Aris woke, hours later, to see everyone staring down at him, already having hands occupied with backpacks of supplies. He was lying on a cot outdoors. A few girls snickered, and Rachel passed a bowl of broth and a thick slice of bread onto his lap. "Eat." He obediently devoured everything, seeing that it was now daylight.
"Ready?"
"Ready," Harriet responded. "Maybe they won't be in their pods. Maybe they'll be in here. This is your idea, so you're the leader."
He nodded and swung his backpack to his shoulders, leading everyone to the Maze. Most girls hesitated at the entrance, looking back longingly at the Spring. They had daylight on their side; they could spot out those Shades or Grievers very simply. Arming himself with a spear and a sheath of arrow and one last glance at a place he'd never call home again---there'd likely be no time at all to fit an arrow through the bowstring--he and the others stepped out into the Maze.
***
They sprinted for about and a half of an hour, seeing nothing. The Walls were rearranging themselves, as usual. Aris's confidence increased, as he saw no Shade in their path. Sonya halted them at some point, whispering, "Shh," and gesturing to the activated pods. He swallowed hard, watching the pod activate slowly, cautiously, as if not to approach them too soon.
"Stick it," Harriet whispered. "Or damn it, whatever. Let's go. Anyone have some suggestions." Most girls shrugged their shoulders.
"Don't die?" Aris mumbled. A few girls chuckled lightly but froze when the bulbous creature slowly, gingerly, pulled itself out of the pod. Aris gripped his spear in hand, the other clutching a trident he'd discovered. "Let's do this," he said through gritted teeth.
He chucked the knife. The bulbous creature roared, tearing its attention to him. He frantically leaped out of the way. "Go! Just go!" Keeping his hand planted firmly on the belt, he dodged the assaults. Rachel! he yelled, sprinting over. Sonya and Rachel trudged towards him.
Everyone was battling. He flung another knife and flung himself to the creature. The Shade shrieked, its vicious howl clearly calling to more Shades to emerge. He landed on the floor, rolled away from the humanlike bat, and sprinted off. "Hurry!" Sonya screamed.
People were crying out, crumpling to the floor, risking for their lives for a boy they barely knew. There was no time. He clung to Rachel's hand. Rachel! he said. We have to go through the Crack! Then, abruptly, the wing on his belt began beeping, something that never occurred, and they both looked down.
"That never occurred before," Rachel said
"Yes," Aris agreed. He then realized then, it wasn't like he thought. The button was small but somehow divided. The left side was beeping, the light flickering, the middle, and the right side remained completely silent. "This way," he said, stepping towards the Shade. Sweat poured down his forehead, wondering what awaited him later.
They continued bolting. Another wall, Five, rearranged today, but he knew that anything could be out of place today. WICKED could be reprogramming the Shades and Grievers, the Walls, they knew that they were going to be free, they'd do anything to get them near death's door.
They agreed that they'd use the wings. Right, left, forward....it continued to direct them. Suddenly, the Shades assaulted them, almost killing everyone in their path. "Run!" Aris screamed, then cried out in Rachel's head. They continued to maneuver through the corridors. Aris squinted his eyes to see which part of the green button was blinking and beeping; right, left, or center. Mostly left.
They leaped over the Shades and Grievers after ending their lives. Aris just hurtled knives, watching as Rachel's and other girls' weapons pierced through them. A Griever charged at them, but nearly fifteen girls managed to tackle them to the ground, some dying.
Keep going, Aris told himself. Don't think.
Fear coursed through him, as he attempted to focus on which side of the button was blinking, it was impossible to hear the beeping over the roar of Grievers and Shade alike. He leaped down, jabbed an arrow into a Griever's body, then sped off, away from the lifeless body.
At least, he spied a wide crack. The Crack. Feeling strangely relieved, he hauled himself through it, only to spot more Shades. With his strength, he hurtled two sharped knives towards the creatures, but they were beginning to reprogram, becoming more and more powerful.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
