Footsteps pounded in the distance.
“They’re here somewhere!” said someone.
“Kill them!” replied another voice.
I pushed the fear aside and concentrated on running away from the voice. We made it to the crest of a dark hill, overlooking a wood that stretched out—thick, tangled, and silent with a faint rustle of leaves. At the center lay a sprawling maze of hedges and crooked paths. To get to the other side, we had to pass through the maze.
“I heard stories about this,” Hailey said.
“This is probably where Connie died,” Avery commented. “There are traps hidden in here. If you make the wrong turn, you die.”
The teenagers huddled close to us.
I studied the maze, moving the flashlightup, down, and around it. The shape of the maze resembled something familiar. My pulse quickened when recognition sparked.
“I know this maze.” I turned to the teens. “I know it’s hard, but don’t be scared. We need to stay calm and focused, okay?”
They all nodded with teary eyes.
The rose tattoo on Kain’s back resembled a map of the maze before me. Did he know about this maze? The rose art had a line that curved like a backward S at the center. That had to be the escape route.
Shouts erupted as gunshots blared in the distance, echoing through the woods. I couldn’t tell how close they were, but they weren’t far. Who were Tony’s men shouting at? Were they shooting at the escapees? Terror gripped me.
Focus, Eva.
Tears welled in my eyes as I thought about Kain. I was standing in his shoes now, with the unrelenting terror forming into a monster that could devour me any second. If I gave in to it, I’d die along with my friends and these children. Death was right behind me, and the only way to survive was to go forward.
I blinked away my tears so the others couldn’t see. They needed me to be strong for them.
“The way out is a backward S-shape. Keep that image in your head. I’ll go first.” I looked at everyone. “Stay close, okay?”
They nodded and followed me into the maze. As soon as we stepped inside, sensor lights in the walls of vines illuminated, casting a dim light on the area. I doubted Hawthorne installed the lights for us to see. Instead, they allowed him to watch his prey die.
We came to a junction that forked into two paths. “Turn left,” I said. “That would be the direction of a backward S.”
My heart pounded as I prayed, hoping I remembered everything correctly.
“Try this.” Avery grabbed a rock from the ground, tossing it into the other path. It bounced a few times and rolled into something. Immediately, a massive plank with spikes on the surface flew up and landed on the ground.
“Shit!” Hailey flinched as the teens cried in horror.
If we had taken that route, we would’ve died from those sharp spikes.
Anxiety twisted my stomach as we made our way farther in.
“They’re in the maze!” a man shouted.
“They’re going to die in there!” Laughter bellowed. “Leave them. Save your energy. Jonny, you stay here and watch them. The rest of you come with me to catch the others.”
Self-doubt multiplied, but I tried my best to ignore their frightening comments.
“They’re just trying to scare us,” I said as we navigated the maze made of hedges and high walls, probably obscuring some dangerous traps.
More gunfire erupted in the distance, and my heart hammered faster.
“Are we there yet?” Mary asked.
“We’re close,” I said, giving them hope.
