Finding Love In a Hopeless Place

Chapter 12: Surprise, Surprise.

        A wave of anxiety crawled up my back. Pure panic rose in every Glader. We needed to come up with a plan fast, before it was too late for all of us.

        "What the bloody hell does that mean?" He yelled in anger above all the murmmers of the crowd. "How are we supposed to get out faster, when the slint head's have given us no hints, just lies and shuck lives." Newt was on the verge of quitting. He couldn't now...not with the steaks rising higher than my blood pressure. I searched sorrowful faces of the crowd, with no sign of Thomas. Frustration drowned over me, until Alby and Minho interupted my self destruction.

        "Okay listen up, you shanks." Alby shouted, angy tone just as always. "We have to start thinking of a plan here. There's no easy way out of here so we gotta think hard on it." He paused to let any other Glader contribute.

        "We gotta think fast too!" Minho added. He pointed towards the back of him, and it only took seconds for everyone to realize the walls didn't close. This means that whatever is out there, is free to roam amoung the helpless Gladers. This is surely the end. I almost welcome death, in a way. We have fought for some much while we were here, but for what? To be killed off in order to fulfill the creators tasks and quests? I'm exhausted. I'm so drained from being in the dark for so long.

        I sat down on the soon to be frail grass, and drooped to the floor. It seemed that life around me began to run wild, as I sat in my own silence. People around me started to scatter to the map room to get any supplies they could to barricade the gaping path leading to the Maze. It seemed pointless to me, considering we have no idea what Grievers are capable of. Could they fly? Jump? Who knows. Others were gathering weapons, passing them out amoungst the Gladers, trying to prepare them for the worst. Another group was gathering everyones sleeping materials and heading for Homestead, the only place we might have a chance of survivng tonight. Once the sleeping material group stepped in the doorway of Homestead, a scattering of screams and gasps escaed everyone's throat. Yay, more surprises. Just what we need. I joked synically to myself.

        I snapped out of the numbness that fear has brought me this evening, and jogged over to see what was going on. I pushed thru everyone too stunned to respond to my 'excuse me's'. I reached the front of the room to find the first unwelcome guest for tonight... GALLY. He was stading stiffened straight, with bulging dark eyes, almost shivering. He looked like he was being forced to speak to us.

        "Everyone, Listen to me." Gally fought the words out, it was almost too distrubing to watch. "The creators are sending a Griever everynight to take one victim with them until you all make a move. They are doing everything they can to help you get out of here." He swallowed and blinked hard, like he was fighting back tears. helping? Gally would never say the creators were "Helping" us at a time like this. My eye brows furrowed. I glanced back, to see everyone had gathered in to hear Gally's warning. People had already borded up the windows and doors the the homestead. All there was left to do was wait, and pray that tonight,  you would be spared. He Forced out one last phrase that left everyone silent, in a glossy daze. "WICKED is good."

        The night had fallen across the Glade, it was about 2:00am when things became real. I wasn't really sleeping anyway, because of the anxiety, but there was no mistake of what I heard. My eyes flung open to the sound of clicking and clawing on stone. Grievers. I looked to my left, to see Thomas looking in the direction of the window. He must've sat next to me when i was trying to fall asleep. I looked at him, with ears starting to pool in my eyes. I took his hand and squeezed it. He took his free hand, and cupped my cheeck. He looked so sad to see me this way. He knows me as the brave girl who cared enough to save a man I didn't even know. He kissed my forehead as the sounds got closer. He leaned in close to whisper in my ear. "I will do whatever it takes to save everyone here. It isn't time to give up just yet. No matter what hapenes to us, I promise to save you. I would rather die than live in a world without you. even if the world is artificial." He broke the seriousness to look at me with a small corner smile. I nuzzled my head in his chest. The clicking was only yards away now.  I looked up quickly and kissed him on the lips. "I Love you, Thomas." Tears have now falled on his shirt. "In case I don't get to tell you, I love you." He used his thumb to wipe the tear stream off my face. "I've loved you ever since, before the begining." He whispered back. I jumped at the slicing and clawing at the door.

        There was no way the measily boards we have would hold a Griever back. Especially not more than one. Gally stood up and walked to the door. Once the Griever made enough damage to the door, Gally broke through it hole to jump on the Griever. "Good luck everyone." He was trembling with fear. The grievers metal legs trampled him, with a sting following. He was done for sure. We all watched the Griever take Gally to the wall, his lifeless body bouncing with every click on the stone ground. The Griever climbed up the borders we pathetically atempted to make, and exited the Glade.