But I wasn’t sure how close we were.
My foot caught on something, and I yanked it free. A narrow wooden panel with nails swung out from the side, striking my injured ankle.
“Ow!” I hissed, limping.
Avery crouched, shoved the panel aside, and examined my foot. “You’re bleeding a lot, Eva.”
Pain bloomed in my right ankle, the same one that had been cut by something during the kidnapping, but adrenaline masked it.
“We must keep going. I’ll make it.”
Avery ripped a portion of her shirt and bandaged my wound. “You’re good for a while.”
“Thank you.” I glanced at the metal thing on the ground. “Be careful of the traps hidden underground. Watch your step.” Pushing the agony aside, I limped forward.
We came to an area that wanted us to turn left. There were no other options except a thick hedge. My gut told me something was wrong. I reached down for some pebbles and whipped them toward the open path. Darts from out of nowhere flew into the area.
“Oh my God!” I exclaimed.
“But there’s a wall on this side.” Hailey gestured, looking worried.
I stepped toward it and pushed. When nothing happened, I added more force to it. A section of the hedge descended into the ground, revealing a pathway for us. Relief settled, and we hurried on.
“Eva!” Kain shouted, sounding extremely close. I looked around as hope burst within me, desperately wanting to see him.
“Fuck!” someone screamed. “We’ve got?—”
Gunshots rang out, and silence thrummed for a second.
“He’s dead,” Kain said. “Eva! Are you okay? Where are you?”
“I’m over here! In the maze. Can you see me?” I shouted back, then quickened my steps as best I could. Then I saw the beam of a flashlight in the distance. It appeared to be on top of a hill or an elevated ledge.
“Yes, I see you!” he exclaimed. “Keep going, I’m on the other end.”
“Help is here!” I offered hope to my friends. “We’llbe okay.”
“Guys, Eva’s in the maze. Look at my coordinates.” Kain’s voice sounded closer than before. “One guard is down in my area. More possibly coming. I need some men here now, just in case. The rest, keep to the plan.”
“Kain, don’t come in here. There are traps,” I said. “We’re almost at the exit.” I didn’t want him to endanger himself by coming in here for me. This maze might not be the same one he’d experienced. Besides, even if it were, that had been twenty years ago. I recalled his forearm held the map to his escape, but the rose map I was referencing was on his lower back . . .
It was better for him to stay put. I knew we were close to the exit when we came to a junction that offered two paths. One path looked clean and safe. The other path was obstructed with branches, dried leaves, uneven soil, and debris all over. This had to be the ultimate test.
A stressed person with little hope would pick the path of least resistance. This was Hawthorne’s game. A psycho like him would leave something to confuse his victims. At least that was what my mind was telling me.
“That way looks easy,” said the teen girl named Amy.
“Because it’s easy, that means it’s the wrong path,” I said as Robert Frost’s poem echoed in my head.I took the one less traveled by.
“This way.” I pointed toward the unwelcoming path that needed pruning.
As a test, Hailey threw a branch onto the simple path. The ground shifted and swallowed up the branch and the surrounding soil, creating an immense sinkhole. The branch hit something and clanked; the sound echoed into the night.
“Kill the escapees!” a man screamed.
More shouting erupted, followed by a series of gunshots. Concern for Kain churned in my stomach. But I tried my best to stay calm.
“Let’s go!” I exclaimed and raced out of the maze.
