A/n: AN UPDATE ON TIME!
Hey guys, hope you are all keeping well and safe, especially against the Corona Virus. I know these are hard times but we have to make do with what is happening. Here I have the next chapter for you guys!!! I was lucky enough to finish all my work for the day and had time to write this chapter for you guys!!!!!

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter! And check out that song ^^^^ that's my song of the day choice!!!!!!!!

Enjoy! TaylorLeFay

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AND DON'T FORGET TO READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER!
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Chapter Sixty:

Even though it was probably no longer than an hour, it felt like forever as I waited for Lucas's verdict. I sat quietly as I watched the nurses do what they did best and clean out his wound, stitch the laceration and patch him up.

Despite my protest, a single nurse attended to my face. My wounds seemed like nothing in comparison to Lucas's. In fact, I had believed I had no wounds until the nurse came to patch me up.

It turned out my adrenaline was still pumping through my body and I felt numb to everything that happened around me. My mind was only focused on one thing. And that one thing was Lucas.

It scared me, how much I cared and depended on him. And as I sat here, staring at his lifeless looking face and the sweat and grime that covered his body, my feelings about him only heightened.

I hissed in pain as the nurse poured alcohol down my lacerated arms. All the tiny scratches and tears in my skin from the thorns and branches of the hedges had caused my damaged then I had originally thought. I stared at my untreated right arm and cringed at the bright read marks of irritation and the few gushing wounds. Bright red with blood, my arms resembled a scene from a horror movie.

I sat still and cringed every time the alcohol made contact with skin and watched with great curiosity when the nurse wrapped my arm within a bandage. The technique she used differed slightly to mine and I made sure I remembered the way she twist and tucked the bandage. It would be something of use in the future.

Finally, the nurses finished with Lucas and prepared themselves for the next team to cross the finish line. One of the nurses spoke to me before helping the others and gave me knowledge on Lucas's situation.

"He is going to be fine, his laceration was not too deep. We stitched him up although he did not exactly require it, but we did it to help speed his mending process because of this situation." She cringed pulling her lips together.

"His laceration was not as bad, the only problem, was that he had lost quite a bit of blood. Which was why he grew weak in the end and that was the deadly part. However, we have just given him a blood transfusion and he is going to be just fine. When he wakes up properly, make sure he takes it easy for a few days and eats to regain some strength."

Nodding, I thanked her, grateful that she had stopped to inform me. She smiled in response before attending to the team that had just passed the finish line.

I took a breath of relief before I turned to Lucas and shook my head lightly at his sleeping figure.

I managed to call for some assistance and it wasn't long before Lucas made our way back to the dorms within a vehicle of other survivors. We were lucky to be the last people to fill the slots of the vehicle as the vehicle would only go back once it was full with the required amount.

Finally, I sat on my seat with Lucas next to me still asleep. My legs cried with joy at the rest and despite my will, my eyes closed and I fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

. . .

"It's okay, I can do it," I told Lucas but he shook his head stubbornly.

"It's fine, just let me do it," he sighed in exasperation and gripped me left arm softly.

A few days passed since we completed the maze test and we were finally back into our room which secretly had become a re-joyed place for me. It was almost like my secret safe haven from the horrors that were constantly occurring outside of my room.

The maze test had taken a major hit and left us with only a quarter of the amount of schools we had then going in. 8958 schools went into the maze test, only 2239 came out. It was a horrible thing and only left just under five thousand of us left.

It seemed big in numbers, but when you thought about the amount we had before the test, and the amount of people we had come into The Resdue, it was only a very small portion that seemed so little and unnecessary.

It also made me thing about just how close we were to the end and how me might actually have a chance to survive. Lucas and I had a chance to make it out alive and it both made me giddy and terrified. The thought of leaving this place and actually living in the true world outside of here almost seemed like a foreign concept.

The little amount of time I had spent here in comparison to the time I had lived in the outer world seemed like it conquered. I have spent over a hundred lifetimes in here and am still amazed to find that I was still alive.

However, the events that could happen between now and the end of the Resdue was daunting. Any single thing could happen that could lead to mine and Lucas's death without a chances notice.

And that was what terrified me most. What would happen next?

As I went to dwell on my future, I was suddenly brought back to the present as Lucas's gentle fingers brushed my left arm.

My eyes snapped to his but he seemed to pay no attention to me. Instead, a single finger brushed along the length on my arm as he trailed it down to my wrist. Without knowing, he created a trail of goosebumps behind his invisible line and a shiver ran along my back.

What was happening to me?

With uttermost care, he poured some alcohol onto a cloth and lightly dabbed my arm. This was a quick way to eliminate the goosebumps that rose on my skin, and instead, a burning sensation took over.

I hissed in pain as the alcohol came in contact with one of me deeper wounds.

