The first path we took was the right one, with three choices before us: left, right, or forward. I made a split-second decision and veered right. We ran, taking turn after turn until we were certain that no cop was tailing us.
Glancing around at our small group, I noticed something heart-wrenching. A shiver ran down my spine when I realized that Leo was missing. I double-checked, and I was certain he wasn’t there.
“Where’s Leo? I thought he was right behind us,” I spoke anxiously, my anxiety growing.
“He was being chased by a cop, and I was too afraid to stay behind with him,” Nathan explained.
Kiya, who had always been closest to Leo, paled.
“We have to go back for him!” Kiya yelled, turning around.
I followed her, but we only managed to go a few feet before the maze shifted. A massive wall of corn blocked our path.
Kiya stumbled back, and I caught her, looking at her reassuringly.
“We’ll find him, I swear. We just need to locate him,” I said, turning back around.
“Maybe he’s close by?” Kiya said hopefully.
“LEO!” I screamed, hoping he’d hear us.
For five agonizingly quiet seconds, we waited until we heard a faint reply from Leo.
“Yeah?!” he responded.
“Can you move closer?!” Kiya yelled, running up to the wall in the direction of Leo’s voice.
“I can try!” Leo yelled back.
It was hard not knowing where Leo was; he was one of my closest friends. I was worried about him.
“Keep a close eye out! Try going right!” I called out.
There was silence for a long time. I could only assume he nodded.
“Oh right, okay!”
We continued through the maze slowly, moving left while Leo went right, hoping we would intersect with him eventually. Eventually, we reached a solid wall with a large round window. I ran up to it, and Leo reached it from the other side, pushing his hand against the window, which emitted a strange energy that made my hand tingle.
“Leo!” Kiya ran up to the window, pushing me aside.
“Are you okay? What happened?” Nathan asked, trying to see Leo on the other side.
“A cop chased me away from the maze. Eventually, I made it in and ran straight ahead. I didn’t know which way you guys went,” Leo explained, his face showing concern.
“Oh, no,” I muttered, scanning the maze for potential intersections.
“I don’t see any connection. It’s a straight shot,” I said, moving closer to the window.
“It turns left up here. I don’t know how to find you guys.”
I paused to think and then looked back at him.
“Try to finish the maze. We’ll meet up outside,” I finally said.
“I think I can manage that. See you on the other side,” Leo replied with a sad smile.
On the other side, a figure came into view. I expected it to be a cop, but it was a tall scarecrow with an angry scowl and a large scythe dragging along the ground.
“Run!” We all screamed in unison.
I saw Leo turn and stumble back in shock. “Fuck!” He yelled before taking off, and the scarecrow chased him.
The three of us took a step back, turning to look at each other in silence.
“Let’s keep moving,” Nathan finally said, taking the lead.
We readily accepted Nathan’s role as the leader, and we continued in relative silence. Occasionally, we would hear Leo shout a curse, but eventually, even he fell silent. After a while of walking, Kiya came up to me.
“Do you think… Do you think Leo is okay? I haven’t heard anything from him in a while.” I stayed silent for a moment, thinking and staring at Nathan’s back.
“Leo is resourceful, quick on his feet, and smart. He’ll make it out of here. I know he will.”
Kiya nodded this time, understanding my reassurance.
“Both of you, stop talking; you’ll attract that thing to us next,” Nathan hissed.
We nodded and continued forward, just as the snow began to fall. The cold breeze washed over us, bringing a bitter cold that we were ill-prepared for. I was in a warm hoodie and tennis shoes, and we realized we wouldn’t survive a true snowstorm.
The snow began to fall rapidly, though not yet a cause for concern. We navigated through the twists and turns of the maze, only encountering two dead ends. Our confidence in our path quickly grew.
We keenly noticed the ever-changing nature of the maze. Every so often, a shuffling sound would signal the appearance of a new wall behind us, pushing us deeper into the labyrinth with no way out. It became evident that we were trapped in this highway, with no escape until we made our way through. As we continued our journey, I had ample time to reflect. I missed my boyfriend, but I was relieved he hadn’t joined us. With that menacing presence chasing us, safety was no longer guaranteed.
After about thirty minutes of silence, we suddenly heard footsteps in the swiftly accumulating snow. Turning, we were confronted by the menacing scarecrow, standing at an imposing 7 feet tall. Its arms reached down to its knees, and its mask appeared grotesquely stretched, with seams ready to burst. It was smeared with a combination of blood and dirt. However, I couldn’t help but notice that the scythe it carried was only coated in old blood, a glimmer of hope that Leo might still be okay. The monstrous figure advanced toward us, and fear gripped us, prompting a frantic dash for safety…
…To be continued