Everyone is talking at once.
Declan is saying, “Did you see the walls? Did you see the fucking walls?”
And Quaid is saying, “They’re fried now! They’re fuckin’ fried!”
And Star is saying, “I saw you.” Except she’s not looking at Declan, she’s looking atme.
A sudden sinking feeling fills my gut. “What?” I ask.
She breaks away from Declan and comes towards me. “I saw you. In here.” She points to the ground.
Instantly, I’m transported back in time. A time filled with fear. Nothing but absolute fear. Over the years that fear has faded into embarrassment. It was shameful to me just how afraid I was back then. At just how much this place affected me. How my whole body would quake and shiver every time I woke up from being killed by the monster. And the dread I felt when I realized I’d have to do it all again.
I blink and suddenly, I’m standing in the maze. At a four-way junction. There is one flaming torch lighting up each choice, making the walls flicker eerily as I pause, unable to make a decision and breathing so hard, I think I might pass out.
A hand touches my shoulder and I almost scream like a girl. But when I turn, it’s not the monster.
It’s Star.
“It’s OK,” she says. She looks exactly like she does back in my room. Wearing the same clothes and everything—a long blackdress with little sparkles on it, making her look like a night-sky princess.
“It’s me, Aric. I’m here. You’re not alone.”
I squint. Whispering, “What?”
“You’re not alone.”
I blink again and I’m back in the present, the room back to normal. No darkness, no glowing walls.
Quaid’s glasses spark and he overreacts, flinging them off his face. They go skittering across the rock floor and end up under the bed. He looks at me “What the fuck was that?”
I shrug. “I have no fucking clue.” But then I take my attention to Star. “You were there.”
She points at herself, her face still very flushed with the desire she was experiencing with Declan. “Me? Was where?”
“Here.” I point to the ground. “I mean, out there.” I point to the walls, indicating the maze. “I was back there for a moment, in the maze. I had four choices and I couldn’t make up my mind. And then you were there and you said I wasn’t alone anymore.”
She smiles here. Like… really fucking smiles at me. “Aww. That was nice of me. Did I help you?”
“I blinked and…” I let out a long breath. “Then I was here again.”
“What did you see, Star?” This is Declan. “When you saw Aric?”
“Oh, well it was here, but not in the maze. You were…” She doesn’t finish. But her eyes glide over to the bed.
“I was what?” I ask. She looks at me with an all-teeth grin, and even though her face is still rosy from being sexually aroused by Declan, they go scarlet now. “What?” I ask. “What did you see?”
She glances at Declan, winces, then shrugs and turns her attention back to me. “You and I were… well, let’s just say it was your turn to get me worked up, I guess.”
My eyebrows shoot up and suddenly, all the fear is gone. I let out a laugh. “Well, finally something is going my way.”
“But did you see the walls?” Declan asks. He’s very annoyed at this latest development. “They were all lit up with symbols.”
“I did,” I say. “I saw them too.
“Well, I didn’t,” Quaid snarls. “I was too busy being shocked my glasses.” Now he glares at Star. “It’s you. You’re doing this on purpose.”
It’s Star’s turn to laugh. She puts up a hand, palm first, like she’s warding him off. “Trust me when I say this, I’m not doing anything to you. Or with you. You’re a jerk and I would like you remove this collar from my neck immediately.” She looks at Declan. “Please.” Begs. “Please make him take it off. I don’t like it.”
