They Don't Own Me

Chapter 27

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" Gally commented.

"You don't have to come with us, but we are leaving," Thomas told him. "Anyone else who wants to come, now is your last chance."

"Don't listen to him, he's just trying to scare you."

"No, he's not trying to scare you. You're already scared. I'm scared. But I'd rather risk my life out there than spending the rest of it in here. We don't belong here. This place isn't our home. We were put here. We were trapped here. At least out there, we have a choice."

"He's right," Ivy commented, making the boys look at her. She looked back at them. "I've been here far longer than everyone else. For almost three and a half years, I've searched that Maze for a way out and have never found a way out. Now, we have a chance. We have the clues and we have to take that chance. We can make it out of here. I know that."

The Gladers exchanged looks, obviously not sure what to do. After several moments, Winston stepped forward, joining them. Jeff followed the Keeper of the Slicers, along with several other boys. Ivy smiled at each of them, trying to give them reassuring, comforting looks.

"Gally, it's over," Thomas said to the Builder. "Just come with us."

The boy looked up at him for a moment before his gaze flicked over to Ivy. She gave him a slightly pleading look. As much as Gally got on her nerves sometimes, she didn't want him to die. He didn't deserve it; none of them did.

"Good luck against the Grievers," he responded.

Ivy sighed but turned away. She grabbed her pack from Minho, throwing it over her shoulders and strapping it on over her shirt. With a nod, she motioned for him to lead the way. Minho nodded back and started off into the Maze. Ivy glanced behind her at the others. Thomas was moving up toward the front so he could lead with Minho; Teresa, Winston, Frypan, Jeff, and surprisingly Chuck were following close behind them, the others close behind them. Ivy decided to drop back when she saw that Newt was toward the back, limping ever so slightly. She remembered the last time he was in the Maze and it made her cringe slightly. She wanted to stay near him and protect him if anything did happen while they escaped.

The group ran toward the outer section of the Maze, heading toward section seven. Thomas encouraged everyone to move a little faster, saying that they were almost there. Ivy could tell that the boys were marveling at the structures around them but knew there was no time for it.

Thomas slowed everyone to a stop, coming up to a break between the walls. Ivy moved toward the front, Newt doing the same. The Greenie looked around the corner and paled a little, his breathing becoming slightly more ragged. Ivy immediately knew what that meant.

"Is there a Griever?" Chuck whispered.

"Yeah," Thomas replied. "Sh*t."

"You take this, Chuck," Minho said, handing the boy the metal cylinder that they had retriever from the Griever the previous day. "Stay behind us."

"It's okay," Teresa told him, tying her hair back. "Just stay with me."

"Once we're through, it will activate and the door will open," Thomas said, making sure everyone except the Griever heard him. "All right, we stay close, we stick together, we get through this. We get out now or we die trying. Ready?"

Ivy pulled her knife out of her boot, along with the machete off her back. She had kept it hidden in her shirt beforehand so she wouldn't have to worry about it being seen. She glanced at Newt and Minho, who both gave her questioning looks. She nodded to them, knowing that they were asking if she would be okay. She silently told them to stay safe. The other boys readied their weapons as well.