Through the maze

Chapter 5

If it was up to me I would have stayed sleeping for longer but it wasn't up to me. I wake up to a low growling sound. I look up and through the sun glasses I can see a snarling dog. It's teeth and claws are unnaturally sharp. I slip my my backpack on. I slowly get out from under the table hoping to get out another one of the hallways. I back away maintaining eye contact with the snarling beast. When I get closer to the hallway I turn and start to run. I stop when I see another Snarling dog. Two more Suddenly appear. They have me surrounded. They are foaming at the and clawing at the ground.
I'm dead I think I can't believe I survived up to the first checkpoint only to be killed by by these rabid dogs in an unfair fight. Then I remembered my knife. I grabbed it from my side and held it out in front of me. I waited for them to bounce when a question invaded my mind.
What are you doing?
I had never been in a fight in my life. I hated violence. I actually really liked dogs. I had three at home. I was not a killer I could not kill these dogs. It was the voice that had made them that way, he made them like this. They probably don't even know what they are doing.
I can't kill them I think I can't.
"I can't kill them" I say aloud this time. "I won't" I am determined to not do this horrible act.
"I am afraid my dogs won't give you a choice."
I don't say anything and the dogs continue to inch forward.
"You see" the voice continues "the dogs do not care about right or wrong. the only thing they want is to kill you."
The words flashing on the walls only make me more determined not to do what he wants. I will not be a killer.
I drop the knife and the first dog jumps. I duck out of the way and the other dogs attack as well. I don't know why I am avoiding the inevitable death. If I refuse to fight the only other option is death. I realize that I do want to live. I want to live to get out of this maze.
I don't realize what I am doing until after but I grab the blue knife and stab it into the next beast that lunges at me. Then the next. I almost drop it again, Horrified by the warm blood covering my hands. Another dog lunges at me from the side and I fall down with it on top of me. I stab the dog countless times. Eventually he stopped scratching at me and went limp. I pushed the body off of me and stared at the fourth and final body. My armor had kept me from getting injured. The armor is probably the only good thing the voice has given me so far. The dog growls and begins to circle me. I also circle it never letting it get behind me. It jumps at me and I stab it with the knife. I miss. I am able to dodge. The dog wastes no time and lunges at me again this time I don't miss. I stab it and it lands on its side in front of me. It is not dead, not yet. I stare at it and kneel in front of this poor injured dog. I look into its eye and it pleads with me. It pleads with me too kill it, to end it's pain. But I can see the fear behind his eyes. This dog wanted to live just as much as I did. I don't even know why I grabbed the knife in the first place. I thought I had made up my mind about what I was going to do. The dog whimpers and I have to decide. I can leave it here alive to continue to suffer until death, maybe the voice will save it only so it could be sent to attack the next person who travels down these hallways. Or I can end his life, I can stop his constant misery. Do I have the right to decide that? Wether something lives or dies. I look away. tears sting my eyes. I drop the knife and touch the dog that I wounded. It shutters at my touch. I refuse to let the dog die. I dump out the contents of my backpack. I have almost nothing useful for a situation like this. I reach in and rip apart the backpacks inner lining. I give the dog some beef jerky and water.
"Lets fix you up" I smile.