Standing out in front of the entrance, Y/N stared up at the large opening. A draft seemed to be brushing through the large crack that separated them and the maze. She clenched her jaw, then glanced down at Cecil.
"I'm not sure I like the look of this." Y/N admitted while staring at her companion.
Cecil lifted her head to her. As long as you don't stray away from me, I think we're okay. Her companion's voice penetrates.
"You know your way, I'm sure it's alright." She muttered while slowly approaching the opening. Another body joins from the side.
"Do you actually understand what she's saying, or are you pretending?" Minho asks out of know where.
Y/N had almost forgotten that he was going to be accompanying them. This ordeal was scrambling the rational side of her brain. She couldn't help herself from muttering a sassy comment toward him. "Wouldn't you like to know." She said with a corner lip upturn.
"Yes," Minho stretches out his arms while he talks. "That's why I asked."
The cement walls stared back at them tauntingly. It was as if they were beckoning for them to step into the walls, tempting themselves to get lost. The only thing Y/N hoped was that they wouldn't tread too far and get lost. She had Cecil, she knew, but all of this was starting to become too real. Not that long ago, Cecil had confided in her about 'no exit'. She swallowed hard, then took another step forward.
Minho's hand shot out to stop her. Surprised, Y/N lifted her head to look at him. "It's not too late to turn back. No one will blame you." He says while eying her with a look of assurance. Assurance that if she said no, no one would judge her.
The tiniest sliver of doubt wiggled it's way to the core of her being, spreading to the tips of her fingers. Through that doubt, a single beacon of light— stubbornness. "No," she turned her head to look at him. "I need to do this. If not for me, then for them."
For the first time since their meeting, Minho's lips upturned into a cocky grin. "Then you better keep up."
That line was easier said than done five minutes into entering the maze. The walls were a constant twist and turn while Minho disappeared behind them. It seemed that he had this made memorized down to the last grain. Y/N clutched her bag strap while Cecil padded along beside her. Her brain had mapped out an almost snake like formation of the path they ran. With the help of Cecil, she was able to memorize the upcoming path ahead. They were sharing information between each other. Y/N twisted around a corner and slammed into Minho's back. She recoiled in surprise, taking a few steps back.
"What's—" Minho lifted his hand to cut her off. She grew curious and twisted her head around his body to peer over his shoulder. A shiver of discomfort rolled down her spine as a spindly, slimy creature lurked at the end of the corridor. Y/N quickly grabbed Minho's shirt and pulled him around the corner. They dug their backs into the hard wall. Fear creeped up Y/N's back, but forced herself to send a message to Cecil to head back to the Glade. Without saying anything back, she did as she was told and scurried along back to the path. She grabbed Minho's hand and they dart along back to the Glade. They twisted around the path they came from. Every noises made the hairs at the back of Y/N's neck prickly uncomfortably. She didn't know what was going on, she didn't know what that creature was. All she knew was that she had a feeling it wasn't supposed to be there.
Minho usually had a calm exterior, but the shock in his face gave away that this was something new. This was something he had never come across from. They broke through the opening of the maze to the glade and ran in the direction of the Deadheads. Y/N wasn't sure why they were going there, but she was sure there was a reason. A few of the graders glanced in their direction, waving their hands up in a sort of wave. The two didn't pay it any mind as they broke through the trees and stopped their run to a light jog. They jogged along until they reached a hut like building. Minho pushes it open, being greeted by Cecil who was curled on the ground, panting loudly.
"What the fuck was that thing?" Minho hushed lowly. The question seemed to be aimed to himself. "I've never seen that before. For all the time I've been here, I've never seen anything like it."
Y/N brought her hand to her arm. "I don't know," she downturned her head to the ground. "Maybe it always been there but didn't want to come out?" She offered.
Minho swung around to face her. "No!" He whirled around and buried his head in his hands. "Years I've been here. Years! There's never been a creature that came out during the day. Only night! And Gally! He got stung during the day and that's never happened either!" He exclaimed while digging his hands through his hair.
"Minho," Y/N pulled her hand away from her arm. "You need to calm down."
"Calm down?" He laughed in disbelief. "I'm going to Alby and telling him what I saw."
As much as Y/N knew it would dieter the search of the exit, she knew it'd be for the best. "If that's what you think you should do." She breathed out.
"Yes," he made his way toward the door. "It is." He says before he leaves the hut.
