14. Grievers

The group walked into the almost silent hut. They were all as eager as each other to see if Alby was ok, because to be honest everything has gone wrong since he went into the maze and that was like 2 days ago. "Has he said anything?" Thomas asked the Med-Jacks.

"No" Teresa replied emotionlessly.

"Alby?" Newt said calm and quietly like a mother to a baby. As Newt walked and sat beside him Athena stood by Newt's side hand on his shoulder just wanting to know if her friend was ok. "Alby, you alright?"

A single tear fell down the leader's cheek. As the man looked like he was about to burst into tears Athena moved from Newt's side and next to Alby and pulled him to her for a hug which he didn't hug back but didn't push her away, he just wanted to be comforted. The group all looked at eachother not sure what to make of the situation, Thomas walked forwards and crouched in front of him "Hey, Alby." he said, gaining his attention. "Alby, we might have just found a way out of the maze." hopefully trying to cheer him up. "You hear me? We could be getting out of here."

Ably shifted in his seat, holding the bunched clothes in his hand closer, he leaned more into Athena's arms and started to shake his head to what Thomas was saying. "I can't," he told the group. "Can't leave. They won't let us leave."

The group looked at each other once again confused. "Alby sweetie, what are you talking about?" Athena asked as she reassuringly rubbed his arm.

"I remember." He answered looking more and more sad.

"What do you remember?" Thomas asked,

"You." Alby blankly said, turning his head to Thomas. Newt looked from the two and looked to Athena to make sure she had a grip on Alby in case he tried to go after Thomas again, Athena nodded already thinking ahead. "You're always their favorite, Thomas. Always."

Hearing shouts from outside of the hut, the group all looked at each other confused. "Why did you do this?" Alby asked Thomas, who looked as confused as anybody. "Why did you come here?" More tears started to roll down Alby's face.

As people started to run out the hut, Alby curled into a ball out of Athena's grip she looked at Newt and nodded for him to go as she stayed with Alby and brought him into her embrace as he cried out all his emotions.

Once everyone but Athena and Alby were out the hut Thomas ran up to Winston holding a torch, "Hey, what-- what's going on?" he stuttered.

"It's the doors they aren't closing." he said in a hurried breath then ran over with other Gladers to the entrance.

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play -Disturbia by Rihanna 

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Seeing a crowd forming round the doors the group ran over to assess the situation, Gally trailing behind. Making it over they stood patiently by the doors waiting for something to happen, as a loud mechanic screech sounded through the Glade startling the teens. Turning behind them doors on the opposite side of the Glade opened revealing a 2nd way in. Another one sounding from their right revealing a 3rd way in. Another one sounding from their left revealing a 4th way in. and before they knew it they were vulnerable from all sides, meaning Grievers could easily get in.

As people tried to repress their panic Thomas turned to the youngest boy, "Here Chuck. I want you to go to the council hall. OK, so we're barricading the doors. Chuck nodded and started to run off.

"Winston, you go with him." Newt commanded.

"Got it." and started to run to catch up with Chuck.

"Grab the others," Gally announced looking at some builders. "Tell them to go to the forest, Go hide now!"

"Minho, I want you to find every weapon you can find. I'll meet you at the council hall." Thomas told.

"Let's go." he said to Newt and a few other Gladers.

"Where's Athena when you bloody need her." Newt mumbled running but slightly limping off with the others.

"Hey, Teresa, you and I are going to get Alby and Athena all right?" Thomas said, turning to the blue-eyed girl. Hearing shouting and people running away from the right door, what's left of the crowd looked all wide eyed and instantly turned when Thomas heard an all too familiar screech and clicking of claws. "All right, Everybody hide!" Thomas shouted and the group ran to the left towards the field of tall crops.

As many Grievers ran out of the entrance the crowd ran into the crops and hid amongst them all being silent as chaos formed around them. Hearing a scream of a Glader nearby the group of Thomas, Teresa, Zart and two other Glader Max and Sam stayed low. Out of nowhere a scorpion-like tail grabbed onto Zart from the back stinging him with the stinger.

"Zart!" Thomas, Sam and Max exclaimed and rushed over to grab Zart but he was quickly pulled away by the mechanical tail with one last cry for help.

The group once again made a run for it out of the corn field "Go, Go, Get to the Village!" Thomas shouted.

"Go!" Gally said as he ushered around five Gladers into the empty box, then jumping in it himself and closing it. "Shh, Stay down." trying to reassure the young boys.

"Gally!" A boy shouted from outside the box wanting to get it.

As he went to open the box for him a Griever tail came out of nowhere and attacked the poor boy dragging him away. Causing Gally to rapidly close the opening to the box.

Thomas and Teresa walked up to find Athena struggling to hold up a weak Alby walking away from the Med-Jack hut. "Alby!Thea!" Thomas shouted, gaining their attention.

"Are you ok?" Teresa asked.

"What's going on?" Athena asked.

"They're here." Thomas said.

"Grievers?"Jeff asked, as he and Clint ran up behind them, hearing an inhuman shriek followed by a scream for help.

"Think that answers your question." she said, removing Albys arm from her shoulder. "You two take him." She commanded Jeff and Clint.

