4

Phil stood up slowly, grimacing and holding his back. "Ugh, my back... I swear, that fall almost killed me," he muttered before sitting on the wall, rubbing his temples.

Raye, still looking worried, approached cautiously. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine concern.

"I'm fine," Phil replied, taking a deep breath. "I just need a moment to think and breathe." He paused, glancing between the group. "Oh, by the way, I haven't asked yet, but... who are you?"

Jyin stepped forward, her gaze steady as she introduced herself. "I'm Jyin, and this is Raye," she said, gesturing to the girl beside her. Then she added, "And you are?"

Phil nodded. "Phil. And this is...?" He glanced at the girl with curly hair, now visibly calmer.

The girl hesitated before speaking. "I'm Alia. Sorry for crying earlier. I... I'm just a little emotional," she admitted, a sheepish smile forming on her face.

Raye waved her hand dismissively, a friendly grin on her face. "Oh, don't worry about it! I'm the same way. I remember crying for an entire week when my ex-boyfriend dumped me. Like, seriously, it was so bad!" She laughed awkwardly, but the group fell silent, unsure how to respond.

Clearing her throat, Raye added quickly, "Uh, but, you know... it's all in the past now! Haha... anyway."

Phil frowned, scanning the area. "There were more people here, right? Where are they?"

Raye started to explain. "Oh, this tall guy named Kalyl started barking orders at everyone, saying we should—"

Jyin interrupted, lightly tapping Raye's arm. "We split up into pairs to search for supplies—water, food, anything to survive. We don't even know where we'll sleep tonight."

Phil raised an eyebrow. "Water, huh? I think I might have a solution for that."

Jyin crossed her arms, tilting her head curiously. "Really? How?"

Phil smirked, a hint of pride in his voice. "See, my climb wasn't entirely useless. I spotted a well not too far from here."

Raye's eyes lit up. "Wait, seriously? I was already starting to think I'd die of thirst!"

Jyin's tone turned practical. "Is it far from here?"

Phil shook his head. "Not really. Maybe a five-minute walk, tops."

Jyin studied him for a moment before asking, "Do you want to stay here while we go check it out, or will you come with us?"

Phil looked around, rubbing the back of his neck, and sighed.

"No, I'll go with you. What if I stay here alone, and... something gets me?"

Raye shrugged, her tone light.

"I don't think anything's gonna get you if you stay. This place is so quiet and lifeless. I mean, there's not even a single animal around."

Jyin crossed her arms, her sharp gaze scanning the field.

"That's exactly what makes this place so unsettling. It's unnatural. There's grass everywhere, but not a single bird, insect, or even the sound of wind. It's wrong."

Phil hesitated but finally pushed himself to his feet, groaning softly as his back protested.

"Alright, let's get moving. Lead the way."

They began their walk toward the well, the faint sound of their footsteps the only noise breaking the oppressive silence. The tension in the air was palpable, as if the maze itself were holding its breath.

Raye, walking slightly ahead, tried to lighten the mood.

"So, uh, Phil... What made you think climbing that huge wall was a good idea? Like, seriously, skyscraper walls don't just scream 'climb me.'"

Phil rolled his eyes but smirked faintly.

"Hey, I figured if I got to the top, I'd see the way out. Not my fault the thing's impossible to climb."

Jyin chimed in, her voice more thoughtful.

"It's not a bad idea, in theory. If this is a maze, getting an aerial view would be useful. But these walls… They're designed to keep us down. To keep us trapped."

Phil frowned, glancing up at the towering walls that now seemed even more menacing.

"Yeah, well, they're doing a pretty good job of it."

Behind them, Alia walked in silence, her head lowered and her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She trailed a few steps behind the group, lost in thought.

Raye noticed and slowed her pace, falling in beside her.

"Hey, you alright back there?"

Alia nodded quickly but didn't lift her head.

"I'm fine. Just… thinking."

Raye exchanged a glance with Jyin, who gave a subtle nod, but neither pushed further. The group continued walking in silence, their destination drawing closer with every step.

As they approached, Phil pointed toward the distance.

"There. Told you it wasn't far."

The faint outline of the well began to take shape, standing eerily still in the open expanse. The group's pace quickened, their hope momentarily outweighing their unease.

Raye glanced around as they neared the well, breaking the silence with her usual energy.

"So... does anyone here actually know how to use a well? Or are we just gonna wing it?"

Alia, walking a step behind, spoke up in a quiet voice.

"I... I know how."

Phil turned his head, raising an eyebrow.

