Defender - The Maze Runner (Book 1)

Chapter 48: Section 7

The familiar sound of stone grinding on stone and rusty gears was heard. The doors in the giant walls started to grind open. Minho was bouncing on his toes, ready to go. As soon as there was a big enough gap to fit he ran in. Followed quickly by Thomas and Alex.

"LETS RUUUUUUN!" He called.

"Hey Minho! You totally THOMASED that maze door! I'll give you 8.5 on execution!" Alex yelled.

"Only 8.5?! Babe, how could you?"

"Did you just use my name as a verb?" Thomas asked, confused.

"Sure did. Anytime anyone fits through a small space..." Alex replied, running beside him.

"That's not a thing...," he argued back.

"Oh it's DEFINITELY a thing" Alex laughed at him.

"Sure is a thing!" Minho agreed.

Thomas huffed and was quiet for a while, following Minho as he led them deeper into the maze running most of the morning.

"We're almost there guys, come on! The faster we get there the more time we have to look around!" He called over his shoulder.

Alex and Thomas exchanged a quick glance and picked up the pace. They took a few more turns.

"Let's go! Not much further to the inner ring! Come on, come on!" Minho encouraged them.

Alex wasn't having any issues keeping up, she was surprised her breathing was still mostly even. This was the furthest she had been in the maze.

Minho rounded a corner and then slowed to a stop. He spun around looking at the walls.

"That's strange!" Minho said to himself, still circling.

"What is?" Thomas asked, spinning in circles too, trying to understand what Minho was seeing.

Minho took off running again, he looked back at Thomas, "Seven isn't supposed to be open for another week!"

A few more minutes of silence, running and focusing on breathing. The walls were rapidly becoming wider apart with less corners. Almost like it was spreading out. They trio came to a section with long skinny sharp looking metal flaps that went from the stone floor hundreds of feet into the air. There were rows and rows of them, all open.

"What the shuck is this place Min?" Alex huffed, her voice finally showing some strain.

"We call them Blades," Minho answered.

"Very original name." Alex rolled her eyes.

They slowed down to a brisk walk, grabbing their waters. Alex saw something up ahead on the ground and jogged over. She came up short, and took a step back. Thomas came and crouched, inspecting it. Minho gingerly picked it up. Alex recognised it immediately.

"It's Ben's isn't it..?" Thomas asked.

"Ya." Minho answered currently, looking up and around the area.

"What happened?" Thomas asked.

Minho looked at him sharply. "It's a little hard to ask a dead guy what he did wrong!" He snapped, Minho dropped the bloody ripped up shirt.

"Tommy. Enough." Alex gave him a shut up you slint head right now look, and shook her head. Thomas had the sense to close his mouth. For an intelligent person, he was quiet clueless.

Alex was hesitant to approach Minho, his face was hard, and his body stuff. Ben was his running partner for a full year. Ben was a friend..a brother. Alex's heart squeezed when she thought of the heart ache Minho must be going through. And yet he kept his composure and did what needed to be done. She admired that. Minho stood up abruptly and walked away. Alex followed, she matched his pace and laced her fingers into his.