"What the blood shuck is going on out there?!" Newt demanded the second the trio got back inside the safety of the Glade.
"It sounded awful! It sounded like it was all collapsing!" Teresa added.
"Yep. Pretty much!" Alex answered, popping her P. Teresa's mouth opened in shock. Gally came shoving his way through the crowd, "What the hell you done now, Thomas?" He demanded.
"We something, a new passage. We it could be a way out!" Thomas answered, still very much out of breath. The crowd burst into excited chatter. Newt had motioned them to follow him, the rest of the crowd following behind Newt and the Runner trio. "
Alby needs to hear this too, He's up, but still pretty tired, come on." Newt explained over his shoulder. Chuck was bounding beside them, "Really? A way out?" Alex smiled at him, "It's true, Chuckles. We a door."
"Something I'd seen before." Minho said seriously, he couldn't believe he'd never seen that section before..
"I it must be the Grievers go the day. I got my hands covered in griever goop!" Alex added.
"Wait! Whoa, whoa, whoa... You're you found the Grievers' home? And you want us to go in?" Chuck stopped dead, horror struck. Alex stopped and turned to look at him, the rest of the crowd did too.
"Well, their way in could be our way out!" Alex explained, gently, she knew he was terrified of the maze and who wouldn't be scared of grievers?! Gally scoffed as he shoved one last kid out of his way to get right in her and Thomas's face, "Yeah, or be a dozen Grievers on the side. The is, doesn't know what he has done, and Alex is going right along with it, as usual!" Alex was taken aback, she knew Gally didn't like her, shuck, she didn't like him.
Wouldn't you be a bit happier if someone said there might be a possibility of freedom?
Thomas on the other hand, his anger flared up and he got right into Gally's face, poking him in the chest, "Yeah, at we're doing something, Gally. I mean, what have you done? Aside from hide behind these all the time?"
"Let me tell you something, Greenie. You've been here a month ONE month, all right? I've been here 2 years!" Gally was shaking with anger the veins in his neck popping. Alex could see his fists balling, and the tension in his shoulders tightened. Thomas didn't look any better, he was right up in Gally's face.
"Yeah, you've been here 2 years and you're STILL here, Gally! What does that tell you? Maybe you doing things a differently."
Gally went to punch Thomas. Alex saw it coming, she threw herself at Gally just as his fist came around, missing Thomas's face by inches. She slammed er shoulder into Gally causing them both to fall, Alex rolled off and came up standing, fighting stance ready. Gally was absolutely livid now. He scrambled to his feet, she could see him seething. His eyes were pure hatred. He tried coming at her, but she ducked and just like in the pit a few months before, she sidestepped and brought her knee right into his stomach. But unlike last time, she had months of training and running, she was a lot stronger and she knocked the wind out of him, and he stayed down for a bit, gasping for air.
"Gally, as your second in command, and someone who can take you down, I'm telling you this once. Don't ever try that again."
Gally slowly got to his feet, "I remember Thomas. And you. So did everyone else who got stung. What does that tell us? You shouldn't be trusted! You did this!" He hissed. Alex crossed her arms, getting very tired of hearing the same thing over and over.
"Gally, I can claim I knew half of you before the maze. But you don't see me blaming you for all this klunk! Pull your head out of the sand! We might have found a way out and you want to whine about seeing someone in your memories? Grow the shuck up!"
The Gladers, while listening to the arguments, had subconsciously moved to the side they believed in. And a majority of the keepers were standing behind Alex, and she was grateful, they believed in her, Thomas and Minho. She hadn't been here long, but since she arrived, she lit a fire in them, giving them a new hope. And if Minho and Newt, 2 of the original Gladers believed in her (and Thomas) then that was good enough for them. Gally wasn't backing down from a fight.
"How do we know you haven't been sent up to lead us to our deaths? Huh? This is our home!" Gally was now trying to reason with the Gladers.
"Yes, and a lovely home it is too, with killer death monsters to tell us when it's bedtime." Alex scoffed.
