I dropped to the ground. Sweat clung to me like it had a personal vendetta against me. I need a scrub. I need it so bad... My body started vibrating on its own, hoping the dirt would take the hint and fall off.

  "Pant… Pant…"

  Dan was soaked in grime, trudging forward like a zombie after fighting wave upon wave of monsters. No break. No breathing room. Just blood, footsteps, and fatigue. All while carrying Isaac on his shoulder, whose soul had already fled to the netherland where it felt safer.

  I stuck out my tongue at him. Free rider.

  "Ugh… I'm so tired," Dan groaned and collapsed onto the cold stone floor, his sword clattering beside him.

  "I'm tired too, but you don't hear me whining," I huffed. "Move your ass. It's not even as big as mine. Not to mention I've got two weights, front and back."

  Dan blinked at me. "Oh… I see…"

  "Stop bullying him." Isaac, instantly revived the moment I hissed at him, smacked the back of my head without missing a beat.

  "Ouchie! I'm not bullying him!"

  Isaac narrowed his eyes. "I know you're not tired. No one has stamina like yours. You're not human."

  "Tch." I pouted and crossed my arms.

  Growl~

  A low, guttural growl echoed through the corridor. I leaned closer, listening, rubbing my chin. Strangely familiar.

  Dan leapt to his feet, clinging to Isaac like a child. "A b-bear?!"

  I tilted my head. "No... Sounds human."

  "...Ah!" Isaac and I shouted at the same time. "Rona!"

  We sprinted toward the noise, leaving Dan confused. We rounded a corner, and there she was. Rona, chewing on a thick, sparking cable like it was a licorice rope.

  "That's not edible," I sighed, snatching the cable from her mouth.

  Isaac, however, locked eyes with the bloodshot-eyed boy standing nearby and snapped. "GET AWAY FROM RONA!"

  He launched into a flying kick, straight at the stranger's face. But the boy caught him mid-air. Effortlessly. I did a mental clap. Not bad. I like him.

  "Huh?" Isaac's voice cracked as he was dangled upside-down, leg flailing. Dan and I exchanged glances filled with pure pity.

  "Let me go, you monster!" Isaac shouted, squirming uselessly.

  The bloodshot-eyed boy looked genuinely confused. "Was he trying to kick a monster behind me? I don't see one…" He turned behind and faced us. Both edges of my mouth shot up. Laughter escaped me.

  "I was trying to kick you, you idiot!" Isaac's fists swung everywhere but his target.

  "Me?! Why?! What did I do?!" The boy lifted him higher, looking down at Isaac.

  "You were touching Rona, you creep!"

  "I-I was not! I was trying to stop her from chewing a live wire!" His face flushed red like he'd swallowed a chili pepper.

  "As if! You were trying to take advantage of her!"

  The two started bickering like grade-schoolers, even though one was still dangling mid-air. Dan looked like he was ready to crawl out of his skin and begged me with his eyes to intervene.

  But I stood back with a smirk, enjoying the drama. "Isaac always loses his cool when it comes to Rona. It's tragic, really. If only I had popcorn…"

  Meanwhile, Rona had fallen asleep. Standing up. Like a cow in power-saving mode. I looked at Rona, shook my head disapprovingly. Two boys are fighting over you, but you just ignore it. Rude.

  With a long sigh, I rushed over and smacked Isaac's head.

  "Ah! What was that for?!"

  I pulled on his ear. "Because you're an idiot! Why are you picking fights in the middle of a deadly maze?! You wanna die, shorty?! And how dare you yell at me?!"

  "OW! OKAY! I GET IT! PLEASE STOP!" Isaac tried to push my hand away but I pinched it harder until I was satisfied.

  Once I let go, I turned toward the poor, confused boy. "Sorry about that. I'm Llyne. That lunatic is Isaac, and the gentle giant over there is Dan. You are?"

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  "…Ronald," he replied, still holding Isaac by the leg like a backpack.

  I grabbed his other hand and slapped my palm in his. "Nice to meet you, Ronald. Wanna team up? It'll be easier to survive and find the center together. Unless you've got plans?"

  Ronald looked down at my hand, then at me, then at Rona, hesitating. "Ermm… Is Rona okay with it?"

  I looked at Rona. Drool poured out of her mouth. Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. I released Ronald's hand, grabbed both her arms, and shook her. "Wakey wakey, Rona. This isn't a nap zone."

  Rona mumbled, "Don't run away…"

  Run? Who? I leaned closer. "Hmm… What did you say?"

  Suddenly, Rona's eyes snapped open, lunged, and grabbed me. Her mouth opened wide. "My food!"

  I froze. "Wha—?!"

  Ronald reacted instantly, yanking me away before she could sink her teeth into my shoulder.

  Thud.

  My butt kissed the floor again. I stared up at her. "Did Rona just try to eat me?! She's not… zombified, is she?!"

  Her neck was still outstretched, jaw working overtime. More saliva dripped on the ground. I let out a shaky breath. At least it isn't acid.

  She blinked her drowsy eyes. "My food…"

  The entire group took a few cautious steps back.

  She stretched her arms and back and yawned. "Nice sleep. Yum~" Then she looked at us with her innocent-looking face. "Rona has a feeling everyone is afraid of Rona… Why?"

  I stayed on the ground; butt walked back until Ronald was standing in between us. "Because you tried to digest me, Rona."

  She tilted her head. "Rona tried to eat Lil? Rona doesn't remember." She did a little hop as if celebrating something.

  "Let's just move," Isaac said, while still dangling. "We don't have time. Teams might've already reached the fifth level."

