Ascension

Chapter 12: Test 9

  Hide and Seek? What a childish game! Those were the thoughts that ran through my mind at first, but as I stood in the middle of the maze, I realized this would not be easy.

  For us to pass, at least two of our team members had to reach the safe zone located outside of the maze without being caught by the Seekers. We were equipped with a band around our wrists that connected to our suits, so whenever we were touched by a Seeker, our band would glow red, indicating we were caught. Afterwards, the E.W.s would pick us up and place us in a room, but we would never know whether our fellow teammate made it through.

  The maze was just as vast as the whole city with constant turns and dead ends. It was a closed stadium as they pixelated yet another dark sky for us. Everyone was placed inside a dome in the middle of the maze while the Seekers were spread out in different sections beyond the doors. There were six doors and above were our names. No one from the same team would enter the same door, making it impossible to tell whether or not someone from their team had made it.

  I stood in front of my door with a few other people, feeling a bit nervous. Although I haven't known my teammates for long, it was strange to be alone once again. Ever since Test 2, we had been working together and now, it was nearly impossible.

  I glanced at Kai who stood in front of the door next to mine.

  He gave me a nod. "Don't worry. We can do this."

  I wanted to believe him. I really did, but doubts filled my mind. Watching Rin and Nina brawl against each other during the previous Test revealed Nina's strength. Having Lykenrole as a group member in Test 7 showed he wouldn't hesitate to hurt someone. Hearing Meghan's tone convinced me to believe she always process the situation and would make sly remarks. And as for Nerie, knowing his attitude, he would do whatever was in his power to stop people from passing.

  Without a warning, the doors swung open and everyone swarmed inside, separating by the first fork in the road.

  I headed right and then a left before hitting a dead end. I turned and went the other direction, running blindly like a lab rat. The walls were high and thin, making it impossible to get an aerial view of the place. I found someone who I came in with, but didn't dare to follow. You may never know if someone will betray you or not just to win a simple game.

  I raced through the maze, hitting constant turns and dead ends. Not once have I met contact with one of the Seekers or anyone from our new Class. Everything appeared the same. Every turn was like the other as the walls loomed over me. They mocked me, telling me only they knew the pattern - only they knew the way out.

  Frustration, confusion, and agitation took over. To top it all off, I was alone. Occasionally, I would pass by someone, but they simply ignored me as they searched for ways to escape.

  I couldn't tell how long I was in the maze because this time there was no timer to indicate the time. It's not like it mattered since this Test didn't require a time limit. I continued to pace aimlessly in my empty surroundings. The arena was quiet except for my light footsteps.

  A siren erupted, defeating the silence and the ground shook. The sound of metal grating against each other followed and soon those sounds became visible. The walls twisted and turned, changing the sequence of things.

  A wall formed behind me, preventing me from turning back. The path I faced stretched for miles, revealing the end of the maze. Beside me, a wall turned inwards towards me, blocking my path. Although, the pace of the turns were slow, I couldn't go any further as a glowing red object caught my eye.

  There, I found Nerie wearing his Seeker badge that glowed bright red when they were near a person.

  I broke left and took off into a sprint. His footsteps lurked behind me, matching my pace. At some points, his feet quickened, but never caught up with me.