Minho snorted, "legit though. Are they supposed to be like our pets?"
"Nah, I got a dog. Don't need no poison shooting biomechanical hunk of junk!" Alex rolled her eyes. "They're more like jailers."
"Hey guys...?" A quiet voice said. Everyone was too busy arguing to hear it though.
"YOU WERE IN MY MEMORIES! I KNOW YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS! DON'T TRUST THEM!" Gally shouted, he was being held back by a few of his builder crew.
"AND YOU WERE IN MINE SLINTHEAD!" Alex screamed back.
"Guys!" The voice said again.
"Seriously Gal? You have done nothing, not even once tried to help find a way out, and you're upset Tommy and I actually bloody did something?! Why aren't you yelling at Minho? He's helping find a way out, he has been for the last 2 years..."
"Hey! Don't bring me into this!" Minho held his hands up.
"Sorry babe, just making a shucken point. But this potato nosed buffoon can't seem to understand anything! You were here finding a way out for two years and as soon s there is a way out he's upset."
"GUYS!" the sweet voice yelled, finally catching their attention. Every head swiveled in her direction. It was the first time Teresa raised her voice.
"Yeah Tes?" Thomas asked.
"The sun is setting, didn't those wall doors close yesterday at this time?" She was pointing at the open walls, confusion on her face. "Do they close at different times?"
Minho looked at his watch "Oh Shuck!" His eyes wide as he looked up to meet Alex and Newt's. "She's right, while this slint head" he gestured at Gally, "was spewing shuckin nonsense, again, we didn't realize the doors didn't close..."
Everyone spun around to face the doors, with horrified expressions. Alex stood staring at the entrance to the maze along with everyone else.
Why would the doors not close? What's the point in that?
And then it hit her.
THEY ARE LETTING GRIEVERS IN!
Before she could get her thoughts vocalized, there was an inhuman scream from deep in the maze. Gladers started yelling, and everyone was moving, but nothing was happening, no one was going anywhere. It was panicked chaos. Alex needed their attention...she lifted her fingers to her mouth and let a loud sharp whistle out.
"SLIM IT! LISTEN UP!" the Gladers settled enough to listen, someone was taking charge. She looked around at the terrified faces looking at her.
I need to protect these boys! They are looking at me to get home. They trust me! I need to get them home!
"OK. I think we have an hour maybe two before those Grievers make it here. We need to do everything we can to be ready. Chuck, go to the homestead, take the rest of the sloppers and start barricading everything. Builders, take extra boards and nail up windows. Fry, Tes. Get as much of the food into the homestead. Thomas, get Alby, bring him to the homestead. Jeff, Clint. Make sure you're ready, can you pack some first aid bags? Hand them out to The Keepers. Everyone else, find a place to help and go! Newt, Minho.. I need to talk to you!" Everyone stood still, staring at her.
"GO!"
Like a switch was flicked, everyone jumped into action. The boys walked over. She lowered her voice to make sure no one could listen, they leaned in. "Ok, we need as many weapons as we can carry, we need to arm as many Gladers as we can. I'm sure they can handle a knife or spear. Protect the homestead, that'll be ground zero, base camp..."
They headed over to the Map room. Minho unlocked the trap door and they walked down the stairs. Minho flipped the light on. Newt grabbed an arm full of spears and headed back out the door, leaving Minho and Alex alone.
Alex went straight to the wall of knives. She started adding knives into her chest holster and slipped a knife into her boot. She strapped a machete to her hip. She turned to the archery section and grabbed a quiver full of arrows, hesitated and grabbed a second one. She turned to grab a few spears but her wrist was caught by a large warm hand. She looked up and was pulled into a kiss. She melted, her knees weak, her eyes fluttered shut. Minho broke the kiss and looked into her eyes with a hand on her cheek.
"Alex. I love you!" His eyes held all the unsaid words and emotions. Alex smirked, despite the serious situation, "I know" she teased, "I'm irresistible." She winked. Minho chuckled. Alex's smile slipped, her hands slipped up into the back of his hair.