"Sorry, sorry." He cringed in sympathy.

It wasn't before long that he finished rubbing the alcohol along my arm and lightly blew along it to dry it up. Again, shivers took over my body and I almost forgot to breath as my heartbeat picked up drastically.

He then gently wrapped my arm back up in a gauze, expertly moving his fingers along the bandages, knowing what he was doing. I breathed a little more heavily then usual, and just as I felt words coming to my chest, his fingers disappeared and he leaned back looking at me.

Suddenly, feeling ridiculous, I controlled myself and shook my head from the sudden raging thoughts that took over my mind.

"You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine!"

A mistake. I answered way to fast and abruptly that even I noticed.

He raised an eyebrow and I felt warmth rush to my cheeks. No doubt, a blush was rising. I never blushed.

"Are you--," he started but I was quick to cut him off.

"Yes, ready to head to the dining hall?"

I could see him internally debate with himself as he considered pushing me to answer him. But after a stern look his way he nodded but suddenly smirked.

"Yes, Maam."

He then got up and walked slowly towards the door as I shook my head. He knew that would irritate me, and he was right. As he opened the door he turned back to look at me questioningly. I could see the humour in his eyes as he noted my glare, his smirk growing.

"I'll be in the hall," he sung as the door swung shut behind him.

Shaking my head I got up and slipped my shoes on and slipped my key card in my pocket. All the while, a single thought danced around my head.

My heartbeat still thudded harshly through my chest and my head buzzed.

I couldn't shake my thoughts and the sudden nervousness I felt when I thought about Lucas. When I did, a warmth pooled in my chest and I suddenly felt light headed. But that couldn't mean anything?

No. It didn't. And it did not mean . . .

No.

I opened the door and found the problem to my thoughts smiling smugly as if he knew what he was doing.

"Took you long enough."

Shaking my head, I ignored my irrational thoughts as I walked down the hall, towards the dining hall with him.

"I was hardly a second, bet you missed me so," I witted back as we twirled around the circular staircase.

The nurse had been right about Lucas's laceration. It was quick to heal and with another few days, it would barely be a problem. It was hardly deeper then a finger tip which was good as it did not cut into any vital organs.

The laceration was only a problem during the maze test was because it was left too long untreated and even though it wasn't completely deep, it was deep enough to lead to a bleed out. And it didn't help that he had to strenuously continue on, risking further damage to the laceration.

"No, I was just hungry," he responded. I was about to respond wittily again to him but he was quick to speak seeing me about to respond. "But wasn't enough of a dick to leave. Yet."

I snorted as we passed the doors of the building. The sun was back out again and the gruelling rain had passed. Finally, bright blue skies and a dried pathway where mud didn't splatter over my limited clothes causing them to stick like a second skin to me.

A fresh breezed wafted around as my hair instantly flung to the left causing me to forcefully push it back into place. Lucas let out a laugh as his hair swung to the side as well. I turned to find his looking ridiculous in the direction and shape it was in and let out a louder laugh.

I stepped closer to him and grabbed a handful of his hair. He yelped in shock more than pain and swatted my hand away.

"Ouch," he said sternly as he stared at me with a frown. "Why did you do that?"

I snorted again. "Baby, was just thinking you might need another hair cut."

He huffed, "I don't need a hair cut."

This time he gripped his hair into his fist himself and I could see his considerate expression as he analysed his long dark hair.

 "See," I teased smiling and he mockingly frowned.

Together, we finally entered the dining hall and ate lunch. The whole while I ate lunch with Lucas, I smiled and laughed as we joked and bantered like always. In the back of my mind, the single thought taunted me but I refused to face it right now.

But during the whole time there was one thought I faced. And it was the wistful thought that this dining hall had never been so empty

. . .

During the lunch, I saw my friends Logan and Jarvis and was delighted to find that they too had survived. After first seeing them, I embraced them tightly as I could not believe our luck that somehow we were all still alive.

Meanwhile, Lucas sat back awkwardly at first, but it when Jarvis took a step in his direction, Lucas quickly swung up and embraced Jarvis and Logan. It was a long man hug they shared but nonetheless I smiled. Especially when I saw Lucas's wide smile as he laughed along with the boys and they joked.

I did not think I had seen him act like that before, or at least in a long time and it was good to see. I could not wipe the goofy grin. 

At least, that was until dinner.

I entered the dining hall alone as Lucas had told me he would catch up with me later and came to face Jaylen. Of course, I was over joyed to find that he too was still here and he embraced me the second he saw me.

His long quiff of black hair hung neatly by his shoulders and I noticed that he had a fresh cut. Most likely his sister Rebecca. She was some girl who pretty much looked like Jaylen, but was only the female version.

I mean it makes sense, they were twins. However, it seemed that Jaylen got all the nice genes, at least, towards me, compared to Rebecca. She acted cold and I would not be surprised to know that she was ice queen. Cursed with a heart made of ice.

