Stealthy || Outsiders smp

Chapter 2

Owens POV
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"Will you uh, come with me to explore more of the maze?" He says quieter than before.

Mohwee's sudden question caught me completely off guard, and I almost choked on air as I tried to process what he was saying. "What?" I finally managed to blurt out, still in shock. Before Mohwee had a chance to answer, I cut him off.

"No, I was literally about to ask you the exact same thing," I whispered in shock, still trying to wrap my head around the situation. Mohwee's eyes seemed to light up as I spoke, and he replied with a smile that I could barely see.

"Meet me next to the doors at sunrise, but try not to be seen by anyone," he said in a hushed tone.

Mohwee and I rush back to our houses as fast as we can, taking a moment to catch our breath once we're inside our own homes. The realization that Mohwee might actually share similar thoughts and interests to me dawns on me.
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Time skip
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As I stepped outside, the faint glow of light illuminating the sky told me it was almost sunrise. However, my view of the sun was obstructed by the towering walls, giving the impression that it was still night. Just as I was about to take my first step towards the maze doors, a familiar voice called out to me. Turning around, I was met by the sight of Apo, my best friend, standing in front of me.

"Hi, Owen! Do you want to hang out today?" Apo asked in his usual friendly tone. Despite his kind demeanor, I knew that I had to come up with a convincing excuse, otherwise, I might end up getting into trouble. "I'm sorry, Apo, but I'm going to be inside my house most of the day because I have to do some, uh, construction," I said, feeling a pang of guilt wash over me. Apo gave me a suspicious glance before responding, "Okay then. Can I see how it's going later today?" I quickly declined his request, saying, "I-Uh, no. I'd rather finish it before I show anyone," trying to cover my lie. Apo sighed before walking off somewhere, leaving me to my thoughts.

As soon as Apo was out of sight, I quickly closed my front door behind me and took off running in the direction of the maze doors. "Shoot!" I muttered to myself, realizing that Mohwee was most likely waiting for me at the doors.

"Mohwee!" I called out, coming to a stop beside him to catch my breath. As I caught my breath, Mohwee gave me a playful smirk. "Hey, Owen. I was starting to wonder if you were actually going to show up," he said, crossing his arms in a playful manner.

We eventually came across the wall that bore the names of both Mohwee and myself, with a lever located below each name that was flicked upwards. We both agreed to keep our entry a secret and continued on our way without flicking down the levers, ensuring that nobody would ever be aware of our presence within the maze.

As the massive stone doors start to slowly part, a sense of excitement and apprehension washes over me. I quickly glance behind me to make sure that the coast is clear before me and Mohwee sprint into the maze, turning a sharp corner to avoid being noticed by any onlookers. I let out a deep breath once we've confirmed that we're no longer in plain sight.

As I observe Mohwee, I notice him suddenly pointing in a random direction and quickly making his way toward it. "Let's go this way!" he calls out to me. I follow him, but not before noticing that he's about to step on a tripwire. Thankfully, I manage to stop him just in time. "Careful, Mohwee. You're about to step on a tripwire," I warn him, just as he's about to make the mistake. Luckily, he manages to move his leg away from the tripwire just in time. "Right. Uh, no yeah, I totally saw that," he mutters under his breath, looking slightly embarrassed.
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Time skip: Just before midday
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Mohwee's voice rings out in excitement as he spots the drop with platforms attached to the wall. "Ooh! We haven't been this way before," he exclaims, gesturing toward it. "Looks dangerous," I say skeptically, scanning the drop and the distance between the platforms. The fall wouldn't be deadly, but it certainly could lead to some serious injuries. Taking a deep breath, I nod my head resolutely. "Let's do it," I say with a confident grin, ready for the challenge.

As Mohwee goes first, he makes the first jump look effortless. It's my turn now. I take a deep breath, prepare myself, and also make the jump with ease. One jump after another, each one gets slightly longer, but I keep going. Finally, I reach the last jump, which looks like the longest one yet. Looking down, I can see a drop underneath me that makes my stomach churn. I look over to Mohwee, who's standing on the other side, waiting for me to join him. Taking another deep breath, I jump and feel the relief of solid stone beneath my feet.

I feel myself slip backwards.
"Owen! Owen no!"
But suddenly at the last second, a hand clamp around my wrist. I feel a surge of relief course through my body as Mohwee pulls me back from the edge of the ledge. My heart is still pounding in my chest, but I manage a strained laugh. "I can't believe you almost let me get hurt, you idiot!" I tease him, still shaking from the tense experience. He laughs back, his voice sounding a bit hoarse after all the screaming he did.

As Mohwee and I both gazed up at the sky, I noticed the sun was now directly overhead, indicating it was indeed midday. Before I had a chance to reply, Mohwee spoke up.

"Looks like we should start heading back," he said in a matter-of-fact tone, gesturing towards the drop we came from.

I quickly retorted, "Seriously? I risked my ass just to turn back right after?" I couldn't help but break out into a chuckle, and I could see Mohwee doing the same.

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1059 Words