As Cris moved forward, strange sounds echoed—rocking chair, an elephant's trumpet, distant construction.
"Something's not right," stepping back, she muttered, bumping into Liam.
He stumbled, heart racing. Dust fell, stones clattered, and the ground trembled.
"This place is collapsing!" Cris yelled as a brick tumbled from the wall and cracks split the earth.
"Run!" Liam shouted.
They bolted, the floor crumbling behind every step.
"My legs—I can't—" Cris cried out, stumbling and falling to her knees.
Shawn and Liam turned, but the ground split between them before they could reach her.
"Go," Cris gasped. "Save Zinnia."
The earth stilled. She was trapped, jagged edges hemming her in.
"We're not leaving you!" Shawn shouted, but she was too weak to jump. Then came the sound of metal scraping stone.
Two poles slid out from the wall.
"Perfect timing," Liam said. "You can swing across."
"I don't know how to do that!" Cris snapped, panicked.
"Yes, you do! Come on!" Shawn called.
She breathed, stepped to the edge, and leapt. Her hand caught cold metal. Hanging there, the pole groaned under her weight.
"Don't look down or you will lose your grip!" Liam yelled. "Swing to the second one. Grab it when you're close!"
"You're scaring her," Shawn hissed.
"I'm trying to help!" Liam shot back.
"By explaining all the ways she'll fall?"
"If you two are done arguing, I could use a hand!" Cris growled.
They looked up—she was already swinging on the second pole.
Her grip slipped. She barely touched the edge with her toes—until Liam grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him.
Shaking, she buried her face in his chest. Shawn was relieved she was safe, but it still hurt. He used to be the one she turned to.
He looked away, down the path they'd taken.
When Cris came back to her senses, she stepped back from Liam, cheeks flushed. He looked rattled, too, clearing his throat.
"You earn what you draw," Shawn said quietly. "Everything happening—it's coming from your thoughts."
"You think my visions are getting stronger?" Cris asked.
"What? You're a seer?" Liam blinked, surprised.
"I'm a Harbinger of Death. That's what they call me," she muttered. "Not something I'm proud of."
"But we are," Shawn said, gripping her shoulders. "You're the bravest person I know. You've faced death and stayed standing. Most couldn't."
"But this isn't what I meant right now!", "Everything happened just when you feared it would," Shawn added. "This place reacts to your thoughts."
"Of course! You're a genius!" Liam clapped his shoulder. "Maze of Trial!"
"Don't jinx it," Shawn muttered.
"No, really. That's the name." Liam pulled out the note. The cube's design shifted, responding to the new path. "It's a calm trail. Grass walls, flowers, smooth ground."
Instantly, cracks healed, walls rebuilt, and flowers bloomed. Behind them, their old path vanished beneath a fresh green wall.
They stepped closer. The left wall slid open, revealing an arch of flowering vines.
They laughed, then looked at the paper again. The riddle had changed: *You won't escape this no matter how hard you try.* The cube flattened into a square, becoming a map.
"It's the maze," Cris whispered. "We had it all along." She groaned, smacking her forehead.
"But this map doesn't lead us to the actual end, it's more like a guide for what comes next! Look! There are four sides… that was just the first," Liam muttered, eyeing the next riddle.
They stood in a tight clearing surrounded by grass walls.
Cris pushed random spots, hoping for a hidden exit. Nothing moved.
"What now?" Shawn asked. "Climb?"
"Good idea. Vines," Liam said.
"I'll go first. If there's a monster, better it eats me." Shawn smirked and began climbing.
But minutes passed. The ground grew distant, but the top never came closer.
He climbed back down, panting. "It's pointless."
Then he straightened. "Let's push it together!" He shoved the wall hard.
"Stop. You look like an idiot," Cris said.
"It's working! Look how far my legs are!"
"You're sliding," Liam snapped. "Wall's not moving. Look at the drag marks."
Liam scanned the area. "Wait. The riddle said 'trying harder won't work.' Maybe… we shouldn't try at all."
He grabbed the vines.
"He's stronger than you. Doesn't need to try harder," Cris said.
"Excuse me?" Shawn frowned.
"I mean… You needed effort. He—" She turned. Liam was gone.
"I made it!" Liam called from the other side. "But it's just another cabin like yours." His voice dropped with disappointment. "Oh wait!" He gasped, "Step back!"
They jumped away from the wall.
A second later, it exploded into rubble.
When the dust cleared, Liam stood holding a massive hammer, a twisted wood handle, a silver head etched with symbols.
They barely noticed. What mattered was that they were free again.
But the relief vanished.
Another wall stood in front of them. Same as before.
Obstacle after obstacle. Harder each time.
They didn't say it aloud, but it hung in the air: Today was not the day they escaped.
Back in school, my aunt hadn't given up. She was still pacing, her face tense, mind racing. She knew the Coyotes. They didn't kill quickly. And that made everything worse.
She was lost in thought when her phone rang.
"You were right about him," the voice said.
She hung up and rang the bell. Ryan rushed in to find her shaking.
"Call Cris," she whispered. "She's in danger." Her voice filled with alarm
She nearly collapsed. But Ryan caught her, helping her to the couch.
"Give me the water bottle you brought me," she said, reaching weakly.
Ryan froze. "I…" He stammered, "I... never brought you a water bottle."