The Maze

Everyone tends to lose themselves in the Maze. Not many people make it out, and the ones who do are never the same. For this very reason, the majority of the citizens of Murkgate didn't take part. This challenge was reserved for the desperate and/or idiotic.

Frankie was not an exception. The debt her family carried for centuries was all too consuming. Her family risked losing their house if she couldn't succeed. Although knowing what was at stake, apprehension, and doubt were taunting her.

To her left was a scrawny male. He had dirty blond hair, and his pale complexion was accentuated due to the blood draining from his face in utter fear.

A younger girl, probably no more than fifteen stood no higher than her breasts, or lack thereof. The girl's auburn hair was pulled back into a sloppy bun. Her crystal blue eyes were frantic, and Frankie couldn't help but wonder what brought her here of all places. She thought there was no way the innocent girl would survive the brutality of the Maze.

Nine other individuals stood around. One of which was massive. His biceps alone were the same circumference as his head. The veins popping from his forehead creeped her out. She made a note to stay out of his way.

Another woman was staring intensely at the vast greenery stretching out miles. Her green eyes didn't blink once. Frankie wondered what she could have been planning, but she knew she couldn't trust her no matter what.

Before she could eye anyone else up, a booming voice echoed over them. “Ladies and Gentleman…” Frankie saw a dark face appear out of the Maze. “Welcome, welcome, welcome! I hope we are all ready to have fun!” She gulped before he continued. “Shall we begin with some ground rules?”

“Wait! I thought there were no rules?” A young man, who seemed to be in his early twenties, inquired. His toned arm shot up in the air.

“Don't you worry? I only have one rule.” Everyone stared at the shadowy figure in anticipation. The apprehension thickened the air, making Frankie’s breathing more labored. “There are twelve of you participating in this year's Maze. There are typically many more applicants which is why I allow for multiple winners, but because of the lack of willing participants, I've decided on something new.”

“What?! That's so unfair,” a small blond teenager complained, placing her hand on her hip.

“QUIET! I do not care about your opinion, little girl,” the shadow spat. “Now, I have decided that since there are so few competitors, only one shall be permitted to win.” Gasps littered the air from pure shock. “The only exception is if no one succeeds.” His laugh haunted the space.

“Why are you doing this? Why make it harder?” The small blonde teenager whined once again. Frankie rolled her eyes. She didn't like the rule any more than anyone else, but she couldn't help feeling like fighting it would make things much worse for her.

Frankie knew she made the correct decision keeping her mouth shut when the shadowy figure appeared behind her, snapping her neck in a fluid motion. The blonde limply fell to the ground with a thud. “Holy shit!” the scrawny man on her left let out before frantically covering his mouth with his right hand. The shadowy figure eyed him but must have decided he wasn't worth his energy.

“When I call your name, enter. I will be going in no particular order…” He paused. “May!” the teenager from the right of her stepped forward. She was shaking, and Frankie wanted to reach out to her and comfort her. She knew she couldn't, though. The girl may have been a competitor, but her heart and sense of right and wrong were betraying her.

“Tamera…” No one moved. “Ah.” The shadowy figure glanced at the corpse and then continued. “Markham…” the boy who questioned the shadowy figure earlier strode towards the Maze, not looking back for a second.

“Vivienne…” A tall, slender woman with jet black, silky hair hauled forward. The next few names, Frankie watched as each entered. The shadow announced their names as “Tera… Dean… Penny… Melody… Barney… Gregory.”

The last opponent other than her was the giant man. “Warner…” He left Frankie all alone. “Frankie.” She moved forward and entered. There was a jolt that shocked her then she was surrounded by nothing but a green Maze stretching in every direction.

She couldn't see anything hinting the direction to go, so she went right. The vines and roots spreading towards her and snatching her ankles clued her to realize she had chosen wrong. Frankie grasped at the vines twisting tighter and tighter. She felt her skin start to rip underneath the death grip.

Her breathing quickened, and her movements became more frantic as they started dragging her towards the greenery. She began to feel as though this was where her journey ended. How sad that she couldn't even make it five minutes.

Her eyes, filling with tears, started to blur so much with frustration, desperation, and slightly from the pain that she didn't even notice the knife fly in her direction, severing the vines enveloping her ankles. She may not have seen it, but she felt the sweet release. Her body hauled away, sprinting the other direction.

Frankie made it several hundred yards without stopping to catch her breath. This is when she noticed someone was pursuing her. She jolted in surprise, still trying to catch her breath. They were in an open area, clearly a dead end. “Fuck,” Frankie whispered inaudible. This is where she was going to die was running in her brain over and over, and the knife her stalker held in his hands only cemented that idea in her mind.

“Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you,” the man explained. “I want to help.”

Frankie frowned, confused to say the least. “Why?” She was short with him.

