The Maze

Patrick awoke in the dark. A creaky melody sounded from the depths, like the merry-go-round in a carnival of yesteryear. He had no recollection of how he got here. Suddenly, wall-mounted lights flickered on, as if he were in a theater, only he was the subject, not the spectator, of a cheesy horror flick.

The lights revealed that he was in a hallway that extended in both directions. He decided to follow the lit path. As he walked, he noticed it getting slightly darker. He looked back from where he started; the wall lights had turned off as he past them. He took a careful step forward, staring at the next light as it extinguished. 

Patrick patted his pocket; his phone was gone. There was, however, a slip of paper that read, "Turn off the lights before you leave."

There was a scream from around the corner. Or was it a draft? 

Now behind him: another scream. Wheeling around, Patrick saw it: flesh like a corpse, only partially transparent- and racing toward him. Patrick bolted in the opposite direction, only to see a second visage, this one seemingly enflamed. Somehow, he noticed the hallway extended to his left, where he instinctively ran. The lights clicked off as he ran, and the two specters started to gain on him. 

He turned a blind corner and discovered a large blue screen. Heart racing and head muddled, he just stared at it. The shriek of his pursuers startled him, and his hand slammed against the screen just as they stretched out-

The shriek changed to agony, and they shriveled to the floor, electricity pulsing through their bodies until they popped into two blue mists.

“This is unreal,” gasped Patrick. Another scream from somewhere in the building. He had to get out.

He quickly made his way through the hallways, never finding anything resembling a door. The halls got progressively darker. Twice, he caught sight of a red glow, but ducked into a separate passage to evade it. 

It was now pitch dark, or close to it. Somewhere, there had to be a light still on. Either that, or he was on some infrared camera as some serial killer munched on popcorn. 

Keeping his right hand on the wall, he waded through the darkness. And then he started to see the hallway, growing redder. The scream behind him was all he needed to quicken his pace. 

Left turn- no lights.

Quick right- no lights.

Another right- a faint blue glow around the next corner! If it was one of those electroshock things, maybe he’d be alive a few more minutes. 

Patrick broke into a sprint. The red phantom was getting closer. He’d hit the corner in 3, 2, 1...

The glow came from an icy figure, dripping with dark blue liquid. Patrick ducked under its skeletal claw, only to fall into the grip of the red monster. Lifeless, he fell to the floor.

Game over.