The Red Labyrinth by Meredith Tate

Author:Meredith Tate [Tate, Meredith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635830347
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

15

I don’t remember falling asleep, but when I wake up, blue sky shines outside the tiny window. I sit up, every muscle in my body throbbing. My eyes burn.

I’m alone.

I miss my Ma. I wish I knew she was okay—or alive.

My heart feels like it’s been shredded, lying in bloody chunks inside my chest. I keep picturing Landon telling me he loved me. And me pushing him away.

I remind myself that it wasn’t really him. But that doesn’t make it hurt any less.

The maze is screwing with my mind. Unhinging me, one painful piece at a time. Maybe this is how it starts. This is what everyone feels before the Labyrinth Stare sets in. Maybe there’s no monster after all. The maze itself is the cruel monster, destroying the sanity of all who wander inside.

Everyone warned me about the labyrinth. My entire life, all I ever heard was to stay away from it. And here I was, thinking I could somehow survive it. How naïve and arrogant I was to think I could manage after all the strong, Skilled people who tried and failed.

I snort, marveling at my own foolishness.

I don’t know where Dex is. Hells, I don’t even know where I am. For all I know, the sand guardian lied to me. Maybe the Dex I saw last night was another trick. Maybe she locked me in here and I’m doomed to hallucinate these nightmares until I starve to death.

I sniffle, pushing to my feet. My rifle lies on the floor beside the mat.

I hesitantly poke it, expecting another trick. But nothing happens.

Dex wouldn’t have returned it to me. He must have dropped it here by mistake. Or maybe he abandoned me and left the rifle as one final courtesy. I sling it over my back, relishing the familiar weight.

I can do this.

I am brave. I am strong. And I am not afraid.

My own voice creeps into my head, low and deadly.

But you’re not brave, Zadie. You’re not strong. And you’re definitely afraid.

You’re a coward, Zadie. A big, scared, coward.

I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. Focus. I can’t give up. Not yet.

I try the door. Surprisingly, it’s not locked. It creaks open, revealing a down-winding staircase made of stone. At least I’m not trapped in here.

I walk to the other end of the room and peek out the window to get a sense of my location. The small space is just big enough to fit my head through. Vertigo swirls inside me at the sight of the gravel, several stories down. Steadying myself, I back away.

Okay. I need a plan.

The room is small, but packed. A few trinkets are scattered across the floor, including a collection of dusty marbles and a stack of moldy books. A burlap sack of potatoes leans against the wall, surrounded by sealed glass jars of what look like pickled fruits. Cardboard boxes are stacked beside them, each one labeled with words like Crackers and Sugar.

This isn’t just a tower. This is a home.

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