"How are you still alive?" Questioned Jaylen breaking my from my negative thoughts about his sister.

"What does that mean?" I responded, hand on hip.

"I mean . . ." he lead me to our table as he responded to me. "You should be dead already."

He sat across from me and held a great grin on his face. From anyone watching they would think we were having a friendly conversation. However, the sinful grin full of mischief was on his face and I rolled my eyes.

"What can I say? You cant get rid of me that easily."

He let out a booming laugh that a few people nearby stopped and stared before continuing their conversation. Jaylen had already served himself some food and was in the middle of picking up a piece of sliced lamb on his fork when he pointed it towards me.

"This is why I like you," he swallowed the meat.

This time I laughed and served myself a serving of lamb, mashed potato and a spoon of stirred vegetables. Digging in, we continued to talk and he told me about his time in the maze as I replayed my version.

By the end, he dropped his fork in shock before picking it back up again and shaking his head. "This is why I say you are lucky and question how you are alive."

I shook my head in amusement, but even I agreed that my luck had not run short on me yet. Just as I was about to respond, I was surprised to find Rebecca, Jaylen's sister, walking towards us, and take a seat next to Jaylen who was across from me.

As she took a seat, I could not help but admire how her lighter skin looked glossy and held no blemishes within the light. Her jet black hair ran just passed her shoulders and looked completely smooth and healthy making me envious on how pretty it looked. But it was only when I met her bland eyes that glared at me, that my envious quickly turned into a hatred towards her.

"Hey Becca," smiled Jaylen suddenly.

Rebecca glanced at her brother before she turned to me and back to him. "She is still here?"

I was not sure if she referred to the fact that here meant I sat across from her brother and talking to him, or here meant that I was still alive. Either way, I felt insulted and could not help but speak up and take a jab at her.

"Yes, I am still here, a problem?"

She turned to me surprised that I had responded and not her brother, but that look quickly vanished as she tilted her head upwards, upturning her nose and dismissed me as she turned back to Jaylen.

"Do we really have to stay with her," she remarked as if bored.

Jaylen glanced nervously between me and his sister. No doubt he was nervous and has not have to deal with a situation like this before. Even though I disliked Rebecca and secretly wished for Jaylen to say me and hurt his sister. I was not going to be a part of that, despite how much I wanted to.

"I was just leaving," I smiled coldly towards Rebeca before turning to Jaylen. "I'll talk to you later."

Picking up my mostly full plate and a few extra pieces and servings of food for Lucas, I left the hall faintly hearing Jaylen behind me calling my name. 

I exited the building and was left outside as I made my way to my room alone. It was cold and a fresh breeze wafted around as I shivered underneath my short sleeved shirt and denim shorts. I hurried my pace before I was quickly inside my building and half ran up the stairs where it gradually grew warmer.

Finally, ascending onto my floor, I slowed my pace as I walked down the silent corridor, following the carpeted pattern which was remarkably unstained and clean. It was much warmer here in the corridor as the wind could not penetrate inside the walls, however it was still a little chilly. 

As I paused outside of my door, I searched my pocket from my key card but jumped in shock when the door opened suddenly. Caught off guard, I almost dropped the play of food, and if it was not for Lucas, the lovely clean carpet would have been stained with the grease of lamb and the oil of the stirred vegetables.

"Woah, watch out," commented Lucas as he grasped the plate and held it in his.

He glanced down curiously at is before looking back to me who still stood shock.

"I was just heading out now, looking for you actually," he laughed lightly and rubbed the back of his neck.

Letting out a small laugh, Lucas took a step back and I entered the room as he shut it behind me. Slipping my shoes off, I sighed in relief and made my way to my bed tired and half dived onto it.

I heard Lucas chuckle behind me as he too slid his shoes off and sat on his bed across from me.

I opened my eyes and turned to face him lying on my side as he dug into the food of the plate. He moaned in delight as soon as he ate a piece of the lamb and continued to stuff his face with it.

"I would kill for another piece of this meat," he grunted and suddenly sat still from his choice of words.

The room grew uncomfortably quiet as he realised that he in fact has killed before. Maybe not directly, but had a part in it. Specifically, when he had cut the bridge which stopped the other team two tests ago from crossing, leading to their deaths by a savage beast.

I remember how guilt ridden he was, and his face of pain was engraved into his mind as a felt a wave of despair hit me.

However, where he prevented the other team from crossing the bridge, I had done so differently. Physically, I grasped my pocket knife, full knowing what I was doing and struck Katie Sax. I stabbed her and when she fell relentless, I did it again, and again.

The image was still vivid in my mind, and would forever remain vivid as I would remember the blood pooling out of her as her eyes held pain and surprise. I remembered her gasping breaths and the guilty relief that pooled in my chest as her head limped to the side.

