Sorry, it took longer to post a Chapter, but here it is. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Do I have to tell you I only own Kelle and the Story changes?
-….*...-
-….*...- Chapter 9: -….*...-
-….*...- Always Comes Back? -….*...-
-….*...-
The hulking cement doors came together with a thundering boom that echoed through the Glade. Alby, Newt, and the rest of the Keepers stood in silence, staring blatantly at the face of the Maze doors. Kelle was on the other side gazing back at them moments before- but now- now she was trapped in there. Imprisoned in the large labyrinth with those prowling beasts called Grievers. And she was anticipated to survive. To do the impossible and live through the darkest horrors that haunt those disturbing walls. Could she do it? Would the girl, that the Keepers just met, keep her word and use her training to monitor those monsters? Maybe Alby was confident she would return, but Newt certainly wasn't. He was terrified that he had just failed at stopping a beautiful and amazingly kind person from walking to their death.
Alby's strong hand squeezing Newt's shoulder pulled him from his thoughts.
"She'll make it, Newt." Alby offered, staring solemnly at the boy, "She always has."
Newt nodded allowing his head to fall, doubts swarming his mind anyway. Alby turned to the rest of the group, still standing around them.
"Alright everyone, let's get some rest. We'll meet here in the morning," he commanded, "before the Maze opens."
Everyone, including the stubborn Gally, agreed and drifted towards the kitchen where dinner was coming to an end.
-….*...-
Kelle jogged down a few corridors trying to get to her perch where she could secretly watch the grievers. She only had about a few more minutes before the Maze would be crawling with those monsters.
After coming to a familiar wall, she shifted her stride into a swifter sprint toward it. Taking an extended leap, her slender hands grabbing the vines, she pulled herself up and began to instinctively climb to the top. The vines on this particular wall didn't go all the way to the top, so as soon as she got as high as she could, she stopped. She then, with practiced ease, jumped from the one wall, turned in midair, and took hold of the vines draped from the top of the wall opposite the one she was just climbing. She smirked, remembering Alby's reaction to the first time he saw her do what she had just accomplished.
-….*...-
"Kelle! Are you jacked or something? Get down from there before you shucking fall and I have to carry your klunkhead back to the Glade." Alby commanded, craning his head to look up at the girl, using his large hand to block the noonday sun. "Oh come on Gramps don't be such a slinthead." She taunted peeking down at the dark-skinned boy standing close to the wall just in case she did fall. "I've done this plenty of times before. I'm fine." "Whatever! Suit yourself." He huffed rubbing frustrated hands down his face, "If you want to fall and crack your head open like a shucking watermelon that's fine with me. I"ll just go and die by myself in the Glade because I can't live without you." He spoke, voice shaking. Turning away, Alby sighed not able to watch her anymore. Her heart panged, and she peered down at him. Silently rolling her eyes, Kelle began to climb back down to the concrete floor. Landing with a hard thump, she walked toward the boy as he silently still faced the opposite direction. "Alby," She soothed coming around to see his face, placing a small hand on his bicep. Unshed tears gleamed in his coffee-colored eyes and his body was plagued with fear-ridden shivers as he lifted his gaze to look at her. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere." She held both of his arms, pleading with her eyes for him to hear her. "I know, but- but- you were alone for - for-" He muttered shaking his head, "I don't want to be left alone for that long." "Shh, it's going to be okay, Alby. You'll never have to be alone so long as I'm here." She wrapped her arms around the boy in a solid hug. "What if I lose you?" He whispered, clinging to her as if she was his lifeline.
-….*...-
Her smirk faded away as she pulled herself onto the top of the wall.
'I really need to stop making promises'
She drifted to the other side of the wall and knelt down. Her keen eyes studied the corridors under her looking for any signs the grievers had come out for the night. Her sharp hearing perceived the bone-chilling clinking of the monsters echoing off the halls, growing nearer every second. The Grievers came around the corner. Ten of them total in all of their disgusting terrors. She watched each one as the clanged down the passage, minding their own business going separate ways. Everything was normal until an eleventh griever slid around the same corner, screeching like it had just found its favorite meal. She scowled down at the creature.
