Chapter 6-2

Not whispering a breath; not even risking the sound of one wet blink. The giant figure slowly walked through the hallway they hid, all of them muttered no sound; like they stopped breathing. Ryder hiding behind the gap of the cabinet; Drew crouching with a big plotted plant in front; Evelyn and Madi managed to hid in a room; and someone hid inside another empty cabinet — which they thought was one of the other contestants. Shaking as they hid, the giant man gently turned his head to each side, looking for something — or looking for all of them. Trying not to shake the cabinet in front of him, Ryder inches his head to the side; trying to breath, but when he heard the man's foot stopped at where he was; he hesitates. Turning his head away to face the front where nothing of his head came into view, but his eyes laid upon a small hole behind the cabinet — enough for his one eye to peek through. He carefully fits his sight through, seeing the entire body of the giant man; making his pupil fit the hole. It wasn't a man — in fact, it only looked like one. Its body was covered with skin — Ryder feared it was human — and behind it was something metallic, looking like the color of copper and bronze; it only had one eye, shining a yellow light like a flash to where its sight landed; its jaw was tethered, with the right side being sewn together, and the left was loose, filled with a sticky red liquid which Ryder not dare imagine what it was.

Its clothes were black and drippy, similar to a black gown wearing a bloody apron; and it only had a few strands of hair on its damaged head. It stopped at the cabinet where Ryder was hiding, examining its surroundings carefully as its flashlight like eye moves. But the eye's light turned blue, and it began to move again; but they dare not to breathe a sigh of relief. But in their dismay, it stopped; for there was a gentle thud heard from where they were. The eye's turned yellow again as the figure turned around and walked to the opposite direction; Ryder kept his eye firm through the hole to see where the figure is heading; he thought the sound they heard was far from them. But he stopped in front of the cabinet beside the Ryder's; its eyes lingered at it, waiting for something. Silence unlike any before entered the room, for they did not know what the figure was doing; it only stared eerily at the cabinet, its damaged mouth twitching.

But they suddenly struggled to cover their ears, for the figure's head began to twitch violently as it screeched a high-pitched sound that almost made their ear's bleed; and its eye now flashed bright red. Then they heard something: another scream — and it was not the figure. Ryder tried his best to inch his eye back to the hole to see what's happening, but he only caught a glimpse… of the figure raising a giant knife painted in red except for the engraved word — or title; which said "Seeker". Ryder couldn't keep his eye through the hole, for the screeching sound kept going; and all of them couldn't resist placing their hands on their ears. They couldn't hear anything other than the figure's screech, but after a minute it stopped; and they all immediately seized all grunts of pain as the figure walked away into the corner of another hallway, muttering a noise they couldn't hear.

After recovering from the horrific noise, they got out of their hiding place one by one, with Madi being the one leave first; but she baffled, quickly covering her mouth to not scream. Evelyn walked out of the room after Madi, and she too baffled and quickly turned her eye away. As Ryder got out behind the cabinet, he saw Madi and Evelyn; their expressions raised his eyebrow. He saw Madi's eyes looking at something right of him, Ryder slowly inches his head to look — he almost vomited. On the maroon carpet laid a body, headless and bloody; with cuts on its chest, like something puncturing clay with a sharp stick. Blood dripped from the opened neck, and the missing head was nowhere to be found. Drew finally got up from behind the potted plant, and when he saw the body; he immediately went back behind the plant, vomiting uncontrollably. Carefully walking towards the body, Ryder examined it to see who it was; the clothes were familiar, then Madi spoke, "I-it's the man back at the main room when we first came in; the one I argued with," she said sadly as she turns her head away.

Ryder got down on one knee, looking at the severed body some more, with Evelyn walking up beside him; trying not to stare at the opened neck, "So… when you get caught you…" she drifted.

"…You die," Ryder finished her sentence, standing up to look at the hallway where the figure went.

"W-what do we do now, "said Drew, walking up towards them as he wipes his mouth and eyes with his shirt.

"We… we need to find the next clue." Ryder takes out the note from his back pocket, reading it loud enough for the others and for the seeker to not.

A place like a desert, but not quite wide and hot,

Easy for there is not a lot, where your sanity tells you to rot

Welcomed to keep a limb if you do not,

"Now… what does that mean?" said Ryder as he looks at the others, "Anyone got any ideas?"

