Panic was flying around the Glen as everyone stopped in front of the Doors. No one was sure why the Doors remained opened, but it couldn't be a good sign. At this point, we were now totally vulnerable to the Grievers and to whatever else was out there.

"Why aren't the Doors closing?" I asked.

"I don't know," Sonya replied. "But that's not good that they're still open. They shouldn't be."

BOOM!

Everyone screamed, covering our ears at the loud noise. Then, to everyone's surprise, another Door began to open up.

BOOM!

Another Door opened.

BOOM!

The final Door opened, the panic and anxiety increased for everyone.

Rachel tried to stay calm, looking at all of us. "Okay, we need some people to go to the Homebase and start barricading the doors!" Cora and some Planters left to get started. "Everyone else, grab every weapon that you can find, then meet at the Homebase!"

The Glenners all scattered around to get what we would all need. But before anyone got very far...

"GRIEVERS!" someone shouted.

A roaring sound echoed throughout the Glen, then to everyone's dismay, the creatures were now in plain sight.

"Everyone, hide!" Sonya screamed.

We all ran in different directions. I followed Rachel, Aris, Lillie, and some other Glenners to the Gardens where we hid in the fields. The growls of the Grievers were getting closer and closer as Rachel motioned us to be quiet. Before we knew it, a spike from one of the Grievers was above us, then it came down on us and grabbed Mary.

"Help me!" she shouted.

"Mary!" I shouted, trying to grab her, but the Griever took her before I made it to her.

We ran out of the Gardens and towards the Homebase. I spotted Beth, Gwyneth, and some other Glenners jumping inside the Box. The Grievers were all over the place, taking Glenners and devouring them. About halfway to the Homebase, a Griever jumped in the way of Lillie and I. Our hearts were about to pound out of our chests as the Griever got closer to us. Then, before it could attack us, a splash of fire hit it, engulfing the creature.

We looked over to see that Esther was the one that saved us. "Come on!" she yelled, grabbing us and running to the Homebase with us behind her.

"Hurry up! Get inside!" Cora screamed at us.

We were the last ones to enter inside the Homebase. Once we were in, Cora slammed the door shut, locking it behind her.

"Lock all of the doors!" Harriet ordered, coming down the stairs, checking behind everyone.

Suddenly, a Griever was pounding on the Homebase, more fear entering inside of us. We were trapped in the Homebase with no escape. I was conflicted whether or not we'd make it through the night. I began to breathe heavily, thinking about Mary and how I wasn't there for her in time to save her from the Griever. I felt the guilt come over me.

"You couldn't do anything to save her," Rachel told me.

"Yes, I could have," I replied, not looking at her. "I didn't get there in time to help her."

"Be quiet!" Sonya hissed.

So we all kept our mouths shut, breathing as quietly as we could. The Griever crawled around the Homebase, snarling and growling.

"Stay back, guys," Rachel whispered.

Everyone held their weapons up, ready to take on a fight, a fight that we would possibly lose. Nevertheless, deep down, the courage to fight was somewhere in all of us, despite the fear that we were still feeling. The Griever began to scuttle on the roof, trying to get inside the Homebase somehow. We all moved away from the sound of the Griever, getting to one side of the room. Then, a spike broke inside, looking for someone to grab.

"Get out of the way! It's going to have to go through me before it hurts any of you!" Esther shouted, standing in front of everyone, holding her weapon out.

But instead of taking anyone, the Griever took some of the poles that held up the Homebase, causing it to collapse on us. We all coughed and groaned as everything came toppling down on us.

"Is everyone okay?" Harriet asked all of us as we struggled to stand back up.

"Help! Someone, help me!" The pleas came from Amelia as she was trapped under the straw and wood of the Homebase.

"Grab her!" Rachel shouted as Esther and Cora went to grab her hand, but Amelia was already pulled out by the Griever, her screams pierced in my head.

Then, the Griever broke through the wall, right where I was standing at.

"Piper!" Rachel shouted, taking my hand as the Griever grabbed me. "Don't let go!"

"Really?!" I yelled back, trying to hang onto her hand.

Sonya, Harriet, Lillie, Maeve, Cora, and Aris all came to grab me, pulling as hard as they could back to the ground.

"Come on! Pull harder!" Aris yelled.

"Don't let her go!" Sonya ordered.

"You better not!" I retorted.

They all grunted as they struggled even more to get me out of the Griever's grasp. Just before all hope was lost, Esther intervened and used a long sword to cut off the spike of the Griever. After tackling numerous times, she finally broke it, resulting in me falling to the ground, scrambling to get the spike off of me.

"You okay?" Aris asked me, sounding concerned.

I nodded my head. "Yeah," I responded, taking his hand, letting him pull me back up. I looked over at Esther. "Thanks, Esther."

She breathed heavily, nodding her head. "You're welcome."

Rachel looked over and widened her eyes, shouting, "Esther, watch out!"

Before Esther could react, another Griever spike came crashing through, grabbing Esther. She held onto what was left of the roof, grunting and struggling to hold onto it.

"Grab her!" Cora shouted.

Rachel rushed to Esther and grabbed her hand. The ginger had a desperate look on her face as she attempted to pull Esther back down. "I got you, Esther!"

"Rachel!" she yelled. "Get them out!"

"What?"

"You promised! Keep your word and get my girls out of here!" With that, Esther gave Rachel and the rest of us one last look of farewell and let go of Rachel, her cries being the last thing we heard.

"No! Esther!" Rachel yelled, spinning around and rushing to get out of the Homebase.

"Rachel, don't go out there!" I protested.

But she went outside, anyway, followed by the rest of us. The whole Glen was in almost nothing but flames and smoke when we got outside. "Where's everyone?" Harriet asked.

"The Grievers took them, that's what," Cora replied.

We looked around and spotted more figures coming towards us. Storming our way was Beth, Gwyneth, and a few more Glenners. Beth was all red in the face, an angry look falling upon her.

"Beth--" Rachel began to say, but was cut off by Beth's punch. Rachel groaned and fell to the ground.

Everyone protested, holding down Beth as she lunged for Rachel again. "Look around, Rachel! This is all you!"

"Beth, back off!" Gwyneth shouted.

"Yeah, this isn't Rachel's fault!" Maeve added.

"You heard what Harriet said, Maeve! She's one of them!"

"What are you talking about?!" Cora yelled in confusion.

"I saw you, Rachel, in my damn memories! You're one of them and those Creators sent you here to destroy everything! Well, congratulations! You've caused all this shit! It's all your fault!"

"Beth, shut up!" I shouted, getting more and more pissed off. "None of this is Rachel's fault!"

"Yes, it is! Because of her, many of our friends have died! Nancy, Margaret, half of the sticking Builders are gone--"

"Stop!" Rachel yelled, getting everyone's attention. "Maybe Beth's right. I need to remember..." She grabbed the giant syringe needle that Lillie had in her hand and studied it carefully.

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Aris asked her.

"I need to remember..." she repeated, stabbing the syringe in her leg, groaning and falling to the ground.

"No!" Aris shouted, rushing to her side.

"Gwyn, get the Grief Serum!" Sonya ordered.

The Medic nodded her head and ran off to what was left of the Homebase. We all crowded around Rachel as she passed out, slowly closing her eyes, looking rather peaceful.

~~~~~~~

A/N: RIP Esther. You were a good Builder and friend. You will be missed.

Yeah, this chapter was crazy, wasn't it?

Song above is Devour by Shinedown.

Comment, vote, we're near the end of book 1!

-A