Breaking The Code (Part one)

The Night Of No Return

The moment the doors refused to close, a ripple of dread spread through the Glade. The once-familiar walls of their supposed sanctuary now felt like they were holding their breath, waiting for something terrible to unfold.

Zara stood frozen, staring at the gaping entrance to the Maze. The evening air seemed heavier, colder, and her heart raced in her chest.

"Why aren't they closing?" Frypan whispered, his voice trembling.

Before anyone could respond, an ear-piercing screech echoed from deep within the Maze. It was a sound Zara had only heard during her runs—a sound she had prayed would never come closer.

Grievers.

"They're coming," Minho said, his face pale but his voice steady. "Everyone, grab weapons. Now!"

The Gladers broke into chaos, scrambling to grab makeshift weapons—spears, shovels, anything they could find. Zara's hands trembled as she gripped a wooden pole tipped with a sharpened piece of metal.

"Zara," Thomas said, pulling her aside. His face was close to hers, his eyes intense. "Stay close to me, okay? No matter what."

She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Another screech shattered the air, this time much closer. The ground trembled, and then they saw it—one of the monstrous, spider-like Grievers emerged from the Maze, its mechanical legs gleaming in the moonlight.

"Get ready!" Minho shouted.

The creature charged into the Glade, and all hell broke loose.

The battle was chaos. The Grievers moved with horrifying speed, their sharp legs slicing through anything in their path. The Gladers fought back as best they could, but for every blow they landed, the creatures retaliated with deadly precision.

Zara swung her weapon at a Griever that lunged at her, the sharpened tip scraping against its metallic body. The creature screeched and lashed out, knocking her off her feet. She hit the ground hard, her vision spinning.

"Zara!" Thomas's voice cut through the noise.

She looked up just in time to see him rush toward her, a spear in his hands. He jabbed it into the Griever's side, forcing it back. Grabbing her arm, he hauled her to her feet.

"Stay with me!" he shouted, his face inches from hers.

She nodded, their faces so close she could feel his breath. For a split second, despite the chaos around them, time seemed to pause. Then another screech shattered the moment, and they turned back to the fight.

The Glade was carnage. Grievers tore through the crowd of Gladers, their numbers overwhelming. Zara saw Winston go down, a Griever's needle-like stinger piercing his chest. His scream echoed, only to be cut off as the creature dragged him into the Maze.

"No!" she screamed, but Minho grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

"Focus!" he snapped. "You can't save him!"

She swallowed hard, tears stinging her eyes as they kept moving.

At one point, she and Thomas ended up cornered against the walls of the Homestead. A Griever loomed before them, its glowing, bulbous body emitting a low, menacing hum.

"What do we do?" she whispered, her voice shaking.

"Follow my lead," Thomas said, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes.

He grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the creature. For a moment, she thought he'd lost his mind. Then she realized what he was doing—using their momentum to swing around the Griever and escape its reach.

They darted past it, their hands still clasped. Zara's heart pounded, not just from the adrenaline but from the warmth of his grip. When they finally stopped, pressed against the wall, she realized she was still holding onto him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice soft.

She nodded, her chest heaving. "Yeah. Thanks to you."

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, the world seemed to fade away. But then another scream jolted them back to reality, and they sprang into action once more.

The night dragged on, each second feeling like an eternity. The Gladers fought valiantly, but one by one, they fell. By the time the first hint of dawn crept over the walls, the once-bustling Glade was eerily silent.

Zara leaned against a tree, her entire body aching. Thomas sat beside her, his head in his hands. Minho and Newt stood nearby, their faces grim as they surveyed the aftermath.

Of the dozens of Gladers, only a handful remained. The rest were either dead or dragged into the Maze.

"We can't stay here," Minho said, his voice hollow. "The Glade isn't safe anymore."

Zara looked at Thomas, her heart heavy. "What do we do?"

Thomas's jaw tightened. "We find a way out. For real this time. No more waiting."

She nodded, her resolve hardening. Whatever lay ahead, she would face it with them. Together.

But as the sun rose, casting light on the devastation, Zara couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of the end.