All of them stood contemplating about the possible clue, but most of their heads were filled of the thought that the seeker might come around the corner at any moment; all of them were prepare to hide in case that happened, but it hindered their thinking. Ryder read the note again and again while Drew and Madi touched their chins to think; Evelyn was still staring at the bloody body of the contestant. But after a minute, Evelyn turned her head back to them, "What about the snake tanks?"

All of them look at Evelyn with confused, except for Madi, "W-what snake tanks?" asked Drew, bellowing at the thought of venomous snakes.

"Me and Madi saw a tank full of snakes in a room," explained Evelyn, "The tank resembled a tiny dessert."

"And they were rattle snakes that we saw," added Madi, "All of them were in a deep sleep."

Ryder read the note again with the snakes in mind, "A place like a dessert… and where your sanity tells you to rot…" Ryder looked back at them, trying to sound reassuring, "So… we have to reach in and get something inside."

"But what about the snakes!" exclaimed Drew, but silently to not alert the seeker, "Be welcomed to keep a limb if you do not; means that there is a chance that our arm gets bitten off by the snakes!"

"Will you keep it down," said Evelyn, "That is the only thing that we can think of that leads to the clue, if you got any better ideas; feel free to tell us."

Drew began to keep quiet, glaring at Evelyn, "Fine… but how are we going to reach the room when that thing is out to kill u—"

Drew was interrupted by the sudden flare of light illuminating the room again, everything can be seen just like before; and the clock rang once again, along with the disappearance of footsteps "That's it!" Ryder exclaimed excitingly, "The letter said 'One for you to wait, and two to get the clue' which means that there is a timer; one minute keep hidden and two to find the things that we need to get out; and they all repeat in a loop."

"So, we have two minutes to get the next clue, and we must hide for one minute after the two ends?" said Drew, trying to stay calm, "Well… that works!"

"…We should go now…" Evelyn was looking at the hallway where the seeker disappeared into, "We don't have much time before the clock rings again,"

"Okay, lead the way," said Ryder, putting the note back in his pocket.

The four walked in haste to the main room to go the other set of hallways on the opposite side, walking past the rooms they were in. As they enter the main room, it was strangely quiet; as they step down on the stairs, there was only one contestant in sight — a woman with messy hair. She was sitting down, her knees on her chest; holding her head with her arms as she rocks back and forth, and she was mumbling something as she does so, "T-the eyes, T-the bloody eyes." The woman continued to mumble the same words over and over again, like a broken record playing itself. Seeing this, Madi tried to go and help her, but was stopped as Ryder grabbed her arm, "… Don't" said Ryder, "She's in shock; something must've happened,"

"Whatever it is, let's be careful," said Drew, walking up the stairs leading to the opposite side.

As all of them stepped on the carpet of the second floor again, they stopped as something caught their eye: the carpet was more maroon than usual, or should I say, more red. It made a pattern leading to the corner where the hallway resided. Evelyn being in the lead, she urges all of them to step forward slowly towards the hallway. Their minds tried to guess what it was; but they already knew the answer as they entered the hallway. It was full of dead bodies — all missing their heads — blood spilled all over the carpet and on the purple wallpaper; the doors of the rooms were broken, and some cabinets and potted plants were destroyed, with blood on the sharp edges of where it was damaged. Evelyn and Ryder stared at the sight bewildered, while Madi and Drew averted their eyes to avoid vomiting again, "… What kind of sick freak could do this?" said Drew as they pass by the dead bodies.

"… Something that isn't human; not anymore," said Ryder, looking at the positions on how they were killed. Their bodies were riddled with deep cuts and bruises, similar to the body before.

"…We must hurry," Evelyn said, urging them to move faster.

When they turned a corner again, they were relieved — for there were no dead bodies on sight. But as they walk past the cabinets and the various hiding places, they heard whispers and sounds of breathing. There were still people hiding, afraid to come out and find the seeker waiting for them, "… I guess all of them are in shock," said Madi, looking at one of the hiders, which quickly averted their gaze after being seen by Madi.

"The room is right there." Evelyn pointed at a door with a yellow door knob.

As they enter the room, Drew quickly locked the door and Evelyn and Madi walked towards where the tank full of snakes was sitting. Ryder followed suit towards them, standing on his toes to see the tank from a higher angle, "So, what are we looking for," asked Madi.

"Something that helps us get out," said Evelyn.

"…There," said Ryder, pointing at the very middle of the tank, where all of the snakes surrounded it, "A key."

