We charged at the griever, spears slamming into its slick, armored hide. Its shrieks echoed off the walls as another clawed its way up the side of the corridor. The group splintered, kids screaming as one after another was dragged down. My team shoved the first griever over the ledge, its screech fading into black abyss.

I spun around just in time to see Chuck and Teresa being hunted by two more.
"Chuck, Teresa- run!" I yelled, sprinting to intercept. We blocked the monsters path, stabbing wildly. My arms burned but I didn't stop.

"Hurry!" I yelled at them.

"It won't open! Reyna there's a code! Eight numbers!" Teresa screamed from the end.

"Eight numbers. Eight numbers." I muttered, brain racing even as my spear scraped against metal claws.

"The eight sections of the maze...Minho! The sequence! Whats the damn sequence?" I shouted

"What?!" Minhos eyes went wide as a griever lunged at him.

"The sections of the maze! What's the sequence?" I yelled

"Seven! One! Five! Two! Six! Four!-" Minho started, but then-

"Heads up!" Newt shouted

A griever dropped from above, crushing Minho to the ground. He struggled, spear braced against its jaw.

"Minho, no!" I screamed, but Jeff reached him first. He plunged his weapon into the monsters head, buying Minho just enough time to roll free.

I lunged forward to grab Jeff, but I was too late. The griever hurled him like a ragdoll into the abyss.

"Jeff, no!" I screamed, my throat dry.

"What's the sequence, come on!" Chuck yelled

"Six! Four! Eight! Three! You got it?" Minho yelled

"Hold!" I yelled, pushing back step by step, our spears clashing with metal until finally- 

The massive doors began to slam shut, one after another. The last griever charged, but Thomas and I hurled our spears together, the blades striking deep into its face. It reeled backward- just in time for the wall to crush it flat.

Everyone erupted in cheers, but the celebration died instantly when the final door sealed, plunging us into total darkness.

A hiss. Then- light. A door creaked open ahead. Teresa eased it wider and we stepped into a long, sterile hallway, the fluorescents buzzing to life as we moved toward. 

At the end hung a sign: EXIT.
"Seriously?" Fry muttered

I shoved the door open- and froze.

The room beyond was carnage. Bodies in lab coats slumped over desks, blood pooling beneath them. More corpses lined the walls, covered in sheets.

"What happened here?" Winston muttered. No one answered.

We moved through slowly, dread growing heavier each step. Another room opened into rows of computers, monitors still flickering with footage of the glade- of us. Brain scans, maps, files.

"So they were watching us. This whole time" newt said, voice low.

I barely heard him. My eyes locked on a side door, ajar. Something about it twisted my gut. I stepped through- and the air left my legs.

It was the same room. The one I'd escaped before. Same screens, same desks, same cold him of machines. My knees nearly buckled.

On one screen, a live feed shoved the cliff. Bones scattered across the rocks.
"You sick bastards" I choked, slamming my fist against the desk.
"You didn't even burry them" I cry

Another monitor flickered. My own face appeared- young, terrified- labeled in bold letters:

Project Titan.

Hands trembling, I clicked through files. A word jumped out at me: mother.

Mother: Elena. Deceased. (Killed by the flare.)

The name carved a hollow into my chest, but no tears came. I wouldn't let them. Couldn't. Could I even grieve someone I'd never known?

I hovered over the word father- when suddenly a hand clamped over my mouth. Cold steel pressed against my skull.

"Don't move, or I shoot" a voice growled.

My heart lurched.
"Gally" I whispered against his palm.

He dragged me into the hallway, gun jammed to my temple.

"Where's Reyna?" Thomas's panicked voice echoed.

"Right here" gally said, stepping forward with me in his grip.

Everyone froze.

"Gally?" Thomas whispered.

"Don't. He's been stung" Teresa warned

"Gally, let her go" Thomas urged.

"We can't leave" gally muttered, voice shaking.

"We did. Gally, were out, now let her go. We're free" Thomas said

"Free?" His laugh was jagged, broken.
"You think we're free out there? No. No, there's no escape from this place" he said

"Gally, listen to me. You're not thinking straight. We can help you. Just put the gun down" Thomas urged

"I belong to the maze." Gally said

"Put the gun down." Thomas said carefully. I met Minhos eyes, saw his spear twitch in his grip.

"And so do you" gally sneered, raising his gub toward Thomas.

I dropped, just as Minhos spear flew.

The world blurred. Gally hit the floor.

Then-

"Reyna? Thomas?" Chucks voice, small and shaky.

I turned. My heart stopped. Blood soaked through his shirt, spreading to fast.

"Chuck? No, no, no, no" I whispered, sprinting to him. He collapsed into my arms.

"Shit, shit" Thomas gasped, pressing against the wound.

"Thomas- Thomas. Take it" Chuck mumbled, shoving a carved pendent into his hand.

"Chuck, it's okay, you're going to be okay. I said we'd get out together." I said frantically

He looked at me, eyes heavy.
"Reyna...Don't shut down- not because of me" he said

My throat closed.
"Hey- no, no, okay, I'm supposed to take care of you, remember?" I cry

But his eyelids fluttered. Then stilled.

"No! Stay awake for me, please! Chuck! Please!" My scream ripped through the room as I shook him, begged him.

Arms pulled at me, dragging me away. I thrashed,  clinging to him.
"You can't leave him! No, no! I won't leave him!" My voice cracked, breaking into sobs. But they hauled me, kicking, toward the surface.

Blurred flashes- guards, floodlights, the sting of cold air. We were shoved into helicopters, Thomas shoved in beside me. The world tilted as the rotors lifted us into the sky.

I looked out the window, choking on my tears.
The maze sprawled below us, endless. And next to it- another one. My first maze. The place that made me what i am.

"Relax, kid." I soldier said, not even looking at me.
"Everything is going to change" he says

I wasn't sure if that was a promise- or a threat.

In the sterile control room, a woman's voice echoed over the chaos.

"I think it's safe to say the maze trails were a success. I wasn't expecting so many survivors but the more the merrier. Thomas continues to surprise and impress. Reyna... she proves why she survived Project Titan. And for now, they seemed to have taken the bait. It's too soon to say, but they could be the key to everything. So let's more forward. It's time to begin phase two."

-Ava Paige