“I think we can help each other,” the man seemed to be pleading for her to listen. “Look, I don't know if you remember me or not, but I remember you.”

Frankie just stood there, urging him to continue.

“Look, both of us know for a fact this Maze is more than just physical… its mental too.” His gaze hardened. “You were in my class last year. You were the smartest one in there!” His statement sparked something in Frankie to remember him.

“Barney! Oh my God!” Frankies eyes widened in shock. The boy she remembered in class was so petite his clothes were always baggy on him. His hair used to be long. Now, the boy was only recognizable to her due to his face being completely the same but clear from acne now. He filled his shirt out now with his toned arms.

“Yup! That's me!” He flipped the knife in the air and caught it from the blade end.

“So you're proposing a brain and brawn kinda alliance then?” Frankie questioned.

“Exactly!” Barney exclaimed. “Look, some of these competitors are no joke. We'd fair better if we worked together.”

“But what about…” Frankie started, but Barney cut her off.

“If it comes down to you and me, then we hash it out then, but lets face it, there's no way either of us survive long enough without helping eachpther out.” He made a good point in Frankie’s mind.

“Ok, then lets get moving,” Frankie suggested.

They walked for hours, both of them had their senses on full alert. Frankie used the knife Barney had given her to fight off the vines that sprung out of the shrubs from time to time. Then they came to a circular clearing.

“What the fuck! What do we do now?” Barney threw his hands up in resentment.

“I guess we turn back and go the other way?” Frankie proposed, feeling exhausted.

“Why would you turn around when you could play a little game with me?” A creepy voice reverberated around the space, sending trickles of electricity throughout Frankie’s body.

The duo turned around to face the voice. A small creature stood at two feet tall only a couple yards from them. Barney whispered to Frankie “don't trust this one. It’s an imp.”

Frankie was astonished. Imps were rare, mischeivious tiny devils. This one had twisting horns picking out from the m the top of his head. The bat wings were disturbing, but the sharp teeth protruding in multiple directions was the cherry on top. The yellow tinged teeth, the same color as its claws. Its blood shot eyes stared them down eagerly. No doubt waiting to sink its teeth into their flesh.

“What do you want, Demon?” Barney confronted.

“Ah, I surely just wanted to help you poor lost souls.” Its grin widened unnaturally. “I’ll show you the way.” He raised his hand, and three doors appeared. “I’ll give you a hint, one door will bring you a step closer to the end but beware. You pick the wrong door, you end up in front of a deadly beast or maybe another competitor.”

“How do we know which is which?” Frankie stressed.

Then the imp started chanting.

“Choose wisely, mortals, for you have a choice.

Each door, a portal to the unknown.

Behind one door lies a beast.

Obsideon claws and jaws awaiting to tear flesh,

Its stomach a bottomless pit.

You will hear no sound before the horror,

No roar nor bellow you will know.

Just the rustle and whisper of death will linger.

Behind another will lead you astray.

Another competitor you will join.

You'll fair no chance,

Only an echo of your absence will remain.

Me however, entertained by your choice.

The last door will lead you right.

Listen to your gut, your instincts are true.

If you stop and listen, you will be rewarded.

If you fail, you know the risks.”

“Follow our gut? Really?” Barney turned to Frankie.. “What kind of stupid bullshit…” He shook his head violently.

Frankie, however, couldn't help but feel a pull, like gravity. Her feet moved out of their own volition bringing her in front of the middle door. She brought her hand to the handle, but felt the flesh blister under intense heat.

Without thinking, Barney followed her, touching the handle, but nothing happened. Frankie stopped him as he began to turn the handle. “This isn't the one,” she clarified.

“What? How do you know?” He asked incredulously.

“I… just do.” She glided to the next door. This one felt different, darker. There was something off. She even saw the imp giggle as if nudging her to open it. She figured she better not if a legit devil was encouraging it.

The last door felt off as well, but Frankie couldn't pin point exactly why. This one at least didn't burn her nor did the imp seem all to excited. “This one?” She claimed.

“I hope this works,” Barney pleaded.

The step through was nauseating, but they were transported to what seemed like simply a different part of the Maze. “Do you suppose we picked correctly?” Frankie asked.

“You picked perfectly!” A gruff voice taunted.

“Shit,” the duo said in sync.

The two turned around in time for Barney to dodge a hook. The competitor, was lean, but had bulging biceps. The sweat flung off in multiple dirctions as he sent punch after punch, a couple landing harshly on Barney’s face. She watched as the inflammation and bruising set in almost immediately.

Then something else stirred behind her. The rustle of the leaves was unmistakeable. She spun on her heels and had to dive to her right, narrowly missing a knife thrown at her head. She felt blood trickle down her neck, realizing the knife must have knicked her ear.

The competitor, who she recognized as the young teenager she spotted before the Maze had started, made an action to jump on top of her. Toaoidher, she kicked up, making contact with her ribs.