The Friendship of the Maze

Chapter 11

Averi-

I never had the chance to mourn or bury Rennee. I was brought to The Maze entrance by two guards sent by Warren. I couldn't say thank you to the Guard-master or say fair-well to Ruen. Nothing.

"So, how was your fight," Warren mused. "I'm very surprised that you passed. Oh and how that other girl saved you. The crowd loved it."

"Stop," I demanded. Does he have no heart? "Just stop," I breathed. The walls felt like they were closing in on me. "Tell me what I have to do next."

He chuckled, "I didn't think you would get so attached to that girl."

"But I did anyway," I choked out, "and you killed her." If I could see where Warren was he would be dead in a heartbeat.

"You're in a mood. I don't think you'll get anything this time." I stared at the wall. I couldn't feel anything but pain, pure pain. A complete longing to die. It should have been me, not her. If only I had fought harder. Warren added nothing more but opened a wall for me. I disappeared into it and the door shut behind me. The familiar moss-covered brick wall did nothing to comfort me. I felt like I was going to suffocate like all the air was being drawn from my lungs. I thought over Rennee's last words 'Do it for Cade, but do not lose yourself'. My hand strayed to the sword hilt at my waist. I will use her gift of life and weapon to protect not kill for entertainment. I will win. I will make a difference. When I couldn't keep my eyes open and my feet wouldn't take another step I collapsed into a heap. Wrapping myself in a blanket I tried to cry, I needed to cry but no tears came. As my eyelids drooped I said in my mind, hold out a little longer Cade.

Slowly I stretch my aching arms. Every move I make brings more pain. My attention went to my face. I had managed to clean the laceration well. I was fortunate that my eye was untouched. I tended to my bruises as I watched a pot of water boil for stew. I hate stew and soup but there is no other way to eat out here in The Maze. Frying takes too much time and besides what would I fry? All there is to eat is stew. Who likes to drink their food? Stew is so gross. My body had cuts and bruises on every limb. I pressed on my ribs and winced, I think a few have broken. I paused my stirring to say a quick prayer for Cade's survival. I drank all the stew as fast as I could and cleaned up the best I could but I was a mess. Do I care? A bath impossible, my hair forgotten, my teeth neglected. I sighed. I missed Rennee already and nothing I do will ever bring her back.

The sun was shining as Warren told me my challenge though I wasn't feeling sunny. My eyes were downcast, my shoulders were drooped. Nothing could cheer me up or make me forget the events of yesterday.

"OK," Warren started, "I know you're mad that your friend died but death and those games keep my people under control. They like them so one opinion won't change anything." I stared at the wall. I'm not surprised. It's people like Warren who ruin worlds and upset governments. I felt my sword hilt with my hand. I had reluctantly left my bow behind since I had no more arrows or the currency to acquire more. Rennee had spent it all on armor because we didn't know if we would have the opportunity to spend it anywhere else. Fighting with Warren won't help me.

"You know I liked you better when you were full of energy and passion," Warren commented. "Now you look very... dead." That's it. I was done holding back.

"The only reason I am less lively is because you killed it," I shakily whisper.

"Do you still not understand," Warren asked without wanting an answer. I shook my head. I missed my friends and having someone to talk to. "Prepare your mind for this next challenge you will need it." I spun around seeing if anything had changed, now he had my attention.

Warren continued, "Every key, combination, and clue may be used once. If you cheat you shall be eliminated. You have one hour to escape the room." An escape room. I can do this. I love escape rooms even though they are truly challenging. But, my heart falls, I have always done them with Cade. Before me lay a pad of paper and a stubby pencil.

"They will assist you in your challenge," Warren explained. I didn't bother with a thank you. Grabbing the paper and pencil I headed to a wall. It opened and beyond it was a room without doors or windows. In the center of the room was an old-fashioned desk and chair. Lining the walls of this study were shelves of books. When I entered the room the entrance, behind me, slammed shut. The timer started to count down. 59:58, 59:57, 59:56, 59:55.

I took a quick inventory of the room in my head. I could see nothing out of the ordinary. It was an old study nothing more, well at least that I could see. Uh, 10 minutes had elapsed. I flipped open the notepad that I was given. I needed to be prepared. Then I saw that there written in black ink on the first page was written a series of random letters. Three in a row six in a column. I pulled out the chair from the desk and sat down. It was right in front of me. I placed my hands in front of me as I studied the clue. Turning to a blank page I tried unscrambling the letters to no avail. What if I read them down? No. The first line makes sense. It was the. But the second line was sed. Uh. Deep breath. I need to concentrate. Going down the first line made sense but not the second. What if I went down then up? The des kin doo rfi ve. Squish them together then separate the words. The desk in door five. I rubbed my hands over the wood. On the fifth door, I tugged a little and surprisingly it slid open easily. Inside the drawer was a white envelope. I tore open the envelope I found another clue written on a small white piece of paper. This time the letters were written in rows of five and columns of six. Also, three arrows pointed to different letters in different places. I quickly wrote down the letters that the arrows pointed to. Dicte ionyn arylen. Not quite. I looked over the clue again. It also had three comas that I did not notice earlier. I wrote down the letters to the comas. Ary dict ion. Ion ary dict. Dict ion ary. Dictionary! A dictionary. I gazed at the shelves of books surrounding me. 20 minutes left. I searched for the closest shelf. Then the next, and the next, until I had searched all the shelves with no sign of a dictionary. I failed. I failed Rennee. Now, I failed Cade. My shoulders slumped and I stood up from my search. Bumping into the desk all the books fell off. Oops. Hold on the dictionary was in the stacks on the desk. The stacks. I had forgotten to search the stacks of books on the desk. I am such a fool. I opened the red dictionary and a gold key fell out into my lap. When I say key, I mean a big key, like the ones used by pirates to lock their chests of gold. Also on the inside of the cover was written: under chair. With the key, I slid to my knees next to the chair. I found the keyhole near the back of the chair and unlocked something. Out fell a black crowbar that almost hit my face. Ten minutes left. What do I do with a crowbar? I thought to myself. It is time for my hint.

"Warren, my hint please."

"Underneath," came the reply.

"Underneath what?" No answer. That wasn't much help. What can you do with a crowbar that is underneath? The floor? I coughed as I pulled back the dusty embroidered rug. Sure enough near the desk beneath the rug was a large white x painted on the wood floor. With the crowbar, I pulled up the boards on the x, and under was a secret hatch. I pulled it open with all my renewed strength. I slid feet first into the pitch-black hole and guided myself with my hands on the walls. Going through my head the whole time was that I hoped nothing lived down here. To my relief, the tunnel opened out into The Maze where Warren waited for me with my latest gift. I won more food and continued on my way feeling energized from the victory but I still wanted out of there. I'm done with Warren, tired of the brick walls, tired of the cold dark. I miss my family and friends so much.