Twisted Revenge

Chapter 4: The First Round

The first round was a blindfolded maze. Rain's instructions were clear: Jennie had to navigate the maze within ten minutes, guided only by Rain's cryptic hints broadcasted through the speakers.

With trembling hands, Jennie tied the blindfold around her eyes, plunging herself into total darkness. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat a loud reminder of the stakes. "You have ten minutes to find your way out," Rain's voice echoed ominously through the room. "Good luck."

Jennie stumbled forward, her hands outstretched, feeling for any obstacles. The room was a labyrinth of unseen barriers, and every misstep sent her crashing into something painful. The air was thick with tension, and the silence was punctuated only by the sound of her ragged breathing and the occasional thud of her colliding with the maze's walls."Turn right," Rain's voice crackled through the speakers. Jennie hesitated, trying to determine the direction Rain meant. She turned to her right and shuffled forward, her hands grazing the rough surface of the wall. Her fingertips brushed against splinters, causing her to flinch and pull back. As she moved, Jennie encountered her first significant obstacle—a series of hanging ropes that dangled from the ceiling like sinister vines. They were deceptively soft to the touch but entangled her arms and legs as she tried to push through. The ropes wrapped around her like tentacles, and every movement seemed to tighten their grip. She struggled to free herself, twisting and turning, her frustration mounting with each passing second.

"Stay calm," Rain's voice advised, though it sounded more mocking than helpful. Jennie took a deep breath and slowly untangled herself, carefully pushing the ropes aside. Her progress was slow, each step feeling like a monumental effort.Suddenly, Jennie's foot struck something hard and unyielding. She stumbled, barely catching herself before she fell. Bending down, she felt the cold, metallic surface of a low barrier—a horizontal bar stretching across the path. She gingerly stepped over it, her legs shaking from the effort. As she straightened up, she collided with another barrier at waist height, causing her to gasp in pain.

Rain's voice returned, offering another vague hint. "There's a narrow passage to your left. Find it." Jennie extended her hands to the left, her fingers brushing against a narrow opening between two walls. She squeezed through, feeling the rough surfaces scrape against her arms. The passage was so tight that she had to shuffle sideways, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she fought off a rising sense of claustrophobia.Emerging from the narrow passage, Jennie found herself in a more open area, but the obstacles were far from over. Her hands encountered a series of uneven steps—some tall, some short—forcing her to navigate carefully to avoid falling. She climbed over them, her muscles protesting with each movement. Her knees were scraped and bruised from her earlier tumbles, and every step sent jolts of pain through her body.

"You're running out of time," Rain's voice warned. Jennie's heart sank as she realized how little progress she had made. Desperation clawed at her, urging her to move faster, but her fear of the unseen obstacles held her back. She moved forward, her hands constantly searching for the next barrier. A sudden jolt of pain shot through her as she walked into a low-hanging beam. Stars exploded behind her closed eyelids, and she stumbled backward, disoriented. Tears welled up in her eyes, mingling with sweat and trickling down her cheeks. She pressed on, her determination battling against her growing exhaustion and fear.

"Turn right again," Rain's voice commanded. Jennie obeyed, but her foot caught on another hidden barrier, sending her sprawling to the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of her, and for a moment, she lay there, gasping for breath. Her mind raced, trying to remember Rain's instructions, but the pain and disorientation made it difficult to focus.With a groan, Jennie pushed herself up, her legs trembling. She continued forward, each step a painful reminder of her failure to anticipate the next obstacle. The minutes ticked by, each one a dagger of anxiety stabbing into her heart.

"Time's up," Rain announced, her voice devoid of any emotion. "You failed."Jennie ripped off the blindfold, her eyes wide with terror and tears streaming down her face. The sudden flood of light was blinding, and she squinted against it, her vision blurry. "Please, Rain, give me another chance," she pleaded, her voice breaking. Rain's smile was cold and unforgiving. "There are no second chances. Move on to the next round."Defeated, Jennie wiped her tears with the back of her hand, her body aching from the ordeal. She took a deep breath, trying to steel herself for whatever horrors the next round would bring. She knew she had no choice but to continue, no matter how hopeless it seemed.