First Time For Everything (Book 1)

Chapter 8: Oh, Come On!!

(Phillip's POV)

Dang it, Maddie!! You know I hate mazes!! Why on earth did she build a freaking maze out of ice?!?!

"Dang, she was determined to keep us out."
Mary's voice echoed down the hall. She's not wrong.......... but she sure is hot. Maddie, Sven, Erica, and Dmitri know that I like Mary, and they tease me bout it. So do our older brothers. Well, except Vincent. He'd lose it if he found out. I look at Erica, her petite form shivering. I take off my winter coat and put it around her.

"Th-Thanks Ph-Ph-Phillip......"
Erica chattered through her teeth, a small smile on her face.

"Welcome. Besides, I've swam in water colder than this so I don't need my coat. You, now you do."
I smiled. I bumped into something soft, silky, and smelt like honey. Mary's hair. No, I'm not a stalker! Something creaked, and then a SLAM!! Dust flew everywhere. Once it settled, there was a wall that had separated us. Mary and Scott were with me, but Mike and Erica weren't. I put my ear up against the wall.

"Mike!! Erica!! Can you hear me?!"
I shouted, hoping for a response.

"Yeah, we can!!"
Mike's voice replied. Thank God. Next thing I knew, a wall to my right slid open to reveal a secret passage way.

"We'll meet up with you at the end of the maze!!"
Mary called out to Erica and Mike, then ran into the passage. Scott and I followed. After a little bit, we found a giant statue of a grinning monkey holding a huge, green gem. A pillar next to us read "Green, you may proceed. Red, your movement must heed."

"Dang it, Maddie!! You know I hate riddles!!"
I complained. Scott was as confused as me while Mary facepalmed.

"Guys, it's like Red Light, Green Light."
Mary grunted. Then I noticed something.

"Holy crap!! Maddie has this one game where you can play as some princess you can dress up like a doll. It was Disney. One of the games in the Agrabah world was just like this!!"
I exclaimed. Mary and Scott both raised eyebrows in unison.

"What? She played it a lot when ever I go over to visit."
I crossed my arms. The three of us start to walk forward as the gem in the monkey's hands started glowing green. We made it a few feet before we froze as the monkey turned around. There was a second monkey with a really ticked off looking face, an enormous, glowing ruby in palm of his hands. I started to sweat. The monkeys kept switching until we reached the door out of this place.

"Finally!!"
I ran into the hallway with Mary and Scott. We skidded to a stop. The hall had split into two ways.

"Crap!! Why do we have to keep splitting up?!?!"
Mary growled with annoyance. I start going down the left path.

"Phillip, wait!!"
Mary chased after me. Then a BAM!! filled the air. I whipped my head around and saw that a wall had crashed down and blocked our way back.

"Phillip!! Mary!!"
Scott exclaimed behind the wall.

"Don't worry, bro. We're fine. Take the other path and the two of us will meet up with you and everybody else."
I said. Footsteps could be heard as Scott dashed down the hall to the right. Mary and I kept walking down the hall to get the crap out of here.

(Erica's POV)

Mike and I walked down the hall to find the way to the cabin. It was awkward since we started walking. I cleared my throat and broke the silence.

"Mike, I've been meaning to ask you: Why were you so mad that Maddie wouldn't listen to you about hiding her powers?"
I asked sheepishly. Mike tensed up, but didn't stop walking. He remained silent for a minute, but sighed and relaxed.

"I....... I was just trying to protect her...... Her powers could get her into some serious trouble........"
Mike explained. I should have known. Knowing Mike, he would do anything to protect Maddie. Just like Fritz and Vincent would do anything to protect me and Mary.

"I'm not sure if she's gonna want to forgive me after keeping that secret from her.........."
Mike sighed sadly.

"Mike, she's your sister. Of course she'll forgive you."
I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Mike looked at me and smiled.

"You're right....... Now I see why Maddie sees you as a sister she never had....."
Mike ruffled my hair. Maddie sees me as her sister? Oh my gosh........ We gotta find her!! I stopped dead in my tracks. Right in front of us was an enormous blob of snow...... And it looked like it was breathing!! The blob rolled over and showed its face. It looked like a saber cat made out of snow and ice. Talk about channeling her inner Elsa. The tusks and claws looked like icicles, while the fur was snow. Reminds me of Marshmallow from Frozen. A podium to my right read "To get by, be quieter than a cello. To get past the sleeping cat known as Marshmallow."

"She named it after Elsa's Marshmallow?!"
I whisper-shouted. Mike didn't look very surprised. Well, this is Maddie we're talking about, here. I should have figured that she'd do that. Mike started to creep past the beast to the left while I tiptoed to the right. The beast started to stir. I froze. Then Marshmallow remained still. I bit my tongue to keep from screaming. Unfortunately, Mike screamed when he fell down a chute. Marshmallow's eyes fluttered open and he started to rise as his ears flicked slightly. I felt like I was going to throw up. I sat completely still. The giant snow-cat combination sniffed the chute Mike fell in, then laid down and fell asleep once again. I bolted for the door and slammed it shut. I felt my heart trying to hop out of my chest. Even though that's not scientifically possible. I start to keep walking.

I'm all alone and terrified........ Also hungry.