Labyrinth 19

Chapter 1, Part 1

"Hey, Saleh. How many of us do you think the overseer will pick, eh?"

I shrugged at Selim, trying my best to avoid talking.

Every vile breath I took in this shit hole brought me an inch closer to losing my sparse early day meal.

"Come on, don't be such a spoilsport. Everyone else is speculating. I've heard Kareem is a shoo in for a junior-council spot."

"Shouldn't be too hard, he IS the Moderator's grandson."

I covered my mouth quickly as I gagged, trying to urge the bile like substance that always seemed on the verge of eruption, down, and back into my stomach.

"Hey, is Volcano-Saleh gonna blow again!?"

The laughs rung out from across the room, as the taunts continued.

"I swear, he shovels more of his own vomit than shit into this mess!"

The laughs continued as Kareem continued his tirade.

Sigh*.

Not only was he a favorite for one of the only jobs that didn't suck in this hell-pit, he was also the most arrogant jerk that our trainee coop had to deal with. Well, perhaps those things weren't unrelated at all.

"Forget him, no matter what we're all getting out of here after today."

"Out of the frying pan, and into the fire," I muttered.

"Eh? Don't be like that."

I scoffed, as I continued shoveling.

"It's the truth though, Selim. Most of us graduating from this trainee coop are gonna end up with jobs just as vile as this, and for the rest of our lives too."

"Hey, it could be worse. We could end up in the labyrinth."

While Selim had been the closest thing to a friend I'd had since I first entered this trainee coop at twelve years old, he was such a painful optimist that I'm not certain how I'd made it through the last four years without losing my patience and smacking him over the head even once.

"I'm not so sure that that's the worst thing that could happen anymore."

Selim stopped dead in his tracks, staring at me intently.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"What?"

"Tell me you aren't thinking about volunteering!"

"Would it be so bad if I am?"

"Saleh, that's a death sentence."

If there was one thing that every child in our village knew, it was that the labyrinth was a monster which swallowed people whole.

Those who ventured in deeply, never returned.

Not once in our village history had someone seen beyond the obsidian walls that snaked out in long winding tunnels, from the eastern side of our cavern village.

No maps could be made for that intricate maze.

And then there were the monsters.

As I continued my work my eyes drifted off into space and I could suddenly feel one of those monsters, lurking in the shadows, its breath upon me as it drew closer, ready to bite down on-

"Saleh? Saleh. Saleh! Jeez, can't you hear me calling you?!"

I snapped back to reality, looking up and across the dark cavern room to the young woman who was glaring at me angrily from the top of the moss chamber.