Defender - The Maze Runner (Book 1)

Chapter 50: Deadly Game of Tag

The Glade was dark, cool and silent. It was an uncomfortable, tense silence. The apprehension was the worst; she knew something bad was going to happen, it was just a matter of when. Alby set off towards the opposite side of the Glade, towards the Map room. She took a quick glance at the young man beside her, he still had a sickly paleness to him, he was sweating and muttering to himself. He didn't seem to even know she was there.

He's not stable, I'm not sure he will ever be stable again. Those memories messed him up. Oh Alby, I'm sorry.

That last thought broke her heart. Her leader, her friend, her family...he was so broken. And she didn't know how to help him. She came out of her thoughts when a screech echoed through the Glade. Those things were almost here. Alby didn't seem to hear it, he had no reaction to the noise.

"Alby, come on, we gotta hurry, they're almost here!" She whispered urgently, touching his arm. He jumped and looked at her with wide scared eyes. Alex looked up at him sadly, "come on, we need to go faster, I still need to get back... you will be safe inside, probably the safest."

Shuck! I should have piled the guys in here! Shuck it! Too late now.

They finally made it. She twisted the handle and it creaked open. Alby hesitated then looked at Alex, with what she thought might be guilt.

"Alby...we'll be ok. We'll get out of this shuck rat race and whatever is out there, we face together. As family. We have each other's back. Always. Okay?" She said quietly.

"I...I don't know...I don't know if I can-"

He was cut short by a whirring sound and a screech of the mechanical monsters.

They were here.

She pushed Alby inside and pulled the door shut. At the entrance of the West door came 2 big ugly biomechanical monsters. They were here in all their glory; with their jelly blob bodies, long mechanical spider legs that could easily impale a few Gladers at a time like a shishkabob, and their long Scorpion tail with a claw to grab and rip. The Grievers' heads slowly looked side to side. Their beady black little eyes searching for something,- or a someone. The lead Griever opened its mouth and let out a wild scream, showing off rows of razor sharp metal teeth.

Alex shuddered. She pressed herself up against the door, her heart rate jumped, she was terrified. And yet it was a rush. She could feel the adrenaline flooding her veins. She didn't want to move...but she had to, if they came any closer they would see her.

But maybe... maybe if they did see her, she could distract them. They might leave the homestead alone. It was a shot she was willing to take. Her life for the Gladers. She very slowly turned her head to the side. All the lights in the Homestead were out, and she couldn't hear anything.

Good. Be the distraction. Be their shield. Not a martyr...but a shield. Protect my family. It's a cause I'm willing to die for.

Her determination settled inside her. It gave her an eerie calm. Knowing what she was going to do. She was willing to throw her life in front of the danger to defend her boys.

So far, there were only 2 Grievers. She forced herself to close her eyes, and take a long slow inhale, preparing herself. As quietly as she could she slipped off her bow, and slid an arrow from her quiver and nocked it, ready. She knew as soon as she released it they would know her location. She would have to shoot and run to the next patch of shadow. She brought her bow up and aimed, right for the second one's eye.

If I could blind it, I'll have a fighting chance...

She released the string. She didn't wait to see if it made its target, she ran. She heard an animalistic scream...so the arrow hit something. She came skidding to a stop under the closest tree in the deadheads. Panting hard, she turned. She saw her arrow sticking out of an eye socket. The Griever had reared back on 4 of its legs, shrieking and screaming. She grabbed another arrow aimed at the second eye. Waiting for a clear shot. As the creature came back down, she released. The arrow missed, and sailed past its head, but buried into the body. The first Griever turned in her direction.