"I love you too Minho. I know this might be our...hey, Min...use that shuck brain and come back to me, stay with me! Don't leave me hanging." She kissed him roughly one more time. All her unsaid words into that one kiss. Minho pulled back with a sad sigh, he used a finger to draw an X over his heart.
"We need to hurry, we're running out of time."
Alex nodded and Minho stuffed all the knives he could into his belt, and they both grabbed as many spears as they could and headed back out.
As they ran, they could hear the screeching of the Grievers coming closer. Alex stood by the entrance, trying to see anything. It was black. Minho grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the homestead. Frypan was there to let them in.
"Fry, where's Tommy, Newt and Alby?"
"Upstairs, waiting for you." He replied.
Alex nodded. She laid the spears up against the wall, and made her way through the crowd of scared boys, handing a few of them a knife from her holster. She saw a flash of black hair.
"TES!" She called, Teresa turned and relief flooded her face, she made her way over and gave Alex a hug, "Come on, Minho and I are going up stairs, come with."
Alex grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs. Minho pushed his and Newt's bedroom door open. Alex and Minho slid down the wall onto the floor and Teresa made her way over to sit with Thomas.
"Ok now that we are finally all here...we need to figure out what we're going to do." Newt said solemnly, looking around the room. All eyes looked to Alby, who was staring at the wall. When he didn't say anything Newt sighed and continued "Well, I don't know...I'm close to just saying shuck it all. Supplies cut, crops aren't doing so well, bloody walls moving during the day, doors not closing..." he paused, collecting his thoughts, "but we can't give up! We all know that! It seems to me, that those bloody creators are messing with us again. Throwing one more challenge at us!"
Alex nodded, she agreed. "It's true, we don't know what game they are playing. But one thing I know...we won't go down easily. We survive tonight and we figure out tomorrow. Ya?" Heads all nodded, except, Alex noticed, Alby's who sighed and looked at the floor.
"Hey, Alby? Wanna put an idea in or something?" She encouraged him to participate in the discussion.
"Huh? Ya...ya good that..." He mumbled.
"Mmm hmm." Alex hummed thinking. "Well, if someone or a few people can maybe study the maps and Tommy Minho and I can make sure that metal key actually works again, then maybe by tomorrow evening or next, we can get the shuck out of here!" Alex said, thinking out loud. Minho wrinkled his forehead thinking, he bit his lower lip in concentration. He ran a hand through his hair.
Shuck that's so hot!
He turned his head, and winked slyly at Alex, as if he could read her mind. He stood up and began to pace.
"Ya, I agree. We gotta stop with the boo hoos and put our big girl panties on and DO something."
"Excuse me? Big girl what now?" Alex raised an eyebrow and Teresa looked shocked. "You heard me. When the tough get going, look out cuz Warrior Princess is on her way. With her big girl panties on, bow in hand, ready to kick some shuck butt!" He stopped in front of her, looking down at her, he held out his hand, she accepted and he pulled her up. "You seem to have the respect from the Gladers and the knowledge of weapons and fighting. Seems like this is where you shine, Sunshine. We need your warrior ninja skills to lead us."
Alex was flattered with his little pep talk. She heard a scoff from behind Minho, she looked over his shoulder to see Alby rolling his eyes.
"Got a problem there Admiral Alby?" She asked, her frustration with his lack of leadership flashed. He lifted his head and looked at her, she folded her arms, not breaking eye contact.
"Whatever. Do what you want." He finally said.
"What?" Thomas asked, a little miffed.
Alby deflated and put his head in his hands, "I don't know, you guys know I'm messed up...since the changing...I shouldn't be in charge! Newt, Alex, you take over. I'm stepping down "
"Oh Bloody- '' Newt started but Alby cut him off, angry all of a sudden, as he stood up.
