her knees all up, she ignored the sharp stinging in her knees. When they reached Ben he pushed her forwards, and together the trio ran down the corridor towards the Glade. With the angry Griever behind them.

With everything they did to it they only slowed it down, even injured it was fast. They ran as fast as their tired sore feet would let them. They had to make it back now in four minutes.

Alex was breathing heavy, her adrenaline giving her the burst of speed, but she was cold and clammy. She was absolutely terrified. They had to duck a few times as the tail came wiping towards them. Twice Alex had to let go of Minho, both times he turned back to grab her, as she screamed at him to keep going. At one point, rounding one of the last corners Alex had to shove Ben in the back, making him crash into Minho. They tumbled to the ground. It was the only way to avoid them getting impaled by a sharp metal leg. They scrambled to their feet as fast as they could. She felt the cold bite of the sharp steal. She had saved the boys from certain death, but the Griever had slashed her arm, making her cry in pain. She stumbled. Minho threw an arm around her and kept her steady.

They kept running. They only had two minutes left. Ben led the way back, Minho right behind. Alex skidded to a stop and turned back around at the last intersection.

"ALEX!' What the shuck are you doing? Move your ass!" Minho screamed at her, he ran back towards her.

She looked over her shoulder at him, tossed her knife into the air quickly, spinning end over end and caught the handle. Minho had reached her, he reached out to grab her. With the remaining strength she had, she chucked her knife at the head of the Griever as it rounded the corner. The knife slammed right into the Griever's eye. The force of the knife made it stumble back into the wall.

"I can hear the doors!" Ben screamed over the screaming and clicking of the Griever.

Alex spun around, grabbed Minho, pulled him away and sprinted back towards Ben and the closing doors.

Alex stumbled a little as they rounded the last corner, they saw the Glade, their friends standing at the doors screaming at the trio to run.

The trio sprinted around the corner down the last stretch, got on their heels, around the corner came the very angry Griever. The Gladers backed up, panicking. Minho grabbed Alex's hand and pulled her forward again, pushing her in front of himself. Alex was running faster than she had ever run. She was pretty sure her heart was going to stop working, die out from overuse. She was gasping for air and she felt all her muscles cramping.

Alex reached the closing doors first, Minho behind him, Ben right behind him. They had to slow down to fit single file through the closing doors. Just as Ben made it to the door, he let out an ear piercing scream, his back arched, throwing his head back. He fell forward. The Griever pulled its tail back, and backed away just as the doors slammed closed.