Drew walked over towards them, seeing the pile of snakes surrounding the key, "And how are we supposed to get that?" asked Drew, not wanting to get an answer.

"… I guess somebody must get it… by hand," said Ryder worryingly.

They stood thinking about who should stick their hand inside the tank and get the key, but the risk laid big in their heads. Without much choice, Ryder was about to volunteer, but he was interrupted before he could speak, "… I'll do it," said a vague voice, and it was Madi.

All of them looked at her, trying to reassure, "Are you sure?" asked Drew, placing his hand on her shoulder, "I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'm sure…" said Madi, with a somewhat gleeful tone, "I have dealt with snakes before back at my father's farm, I can handle a few snakes."

"If you're sure," said Ryder reassuringly, "Just… be careful,"

"You and Drew should go to the locked door I mentioned before," said Evelyn, "See if its still locked; I'll stay with Madi."

"Okay, we will come back here after the clock rings again," said Ryder.

"If we can even come back here while that maniac is walking around the darkness," exclaimed Drew, hesitantly following Ryder out of the room.

After both of them left, Madi began to pull up her sleeves as she exhales to slow her heart rate down; with Evelyn beside her, pacing her eyes back and forth the door and Madi. She slowly opens the tank, trying her best not to provoke the snakes in any way; she takes a deep breath before gently lowering her hand inside the tank, trying not to shake it as she makes it descent into the pile of snakes. Holding her breath to move still, but she almost jerked back; for a familiar sound was heard.

"TING!"

The clock strikes again, along with the flickering of lights as it begins to dim down just like before. But Madi tried her best to not move her head and hand; Evelyn however, quickly walked towards the door, waiting for Ryder and Drew; and to see if the seeker was in the hallway. And to her dismay, a footstep echoed through the hallway. Evelyn peeked her eye through the door and saw the familiar shadow: it was the seeker, slowly walking through the hall with its eyes turned yellow, searching for contestants to kill. Madi was too occupied to care for the footstep, she made her hand descend further into the middle of the pile. She listened carefully for the touch of metal on her fingertips, and tried to ignore the touch of scales that were brushing against her hand. Half a minute passes and still no luck, and the seeker was almost the door. Evelyn tiptoed over to Evelyn, seeing her hand deep inside the pile, "What's taking so long?" she asked, looking at the door.

"Just… a second…" She moves her fingers a bit towards the bottom, and there it was, "Got it!" She slowly grabs the metal key before gently lifting her hand. But there was something wrong. A noise suddenly came from Madi's pocket — not loud enough for the seeker to hear — but the snakes were startled. One of them suddenly peeked his head out as it looks at Madi's hand. And it bit her. Madi in pain, was about to scream; but Evelyn quickly covered her mouth just in time before the seeker turned his head towards the door. She felt Madi's spit oozing on her hand, she grunted silently in pain as the snake slowly retracted its fangs. After the seeker left, Evelyn grabbed the snake's head then forced it back inside the tank; closing it afterwards. But Madi was crying in pain as she stumbled down, holding her arm as it started to weaken. With her hand losing the strength to move, it opened; dropping the key on the carpet. Evelyn quickly ripped out the long sleeved on the affected arm then trying it to keep the venom from spreading fast.

"Evelyn… it hurts!" Madi cried, moving her legs frantically.

"Just hang in there!" said Evelyn trying to calm her down, "Ryder and Drew will be here soon!"

Speaking of Ryder and Drew, they were laying against corner of the hallway where Evelyn and Madi were in, peeking their head to see if the seeker was gone. But it stood at the end of the hallway, looking at a cabinet, "What are we going to do?" asked Drew silently, "That thing has stood there for half a minute without moving."

"Hmmm, it sees somethin—" Before Ryder could finish, the seeker's head suddenly twitched frantically again, screaming a loud screech that pained their ears. The seeker punched through the cabinet, then as Ryder and Drew tried their best to look at what it was doing; it pulled out something from inside: a contestant, screaming as the seekers hand grabbed his chest.

"Please, I beg you! I have children!" the man plead, but in the end, it was futile.

The seeker laughed hysterically before crushing him down against the carpet; and with a swing of its large knife, it sliced his legs, "AHHHHH!" his scream was almost as loud as it's screech.