"NO NEWT!" He bellowed, "I can't, not anymore." He paused, and sat back down. He ran a hand over his face. "Hey, how about I go work on the maps? Put me in charge of that."
"Works for me!" Minho said with a shrug.
Alby stood up again, "know what? I'll start right now! Ya..ya I'll start right now!" He got up and walked to the door.
"Alby! Not now! The Grievers are almost here! Can't you bloody hear 'em?" Newt tried to reason.
Alby turned around "You shuck faces are the ones who wanted me to do something! Don't stop now!" And he opened the door and was gone.
"He's not going to get there in time!" Newt panicked.
Alex was already out the door when Minho grabbed her hand, she turned to face him, already knowing what he was going to try and do. She kissed him before he could say anything.
"I'll be fine, babe. I'll make sure Alby gets to the Map room. He will probably be safer than us. And I'll make it back." She gently pulled her hand free and headed down the hall, she turned around, "Don't go back on that Ninja Warrior Princess speech now! Keep 'em safe until I get back!" She winked, and drew an X over her heart. Minho mirrored her action, giving a proud smirk. She turned around, and leapt down the stairs to catch up with Alby. She caught up to him at the front door, she just nodded at him and followed him out.
The Glade was dark, cool and silent. It was an uncomfortable, tense silence. She knew something bad was going to happen, it was just a matter of when. Alby set off towards the opposite side of the Glade, towards the Map room. She took a quick glance at the young man beside her, he still had a sickly paleness to him, he was sweating and muttering to himself. He didn't seem to even know she was there.
He's not stable, I'm not sure he will ever be stable again. Those memories messed him up. Oh Alby, I'm sorry.
That last thought broke her heart. Her leader, her friend, her family...he was so broken. She came out of her thoughts when a screech echoed through the Glade. Those things were almost here. Alby didn't seem to hear it.
"Alby, come on, we gotta hurry, they're almost here!" She whispered urgently, touching his arm. He jumped and looked at her with wide scared eyes. Alex looked up at him sadly, "come on, we need to go faster, I still need to get back... you will be safe inside, probably the safest."
Shuck! I should have piled the guys in here! Shuck it! Too late now.
They finally made it. She twisted the handle and it creaked open. Alby hesitated then looked at Alex, with what she thought might be guilt.
"Alby...we'll be ok. We'll get out of this shuck rate race and whatever is out there, we face together. As family, Okay?" She said quietly.
"I...I don't know...I don't know if I can-"
He was cut short by a whirring sound and a screech of the mechanical monsters.
They were here.
She pushed Alby inside and pulled the door shut. At the entrance of the West door came 2 big ugly biomechanical monsters, with their jelly blob bodies, long mechanical spider legs that could easily impale a few Gladers at a time like a shishkabob, and their long Scorpion tail with a claw to grab and rip. The Grievers' heads slowly looked side to side, their beady black little eyes searching for something,- or a someone- the lead Griever opened its mouth and let out a wild scream, showing off rows of razor sharp metal teeth. Alex shuddered. She pressed herself up against the door, her heart rate jumped, she could feel the adrenaline flooding her veins. It was a rush, but at the same time, she was terrified. She didn't want to move...but she had to, if they came any closer they would see her.
But maybe... maybe if they did see her, she could distract them. They might leave the homestead alone. It was a shot she was willing to take. Her life for the Gladers. She very slowly turned her head to the side, all the lights in the Homestead were out, and she couldn't hear anything.
Good. Be the distraction. Be their shield.
And so far, there were only 2 Grievers. She forced herself to close her eyes, and take a long slow inhale, preparing herself. As quietly as she could she slipped off her bow, and slid an arrow from her quiver and nocked it, ready. She knew as soon as she released it they would know her location. She would have to shoot and run to the next patch of shadow. She brought her bow up and aimed, right for the second one's eye.
If I could blind it, I'll have a fighting chance...
