Time Maze

Doors Open Up

"Ariadne could have given us a few seconds head start before evicting anyone," Beor mumbled, staring down the barrel of a gun.

It was like no one could fully understand the monumental occasion that it was, too focused on the bloodlust that had become their way of life in the Maze. Their belief that only one person could be left standing was much stronger than anything else. It was thus, preventing their rational mind from catching up with current situation.

"Guys, you don't need to do this..." Sybil said, putting herself between Tyson and the gun.

Tyson, on his part, pulled Marcus behind him even though chances of protecting him were low.

"Sybil, you can move aside or die," the guy said through gritted teeth. "These guys are nothing but trouble. Whatever is happening right now, I bet that's their fault too. I will kill them one way or the other."

Sybil could tell that Mario was deadly serious, that there was nothing she could say that would change his mind. And for the first time, she regretted that Mario had been caught in the Maze with his gun. However, she never thought their best weapon would be turned against her. It was their source of protection, of security against the other volatile Mazers.

During their little standoff, the doors started shimmering and changing to match the year they came from with a neatly inscribed year on them. And while the other Mazers noticed them, Mario was too focused on his pointless crusade to see what he had been looking for such a long time.

"Ahem, guys, we can all kill each other. Or we can go home," Sybil said, pointing at the doors.

Hesitantly Mario shifted his focus from his targets to the strangely altered Stonehenge. In his anger, he had only then noticed that it was unlike any other place they had been to, that it was a blend of the old and modern technology.

Seeing the numbers on one door that reminded him of the front door of his house, Mario's hand started shaking. Then, he slowly lowered his gun with tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Then he wordlessly dropped the gun in shock and hurried through the door.

He didn't question it. He didn't hesitate.

The moment he was through, the door changed to a completely different style and color, one that drew the other Mazer's attention. It was as if every door was specially tailored for every individual.

"Beor, what's going on?" Sybil asked, having a vague idea of what it could mean.

"She is sending them all back where they came from. Not only the year but the exact place they were in when they were accidentally picked up," Beor said as more and more Mazers started disappearing through their doors.

"So, they are going home?" Tyson asked, his eyes lighting up with the hope that he thought was forever lost. "We can go home as well?"

"Yes, and yes. I don't see any reason why we wouldn't be sent back as well," Beor said with more confidence than Tyson dared to have after all the disappointments that they had suffered.

"Dude, I hope you're ready to get wet because if that's true, we are about to be spat up in that lake," Marcus said, shivering at the memory. "I can still remember how cold it was."

"Well, you should have thought about that before deciding to take a late-night swim!" Tyson snapped, his emotions off the rails as hope conflicted with fear. "So, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Wait," Sybil said, turning to them. "I am not sure if we'll ever see each other again. I want to thank you all for helping me get here. And I am sorry, Marcus, Tyson, for not seeing the error of my ways sooner, for not helping you sooner."