'There are only supposed to be ten grievers every night. What the shuck is this one doing?'
Taking note of its mannerisms her spine went cold, and the hairs on her arms stood on end. Its movements seemed stronger, and its characteristic shed everything that was dead. Almost as if it had just crawled out of hell and brought the feeling of death with it. She came to the painstaking truth that this griever was the same one she had fought that morning.
If this griever was going to disrupt all the things she knew about the Maze she had no other choice but to kill the stupid thing. It posed a threat to the people she cared for, and there was no way she would allow that.
She quietly inhaled and released a silent breath while she carefully pulled her machete from her back. She began to creep along the high wall following the beast underneath. Looking ahead, she noticed she was running out of ground to walk on. Steeling herself, she made sure the griever was just beneath before she launched her body off of the wall. Going into a freefall with her sword poised to strike the grievers head.
'Whatever it takes to keep the Glade and everyone in it safe.'
Everything went downhill from there.
The griever moved at the last second, and she pierced its shoulder.
The griever threw her off, she crashed into a corner hitting her wound dead center.
The griever hastened to attack, she painfully scrambled to her feet ready for another long and tiring fight.
They stared at each other, both knowing one of them wasn't going to walk away alive.
-….*...-
The blazing sun lifted from the shadows letting its warm rays fall into the Glade. It heated the dew which rested on the grass, emitting a sweet aroma into the morning air. The boy's footsteps were quiet as the Keepers approached the Maze doors. Newt looked on warily, his eyes tired from lack of sleep. Thoughts of the girl had tormented his mind and kept him tossing and turning all night refusing to let him rest easy. He rubbed his forearm nervously shifting his weight uncomfortably, his eyes darting around restlessly impatiently waiting for the gate to open. No one spoke as they all anticipated the return of the daring female.
Newt's heart jumped into his throat as the rumble fluctuated through the land, the gray doors slowly opening. They all held their breath and strained their eyes to see if the girl was on the other side.
No one spoke. The girl was nowhere to be seen, the beginning of the Maze unearthly silent as it always was.
"Told you," Gally huffed, "She was jacked, and now she's dead."
"Slim it, Gally." Alby hissed staring threateningly at the Keeper of the Builders. Gally stared back just as menacing before he tsked and stormed away. Alby watched Gally's retreating back and the rest of the Keepers following him.
Newt didn't go. He stood still staring blankly at the Maze. Minho came next to Newt and followed his gaze.
"She was so kind to everyone," Newt breathed, "She didn't deserve it."
Minho nodded, "She could have run away and saved herself when she found me and Ben the other day, but she didn't."
Alby sighed and turned toward Minho and Newt, "Minho go get my running gear. I'm going out to look for her."
The Keeper looked at him sideways.
"We're going with you," Newt beat Minho to it. Alby watched them understandingly.
"All right, but just Minho. I need you here so you can watch everyone." He directed, pointing at Newt.
"I'll go get our stuff." Minho jogged off.
"Alby you said she always comes back," Newt fretted secretly blaming himself, "Why didn't she come back?"
"There are various reasons that could prevent her from returning, Newt," Alby clapped Newt's shoulder, "Don't worry we'll find her."
Newt let his head fall. Alby squeezed his shoulder trying to reassure his friend.
Minho returned a few minutes later, their running gear in hand. After preparing to leave, Alby turned to Newt. His brow was creased, head still lowered to the ground. Alby sighed taking a step towards the boy.
"Newt," he slowly met Alby's gaze, "I'll bring her back."
The second in command nodded silently. Alby gave him a firm smile before turning and running into the Maze a sense of deja vu coming to him and Minho. But what the Leader of the Glade didn't say, was that he was just as terrified as Newt if not more. The only other time she didn't return was the morning after the night her, Nick, and George went into the Maze.
Reader: What happened to Kelle?
Me:*Shrugs* You'll just have to wait and find out for yourself. Thank you so much for the reviews you've left so far. Please leave more!