Labyrinth's Mystery

Labyrinth 42

This is a game of existence

You need to fight and not just hide

For you cannot escape blood

And you have no other choice

But taste them,

And be wise to play

Be sweeter than sweet

Because either you want it or not

Between the line

It is better to have fun

Than be killed with none

—For it is not a tragedy,

But insanity.

-inkofdawn

Laine's POV

We were silently walking on the deserted corridor. The wooden walls were deep brown almost red. They were too clear that whenever the light has the chance to hit it, it will glow and reflect the images in front. Due to how clear it was, I had the chance to check myself. My face was kinda stained by blood. It made me conscious that's why I wiped them away from my face. I also recognized the dark bags below my eyes. My hair was not that messy since it was tied up in a ponytail, but still, some bangs stubbornly fell to the side of my face. And when I looked down, a sight of my dress almost coated with blood met me. I sighed upon my look before proceeding.

"Teka. May dalawang tao do'n, oh!" Jax pointed in front and it was not that far when I sight two people walking towards us.

"Hala! Parang sina Melody at Damen 'yon, ah." We quickly headed towards them. I caught the other almost stumbled and the latter helped him keep in line. Shortly, after we arrived near to them, we recognized how bloodstained they were.

"What happened?!"

From Melody, my gaze landed on Damen's state. He was having a hard time walking. And the cloth bandage surrounding his abdomen was already coated with a deep shade of red. Both their body have wounds and stains of blood. I don't have the idead to where it came from, or if those blood was still from them or to another.

"We encountered a bunch of them." Melody directly told us. Jax and Led went to Damen and assured Melody that they will handle the latter. Kung inaalalayan nito kanina pa si Damen, considering how tall and heavy Damen was, I'm sure Melody was already exhausted.

"How about Lay?" My brows creased when I did not saw him with them. Melody heaved a deep breath before she shook his head disappointedly.

"On a plan. Don't worry he will eventually follow us." She simply said. I was still curious because I could sense that there's something off? She doesn't want to tell us about it, and I don't have any other choice but let it be. Sooner or later, we will find out what it really was.

"But you... Someone's missing," she pointed out and continued to search among us. It was a minute of silence. I tried my best to avoid any eye contact as I could. I just couldn't speak about it yet. I can't speak her name without breaking down. I just caught of how her hands bawled into a fist as she bobbed her head as if she had a clue already.

I didn't have a grasp of how it passed by. Damen told us the next route we will follow according to the map. He made it easier for us since the map looked really complicated. He pointed to some landmarks and give us some remarks.

As of now, we don't have any concrete plan... But Damen still left us something we should always keep in mind. Which I think was really a must.

"And lastly, whatever happens... you should keep going. You won't let the time stop until you find the way out." He eyed every one of us intently. I could even felt myself shiver at how stern they were.

"You need to reach the exit."

We need to make it or else there's no other chance left.

Led's POV

While we were walking down the corridor I'm looking out for Laine. Hindi ko maiwasang mag-alala. Alam kong pinipilit niya lang magpakatatag para sa'min pero sa loob-loob sukong-suko na rin siya. Inayos ko ang braso ni Damen sa balikat ko bago kami lumiko pero bago kami tumuloy ay nagulat na lang kami sa tunog ng nagmamadaling yabag ng mga paa. Napakunot ang noo ko bago kami nagkatinginan ni Jax. Shit.

"Pumunta kayo sa likod namin--"

'Bang!'

My lips parted as I set my sight in front to where the firing of gun came from. Sa harap namin ay huminto ang isang malaking tao na ang katawan ay balot na balot ng itim na tela at suot-suot rin ang isang maskara. Nakatutok ang baril nito sa'min at kapansin-pansin ang panginginig ng braso nito.

"The map. Give it to m-me or I'll kill all of you!" Napatiim bagang ako. So, the map was really they're desperate to have. If our mission was to get out of here alive, theirs was to hinder us even by means of blood.

"You think we will let you?" I sarcastically spat before I smirked. Naramdaman ko naman ang nagtatakang tingin sa'kin ng mga kasama ko. Napansin ko naman ang mas panginginig ng braso nito. Hindi ko mawari kung sa inis, galit o takot na mas ikinatuwa ko pa.

"If I were you, just let us pass." I shrugged. But his voice thundered the whole corridor as he shouted in annoyance.

"Give it to me or else--"

A silver object pierce through his stomach shone as it hitted the light.

"You're saying something? What was it again?"

I grinned upon hearing that voice. The man on joker mask was obviously shocked that it could not say anything. He could only cough blood.

"I think I just arrived on time?" I grinned at Lay's boastful remark as he pulled out his sword from the man's stomach.

"Tumakas pa sa'kin kanina buti na lang nahabol ko." Nagkibit balikat pa ito habang naglalakad papalapit sa'min. Natatawang napailing na lang ako bago ko ito tinapik sa balikat. Binati naman siya ng iba.

"Astig!" Manghang sabi pa nga ni Abi.

"Ano ba? Ako lang 'to, oh!" Sagot naman ni Lay. Natatawang binatukan tuloy siya ni Jax.

"Dapat pa ba kaming magpasalamat?" Biro pa nila. Earlier, when Melody told as that he went to a plan alone and he let them both to make their way first in order to find us, I had the feeling that it was Lay's plan all along. Alam ko ring hindi papayag sina Damen dahil delikado 'yon! Na mag-isa lang siya para lituin at pigilan ang mga kalaban na mahanap kami. He even bet his life just to protect us. He walked back to the dead man. He swatted and pull something from the man's wrist.

"One hour and twenty-eight minutes left. We need to find back door already." His voice back to its usual weighty-grave tone. He looked back and raise the thing he got. A watch. And it's not a usual one, it has the countdown. The time left for us. That makes us push through the emptiness of the cold corridor.

This time Lay lead us. He might be so intimidating for some, but he has a good heart. His my friend after all and that helps me to know him better. This was the side of him that people turned a blind eye. They only see him as a monster, but he was not.

"Melody, Damen..." Bigla siyang huminto at bumaling sa dalawa. Nagtatakang napatingin naman tuloy ako sa kanila.

"Salamat pala sa tiwala." He beamed a smile at them. He barely does that but this... It was the genuine one. He only showed it when he meant it.

"You did keep your word, Lay."

He has flaws. He might be always angry because that's his initial reaction to show how messed up everything was for him. Because just as a human, he can feel pain as well. He can destroy every walls he has around him just for his loved ones. And we knew him.

He never was a monster.

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