She released. She didn't wait to see if it made its target, she ran. She heard an animalistic scream...so the arrow hit something. She came skidding to a stop under the closest tree in the deadheads. Panting hard, she turned. She saw her arrow sticking out of an eye socket. The Griever had reared back on 4 of its legs, shrieking and screaming. She grabbed another arrow aimed at the second eye. Waiting for a clear shot. As the creature came back down, she released. The arrow missed, and sailed past its head, but buried into the body. The first Griever turned in her direction.
Shuck!
She ran for it as it charged her general location.
Alex sprinted along the line of trees, she ducked under a branch and behind a tree. She crouched to catch her breath. She spun around when there was a snap of a twig. She had an arrow nocked and ready in a split second. She did not expect to see an ally appear out of the darkness. She came right up to Alex and sat down, her head cocked.
Alex sighed and whispered, "Good girl! Where have you been huh? I'm sorry I didn't come find you! Bark, we need to keep those things distracted, away from the house. You up for a deadly game of tag?"
Bark stood up, understanding that the situation called for quiet. Alex peeked behind the tree, those Grievers could be awfully quiet. She slowly stepped out from behind the tree, Bark beside her. She saw the one with an arrow in its eye still thrashing. But she couldn't see the other one from her hiding spot.
Where the shuck did that other one go?
She was trying to decide what her next move would be when she felt something wet on her shoulder.
The shuck? Uhg...it better be raining..! This better be shucking sky drool!
She turned her head to look. It was thick greenish mucus. Griever slime.
Shuck.
She slowly looked up, Bark started to growl. Hiding in the trees, somehow, was the other Griever.
How the shuck did it get there?!
It screamed down at her. Alex let a scared yell escape her lips and she took off into the middle of the Glade. The Griever sprung out of the trees with surprising agility, but got tangled in the branches. As she passed the other Griever she shot a third arrow at it, hitting it in the face.
She had a sudden idea. She whistled to Bark, her loyal dog took off and around one side of the thrashing Griever. Alex ran for the other side. Alex whistled again, and Bark started to dash in and out, nipping at the legs, keeping it busy while Alex ran around shooting it. It worked for a few seconds, until its tail shot out and smacked Bark and sent her beloved dog flying, with a yelp.
"NOOOOOOO!" Alex screamed.
She didn't have time to see what happened to Bark. The tail came swinging back at her and she had to dive to the ground to avoid it. The second Griever now joined the fight.
Alex only had 4 more arrows, she had left the 2nd quiver upstairs, in the homestead. She had to roll to avoid being impaled. She didn't roll fast enough. She felt the cold steel of its blade- like leg, slice her arm. She let out a shriek of pain. She rolled again and got to her feet. She didn't have time to check the damage. She hissed through the pain of reaching back to grab an arrow and growled in the back of her throat, as she pulled back on the string. As she released she screamed, all her frustration and fear and anger. The arrow sliced into the Griever. She saw a spark, as the arrow shot into the body and made contact with the mechanical core. But it kept moving. And she had to too. She had to duck again. She still couldn't see where Bark landed. She was closer to the homestead and she heard commotion from inside. And so did the Grievers.
No no no no!
She had 3 arrows left...then it was knives. She grabbed one more arrow, hissing.
"HEY YOU HUNK OF JUNK!" she screamed at the Griever, it turned to the noise. "YOU LOOK LIKE A SHUCKIN PIN CUSHION!"
Keep its attention.
"CAN'T EVEN TAKE ON ONE LITTLE GIRL? COME ON YOU BIG UGLY SLIME BALL!" She screamed at it.
It roared at her, showing all its dagger teeth and charged. She turned and ran, trying to keep it away from the house. She looked over her shoulder and saw only one was following.
Not on my watch! You BOTH will follow me!
"LEAVE MY SHUCKEN FAMILY ALONE!" Alex screamed in desperation.
She skidded to a stop, lifted her bow, praying she could make this shot, it was a long way. Her bleeding arm was shaking, but with all the furry she felt, all the adrenaline coursing through her, she screamed again, but this one was full of anger, challenge. Full of fight. She was fighting for more than her life. She was fighting for every boy in that house. She would fight and defend those boys against these Monsters until her last breath She pulled back on the string as hard as she could and released. The arrow whizzed incredibly fast through the air.
