EQAO

Chapter 21 - Labyrinth

I didn't die. That was a start. In fact, I actually felt better than I'd felt for a long time. That smoothie must've really done the trick. Suddenly, I felt the strong urge to get up and attack something, no, someone. I shook myself, clearing my head. Slowly, I got up, and looked for my friends. I spotted them in a corner, and went over to them. They watched me approach, all with bloodshot eyes and blank faces.

"Must win." Michelle mumbled.

"Must be the only one left." Sameera murmured.

"Must kill." Anika said without expression.

"Must kill Jessica." Kat narrowed her eyes at me.

What was wrong with them?

"Kat!" I said to her, "What are you talking about?"

All my friends stood up very abruptly, looking at me intently. Then, they swiftly walked away. I stared at them, bewildered.

"They'll be fine."

I jumped. Collin was standing beside me.

"Probably just upset about something. They'll come around in a while."

His words didn't make sense, but I felt calmness wash over me, and I felt myself nodding. The announcer's voice boomed all through the room,

"If you have drank your nutrients, stand behind your empty glass."

I shifted back to where I had drank the 'nutrients'.

"Brace yourselves."

As soon as he'd finished speaking, I felt the floor underneath my feet vanish, and I started falling. Except, I was more sliding then falling. I was sliding down what felt like a long, rubber tube. The experience would've been enjoyable, but I was fearful for the end of it.

After what felt like a several hours, I landed on my shaking feet. My knees immediately buckled, and I fell forward. Surprisingly, the ground felt soft. I looked down, and saw that I had fallen onto lush, green grass. I lifted my head to find that I was surrounded my tall, thorny bushes. They were at least ten feet high, and I felt tiny in comparison. The headless voice seemed to be coming from all around me,

"Your objective is to reach the end, but there will be many obstacles. The first two people there, must duel to survive."

That seems pointless.

"Go!"

I started off at a sprint towards an opening in the bushes. Soon, I reached a fork in the road.

Left or right? Let's always choose left when we can.

I darted to the left, and leaped over a pile of suspicious vines. I almost fell into a pit that was too large for me to jump over. The only way over was a metal horizontal ladder that was attached to the bushes.

I never was good at monkey bars...

I held onto the first rung, and pulled. Nothing happened. I carefully lifted my feet off the ground, my hands already starting to hurt. I used one hand to grab the next rung, and as quickly as I could, I managed to reach the other side. I let go of the ladder once I was above ground, and looked down at my aching, stiff hands. I raised my head, and couldn't process what was happening, until Sameera slammed into me.