The man tried to crawl away, his eyes bleeding and his legs were no longer connected. The seeker only laughed at the sight; as it was playing with its prey. Ryder peeked his head more to see, but he would soon regret it. The man saw him as he crawled, trying to shout, "Help… Me… Please" said the man, before the seeker went up above his head before slicing it as well. Ryder stared as the blood spilled out from the man's neck, his heart sinking from the sight of the poor man's plea. But his view was interrupted. After the seeker placed his head to hang on his belt, its eyes met Ryder's, making him jerk back to the corner. But maybe it was too late. The seeker was now slowly walking towards their way, and there was nowhere they could hide; Drew covered his own mouth with his hands, trying not to let his fear out. Ryder sweated as his heart began to race with every footstep that became louder. The seeker stopped at the very other corner; it peeked his head forwards. Its head was now beside Ryder's. He saw its shattered jaw, with the red liquid dripping out.

Ryder and Drew couldn't move, fear controlled their legs and hands, making them stay as they held their bated breath. But in their very dismay, the seeker's head twitched frantically; but strangely, there was no screeching noise. Ryder was about to run as the seeker showed its sharp bloody knife, he twitched his feet to turn and run, but he still couldn't move; he couldn't even usher a scream or a word. The seeker finally swings at them, making them close their eyes and jerked their head back; with Drew screaming as he was about to run.

"TING!"

They heard the sound of the clock ringing while their eyes were closed; and as Ryder and Drew stood there with nothing to do but wait for the seeker's knife to slice their neck, nothing happened. They slowly opened their eyes and, in their surprise, the hallways were back to normal again; the lights were bright again and the seeker was nowhere to be found. Ryder slid his head to look at the corner of the hallway, and still, the seeker was not there. Ryder and Drew walked away from the wall and into the hallway, bewildered and shocked, "Where… did it go?" asked Drew, looking around to make sure it was really gone.

"… Come on, we need to go back to Evelyn and Madi," said Ryder, signaling Drew to follow.

The two made their way back into the room, which was close to them. And as they stepped inside the room, they instantly heard a cry. Drew looked around and saw Madi, sitting down as she holds her bleeding arm while Evelyn was on her knees helping her. Drew and Ryder immediately went down to Madi, looking at the bleeding bite mark of the snake, "What happened?!" asked Drew, helping Madi keep on the pressure.

"What do you think? A snake bit her!" yelled Evelyn, placing another ripped cloth on Madi's arm.

"I'm… fine… AHHH!" Madi struggled to say a word without crying in pain.

"We need to go before she passes out!" said Ryder, looking out of the door, "The room you told us to find is still locked; the key should fit there, maybe." Ryder walked over to them again.

"… And if it doesn't?" asked Evelyn, calming Madi down after she cried again.

"… I don't know…" said Ryder, trying not to sound unsure.

Evellyn looked at his eyes, before looking back at Madi and Drew, "We need to go now," she said, putting Madi's arm over her shoulder.

"But… can she stand?" asked Drew, looking at Madi's exhausted face.

"I… Can… Take it," Madi said, breathing heavily.

Drew gazed at her, wanting to propose another way, but he placed his Madi's bitten arm over his shoulder. Both Evelyn and Drew carried Madi off the floor and on her legs, which was wiggling as her body gradually becomes weaker. Ryder opened the door for them to go through, and after that, he took the lead. They moved slowly because of Evelyn's grunts of pain; Ryder went on the front to scout ahead of them. And after turning many corners and passing newly dead bodies, they arrived at the locked door; which was situated at front and between the side hallways. They placed Madi against the wall for her to rest as Evelyn walked over to Ryder, "Do you have the key?" asked Ryder.

Evelyn nodded before she takes out the key from her pocket. She slowly inserts the key into the lock, with Ryder silently praying inside his head and Drew crossing his fingers as she holds Madi. Evelyn turns the key, hoping as she holds her breath.

"Click!"

All of them exhaled in relief, with Madi just letting out a grunt, "Come on, Let's get inside before the clock rings again." Evelyn opened the door while Ryder walked over to Drew to help Madi stand up again. They all walked inside the room, and amazement entered their eyes. The room was behind the giant clock in the main room, they saw every part of the ticking clock: the hands and numbers. But… there was no door in sight. After Evelyn closed and locked the door, she and Ryder walked over to the clock; Drew putting down Madi to sit on a chair near them.

"W-where is the way out?" asked Ryder, looking at the hands of the clock.

