Chapter 17

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We turned to right corner, my hair tie came out and now my hair was blocking my vision.
"Hang on a sec Val, I need to tie my hair up." She stopped slightly behind me, I pulled my hair back into the tightest ponytail possible. She folded her arms,
"YA know, you really should cut all that hair off, or at least braid it, not leave it so loose."
I didn't want to change this hairstyle, it's small, but it was apart of me.
"Nah, I'll just deal with it." She rolled her eyes,
"Okay, fine. Let's get a move on, before dark." I nodded, good idea. We sprinted through the paths, she was a lot faster than Anna was...I wonder why she's second in command to Anna.

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I kept turning, whichever way my gut told me too go, it hasn't steered me wrong yet. We turned and turned, I could here her huffing and puffing behind me. That's her problem, no stamina, all speed, but I was still faster than her. We turned on last corner, and there on a giant wall...4

"Val we did it!" She was breathing hard,
"So...what do we do now?"

"Look around. See what we can find." I needed to head for that dead end, so I started directing us that direction. I figured I might as well talk some with her,
"So...Val, how long you been here?"
She shrugged,
"Bout 8 months. Why?"
I shrugged back,
"Just curious. So, can you tell me anything about the maze? The sections? Anything?" She pondered as we walked,

"Not really, just that Theres a pattern."
My ears perked up,
"What kind of pattern?"

"Well, the sections open different days. First 2, then 6 then 3, 5,8,1,4,7. But lately they've all been open, it's weird...with the Greiver coming out during the day too." That was essential information,

"Maybe the section order is part of the code. And yea...Hope we won't run into any of those today." She laughed,
"Ya think? But you shouldn't be worried, aren't you immune to the sting?"

"I guess, but a Greiver could still drastically hurt me." She nodded,
"Totally." We've been turning corners as we've been talking.
"Have you been to section 4 Val?" She shook her head,
"Nope, Anna just told us it's just another dead end." We were walking straight when I noticed the path went left, I pointed in there and we went down the path. It turned right, then left, then a straight path...But it didn't go to another section of the maze...It went to a cliff. We walked past the Metal walls, this was the abnormally long part. I got close to the edge and looked down...certain death if we jumped. Val looked down too,
"Just another dead end Mack, just a different kind of dead end." I stood up...something was off.
"Mack it's useless we-"
"Shhh...listen." It was quite until, a mechanical purr was heard...followed by clanking. Greiver. It was heading this way.

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She heard it too, her eyes bulged with fear, there was no where to go...
"Okay...this is bad." She whispered, I nodded, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the wall, just outside of the opening...it was the only chance we had.
"Why are we just standing here?" She mouthed, I mouthed back,
"Maybe it'll walk to the edge and we can push it off..." She looked at me like really?
"Or take off running?"
She nodded,
"Ding ding ding, we have a winner." I heard a shriek, then the mechanical purr...the horrible clanking was close...I grabbed her wrist as if to say, stay strong...I was So afraid, and to think, apparently the old Mack could beat a Greiver in no time at all. How was I gonna trigger that fighting memories?! While think a pound clank was heard right next too my ear...I was the closest too the opening. I didn't move, Val grabbed my arm and squeezed...hard. She was scared, I was scared. I didn't want to die. I saw the familiar metal arm clank right next to me...I was just hoping it didn't see us.

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