Max Crumbly x Female Reader "Locker Hero"

19. Lord of the Labyrinth

I quickly scrambled up the ladder to a large metal vent that was about three feet tall and four feet wide. Upon closer inspection, I saw a small indentation on each of the two bottom corners.

I held my breath. Then I grabbed the bottom corners of the vent and pulled really hard. Miraculously, it popped open!

I cautiously peeked inside, praying that a pack of mutant rats wouldn't jump on my face and mistake it for cheese.

It was pitch-black inside, and I couldn't see a thing.

I flipped on my flashlight to take a closer look. I was at the end of a square gray metal tunnel that seemed to go on for FOREVER.

And EVER!

And EVER!!!

Based on all the movies I've seen, tunnels like this ALWAYS lead outside. PERFECT!!

Or to the roof. COOL!!

Or into a giant garbage Dumpster. EWWW!!

Or into a 1,200-degree scorching incinerator. AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!

Okay, on second thought, maybe this WASN'T such a good idea after all.

I sighed deeply and turned around to stare at the dank, musty boiler room and the jagged hole that led back to my dark, cramped locker.

Did I want to hang out here for the next (*doing the math in my head*)

EIGHTY-TWO HOURS?!

Definitely NOT!!

I quickly hoisted myself up into the tunnel and crawled inside as the vent door slammed noisily behind me.

I slowly crawled through the tunnel, trying to ignore the sudden claustrophobic panic I was feeling. Yes, I was actually starting to miss my very spacious, dark, and dank boiler room! . . .

I hadn't seen any rats yet. But what if there were poisonous spiders? Or snakes? Or hungry ORCS?!

I was just about to turn around and head back, when the tunnel took a sharp left turn. . . .