The Maze

The Maze [15]

[16]

It had been about 10 minutes but it seemed much longer. I couldn't stand this wait. A couple of times I heard things in the hole and jumped in it towards the noise. But it was nothing. Nothing. I was terribly thirsty now but I didn't want to get a drink. I didn't want to move my eyes from the hole to get my pack. I was completely focused and I would let nothing distract me. It was now dark and team 8 had finally stopped their celebrations.

"Jesus Christ, hurry up" said Kim.

"Shut up bitch" Ricky shouted back to her almost immediately after she'd said it.

"I'm just saying ...."

"Well don't"

A noise came from the hole. But this wasn't nothing. This was something. I jumped up and threw myself into the hole.

"Kyle?"

"Yes, it's me Grace"

"Oh, Kyle"

"We lost didn't we?"

"Yes"

"Who did we lose" His voice was croaky and quiet and he coughed regularly between sentences. I was afraid to tell him that we had lost our youngest team member.

"Naomi" I said and we fell silent.

"Naomi?" He breathed out heavily and then tried to get out again.

"Let me help you" I fished around in the dark for his hand and pulled him.

"Who is it Grace?" Katie shouted to me. I didn't say anything. I pulled Kyle harder until he was almost out.

"Thanks Grace"

I stayed silent. I pulled him one last time and he was out. I backed out of the hole and turned to face the others.

"Who ....." Katie started but she fell silent as Kyle crawled out into the fresh air and collapsed on the floor. Rowan ran over to him.

"Kyle? You ok mate?"

"Yeah"

Kyle had a massive red mark on his jacket. Was that blood? I ran over to him and unzipped his jacket and lifted his t-shirt up. I fell backwards when I saw a large red hole in his stomach. Kyle was breathing quickly and heavily, he was in great pain. I stood up and turned to team 8.

"Who did this?" I said terribly angry.

They didn't speak, just looked at me in horror.

"Who did this?" I repeated and some of them looked to the floor.

"I thought..." said Warren. I snapped my eyes at him and he didn't carry on.

"You, you stabbed him?"

"I thought ...." He started "Look, this aint my problem alright. Our team is fighting your team and vice versa so we can't act soft now"

"What happened to Naomi?" said Katie softly to herself. She was crying.

"You cheated Warren" said Ricky joining me.

"No, how did I?"

"So did you Mauve"

"What?" she said stuttering. She held her hands to her face truly terrified.

"How did we?" said Warren.

"You can't injure people. That's not fair"

"I'm sorry to tell you this but yeah we can and it is. Why do you think they let us take our weapons in there?"