Page 40 (1/2)

Wait! Thomas called to her mind Are you sure you know the words?

She turned to him and scowled "I’--"

A loud bang from above and behind them cut her off, h the Griever Hole, appearing as if byhad retracted its spikes and arms to enter--when it landed with a squishy thu deadlier than ever

Tho out his spear as if that would ward it off "Just keep typing, Teresa!" he yelled

A skinnyinto a long appendage with three spinning blades, which ripped the end of his spear with both hands, squeezing tightly as he lowered the knife-laced point to the ground in front of him The bladed arm moved within two feet, ready to slice his skin to bits When it was just a foot away, Tho the spear up, around, and toward the ceiling as hard as he could It s in an arc until it slammed back into the body of the Griever The ry shriek and pulled back several feet, its spikes retracting into its body Thomas heaved breaths in and out

Maybe I can hold it off, he said quickly to Teresa Just hurry!

I’ain; it surged ahead and another are claws, snapping to grab the spear Tho every bit of strength into the attack The spear crashed into the base of the claws With a loud clunk, and then a squishing sound, the entire ar to the floor Then, from some kind of , piercing shriek and pulled back again; the spikes disappeared

"These things are beatable!" Thomas shouted

It won’t let me enter the last word! Teresa said in his , he yelled out a roar and charged ahead to take advantage of the Griever’shis spear wildly, he ju two metal arms away from him with a loud crack He lifted the spear above his head, braced his feet--felt the blubber--then thrust the spear down and into theover Thos as he drove the spear as far as it would sink into the thing’s body Then he released the hilt of the weapon and ju back to Chuck and Teresa

Thomas watched in sick fascination as the Griever twitched uncontrollably, spewing the yellow oil in every direction Spikes popped in and out of the skin; its re its own body Soon it began to slow, losing energy with every ounce of blood--or fuel--it lost

A few seconds later, it stopped ether Thomas couldn’t believe it He absolutely couldn’t believe it He’d just defeated a Griever, one of the monsters that had terrorized the Gladers for lanced behind hi there with eyes wide

"You killed it," the boy said He laughed, as if that one act had solved all their problems

"Wasn’t so hard," Tho away at the keyboard He knew i

"What’s the proble He ran up to look over her shoulder and saw that she kept typing the word PUSH over and over, but nothing appeared on the screen

She pointed at the dirty square of glass, elow of life "I put in all the words and one by one they appeared on the screen; then so beeped and they’d disappear But it won’t let !"

Cold filled Thomas’s veins as Teresa’s words sank in "Well … why?"

"I don’t know!" She tried again, then again Nothing appeared

"Thomas!" Chuck screa at the Griever Hole--another creature was h As he watched, it plopped down on top of its dead brother and another Griever started entering the Hole

"What’s taking so long!" Chuck cried frantically "You said they’d turn off when you punched in the code!"

Both Grievers had righted the toward them

"It won’t let us enter the word PUSH," Tho to think of a solution …

I don’t get it, Teresa said

The Grievers were co his will fade into blackness, Thomas braced his feet and held up his fists halfheartedly It was supposed to work The code was supposed to--

"Maybe you should just push that button," Chuck said

Thomas was so surprised by the random statement that he turned away fro at a spot near the floor, right underneath the screen and keyboard

Before he couldon her knees And consu hope, Thoet a better look He heard the Griever rab his shirt, felt a prick of pain But he could only stare

A small red button was set into the wall only a few inches above the floor Three black words were printed there, so obvious he couldn’t believe he’d missed it earlier

Kill the Maze

More pain snapped Thorabbed hi hione after Chuck and was just about to swipe at the kid with a long blade

A button

"Push!" Thoht possible for a hu to screa went perfectly silent Then, from so open