-Free?-
"Everybody, This way!" Thomas's voice echoed along the walls of the maze as he led the group, me, (y/n) and Teresa not far behind.. Me and (y/n) slowly shifted to the back as we noticed some were lagging behind.
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"Keep it up guys, we're almost there!" The occasional words of encouragement from Thomas kept the group going. "Common buddy." I placed a hand behind Aziel's back, pushing him slightly forward as he was slowing down. "If it's too much just say it okay? I can carry you." I offered but Aziel only shook his head as he continued on.
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We eventually arrived back at the entrance concrete walkway. Leaning against the wall, Thomas cautiously peeked into the walkway. "Is it a Griever?" Chuck asks as Thomas looks back to the group, "Yeah." Thomas only muttered under his breath, nervously readjusting his grip in his spear, "Shit." Murmurs started going around in the group.
"You two take this, Watch each other's backs and stay behind us." I handed Aziel the device as he gave me a determined nod. "It's okay. Just stick with me." Teresa reassured the two boys. "Keep them safe." (y/n) gave Teresa a thankful nod as she clipped her hair away from her face.
"Once we're through, It'll activate and the door will open. We stay close, we stick together. We get through this. We get out now, or we die trying." Thomas gave us a quick rundown of the plan and final words of encouragement to the group before slamming his spear to the ground. "Ready?" We all readied our weapons.
"Alright. Let's go!" With that final call, we all charged into the walkway. Those with spears were in front, slowing the Griever's charge towards us. "Push it!" We all jabbed our spears, hoping to get some distance. "Duck!" I could hear (y/n) call out as the Griever swung its tail at us. "Look out!" We were too late as the Griever got one of the Gladers and threw him off the ledge.
"The key!" I could fairly hear one of the kids yell out over the group. "Chuck! Watch the edge!" making a bad choice, i decided to look back and see Chuck with half his body hanging over the edge. "Minho1" (y/n) snapped me back into the fight as we continuously stabbed the Griever. I just hope Aziel and Tereasa were quick enough to help him.
We eventually were able to push the Griever off the edge. "Thomas, Thomas!." "Dad!!" Chuck and Aziel respectively called out as they bolted straight for us with Teresa behind. "Aziel?" could hear (y/n) let a breath of disbelief, seeing the horde of Grievers chasing them. "We got more coming!" We all quickly ran in front with our spears, blocking the Grievers from Teresa and the kids, "Keep it steady guys!" I mentally pray for Teresa and the kids to get the door open.
We were all yelling commands but with a common goal of getting the Grievers as far from us as possible. The Grievers were pushing us back into the hallway, if those three don't get the door open, we're screwed. The Grievers unfortunately got another Glader, stabbing him with its stinger before throwing them behind.
"Hey, Minho, (y/n)! What's the sequence?" Thomas suddenly asks, breaking me out of my focus on the Grievers. "What?" i ask back, stabbing the Griever. "The sections of the maze, what's the sequence?" Thomas clarified his question.
"7! 1! 5! Uh.." I started yelling the numbers, hoping the three behind could hear me over the screeching Grievers. "6! 4!" (y/n) managed to continue for me but wasn't able to continue further as a Griever suddenly dropped down on me. "Minho!"
I had my spear in its mouth, preventing it from chomping my head off. "Get off of me!" I grunted, trying to push the Griever away from me. Jeff lunges forward, stabbing his spear through the Griever's head. Consequently however, Jeff was taken away by it. I quickly got up and fended off the Grievers with the other Gladers. "What's the sequence? Come on!" Chuck reminded us. "6! 4! 3! You got it?" I continued off from (y/n), now stuck in the small circular tunnel pushing grievers away with our spears.
"The door opened!" I could faintly hear someone exclaim. The walls on the corridor started to close off the Grievers from us one by one. The last Griever was charging up to attack before Thomas threw his spear at it, cursing the wall to crush down onto the Griever. We backed away, yelping as the Circular entrance closed and engulfed us in darkness.
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The other door opened up, letting light into the tunnel. We all slowly walked out to see yet another dark hallway! Light along the hallway started turning on, still not making it any less creepy. "You okay?" (y/n)'s voice was practically a whisper as she cradled my face in her hands. "I'm fine." My voice, equally as soft, reassured her. I gave her a soft smile before grabbing her hand while Aziel clung onto my other arm holding my spear, following the group down the ominous hallway.
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We finally reached somewhere along the hallway that had a green light next to a door. More comically, a green exit sign was above the door. "Seriously?" Frypan's voice echoed in the enclosed space as he looked at the other Gladers with a deadpan expression.
Thomas was first to approach the door. Twisting the handle and opening it to reveal a soft alarm blaring and dead bodies. I could hear (y/n)'s breath hitch as we entered the room. "You okay?" I asked. She only nodded after a deep, shaky breath.
"What happened here?" We went further into the room, glass softly crunching under my boots. We entered what seemed to be the main area filled with monitors. "So they were watching us. This whole time." Newt's voice cut through the silence like a knife as he looked at various monitors. Some showed the Glade, others showed some kind of human data, probably us.
I followed (y/n) as she led us through various monitors. She suddenly stopped at what seemed like it was supposed to be a large glass tube. No, it was a tank, fit for a person. A familiar one at that, but I can't seem to put my finger on it. "(y/n)?" I turned to her to see her in almost like a trance-like state. "Hello." a voice behind us snapped her out of it.
