Whisky's eyes dropped, and he whispered, "Sorry," his voice laced with a calm, gentle sadness. He turned away, his footsteps echoing as he distanced himself from the others.
Sarah instinctively followed, but Linda intervened, her arm gently blocking Sarah's path.
"What's wrong?" Sarah asked, concern etched on her face.
Linda's voice was barely above a whisper. "Right now, he needs some space. He needs to think."
"I think we should think too," Linda continued, a faint smile on her lips. "You know, analyze the situation we're in."
Whisky lay down on the floor beside the blocked path, facing the wall, his left hand tucked under his head. Linda settled against a nearby wall, sitting down with her back against it. Sarah followed, resting beside her, her head nestled on Linda's shoulder. The three friends closed their eyes, their minds focused on deciphering the cryptic clue.
Linda's thoughts swirled in frustration. "Why did it have to be our school? Life's not fair, that's for sure. It feels like an eternity since I've seen the sun rise and set in the west, the stars twinkling in the sky, and the moon shining bright at night."
"This game is relentless, with deadly sections lurking around every corner. To navigate this maze, we desperately need a map... but where do we find it?"
"Kacey always says the clue is often right in front of us. We carry it with us, think about it, and struggle to decipher its meaning. What do we have that's right in front of us?"
Sarah's thoughts drifted to the unpredictability of life. "Life is full of twists and turns, and for me, it's been a rollercoaster. Losing my mom, my dad remarrying, and gaining two step-sisters. And now, being held captive at school, witnessing deaths, and forced to play these deadly games... it's been a never-ending nightmare."
She shook her head, trying to shake off the negative thoughts. "No, stop it, Sarah. Don't think like that. Whisky would be thinking positively right now. I know him - he'd be saying, 'We're still in this, we can do it.'"
Whisky's thoughts were a jumbled mix of memories. "The room with unpredictable gravity, where our bodies were tossed around like ragdolls, breaking bones and shattering hope. Then the Musical Guns, where bullets rained down on us, punishing those who failed to secure a spot. And the ventilation shaft explosion... each scene was a brutal test, devoid of clues. Except for that one moment when I ripped off the sheet, revealing a cryptic message on the map. We only used that map once, but it might hold the key to our survival."
EPISODE 13: BEYOND THE WALLS
A wide smile spread across Whisky's face, illuminating his features. He sprang to his feet, then settled into a cross-legged position, his eyes sparkling with excitement. A low, throaty chuckle escaped his lips, breaking the silence. Linda and Sarah opened their eyes, curious about the sudden outburst.
"What's with the creepy laugh?" Linda asked, a hint of amusement dancing on her lips.
Whisky tapped his temple with his finger, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. "Being proud of my ideas," he said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Haa, being proud?" she teased.
Linda, however, noticed something in Whisky's demeanor that gave her hope. "From the looks of it, he's got something," she thought to herself, a small smile playing on her lips.
Linda stood up, her movements fluid, with Sarah following suit. "What've you got, playboy?" Linda asked, her tone laced with curiosity.
"Sarah, do you still have that map?" Whisky asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
Sarah looked puzzled for a moment before her face lit up. "You mean the one from Section 1?"
Whisky nodded eagerly.
Sarah nodded, patting her pocket. "Yeah, I still have it." She carefully pulled out the crumpled map, smoothing it out as she handed it to Whisky.
Linda and Sarah approached Whisky, who was seated cross-legged on the floor. Linda sat down in front-side of him, while Sarah knelt, forming a triangle with their positions. Sarah carefully unfolded the map, laying it out on the floor, revealing the sections they had navigated: 1, 2, 3, and 4 – THE MAZE.
"What you see in front is never real," Whisky said, his voice filled with conviction, "but the secret is always behind."
Linda's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's it, Whisky! The clue, our guide, is hidden beneath the this map!"
Sarah was the only one who hadn't grasped the situation, but she saw the excitement shared between Whisky and Linda. She tried to piece together what was happening, but couldn't keep up.
"Bingo!" Whisky exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement. He took the map from Sarah and carefully made a small tear. As he peeled back the top layer, a thin paper slipped out, revealing a new map beneath. The paper displayed a complex maze with multiple roads, some blocked, and only one exit.
Sarah's eyes widened in shock. "Is this...the map of the maze?"
Whisky nodded confidently. "Yeah, this is it. The map of the maze."
Sarah's gaze shifted to Whisky, who still exuded hope and confidence. A thought crossed her mind: "Whisky, you've done it again."
___
"It's been ten whole minutes, Fay, I think we should get moving," Mike said, growing impatient.
"How can we move out if we don't have the clue?" Fay shot back. "Besides, it's only been seven and a half minutes."
