1 | The Fighter | The Maze Runner

five

Rachel was exhausted. Physically exhausted. She legs ached and she could feel the blood running out of the wound in her stomach. Her head pounded and her arms felt like jelly. She was tired.

    Rachel laid there for a second, just watching the doors. The long, black line where the two walls came together seemed to be getting bigger and bigger, ready to swallow Rachel whole. The black abyss got stronger, it grew and grew; Rachel could practically hear the horrid laughter. The black hole her heart; everyone had one, and Rachel's was close. It wanted her, it wanted to take her and make sure, not only she, but her friends, as well, suffered. But Rachel wasn't ready to be gone. She wasn't ready for the blackness that laid dormant in her heart to take her over.

    She may not remember anything of her past life, but she did remember one thing: her name. As crazy as it is, her name was her anchor. If you had a name, you had a life. Rachel wanted to live long enough to go back to her old life- whatever it may be.

    Fight, she told herself. Get your ugly, shuck butt up and survive.

    She didn't move. She wanted to, but at the same time, she didn't.

    Don't just lay there! Get up! Get through the night and go back to your friends!

    Pictures of a laughing Nick and Alby flashed across Rachel's' eyes. Their haunted faces when seeing her in the maze. Meeting them for the first time. Rachel knew she couldn't just leave them; she had to help them.

    Bracing her hands on the stone ground, Rachel pushed herself onto her feet. Her hand flew to her stomach once she reached her feet. The blood had slowed, almost to a stopping point. She leaned against the wall. Pulling a knife out of her sack, Rachel cut a strip of her t-shirt off. She wrapped it around her slim stomach and pulled the cloth tight. Rachel almost winced at the pain that shot through her stomach. She tied the knot and pushed herself off the wall.

    The next thing that happened sent shivers up her spine. A low, yet loud, moan rolled through the darkness like a thick fog. Rachel looked out at the maze, she knew that a fight was coming for her, and she knew that she wouldn't stop until she won.

~

    Back in the Glade, Nick and Alby sat by the wall, unaware that their friend was preparing for battle on the other side. Rachel was strong, stronger than Nick and Alby together. Maybe not physically, although it wouldn't surprise either boy if she were, but definitely mentally. She had a crazy amount of willpower she had yet to acsess in her mind.

    But Nick and Alby weren't concerned on how strong she was or her power of will, just her survival. They needed her. She helped them when they showed up in the Glade. When they were lost and needed to find their way. And although it hasn't been long, they trusted Rachel with their lives, and she trusted them with hers. But they didn't do a good job of keeping her unharmed, for now she was trapped in the maze alone.

    Nick wanted to scream. He wanted to punch the stone wall of the maze over and over and over, but didn't. He wanted to cry, but didn't. Instead, he looked over at Alby and nodded his head assuringly. But Alby didn't believe it. He knew that Nick was as broken up as he was.

    The monsters in the maze were going to get to Rachel, and they knew that. They had barely escaped their clutches before, but now it was dark. And at night, you could hear the screeches and groans of the Grievers all night. It was a haunting, scary noise, but nobody said anything about it. And right now, Nick and Alby's heartbeat's jumped when hearing that particular noise from the other side of the wall.

~

Another screech; this one closer. Rachel knew she didn't have much time to rest, she needed to move, lead the Grievers away from the Glade. She blocked the pain in her side out of her head, it was the last thing she could afford to focus on. After all, the first step to fighting a battle, is to win the battle in your mind.

    Knife in hand, Rachel walked along the corridors of the maze, away from the sealed doors. She raised her head. Looking up at the cloudless, black ceiling above her, Rachel made a promise to herself, she would fight. She would fight for her friends, her new home, and for herself. Rachel would fight, and she would win.

We didn't have school today, so I updated! Gasp! Didn't I just do this task two days ago? Why yes I did.

I just gave myself a pat on the back.

Anyways, I have news: I'm estimating 15, give or take, chapters for this book. I'm currently writing chapter thirteen, actually. Chapter twelve is short. So is this one. I'm pretty positive the next one is even shorter... oops.

- M I S S Y