It hit the Griever, right in the side of the head. There was enough force from the arrow to make the Griever stumble sideways. There was no way the arrow should have made it that far with that amount of force. But she didn't have time to think. She heard it before she saw a metal appendage swing above her. She tried to dive out of the way, but she was too slow, it smacked her right in the head, and she flew a few feet to the left and landed hard on her back. Her head bouncing off the ground. She thought she heard someone scream, but her head was spinning, and her hearing was fuzzy. All the wind knocked out of her. Gasping for breath she rolled onto her stomach and up into her hands and knees, trying to shake away the spinning and fuzziness.
She had to get up, her boys needed her.
"I can do this all day.." she mumbled to herself.
She pushed herself up, her legs wobbly, she shook her head again, trying to see straight.
"I can do this ALL DAY!" She said louder.
She reached behind her to grab an arrow.
"I CAN DO THIS ALL SHUCKEN DAY!" She screamed at the Griever.
There was only one arrow left. She should have had 2...one must have fallen out in the field.
Shucken mother of a bloody Griever!
One arrow. She lifted the bow to aim at the Grievers, they were both in the middle of the Glade, staring at her, screaming. Two ugly mechanical engineered monsters and one lone tiny girl, the creator of these monsters, with one arrow left.
With her fuzzy hearing she could vaguely hear screams from the Homestead, she couldn't make out anything distinguishable. Praying no one was being ripped apart. She risked a quick glance to her right to see the homestead.
The front door was wide open and someone was screaming and yelling, they were being held back by a few people. Her eyes snapped back to the Grievers. She had one arrow against two monsters. She aimed at the less injured. And released, this time it finally stuck its eye. Now both Grievers only had one eye. Not blind, but better than nothing. She slid her machete out of its loop as she sprinted towards them. Both Grievers screamed and ran towards her, she ran straight at them. A deadly game of chicken. She wasn't going to lose. At the last second she dove under one of them and rolled, as she did she sliced the underbelly. She rolled a second time, losing momentum but managed to get another slash. She got up onto her knees. She was getting to her feet to run, one of the many legs lashed out and sliced her side.
She dropped to her knees again with a cry of pain. She dropped the machete and pressed a hand to her side. She knew if this wasn't dealt with soon, she could easily bleed out. The white hot pain seared through her again. She gasped in pain. It was almost too much. Her eyes were watering and her head was spinning. Alex tried to grab another of her knives, but her hands were slick with blood. She was shaking and couldn't make her hands stop. Her fingers kept fumbling. She dropped it, she picked it up. Trembling, she got to her feet. She screamed with whatever energy she had left and threw the blade, it flew end over end and landed in the body of the Griever.
I hope that was enough, now it's up to the boys to finish them...
At the same time the blade landed, its tail lashed out again, but she was too slow, her body sluggish, her head spinning, she couldn't get out of the way. The claw grabbed her around the waist. Alex screamed in pain, crying as the pressure of the claw dug into her. It squeezed tighter. She was going to die.
At least I fought back. I defended my family the best I could...my family...Newt... Minho.
His face flashed in her mind. His laugh and dimples when he smiled, how his lips felt on hers, his smell that made her feel safe. The butterflies in her tummy every time he touched her.
She gasped for breath. She was holding onto the claws, knowing her tiny human body would never be able to pry it apart. Her tears of physical pain mixed with emotional pain. She wasn't going to see him again. She was desperately trying to pull the claws, she needed oxygen. She was glad she kissed him one last time...
I love you!
She clawed at the metal clamped around her. She fell. She hit the ground in a heap and didn't move, blood soaking her clothes and the grass. The last thing her conscience was aware of was Minho's voice in her mind... It made her feel safe and comfortable. And the seduction of black nothing took over.