  I finally noticed Isaac glaring at Ronald. Oh right. Mr. Grumpy is still dangling. I poked Ronald and pointed down at Isaac. "Oh, right." He immediately let go, and Isaac crashed to the ground. "Argh!"

  I clamped my mouth shut and pulled him up. "Can you stand properly?" He shook his head lightly, gripping his head.

  I hooked his arm over my shoulder and grabbed his hand so the idiot wouldn't faceplant, and asked, "Everyone ready?" They nodded. "Alright. Forward we go. With the five of us now, no monster can beat us!" I cheered and let go of Isaac's hand. He fell. Again. I looked down and stuck my tongue out sideways. I scratched my head. "Oops!"

  Isaac slowly turned his head and glared. Just you wait. Dan sighed and quickly picked him up.

  Ronald fidgeted beside me. I poked him. "What's wrong, Ronald? Need to do..." I raised two fingers. "Business?"

  Ronald shook his head quickly. "N-No! Nothing like that." Ronald shifted his weight. His eyes bounced between Isaac and me like he was watching a tennis match he didn't sign up for.

  "Stop staring," Isaac snapped. "It's annoying."

  I elbowed Isaac. "Filter, dumbass."

  Isaac ignored me. So I stretched his cheek. "Don't ignore me, punk!"

  "Sewusey?! Sop zat—"

  Ronald opened his mouth. Closed it. Then opened it again. "I'M SORRY!!!"

  We all froze as Ronald screamed and bowed so hard his forehead nearly cracked the floor.

  I stared at the chipped floor, gulping nervously. That forehead is deadly. I stepped forward and pulled him up. "Raise your head, my child," I said in mock grandeur, only to get my leg kicked by Isaac. "OW! You pipsqueak!"

  Ronald continued, sincere and flustered. "I'm sorry I caused trouble earlier."

  "Took you long enough," Isaac muttered.

  I smacked Isaac again and turned towards Ronald. "No need to apologize. Friends fight all the time. That's how you get closer. No puppy eyes, okay?"

  Ronald smiled awkwardly. I leaned in and whispered, "If that stinky shrimp bugs you again, let me know."

  He nodded, smiling faintly. And we continued our journey, side by side.

  Step. Step. Step.

  Our footsteps echoed strangely in the corridor. Too loud. Like the maze was repeating them back to us. The air grew thicker the deeper we went. It smelled faintly of cold metal and old dust. Something's not right… The maze. It's too quiet. Especially when it had been trying to kill us ten minutes ago.

  Isaac frowned. "This doesn't make sense. We should've reached the central chamber by now."

  I stared at Isaac. How does he know that? Does he have a map? My gaze fell. Our shadows stretched along the walls like they were trying to crawl away. My pulse quickened. I whispered to Isaac, "I got a bad feeling about this."

  Isaac shot me another glare. Not a word.

  Suddenly, a fog shifted around us. We panicked and looked everywhere. "What's happening?" We circled, looking everywhere in case of an ambush. The next moment, the fog dispersed. The scenery changed.

  Ronald ran his hand across the wall. "This isn't a mirror… It's bricks."

  Dan raised his sword. "Should I smash it?"

  Isaac's eyes widened. "Wait—!"

  BANG!

  Dan swung with full force. Dust exploded outward. I coughed and waved it away. "Isaac?" No answer. The silence hit me. I was alone.

  "Guys? Where are you?!" I spun. Heart racing.

  The mirrors were different now. Angled. Warped. Alive. And every reflection was a second late. When I turned my head, the mirrors waited… then followed. A sweat formed on my forehead. I want brick walls. An icy chill ran down my spine.

  "I've got a really bad feeling about this."

  I ran.

  [Rona's Side]

  Rona stared at the wall, unmoving. "…Rona got separated from Llyne and Isaac?"

  Ronald watched her carefully. What's wrong with Rona? Her eyes… were blank. Like a marionette with cut strings.

  "Rona, are you okay?" he moved closer and asked softly.

  Rona looked down, her hands trembling. "Rona... doesn't know. What just happened?"

  Ronald stepped forward. "I'm not sure either. But I think the walls here… they move. They trapped us. Split us up on purpose."

  Not just the walls, he thought, clenching his fists. The air feels wrong too. What exactly is happening?

  Rona's lips trembled. Her pupils shook. Tears fell. "So they didn't leave Rona because… Rona is a nuisance?"

  "W-What?! No!" Ronald clenched his fist against his chest.

  He knelt on one leg; a hand placed to his chest. "I don't know them as well as you do… but I know they care about you. A lot." The tension in his eyes melted. "You're their light. Their joy. Mine too. So... so don't cry, okay?"

  Rona wiped her tears away, but the tears wouldn't stop. "Really? But… Will Rona see them again?"

  "Of course," he said with a confident smile. "I'll sniff them out before you know it."

  Rona blinked, her eyes clearer now. "Ronald is a dog? Woof? Woof?"

  A dog? Close enough. He nodded. "I'm better than a dog."

  "Really?" she giggled.

  Ronald thought, I feel goosebumps all over me but it worked. He patted her head. "You look tired. Want to rest? Leave it to me."

  Rona shook her head, rubbing her eyes. "Rona wants to help."

  "It's okay. I'll protect you. I promise. Pinky swear?"

  She stared at his hand, silent.

  Ronald gulped. Oh no. Is she going to cry again?

  Slowly, she lifted her hand. Her pinky hooked around his. "Pinky swear," she whispered.

  Ronald exhaled in relief. "Alright then." He carefully scooped Rona into his arms. And together, they walked deeper into the maze. Behind them, the shadows laughed.