They stood in a small, identical room to Whisky's, with a gigantic, bold, blue letter 'C' emblazoned on the walls.
"How did you know the time?" Mike asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
Fay smirked. "Because I have a compass with a timer, dummy."
"Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that," Mike said. "Yeah, I know, Fay, but what if we don't find the clue we need to enter the maze? Maybe we'll get lucky and find the exit."
Fay shook her head. "That would be a massive miracle. To navigate a maze, we need a map."
Mike muttered softly to himself, "A map, huh?" He glanced up at the ceiling, then suddenly shouted, "Hey, jackass! The guy with the mic!"
The intercom crackled to life. "What?" a gruff voice responded.
Mike's expression turned serious. "Can you repeat the clue again?"
He received a stern response. "You've asked too many times. If you don't get it now, you never will."
Mike hesitated, then asked, "Just do me a favor, one last time."
The response was firm but slightly yielding. "Okay, kid, this is the last time. Here's the clue again:
'Reuse the past to unlock the way.
A familiar guide, in a new display.
A building's secret, once revealed to sight,
Now holds the key to the maze's plight.
Peel back the layer, transparent and thin,
And the map to the maze shall be locked within.'"
Mike thought to himself, "The past holds the answer. The map from Section 1, the building's secret, now holds the key to the maze. I need to peel back the layers, just like Whisky did when he revealed the ventilation shaft. If I do that, I'll uncover the maze map."
Mike's eyes locked onto Fay. "Fay, do you have the map? It's our key."
Fay's response made Mike's jaw drop. "Nah, I think Sarah has it."
Mike's face contorted in frustration. "Damnit! I finally figured out the clue, and now we don't have the map. Screw this world!"
"Mike, if the map is the key and we don't have it, I think we need to move forward," Linda said, a wide smile spreading across her face as she closed her eyes. "Maybe a huge miracle is going to happen."
Whisky and Linda had already entered the maze, navigating through its complex hallways. They stood at a crossroads, surrounded by multiple paths. Their strategy was to choose one direction together, but if they disagreed, they would default to the last option.
Mike suddenly froze, his gaze fixed on something invisible. Fay noticed the change and asked, "What's wrong?"
Mike remained silent for a moment, his eyes locked on Fay's. Then, in a low, serious tone, he spoke words that caught Fay off guard:
"I know this may sound crazy, but...Fay...I love you."
Fay's eyes dropped, her mind reeling. Was Mike joking? But as she glanced back up, she saw only sincerity in his eyes.
"Mike, you don't understand the situation we're in," Fay said, her voice laced with concern.
But Mike cut her off, his tone tinged with desperation. "I do. What if we're going to die? We should be exchanging last words."
Fay's expression turned introspective. "My last words would be... when I grow up, I want to invent something big. Something that will shock and help the world. Those are my dreams – to be an inventor."
Mike's eyes widened in surprise, but not because Fay wanted to be an inventor – her tech skills were well-known, and she had been an active member of the robotics club. What shocked Mike was that Fay had completely ignored his dire prediction.
"Fay, what's that supposed to mean?" Mike asked, his voice tinged with confusion.
"It means," she said in a calm, gentle voice, "my last words aren't 'I love you'."
Mike's face fell as he realized what she was saying – he had been rejected.
"Ahhhaaaaa!" he shouted, clutching his heart. "It hurts, it hurts! The pain!"
Fay's expression changed from calm to concerned. "Wait, Mike, are you crying?" she asked.
Mike quickly composed himself, trying to save face. "No!" he said, forcing a laugh. "It's just something got in my eye."
Mike's earlier outburst had given way to calmness. "Alright, Fay, if we get out of this terrifying place... we're going on a date," he said, a hint of a smile on his face.
Fay's response was straightforward. "Okay, Mike, I'll go on a date with you."
As they continued moving side by side, they shared stories, their conversation flowing easily. Suddenly, Mike collided with someone.
"Ow!" he cried out, rubbing his forehead. When he looked up, he immediately recognized the person who had bumped into him.
"Kacey?"
"Mike, were you crying?" Kacey asked, in a teasing voice.
Crystal and Carter emerged from the shadows, joining Kacey. Mike hastily composed himself.
"No, I wasn't crying. Something just got in my eye," Mike replied, attempting to brush off the moment.
Crystal's gaze narrowed. "I don't see a map. Are you navigating the maze without one?"
Mike rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Sarah has the map, and we're on the same team."
Carter remained eerily silent, his eyes fixed intently on the moving mouths.
Kacey clapped his hands together. "Okay, let's move, guys!"
*___
"NEXT TIME: RACE AGAINST TIME"