Push the Limits

2

Curiosity kills the cat..

Thea had pushed past the initial crowd and burst through the door. She saw nothing but several dark hallways, each splaying out in different directions.

Thea was about to feel disappointed that it wasn't something better, when she heard a blood curdling sound.

It was like a gruff exhaling breath, but it sounded like some sort of predator growling.

Like something hunting its prey.

As more and more people moved into the room, they slowly pushed past Thea, trying to see down each of the hallways.

The attack came from the left.

It was the first scream that had grabbed Thea's attention. She snapped her head around, but hadn't had any time to register the hands grasp her arms and pull her backwards.

The screams were a symphony of pain and fear. Thea didn't know what to do, or what was happening.

And then she saw the beast.

It was partially humanoid, with two legs and outstretched arms. But instead of human features, its skin was leathery and scaly, its fingernails had been replaced by jagged claws, the eyes were small red slits, and its jaws were formidable and foreboding, laced with rows of deadly teeth.

Thea had never seen anything like it, nor could she ever dream of something like it existing.

She didn't think to look at who pulled her out of harm's way, she was too engrossed in the creature.

It was easily ten feet tall, and it was equipped with muscle and anger on its side.

The beast had already ripped apart five of the students, killing for the sport.

"Attention all students. This is your first task. Run. Don't get killed. Make your way to the sorting room and wait there." Crackled the automated voice, battling with the shrieks and snarls of the beast.

The words took a few seconds for Thea to process. She could feel herself slipping into shock at the sight of the mangled bodies.

"Thee! Come on! Run!" She heard her friend Nina scream at her.

That was enough to snap her out of her trance, and she broke into a sprint, rushing down one of the many hallways.

She wasn't taking note of where she was going, she just had to escape with her life.

It was almost pitch black in the hallway; Thea could barely see her feet as they hit the tiled floor.

The lack of light didn't help when there was a sharp corner and she didn't see it in time.

Thea crashed into the wall, and she fell backwards, landing on her butt. She quickly got up, slightly dizzy, and kept on running, but slower, so she wouldn't crash again.

There were hallways connecting to the one that Thea was in, like intertwining tunnels.

Then she ran into a dead end, and it clicked.

It was a maze.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God.." She breathed.

She turned around and started running again, looking for a new turn to go down and find a spark of hope that she would find her way out.

She ran down the first hallway she came across, turning into it. She passed a few sub-hallways, thin gaps between concreted walls.

 Then she heard the scraping and clacking of claws.

Then came a deathly shriek, and Thea knew the beast was hot on her heels, and she wouldn't be able to run fast enough to get away.

She took a sharp turn into a small gap in the walls and slipped through it, where she was sure that the creature wouldn't be able to follow.

She shimmied through the gap into a new hallway, away from the angry shrieks. She started to jog, although she was almost completely out of breath.

"Thea! Help!" Came a cry from behind her.

She recognized that voice.

Thea stopped abruptly and turned around to see Denise and Michelle running flat out towards her.

"Run!" Michelle yelled, "it's coming!"

But Thea couldn't leave them behind. She ran towards them, when suddenly Nina burst through one of the small gaps in the wall. "Guys! Come on!" Thea screamed.

Thea grabbed Denise's hand, pulling her along.

The creature then skidded around the corner, smacking into the wall, but quickly correcting itself and beginning its chase again.

The four girls ran around a corner, and found themselves at a wooden door.

Thea quickly tried her luck with the doorknob, and by some miracle, it was unlocked.

They bustled in and quickly shut the door behind them; the door stood firmly, despite the creature's efforts.

Thea gasped for air, she was exhausted.

"Is everyone okay?" Denise asked them.

They all nodded, even though they were all struggling for breath.

Thea straightened herself, and took in her surroundings.

There were familiar people from her class milling around, presumably waiting for the next instructions.

What was this place?

Why were they here?

Thea had a closer look at who had pulled through and escaped the beast.

She saw Lucy, Dan, Caleb, Harry, Kiara, Elisa, and some others who she couldn't see in the dim lighting.

Thea knew that more would come, so she moved away from the door, and gestured for her friends to follow.

Somehow, Thea knew that this was only the beginning..