ACT I SCENE XVII
SPHYROKOPOI

   THE MAZE felt both familiar and alien to her. The darkness cast shadows in every corner of the walls and Cassandra imagined Grievers lying in wait for an ambush. It looked completely different than what she was used to. Even in daylight, the twisting hallways were already daunting enough but in the pale waning light, it looked like something out of a nightmare.

Like the story of the Minotaur. Except there was no ancient hero out to slay beasts; just two exhausted teenagers with next to no weapons save for their little knives. And a single Griever was a lot more deadlier than a Cretan bull.

Her mind was numb and she could barely breathe. The only thing she could do was to force her tired legs to run in pace with Minho, relying on adrenaline, muscle memory and sheer willpower. Corridor after corridor and turn after turn, they ran in mute horror. Cold sweat trickled down her back and her body shivered with fear at the endless passageways that laid ahead of them.

The Maze felt like a silent grave, waiting for them to make it their eternal home. Their footsteps brushed softly against the rough stone and she swore she could hear clicking coming down each passageway they passed by. They stayed within the inner section, going in a big circle around the center where the Glade sat in its safe haven.

She hated the idea of it but she had to admit that Thomas was right. They shouldn't be giving up this easily. Minho was their Keeper; he knew the Maze like the back of his hand and he could hold his own against a Griever. And if worse came to worst, she would fight like a crazed lunatic for all her worth. They just had to survive till dawn, how hard could that be? It was only a few hours away.

Somehow that didn't sound very convincing even in her own head.

"What are you thinking about?" Minho asked her quietly as his eyes darted around the corridor.

"Just wondering whether it was the right thing to leave Thomas." She glanced at him. "I know, I know... but... I'd feel a little bad if he died 'cause we left him."

"I know what you mean," he said. "I feel pretty bad too."

Minho picked routes that would lead them closer to the Doors by using the patterns. Cassandra didn't know how long they had walked for but it felt like hours had passed. Above them, the sky remained dark and starless, an empty void threatening to swallow them whole. The Maze was eerily silent until Minho suddenly stopped. He turned to her with a troubled frown.

"Do you smell that?" he whispered and she inhaled deeply through her nose.

Oil. She recognised its putrid scent. The look on her face must have been as clear as day and Minho pressed himself against the wall. He edged towards the corner of the junction up ahead and peered around it carefully.

"This path leads back to the Doors we came out of," he whispered, "and there's a shucking Griever in our way."

"We have to find another route then," she whispered back.

"We can't," he told her. "It's changed. This is the only way now."

He took another peek around the corner then shook his head as if he couldn't understand what was happening. Cassandra looked at him questioningly. "What?"

"It's just sitting there," he told her.

She inched her way around him and took a peek for herself. The disgusting bloated monster was indeed lying there motionless. Its metal spikes were retracted into its body and it just looked like a massive blob of oozing flesh. Appalled, she pulled away.

"Maybe Grievers need sleep too, whatever." She tugged at his hand. "Maybe we can sneak past it."

"I hope so," he said. "If we head left, it'll eventually take us back to the Doors again."

"We should hurry before it wakes up."

He nodded in agreement then took a tentative step forward into the corridor. Nothing happened. Cassandra followed after him and threw a quick look at the stationary blob. They tiptoed down the long hallway, careful not to make a single sound and they were almost at the end when they heard a loud revving. Startled at the sudden noise, they froze and turned to look at the same time.

The Griever was getting up. Its metallic appendages unfurled themselves from its body like a gigantic spider to click its claws against the stone ground. The gears inside it whirred back to life and it opened its dark beady eyes. Lifting its belly off the ground, it took one look at them and shrieked.

They fled.

The Griever bounded after them, stone cracking under its weight as it tore down the corridor. They let go of each other's hands and sprinted for their lives, turning the corner at the end of the passageway sharply. Cassandra's legs strained with effort and her heartbeat skyrocketed when the Griever screeched behind them. She was so afraid that more would come their way from all the pandemonium it was making.

"C'mon, we'll lose it through this way!" Minho yelled, signalling for her to turn.

They skidded halfway down the corridor and hurled themselves to the right through an opening in the wall. The corridor ahead of them was long but she heard the crack of stone and saw a section of the wall in front of them start to move. The Griever had caught up to them and made chase.

"Hurry, Cassie!"

The walls were closing in fast. She pushed herself to run faster, trying to ignore the frenzied sounds on her heel. It was so close; she could imagine it snapping its teeth at her back and her heart jumped up to her throat. Minho was about three feet away; they only had this one small window of opportunity to lose their predator.

She felt something caught at her ankle, a stray vine tripping her, and she cried out as she crashed to the cold hard ground. Her arm scraped against the rough stone and the fall jolted her entire body.

Minho had just passed through the closing gap when he turned around but it was too late. She had one final look at Minho's horrified face as the passageway closed in on itself.

"No!" she gasped.

The Griever had slowed to a gait and was now bearing down on her menacingly. She scrambled forwards to the wall, raking her nails across it, but it was shut tight. She looked over her shoulder at the monstrosity ambling towards her, as if enjoying its little victory.

Her heart thumped painfully against her sternum but she was too terrified to utter a single sound. She was going to die. This was how her life was going to end—slashed to pieces and gutted like an animal.

She curled herself into a ball, unable to look any longer, and squeezed her eyes shut. Tears leaked out, running down her cheeks, and she waited for the inevitable pain as her body shook violently from fear. All she could hear was its mechanical whirring, smelt the burning oil and decaying flesh. Cassandra prayed for it to be quick and that it would take her mangled body away with it. She didn't want anyone to find her that way.