Turning back, we see a lady on a faulty monitor. "My name is Doctor Ava Paige. I'm Director of Operations of the World Catastrophe Killzone Department." The lady introduced herself. "Wicked." (y/n) muttered under her breath as she cautiously walked to the monitor. "If you're watching this, that means you have successfully completed the Maze Trials. I wish I could be there in person to congratulate you, but circumstances seemed to have prevented it." at this point, everyone was in front of the monitor, listening attentively to the doctor.
"I'm sure by now, you must all be very confused. Angry. Frightened. I can only assure you, that everything that's happened to you, everything we've done to you. It was all done for a reason. You won't remember but the Sun has scorched our world."
A picture of what seemed to be 'our' world appeared on the screen. It was all red and yellow. Fire everywhere. "Billions of lives lost to fire, famine. Suffering on a global scale." the screen switched to pictures of what seemed to be torn down... cities? I think that's the word. "The fallout was unimaginable." My grip on (y/n)'s hand became tighter as a picture of brunt, blackened people appeared on screen.
"What came after was worse. We called it the Flare. A deadly virus that attacks the brain. It is violent, unpredictable, incurable. Or so we thought." videos of, I guess, Flared people appeared on screen. "In time, a new generation emerged that could survive the virus. Suddenly, there was a reason to hope for a cure. But finding it would not be easy."
"The young would have to be tested, even sacrificed inside harsh environments where their brain activity could be studied. All in an effort to understand what makes them different. What makes you different. You may not realise it, but you're very important. " All had seemed to come together as she explained.
"Unfortunately, your trials have only just begun as you will no doubt soon discover not everyone agrees with our methods." People in the background started running around in panic. "Progress is slow, people are scared. It may be too late for us, for me. But not for you." People in black appeared in the background and started shooting everyone in the lab. "The outside world awaits. Remember." The Doctor pulled up a gun to her head. "Wicked is good." those were her last words before the Doctor took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.
Everyone flinched back at the sight as the monitor turned black. Thomas turned around, walking past the group. Turning around, we see the body of the doctor that was previously on screen. We all slowly approached the body of the person that caused our suffering. Before we could get any closer, a loud alarm sounded, opening a door to yet another dark hallway!
"Is it over?" Chuck questions, looking into the darkness. "She said we were important, What are we supposed to do now?" Newts asks Thomas. Waiting for an answer, Thomas could only let out a shaky, "I don't know.".
"Let's get out of here." We were about to follow Thomas lead into the dark hallway before a voice broke the silence. "No". turning towards the voice we see Gally. Thomas approached the Glader, "Gally?" But was stopped by Teresa as she held an arm on his shoulder, "Don't, He's been stung." I finally noticed the gun in his hand as he dropped the device from the Griever.
"We can't leave." Gally shakes his head, face and body looking like he's about to collapse and cry but voice steady and strong. "We did. Gally, we're out. We're free." Thomas tries to calm the stung Gally. "Free? You think we're free out there? No. No, there's no escape from this place." Gally scoffs, raising the gun in his hand. "Gally listen to me, you're not thinking straight. You're not. Now, we can.." Thomas's words trying to convince Gally faded out as I only focused on Gally. Gripping my spear tightly, ready incase he tried anything. Seeing as Gally was about to pull the trigger, I threw my spear at him, piercing him through his heart. Gally let out a couple of ragged breaths before collapsing on the ground, dead.
"Thomas." Chuck's voice broke the silence. Notifying us of the wound in his chest. Red slowly spread on the white fabric of Chuck's shirt. Chuck was about to collapse on to the ground before Thomas caught him, slowly letting him down. "Oh, Shit! Shit! Look at me, look at me!" Thomas desperately grasped Chuck, putting pressure on his wound. (y/n) also got on her knees beside Chuck, tearing a piece of her shirt and pressing down on the wound. Aziel followed after, "You better stay alive, God damnit."
"I got you, buddy. Just hang on." (y/n) tried to calmly reassure put the panic in her eyes was clear. "It's okay. Thomas, Thomas." Chuck grasped onto Thomas bicep, showing some kind of wood carving in his bloodied hand. "No, Chuck. you're gonna Give it to them yourself. Remember, I told you that." Thomas's voice was shaky as he looked at the dying boy.
"Take it." Chuck forced the wood piece into Thomas's hand, grasping it tightly. "Thank you. Thank you." Chuck lets out in between breaths. "No, Chuck, you're gonna get..." Thomas's words got lost as the boy took his last breath. "Chuck. Chuck? Hey. Hey, Chuck, come on!" Thomas desperately shook his body, hoping to get a response.
I pulled Aziel into my arms as he sobbed into my shirt. (y/n) bowed her head, silent tears falling as she clenched the cloth. I pulled her head to my chest, trying my best to console both of them as a couple of tears also escaped my eyes. Sobs, sniffles and Thomas's frustration were the only things heard in the room to mourn the young boy.
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A blinding light suddenly appeared in the dark hallway with silhouettes of people running towards us. Everything seemed to move so quickly as the people in black ushered us out. We occasionally looked back towards Thomas to see if he was following us but seeing the men pull him off Chuck's body assured us he would not be left behind.
The first thing to greet us outside was a lot of sand and.. A helicopter, I think. The men ushered us inside of the cramped space, closing the door when Thomas was practically thrown in. One of the men pulled down his bandana, "You guys alright? Don't worry, you're safe now." The helicopter lifted into the air. We could finally see the large cage that kept us in for three years in all its glory.
"Relax kid. Everything is gonna change." Despite being in mourning, those words spark hope.