"Really? How?"

Alia shifted uncomfortably, but after a brief pause, she began to explain. Her voice was steady, though still soft.

"Most wells have a bucket and a crank or a pulley system. You lower the bucket until it hits the water, let it fill, and then crank it back up. If it's an older well, you might need to pull the rope yourself. It's not complicated, just... takes some effort."

Raye grinned, nudging Alia lightly with her elbow.

"Look at you, water expert. Alright, you're officially in charge of the well."

Alia offered a small, hesitant smile but didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the well as they drew closer.

The group reached the edge of the well, its ancient stone structure weathered but intact. A rope hung loosely on a crank, with a bucket barely visible inside the well's shadowy depths. Alia stepped forward, brushing her fingers over the rough surface.

Raye crossed her arms and grinned.

"Alright, Alia. Show us what you've got."

Alia nodded, gripping the crank handle and beginning to turn it with steady determination. The rope creaked as the bucket descended, the faint sound echoing from within the well. The group watched in tense silence, their hopes hinging on what lay at the bottom.

Alia gripped the crank tightly, her hands trembling slightly as she pulled the rope upward. The bucket rose slowly, creaking under the strain, until it finally emerged from the depths of the well. It was full of crystal-clear water, shimmering in the sunlight.

Phil's eyes lit up at the sight, and he wasted no time stepping forward.

"Finally!" he exclaimed, grabbing the bucket eagerly. He cupped his hands and scooped up some of the water, gulping it down quickly.

"Ah, that's refreshing," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Raye rolled her eyes playfully, crossing her arms.

"Save some for the rest of us, greedy."

Phil stepped back with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, yeah. Your turn."

Jyin knelt beside the bucket, carefully taking her share of the water. "At least it's clean," she observed, her tone measured. "This might be the first good thing we've encountered here."

Raye and Alia each took their turn, drinking deeply and savoring the cool liquid. When they were done, the group sat down beside the well, their exhaustion finally catching up to them. The silence was no longer unsettling but almost comforting, broken only by the sound of their steady breathing.

Phil leaned back against the well, closing his eyes for a moment. "Okay, I won't lie. That was the best water I've ever had."

Raye laughed softly, running her fingers through her hair. "Well, when you're dying of thirst, anything tastes like a five-star meal."

Alia sat quietly, her knees pulled up to her chest. She looked at the bucket still half-full of water, her lips curving into a faint smile. "At least we have something now," she murmured. "It's a start."

Phil letting out a deep breath. "So... what do we do now?"

Jyin glanced at him as if the answer was obvious. "We take water back to the others, of course. They're probably just as thirsty as we were."

Raye leaned against the well, her arms crossed. "Honestly, I don't like Kalyl," she muttered, almost to herself.

Phil raised an eyebrow. "Kalyl? Who's that? The big guy?"

Raye nodded, her lips twisting in disdain. "Yeah, him. He's already acting like he owns the place—bossing everyone around, giving orders left and right. Ugh, he's annoying."

Jyin sighed, her tone measured. "He was in the military. He's probably used to giving orders. And, to be fair, he's likely the most prepared out of all of us. We don't even know what's out there yet."

Raye frowned, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, he was in the military? How do you know that?"

Jyin, hesitant, avoided her gaze. "Well... one of my last investigative reports was on military misconduct. I came across his name during my research."

Before she could elaborate, a deafening, guttural sound ripped through the air:

Arrrhsggh!

The group froze, their blood running cold.

Suddenly, a swarm of black birds burst into the open from the direction of the labyrinth. The creatures weren't ordinary birds. They looked like crows but with grotesque, featureless faces. Instead of beaks, they had strange slits where their mouths should have been, and their wings flapped with an unnatural, almost mechanical rhythm.

The flock flew overhead in a chaotic frenzy, their eerie, guttural calls filling the air as they darted past and disappeared into the distance.

Raye ducked, her arms over her head. "What the hell are those?!"

Phil, wide-eyed, stumbled back, almost tripping over his own feet. "They're... they're not birds. What are they?"

Jyin stood still, her expression grim as she watched the last of the creatures vanish. "They're fleeing," she murmured.

Raye turned to her, panic rising in her voice. "Fleeing from what?!"

Alia, trembling, clutched her knees to her chest. Her voice was barely audible. "Whatever made that noise."

The group stared at the dark, towering walls of the labyrinth, the weight of the unknown settling heavily over them. For a moment, none of them spoke, the oppressive silence broken only by the faint rustling of leaves.