EQAO

Chapter 23 - I Open My Big Mouth

I can't make a run for it, because then they might be forced to kill themselves or something. I could try knocking them out, but would I be able to-

My thoughts were interrupted by Michelle yelling,

"Beluga whales!"

I wheeled around, worried that Michelle might've lost her mind.

"What? I'm sorry, but I really don't see how whales are super important right now."

"Look!" she said, pointing behind me.

I turned around, half expecting a giant whale to be crashing towards us. Instead, I saw Kat, Sameera, and Anika on the ground, unconscious.

"How...?"

"I remembered something." Michelle explained, "I remember waking up somewhere dark, and someone said 'beluga whales' to me, and I fainted."

I had no idea how to respond to that, so I just nodded.

"Hopefully, they'll be themselves again." Michelle said, going over to revive them.

I tucked my dagger away, and went to go help her. I called Anika's name, but she didn't stir. I tried yelling, shaking her, and tickling her, but nothing worked. Then, I slapped her as hard as I could on her cheek, and she winced. Her eyes fluttered open. As soon as she saw me, she sat bolt upright and exclaimed,

"Jessica! You're... I didn't..."

"I'm alright." I said soothingly, "Everything's okay."

Then Anika started crying in relief.

"Oh Jessica!" she sobbed, "I thought for sure we were going to kill you."

"Who did this to you?"

"I-I don't know. I just felt this sudden desire to-to..." she broke off.

"And then?" I prompted.

"Everything went black."

She suddenly looked around.

"Where are we?"

"In a maze. We have to get out of here as quickly as we can."

I looked up from Anika, and saw that Kat and Sameera were both awake. Kat rushed forward and hugged me.

"What did I do to you?" she cried.

"Nothing, I'm fine." I assured her.

"We should probably get going." Sameera said without meeting my eyes.

"True." agreed Michelle, "Jessica, which way did you come from?"

I looked around for the pit, but it wasn't there.

"Um..." I said, "I'm not sure anymore."

"Then we'll have to just pick a direction."

Michelle walked forward confidently. The rest of us shrugged, and followed.

"I'm so glad to have you guys back again." I told them, "I was terrified on my own."

The words had barely escaped my mouth, when I heard a scream from behind me. I whirled around, and saw a tall, thorny wall where we had just come from. I looked beside me and saw everyone except...

"Sameera!" I exclaimed.

"Jessica?" Sameera called back from the other side of the bush.

"It's going to be fine, just-" my words were cut off by three more screams. Another bush had sprung up to my right, separating me from my friends.

This maze has a mind of its own, and it intends on killing me...