The Inventor

Chapter Twenty Two; "You weren't going home"

     It felt good to run again, skidding around corners and racing down corridors. Minho wasn't as strict with time, letting it go lax, knowing the short route today could be made up for tomorrow.

     "Explore one new corridor and then head back?" Minho asked you and the greenie.

     "Two," You bargained.

     "One," He countered.

     "Three."

     "One."

     "Four."

     "One."

     "Five."

     "Two."

     "Deal."

     He thought for a moment, "Wait hold on, that's what you said."

     "Two it is, let's get moving, stay behind Minho greenie, make sure no terrifying grievers eat Minho's butt," You teased him.

     "I always had a feeling they were looking at my butt."

     You snorted and led the way, hopping instead of running, switching to jog backwards and sending Minho a wink. He rolled his eyes but flushed slightly.

     You didn't notice it then how the sky darkened, the tall walls casting out the sun and turning it all to a dull grey mess. You didn't care, it didn't scare you, the sun would start to go down, it seemed all was well.

     Then you stopped, your feet planted in the ground and felt it tremble, just slightly. You stopped Minho and the newbie.

     "Might have to turn back," You told them, "It doesn't seem safe, the ground is beginning to shake."

     Minho paused, nodding when he felt it too, "Good catch, better safe than sorry, got that greenie? Better paranoid and alive then dead."

     "And Minho is totally super wise like that, pulls phrases out of his butt like magic," You said with a straight face.

     "Shush you," He swatted your shoulder and the greenie spoke up.

     "Are you two both the keeper of the runners because you're together?" He asked.

     "You and Minho looked at eachother, then back at the greenie."

     "Sort of?" Minho looked at you for approval and you shrugged, "We created it together, we are the only two that ever survived this place overnight. Makes us the elite."

     "I'm smarter, I'm the reason he's alive," You added.

     "Yes you are," He agreed shamelessly, "I'm the better runner and training greenies though."

     "Exactly, we just mesh well, work together. Get that?"

     "Got that," The greenie confirmed.

     "Good, then lead us back to the glade, let's see if your klunk head was paying attention." He clapped the boy on the shoulder and he started running eagerly.

     He only made it five steps ahead of you when the floor disappeared from under him and he fell with a screech.

     Minho gripped your shirt and ran backwards as the ground fell away into a dark bottomless pit, thick ivy falling down the sides. It looked endless, like the cliff but pure black.