the lost stories

"Light at the end of the tunnel"

Maze

/meɪz/

a network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle through which one has to find a way out

He went in.

And now he can't find his way out.

He wanders around like a lost child trying to find his mom but every turn he takes only leads to another dead end. Every choice he makes brings him closer and deeper into the maze, making it harder to get out. He tries to go back, to undo his mistake and start over but behind his back is a closed wall blocking him from going the other way. There is nowhere else to go but forward, deeper into the dark maze that seems to feel smaller and more cramped with every step his takes.

Time slowly passes and the sun starts to set, leaving him feeling vulnerable to the darkness. He stops and waits for light to return, to guide him through the maze.

One minute passes...

One hour passes...

Time never seemed to stop flowing yet the sun never returned. The sky grew darker with every passing minute and he only felt himself become smaller and smaller. The darkness surrounded him like a cold blanket that left him shivering, scared, wary.

He was held motionless in the arms of the harsh wind roaring in his ears. Loneliness slowly crept up his spine and left him feeling helpless.

He felt trapped.

With every breath he took, the air seemed to tighten their grip on him, squeezing the air out of his lungs. His thoughts were clouded with the strong feelings of despair he could not seem to shake off.

He could no longer stand it.

He ran, dashed like a mad man through the maze. He banged and smashed his fists at every wall he turned into, fear of being stuck here in the maze beating out the pain that shot through his arm at every hit. He screamed till his throat felt raw, clawing at it in pain, leaving scratches on his neck. He wished for his screams to be heard, to get help, but he is left with nothing but the echo of his own voice resounding around him.

He sunk to the floor, his back dripping with sweat, his body taking in sharp breaths that seemed to prick him and left him feeling more breathless than before. His mind was in a daze as he stared at his bloodied knuckles, tears slowly falling to the ground before he broke down in heavy sobs.

Every maze has a way out.

Yet the exit for this maze was shrouded in the darkness that surrounds it, hiding so deep it could not be found, leaving the people in the maze trapped and helpless.

His body was exhausted, but his mind was racing trying to get answers.

Why is he trapped here?

What did he do to end up in this situation?

Is there even an exit to this maze?

Is there a point for him to fight on?

He hated this. He missed the sun and the warmth it gave him. He missed his family who was there for him. He missed his friends who would care for him and bring him joy.

They were always there for him.

But they aren't here when he truly needs them.

The maze started to close in on him, leaving him pressed against the walls, his heart pounding hard against his chest, threatening to escape. He was beginning to feel lightheaded. He desperately wished for all this to be over. For this nightmare to end. For a way, any way to escape, no matter how painful it was.

He hoped to get out, no matter what it took.

He was close to being crushed by the wall when a vine seemingly dropped from the sky, illuminated in light, but riddled with thorns.

He only had a few seconds left before the walls close in on him.

He had to make a choice.

Three...

It was already so painful. Why should he prolong the pain and suffer when he did not even know if the path would lead him to escape. Why not just end the pain now?

Two...

He could not see where the vine led to. Could this be the exit of the maze? The only way out? Was he willing to take the chance into the unknown filled with more obstacles along the way?

One...

He jumped and clung onto the vine for his dear life. He could feel the thorns pricking his skin, leaving him whimpering in pain and he struggled to climb up. The pain only intensified the more he climbed and he grew wearier as he continued to pull himself up the vine. It would be so easy to just let go and the abyss of darkness below would catch him.

But he continued to hold on

It was his only hope.