A ripping pain shot through her arm as a metallic claw seized hold of her. She cried out in pain as the Griever pinned her against the wall, its tight grip already rupturing the blood vessels underneath her skin and leaving a discoloured bruise. Sobs wracked through her body and she felt like a rag doll about to be torn apart by malicious hands.

"Hey!" A voice suddenly yelled out from the entrance of the corridor.

The claws unfurled and Cassandra dropped back to the ground in a pitiful heap. She opened her eyes to find Thomas throwing a rock at the Griever's head.

"Hey, you stupid blob!" he yelled again and the Griever shrieked at him. It lumbered around and the end of its jagged tail cut her across the cheek. Then it went after him.

"Thomas!" Cassandra cried out just as the boy ran back down the corridor. She watched in disbelief as the Griever disappeared around the corner as well in pursuit. Apart from her beating heart and short quick breathing, they were gone.

There was a loud crack and she felt the wall behind her start to shift. She scrambled away from it and stared in continued bewilderment. The opening revealed Minho standing behind the wall, watching it move with utter confusion. When he saw her, his face went ashen as if he was looking at a ghost.

"Cassie...?" he whispered in disbelief.

They gawked at each other for a couple of seconds before he shot forwards and dropped to his knees. He took her face in his hands, rubbing the trails of tears that stained her cheeks with his thumbs and unable to believe his own eyes. Feeling her flushed skin against his, he let out a sharp breath before pulling her against his chest. She reached up to grab his sleeve with a hand to steady herself.

"How in the hell..." he started. "I thought I'd really lost you. What... how...?"

Their reunion didn't last for long. They suddenly heard screeching in the distance, not entirely far away from where they were. A chorus of shrieks; at least two of them, and she turned to look at Minho apprehensively.

"Thomas!" she cried. "He was here. They're going after Thomas! We need to help him!"

Grudge be damned, nobody deserved to die this way. She pushed herself to her feet and pulled Minho along. They ran back down the way they came, following the hell-raising sounds. Eventually, they reached a short narrowed corridor and stopped at its opening. The shrieking had come to an abrupt stop. They peered around the corner and saw Thomas caught between four Grievers; one in front of them and three others scuttling forwards from the other end. Minho shook his head.

"We can't help him." His voice was soft with defeat. He was right. There was no way they could take on that many of them.

Then something incredible happened. With a great show of bravery, Thomas rushed towards the lone Griever ahead of them. His outrageous yell met with the Griever's shriek as it charged head on towards the boy.

Then at the very last second, he dove to the side and the Griever barrelled down the corridor. He immediately sprinted down the passageway towards them. A moment later, Minho reached out and grabbed hold of Thomas to pull him in. The boy started to flail his arms violently before realising who had caught him. A look of relief washed over his face as he stared at them like they were angels sent down from heaven.

"How did you—" he started.

"Shut up and follows us!" Minho yelled, dragging him roughly by the shirt.

Thomas complied implicitly and they sprinted, turning sharply down another passageway to buy them more time. The Grievers were coming up fast from behind them and on their left, a new passageway seemed to have opened up.

They continued westwards, into the middle section, to where the Cliff was. Several turns later, Cassandra could finally see the dark empty expanse in front of them and slowed to a stop. Minho put his arm out to make sure Thomas didn't fall in and the boy looked out in awe. Cassandra stepped up next to him and peered out at the fading twinkle of stars.

"Careful there. Neither of you will be the first shanks to fall off the Cliff," Minho said with a small smirk on his face. "Hey, forgot something?"

Thomas turned back around and looked down the corridor. The Grievers had caught up to them and lined up in single-file, heading in their direction. Cassandra could hear her heart beating nervously in her chest.

"We need to be in sync!" Minho yelled as the Grievers rushed towards them. "On my mark!"

She could see every detail of the monstrosities now; their hideous faces with lifeless black eyes and gaping mouths with rows of razor sharp teeth. Greying flesh wriggled under the jerks of their limbs and the faint light glinted off their metallic arms cruelly, allowing her to see each deadly attachment.

"Ready..." Minho said, voice steady. "Almost... not yet..."

She steadied herself as the Grievers grew closer and coiled her muscles ready.

"Now!"

As soon as he gave the signal, they dove to the left and Thomas threw himself in the opposite direction. One by one, the Grievers went plummeting past them; their frenzied cries getting suddenly cut off. The last Griever had stopped in time, digging its metal spikes into the hard ground and hung on tenaciously. It swayed back and forth on the verge of falling. They looked at each other.

Cassandra drew out her knife and sent it flying through the air at the Griever. It lodged itself deeply in the creature's neck and it lifted its front legs, squealing angrily as it slipped further down. Thomas and Minho pushed themselves off the ground, ran forwards and kicked at it. There was another shrill cry as the Griever soared over the precipice.

Thomas scrambled to the edge and peered over to take a look but they were already gone. Breathing heavily, he laid down and drew his knees up to his chest. A moment later, his body shook as he started to sob.

Cassandra exchanged a glance with Minho as the both of them stumbled backwards into the wall and slid down to the ground at the same time. She put her head between her arms and tried to catch her breath.

Dawn started to peek out, sending out a dusky glow that settled over them. For once, it actually warmed her skin. Somewhere in the distance, she heard a long groaning rumble that announced the opening of the Doors. She looked up at the pale dark blue sky and closed her eyes.

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