Evermore ღ Newt TMR³

26. Safety in Numbers

Thomas pulls to a stop as the Griever extends two of its appendages in his direction. A sharp looking spinning saw, and a four-tipped claw which catches the light from the small overhead fixture.

"Minho, just let me distract it!" He orders his friend, trying to be the hero. Heroes don't always survive. "Get everyone out of here and have Brenda start leading them to the maintenance room."

As this conversation was happening, a man was slowly trying to crawl out of the Griever's path.

He is now half-way, and Lori has hope that he'll make it.

Until a metal rod bursts from the Grievers, impaling the man, who now has blood coming out of his mouth.

Lori brings a hand to her mouth before she lets out a scream, realizing the noise may attract the Griever's attention.

That is definitely the last thing she wants.

Thomas continues towards the creature, sprinting with his pipe ready.

Just as he is about to be right in front of the Griever, Teresa cuts him off, hurling herself onto the Griever's body.

As soon as her skin touches its own, the Griever forms a ball, the metal appendages folding in against her.

"Oh no," Lori whispers, he eyes wide in horror as she runs forward to stand beside Thomas.

He stands, unsure of how to proceed. "Teresa!" He screams, not moving.

She pivots her body, her eyes meeting Thomas'. "Just go! Get them out!" She shouts as she begins to fight against the Griever.

But her body is beginning to be sucked into the flesh, making it all the more difficult to fight her way out.

"Teresa, we can't leave you here!" Lori shouts.

She may not have always gotten along with Teresa, but she still considers her a friend. And even if she didn't, she doesn't want to have to see another person she knows die because of WICKED.

Thomas takes a step forward, raising his weapon a bit more, seemingly having an internal battle on what to do.

"Get out of-" Teresa begins to demand again, but she's too late.

The Griever absorbs the rest of her into it's skin, her face covered by the fat, effectively beginning to suffocate the girl.

Thomas doesn't react for a moment, his face frozen in pure horror and shock.

Then he snaps, screaming as he runs and jumps onto the Griever.

Lori looks around, trying to see if anyone is going to do someone.

But it's like the rest of them are all frozen in time, just staring at the spectacle before them.

Thomas slams his pipe against a saw which attempts to kill him, breaking the appendage clean off.

He then aims and jams the pipe into the Griever, before ripping it out.

He proceeds to do this multiple time, before one of the appendages grabs him and throws him off of the Griever's body.

He hits the ground hard and Lori sprints over, helping him to his feet.

They both see Teresa beginning to fight back once more, and this gives Thomas the motivation he needs to go again.

And so he does.

Leaping onto its body again, swinging the pipe at any appendage which dare enter his vicinity.