If only it really was the end.

I opened my eyes and there were two grey walls on either side of me. I looked at my arms and they were still there, every part of my body was still intact and worked perfectly fine. So what was all that black stuff about, I thought to myself. I got myself up from the ground and dusted all the sand away. The walls were at least five meters high so I walked down the path to see where it could lead me to.

I had no idea where I was going but the walls seemed to stretch on forever. There was no end but I couldn’t see the end anyways because the candles lit up only when I walked passed them. This went on for a while. I had no idea of what the time was or where I was even. Lost. Why is everything so difficult? Like shooting me underwater wasn’t bad enough that they want my ghostly body to rot in this place?

There was another wall which jutted out from the left. I took the right side.

How did I get in here?

I was minding my own business and then I heard my name. All I did was go upstairs to see what was happening. But here I am, so I carried on walking and walking and then there was another wall.

And then it hit me. Was I going around in circles?

I looked for clues to tell me but everything was exactly the same. There wasn’t a particular part of the wall which was different and all the lanterns were the same shape and size. They all had the same patterns too.

I went against the wall and placed my index finger near my mouth. The metallic taste was horrible but I smeared my blood on the wall to mark the fact that I had been here. And then I carried on walking, hoping not to see the mark again.

But I was wrong. After what I felt was around five minutes later, I saw the line I drew. I gave up and sat with my back against the wall. I’m not going to get out of this maze so I’m not going to bother trying anymore.

Where was everyone?

“Hey!”

The voice startled me but I jumped up in joy immediately, “Lay! Where were you?”

“I’ve been here all along, I was looking for you.”

“But…” I was very confused.

“Come on, let’s go,” he said and took my hand.

I happily followed, glad that Lay was here but did he know where we were and where we’re going?

“Where are we going Lay?”

“Just follow me.”

“Okay.”

I silently followed behind him but then I heard some weird muffling sound further ahead, “What’s that sound?”

“Nothing.”

“But can you not hear it?”

“I said it’s nothing.”

Something didn’t feel right. I slipped my hand out of his grip and stood there. He turned around and stared at me.

“Who are you?”

“Just follow me if you want to live.”

“I’m already dead in case you haven’t realised,” I said, trying to be brave.

He forcefully took my arm and yanked me forward to follow him but I tried to push him away with the same amount of force.

“Get away from me!” I shouted at him but he was a lot stronger.

The muffling noises were getting louder and turned more of into growling, gnawing sounds. Like animals. I was trying to get away from him, trying to prise his hand away from mine but his hold on me was tight. It was like a mother trying to pull their child to class but they don’t want to go.

Soon, the darkness ahead was lit up with the dim lanterns on either side of the wall when we got nearer. There was a cage and some animals in there. Caterpillars? But they were massive, probably twice the size of those long sausage pillows. They had sharp teeth too. Stacked and squashed together in a small cage but the bars were still narrow enough that they weren’t able to wriggle out. They weren’t green. More of a murky brown vomit after someone has had too much chocolate.

“Let me go!”

“No, you’re going to be their dinner!”

“Dinner? How old are you? You’re not Lay, get away from me!” I argued, struggling against his grip.

“Oh, how could you be so sure?” he said in a sly voice.

“Lay isn’t like this!” I spat at his face, “He doesn’t talk like you and most certainly does not behave like you!”

“You didn’t exactly know him for that long, did you?”

I snatched my arm out of his hand and started running down the path we just came.

“Hey! Get back here!”

I didn’t dare turn around; I could hear his footsteps close behind me. I just prayed that my legs won’t give up on me. 

Does anyone actually read this fanfic?