Athena drew out her sword ready to attack if she had too, "Guys what do we do?" Jeff asked, looking between her and Thomas.

Hearing a Griever from behind the group began to run towards the council hall. "Go,Go,Go!"

Their run was soon interrupted by a Griever smashing through the kitchen and blocking their path. As the alien like creature daunted closer and closer Teresa threw a jar of fire at it setting it to flames. With the distraction the group ran around it still heading to the hall. The group only got so far when the barely wounded creature started to run after them again. "Keeping moving, guys come on!" Athena shouted seeing the creature get closer and closer.

Alby tripped over something causing Jeff and Clint to come to a halt and help Alby up. "Get behind me!" Thomas shouted as he and Athena stood next to each other in front of the others, her hands tightly gripping the sword. As the Griever sized them up showing off it's stinger the group didn't move, "Come on!" Thomas shouted at the moster.

As it went to pounce it instantly retracted as a spear landed in its eye. Only to be followed by more. The group looked over to see Newt, Minho, Frypan and a few other Gladers carrying weapons running towards the group, all making their way to the council hall. "Over here, Come on!"

All cramping inside of the hall the Gladers fell silent. Newt glanced over to the other side to see Athena standing between Chuck and Alby near the edge, causing him to become slightly more calm knowing she was safe. As the creature effortlessly tried to push down the door Athena grabbed Chuck's arm and pulled him behind her. For a moment of silence fell, it was interrupted by the Griever pounding into the roof desperately trying to get in.

"Stay back, guys" Thomas shouted as the roof dipped inwards.

As the group went in circles around the hut the opposite side of the Griever, everyone anxiously held their weapons tight in their grasps. When the Griever came to a stand everyone looked around confused. Suddenly the stinger broke through the roof as the Gladers could do nothing but watch, the tail eat away at the support beam for the roof causing it to collapse, falling on top of the teenagers. A part of the roof falling onto Athena making her fall to the ground.

"Is everyone alright?" Newt asked.

As Gladers coughed at the dust, and a boy cried for help louder than Athena could. "Hey, grab him!" Thomas shouted.

Noticing the girl he was just standing next a few minutes ago wasn't anywhere to be seen, Alby started to look around the ground to find Athena as the rest helped the other boy. As the boys went to grab him he cried and was dragged away by the hidden Griever. "Watch out!" Thomas warned.

As the Griever tail started to attack from all sides, Alby saw a fallen piece of roof moving. He quickly walked over and lifted it up finding a cut and bruised up Athena who had blood on her head from a cut. Grabbing each other's hand he pulled her up and she picked up her sword knowing the Griever was sooner or later going to get in. Coming in through the wall the other side, "Get away from there!" Thomas shouted.

Bursting through the wall right near Athena, Chuck and Alby the tail swung violently, as people jumped and moved out the way a body grabbed onto Athena pulling her away from the young boy and ill leader. "Chuck!" she shouted seeing the stinger pointed right at him.

Crying for help he tried to move out the way but the mechanical tail was too agile, capturing Chuck in its grasp. Gladers ran forward and reached onto Chuck fighting back on the strength of the machine. "Chuck! Don't let go!" Thomas shouted.

"No shit!" Chuck panicky shouted back.

As the gladers started slowly losing their strength out of nowhere Athena ran up to the tail and in just five slashes of her sword she cut off the stinger causing the grabber of the tail to retract and go for another attack with Athena stuck in that line. Weirdly the tail fully retracted and went back to the roof, "Chuck, you ok?" Alby asked, standing next to Athena.

"Ye i'm fine." as Chuck said this Newt walked up to Athena and pulled her into a desperately needed hug.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt? Oh god why is your head bleeding? It's always you to do sommat stupid isn't it?"

Chuckling at his rapid fire questions she simply hugged him with her arms round his neck, "I'm fine, amor." she said quietly into his neck.

"What the bloody hell does that mean, also you still need to tell me the other one." he asked with amusement and smirking.

Before she could answer they heard movements of machinery start up, "Athena, Newt look out!" Minho shouted.

In a blink of an eye before the two could even think, they were pushed out the way. "Alby look out!" Thomas shouted.

As the two regained their surroundings they saw a Griever tail burst through the wall grabbing onto an unresisting Alby. Pulling him upwards, Thomas, Athena and Newt instantly ran forwards and went to grab him, Thomas the only one managing, Gladers screamed around them at the sight.

"Thomas, get them out." Alby said to him, calmly as if nothing life threatening was happening. Upon hearing this Athena and Newt's eyes went wide realising what Alby was about to do.

With one last grunt the Griever pulled Alby out of grasp, Athena and Newt ran up to Thoams hoping to see a way to get their leader back. Becoming out of sight, and one last scream. Alby was gone. Adrenaline taking over, Thomas ran out the door unmoved by the screams of warning from the traumatised teenagers. Following closely behind him, Teresa, Athena, Newt, Minho and the rest of the Gladers in the council hall started to walk out to see the chaos the Grievers made. Sliding her sword back into her belt, and steadily walking forwards between Newt and Thomas. Hearing the final ear bursting shriek the Griever were gone.

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