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THE JUMP DOWN THE GRIEVER HOLE WASN'T AS BAD AS SAMSON HAD THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. Minho had snapped everyone out of their shocked state and reminded them that they needed to get down the Hole. Samson took one last lingering look at the motionless Griever before following Newt towards the Cliff. Deciding it'd be much easier to simply get it over with, Samson took a deep breath and then jumped forward into the Griever Hole. He held back a scream on his way down but he landed smoothly on his feet, his hands hitting the cold ground next to Thomas.
They ran towards Chuck and Teresa, who stood by what seemed to be a tunnel. The rest of the Gladers had all gathered around them. Thomas peered into the tunnel for a moment and studied it. From where Samson stood, the tunnel just looked dark and endless. But then again, that was what the Runners had assumed the Griever Hole had been for years.
Minho volunteered to go down first, and nobody protested. He slipped down the tunnel, shrieking at first. His voice echoed down the tunnel as he grew further and further away, and Samson swore he heard Minho's screams turn into laughter.
"Alright! Let's go!" Thomas called out. He motioned for someone else to go down. Leo stepped forward and slid down the Hole without any further question or thought. And then Chuck went, and Winston, and Teresa.
Samson decided to go after Frypan. He listened to the Cook scream all the way down, and once he heard him land, Samson took a deep breath and then slipped down into the tunnel. But the tunnel was more than just a tunnel. It was a slide. It was slicked with grease that smelt like burnt plastic and Samson couldn't stand it. The grease was so slippery Samson could barely even hold his hands out to try and slow himself down. Eventually, he gave up and decided to shut his eyes and wait until he came to a stop. Some of the Gladers had laughed on their way down, which to Samson was good news. It meant that the tunnel must've led out of the Maze. It was their way out. They would be safe.
His eyes shot open again just as he flew out of the slide. He landed on his side with a loud groan. Frypan was sprawled out next to him, rubbing his thigh gently, but he was smiling nonetheless. Samson stayed in his spot on the ground until everyone else came down the slide. Newt and Thomas had both crashed into him and although it'd hurt, a smile crept its way onto his face as he accepted the boy's apologies.
Newt helped him stand. "You sure you're alright?" he asked.
Samson merely nodded. He gripped Newt's hand tightly for a moment, as a way to say thank you. Newt smiled warmly back at him, and Samson's heart skipped a beat. He'd missed him.
Thomas led the group down another dark corridor. All of the laughter and joy that the slide had created just a moment ago disappeared and was replaced with suspense when Thomas stopped in front of a large steel door, that reminded Samson of the entrance to the Map Room Thomas turned around to face the Gladers. He seemed to be looking to them for an answer on whether or not to open the door.