"…There." Evelyn pointed a below the hands, "A note."

Ryder quickly took the note, which was rolled up and placed on a cylinder that perfectly fitted the piece of paper. He opened it, reading the note out loud for all of them to hear.

The end is near, muster your strength to bear,

The way out is close, but concealed like the one,

Only when all the hands are joined, will the way shall open to be enjoyed.

"All the hands are joined…" Ryder drifted into his thoughts, then suddenly jumped, "Get me a chair!"

Drew walked to the opposite side to get an empty chair, then carried it to where Ryder and Evelyn stood. After placing it in on the ground, Ryder quickly stepped on it and lifted his head to look at the hands of the clock. Carefully, he grabbed each hand and moved them down, fusing them together. After all of them was finally down, something clicked. Ryder quickly jumped down the chair then moved it away as the hands of the clock shook. It shook for half a minute before a line appeared in the middle of the hands; and a rectangle gap opened slightly above it. All of them looked as it all happened, even Madi, who finally stood up on her own without any help. Ryder looked at the rectangle gap, and saw a flashing red; then it flashed a number twenty, slowly counting down.

"It's an elevator," said Evelyn as they all sighed in relief.

"We're almost out! Thank god," exclaimed Drew happily.

… But they had no time to celebrate. The lights flickered again, and it dimmed. The clock didn't ting, but they all knew what it meant: the seeker was coming for them, "Block the door! Quickly!" shouted Ryder as he grabbed the chair beside him and moved it against the door. Ryder, Drew, and Evelyn grabbed every piece of furniture in the room to block the door; even Madi helped using her uninjured arm. After they placed everything against the door, they all sit down quietly; for the seeker was in the hallway walking slowly. They held their mouths with their hand, especially Madi, who tried her best not to let out a cry of pain. They saw the seeker's yellow light passing through the gaps of the door. They heard the footsteps stop outside the door; it was standing there; waiting for a sound. But it was disappointed. The seeker began to walk away from the door, giving their hearts a rest, "That… was clo—"

"TING!"

The elevator let out a loud ting as it finally arrived at their floor, but instead of smiling, they grabbed everything that was against the door to push them. For the seeker hurryingly walked back to the door, banging it frantically as they heard the very twitching of its head, and the red light going through the door, "We need to go now!" shouted Ryder, struggling to push the furniture against the door, "Evelyn, go through!"

After hearing Ryder, Evelyn quickly went to the elevator where it automatically opened for her; she went inside and called out, "Drew come on!" she shouted and Drew followed suit. After he went inside, Ryder hesitantly walked away from the furniture and went inside the elevator, "Wait… Madi!" cried Drew. Madi was trying her best to push the furniture, but after hearing Drew's voice, she turned and walked towards the elevator; grunting in pain as she holds her bitten arm. Ryder and Drew were about to go out and help her… But it was too late. As Madi walked towards the elevator, a hand grabbed her leg, making her slide down on the floor. It was the seeker, finally breaking through the door. Ryder and Drew stopped as they saw the seeker towering over Madi.

"NO! NO! PLEASE!" she screamed and plead, but the seeker only laughed as its head twitched.

The seeker turned Madi to make her back face it. Madi looked at all of them in the elevator as the seeker plunged its knife deep into her abdomen, making her grunt, "MADI!" shouted Drew, about to go out, but was stopped by Ryder grabbing his arm.

"Drew don't!" shouted Ryder, struggling to keep Drew from leaving the elevator.

Drew shed a tear, as Madi looked at them one last time; her mouth spewing blood as the seeker placed its knife on her neck.

"NOOO!" Drew shouted, but it was futile.

Then it swinged its knife so hard that it sliced Madi's head off, making it roll over. Her head… stopped at the very entrance of the elevator. They all looked in horror, as they saw Madi's head looking at them as it shed a blood tear. Her mouth was still moving while blood dripped from it, and her eyes turned all white. After a second, the elevator… finally closed. Ryder stood stiff as he crashed his back against the elevator wall; and Drew going down on the floor, his eyes wide with his pupils becoming small. Evelyn clenched her fist as she looks down; Drew shed more tears, but his face didn't change; it was still in shock. Just like all of them.

"We… Why… Why didn't we save her…" said Drew as he cried stiff.

"We… couldn't save her." Ryder went down on the floor with him as the elevator moved.

Drew looked at Ryder weakly as he cried.

"Why… are we even still alive.."