Chapter 6: New Crew member

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"Guys! Enough with the chattering. I think I've found a way out!" James called out from the other side, lifting his torch to reveal a shadowy pathway.

"Then... what about the building? Do we just stop following the map and follow Captain James?" Ellie asked, raising a brow and glancing at the others.

"Okay, who brought her here?" James muttered, clearly irritated.

"Let's keep moving," Isaac said decisively. They all began moving toward the pathway, the flickering torchlight casting eerie shadows on the walls.

It took a while until they realized they had returned to where they started. The place looked hauntingly similar to the one they had just left.

"Seems like we're going around in circles. Great job, Captain James," Ellie said, forcing out a sarcastic smile.

"Wait... we aren't exactly where we were," Thomas interjected, scrutinizing the walls.

The walls were covered in scribbles, as if someone had desperately written on them.

"Fredrick was here," he read aloud, moving to the next scribble. "Fredrick was here," he repeated, then stopped at the next line. "I'm all alone."

He turned to face the crew, a chill running down his spine. "Okay then. So you're trying to say that there's someone here named Fredrick? That we aren't the only ones here?" Ellie asked, trying to stifle a nervous laugh.

"Yes... I guess," Thomas replied, stepping back from the walls, his face pale.

"You know what? If I had another chance, I would've picked a different crew," Eleanor snapped.

"What do you mean by that?" Dr. Isaac asked, his patience wearing thin.

"You know you're a pain in the ass sometimes, Miss Eleanor," Thomas retorted.

"Yeah, I'm a pain in the ass. Now tell me about the guy who almost got us killed by the Echoe Man, and now thinks there's another person here!" she yelled, her voice echoing through the corridor.

"Perhaps he might be right," Dr. Isaac said thoughtfully. "You know the stories about how many people—pirates and adventurers—have tried to reach the other side and find the treasure. Maybe we aren't the first to survive."

"Well then, we should find this Fredrick guy. We are only four—"

"Five," someone corrected from the shadows.

"Right! We are only five..." Isaac paused, the realization dawning on him as the crew turned to see a shadowy figure emerge from the darkness.

"So stunned to meet you guys," Fredrick laughed, wrapping his arm around Isaac. "I can't believe it," he said, his eyes gleaming with a mix of madness and relief.

"How long have you been here?" Ellie asked, her voice trembling.

"Long enough to know that there's no easy way out," Fredrick replied, his smile fading. "But with your help, maybe we can finally escape this nightmare."

Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, and the walls began to close in. The crew looked around frantically as the pathway they had just come through sealed itself shut.

"We need to move, now!" James shouted, grabbing Ellie by the arm and pulling her forward.

"Stick together!" Dr. Isaac commanded as they followed Fredrick deeper into the labyrinth, their torches flickering ominously.

As they ventured further, strange noises echoed through the corridors, and the air grew colder. They stumbled upon more scribbles, each one more frantic and desperate than the last.

"Fredrick was here. I'm all alone. They're watching."

"What does it mean?" Thomas whispered, fear evident in his voice.

"It means we're not alone," Fredrick replied, his expression grim. "And whatever's watching us... it's not friendly."

Just then, a distant, guttural growl resonated through the halls, sending shivers down their spines. The crew exchanged worried glances, their sense of urgency intensifying.

"We have to keep moving," Dr. Isaac said, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes.

As they pressed on, the growls grew louder, closer. The shadows seemed to move with a life of their own, twisting and contorting into grotesque shapes.

"Stay close, and don't look back," James urged, his grip tightening on Ellie's arm.

They hurried through the maze, the air thick with tension and dread. Every corner they turned brought new horrors—ghostly apparitions, whispers in the dark, and the ever-present feeling of being watched.

Finally, they reached a massive, ornate door, covered in ancient symbols.

"This is it," Fredrick said, his voice trembling with a mix of hope and fear. "The way out."

"But it's locked," Thomas pointed out, his frustration palpable.

"Not for long," Dr. Isaac said, examining the symbols. "These are runes. If we can decipher them, we might be able to open the door."

As they worked together to decode the runes, the growling grew louder, and the shadows closed in around them.

"Hurry!" Ellie urged, her eyes darting nervously.

Just as the creature was upon them, Dr. Isaac shouted, "I've got it!" He pressed a sequence of runes, and the door creaked open, flooding the corridor with blinding light.

"Go! Go!" James yelled, pushing the crew through the door. They tumbled out into the sunlight, gasping for breath as the door slammed shut behind them.

They found themselves in a lush, verdant landscape, the nightmare of the labyrinth finally behind them. Fredrick collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

"We made it," he whispered, his voice filled with disbelief and relief.

"But at what cost?" Ellie murmured, looking back at the sealed door.

The crew stood in silence, the weight of their harrowing journey settling upon them.