I shook as the image replayed within my mind. A shiver shook my body before I burst out of my trance as Lucas sighed.

The pocket knife burned against the side of my chest, within the cup of my bra, and sat up. I observed him for a moment as he stared sadly at his plate and I coughed softly as an itch hit the back of my throat. 

He looked up towards me with broken eyes, and I met his gaze with mine. They reflected his and by the grim look on his face, I knew he too realised that I had done the same as him. We have both killed for not only ourselves, but for each other.

I knew that the people that had died because of us was not any different either. We all were stuck here within the Resdue, fighting for out lives. No matter how much I tried to rationalise that Katie was indeed psychotic for attempting to kill me whilst not in a test, but that did not matter. Because in the end, like all of us we were in the Resdue. 

She even tried rationalising killing me. Because of her partner Emma Mercia. It only made me more guilty as I admittedly had a part in her death. Although I fought her first and not in the final deciding round, I still felt guilty for that. 

In the end, we were all victims to something.

. . .

Laughter followed me as I ran forwards. I never stopped and never looked back as I continued to run. The green hedges towered above me as I stumbled and tripped over loose roots that scouted the floors.

As I continued to run the taunting grew louder instantly causing pain to take over my chest. I risked a glance backwards only to be met with darkness that followed behind, tendrils of a ghost reaching out towards me, attempting to grab me and haul me downwards. A shiver shook through me as I turned back forwards as I sprinted down the ending path.

A fork in the hedges suddenly broke open and without a second thought, I veered to the left. But just as I turned, I failed to see the large root branch in the group and tripped over. Instant pain took over as my knee collided with the ground, followed by my head banging into the rock solid bottom. Fooled about the grassy floor, I never expected the ground to be as hard as it was.

But I was quick to get up and leap to my feet and continue running. I knew that I could not stop, stopping would be death and that was not an option. I sprinted down the path as the darkness began to catch up with me. The night was cold, but did not seem as cold as the tendrils of ice brushed past my limbs.

I tried ignoring the feeling, but felt dread drop into my stomach as I realised I had reached a dead end. I slowed to a stop and turned around in a circle, as if hoping a random path would open up for me. But nothing appeared.

Stricken by fear now, I turned to look down the dark path and watched as the darkness approached me with a rapid speed. With only time to cover my face in some kind of protection against the darkness.

It enveloped me.

Screaming ghouls haunted me and suddenly, one of them approached me in a cloud of mist in the shape of a skull. The shape quickly transformed into Katie's as she let out a blood gruelling scream and charged me.

I screamed as the icy mist engulfed me.

. . .

"Bryce!" Screamed Lucas as he shook me.

I could hear an ear splitting scream from somewhere, and my eyes popped open with shock. It took me a moment to realise that I was the high pitched ear splitting scream.

I quickly shut my mouth and stopped screaming as I sat up. I panted out of breath as my chest raced. My vision was dark for a moment like in the maze, but slowly focused on my surroundings.

A little amount of moon light shone into the room through the window, and gave me enough light to focus of Lucas's figure and his piercing electric blue eyes. Soon enough, I could see him clearly and saw his dishevelled face as if in pain and his messy black hair stuck in all directions. As if he had just rolled out of bed.

My heart beat continued to race, and I drew my knees to my chest, resting my head on them. I covered my face and shut my eyes as I focused on calming myself down. My breaths shook with every breath I took. I felt sweat gliding down my forehead, and my arms shook.

Faintly, I felt a hand brushing my back softly, in a soothing matter.

Finally, after what felt like forever, I calmed down and my breathing slowed to a soothing pace. My hair still stuck plastered to my head with sweat, but before I could thing about cleaning my self up a bit, I felt the hand on my back disappear.

I felt a sense of sadness and longing build up in my chest, but it quickly disappeared as I felt the same hand nudge me.

"Scoot over would you?" Lucas whispered.

Silently, I shuffled over on my bed until Lucas lay comfortably beside me. Suddenly, my heartbeat picked up and sped like before, but only for a different reason this time.

After a few silent seconds Lucas sighed and pulled the blanket towards his neck tired and turned over to face me. "Are you going to lie down or what? I'm tired."

Frozen for a second longer, I lied down so I was facing the ceiling. I felt Lucas's breath tickle my left shoulder as he breathed soothingly and unconsciously gulped.

I laid uncomfortably staring at the ceiling for a few moments. I almost jumped out of my bed as I felt Lucas's hand snake around my waist and grip my tightly. My heart beat continued to race. I was not sure why I suddenly felt jittery and why I felt butterflies flutter around my stomach.

I wanted to continue thinking about it, wanting to find out why I felt this way. But my body was  too tired to function, and I was quick to flutter my eyes shut in exhausting, tilting my own body towards his.  

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