Chapter 7: Painted Clues and the Waiting Game

Hu Tao’s laughter echoed through the narrow halls of the maze as she skipped ahead of Lumine, her flashlight bobbing with every exaggerated step. “You know,” she said, spinning on her heel to walk backward, “for a haunted maze, this place really knows how to set the mood. Creepy vibes, endless corridors… Oh, look at this!”

Lumine barely had time to stop before Hu Tao gestured dramatically at the wall. Her flashlight illuminated a series of old, faded paintings hanging crookedly along the hallway. The images were unnerving: distorted figures with hollow eyes, twisted smiles, and dark backgrounds that seemed to move if you stared too long.

“Creepy, right?” Hu Tao said with a grin, leaning closer to inspect one. “Looks like something straight out of a horror movie! I love it.”

“Hu Tao,” Lumine whispered, her voice tense, “can you not?”

“What? They’re just paintings,” Hu Tao replied, shrugging. She pointed to one of the figures that appeared to be crying black tears. “This one’s kind of cute, don’t you think? Very emo chic.”

Lumine groaned, her nerves already stretched thin. “We don’t have time for this. We need to find the others and—wait.” Her eyes widened as she turned her flashlight further down the hall.

In the distance, barely visible through the dim light, was a large metal door with an exit sign faintly glowing above it. Relief flooded through her as she grabbed Hu Tao’s arm and started pulling her toward it. “Come on! I see the exit!”

“Wait, wait!” Hu Tao protested, though she followed Lumine. “What about the others? We can’t just leave them behind!”

“I know!” Lumine said, her voice firm. “We’ll wait for them by the door. It’s safer than wandering around in circles.”

They reached the metal door, its surface cold and damp to the touch. Lumine tried the handle, but it was locked—no surprise there. She sighed, leaning against the wall, and glanced at Hu Tao.

“Now we wait,” Lumine said, her tone soft but determined.

Hu Tao plopped down on the floor with a dramatic huff, resting her chin in her hands. “Well, this is cozy,” she quipped, flashing Lumine a cheeky grin. “Think the others are having as much fun as we are?”

Lumine crossed her arms, her gaze shifting back down the corridor. “I hope they’re okay.”

Hu Tao reached into her pocket and pulled out a small packet of candy, offering one to Lumine with a shrug. “They’ll find their way. They always do. For now, let’s just enjoy the ambiance.”

Lumine hesitated before taking the candy, her nerves settling slightly. Still, the oppressive atmosphere of the maze loomed around them, the eerie silence only broken by the occasional distant creak or shuffle.

She kept her flashlight steady, pointing it down the hallway, ready for whatever—or whoever—might come next.