The building was a maze, and the only doors to escape the academy were on the main level. The windows were thick and could not be opened and the opaque glass made it almost impossible to make out the blurred silhouette of the tree line of the forest just across the school. There are a total of 6 floors; each floor is a maze set up like regular rooms and hallways. This place was so weird. I skipped past the first 2 floors because I didn't know how far up the upperclassmen would chase us. And I don't have enough time to go any higher right now. We need to find a place to hide long enough, and then I can worry about finding a better hiding spot and escape plan later. The stairwell was sturdy, and thankfully it got wider as we went up. I heard kids getting trampled on or pushed down in the frenzy. I couldn't blame them; they were just trying to survive. And they weren't thinking clearly or purposely hurting others; they were just trying to get away. Like us, so I shouldn't feel bad. But the thought of sacrificing all the kids so I could get away first is still weighing on my mind. I opened the heavy door to exit the stairwell and waited for my sister to follow behind me. While I waited, I quickly glanced around at my surroundings…

After the chaos of the entrance ceremony subsided, the system announced the rules of our exam. We didn't know who they were since they didn't bother introducing themselves. The announcement was short and concise;

“Attention all incoming students, faculty, and staff! This is an important announcement regarding the upcoming entrance exam for our prestigious institution. The exam will commence in 14 days, lasting for the entirety of that period. Here are the rules you need to be aware of:

1. You are allowed to hide anywhere within the compound.

2. Each day, a floor will be closed off for cleaning. If you are found on that floor, you must vacate immediately or face disqualification.

3. During an 18-hour timer each day, you must remain concealed in your hiding spot.

4. Teachers will conduct searches within this time frame. If found, your student ID will be recorded, and you will be escorted away once the exam concludes.

5. Participants are encouraged to unleash their creativity to outsmart and outmaneuver their peers. There are no restrictions on the methods you employ to evade detection during the exam. granting you the freedom to explore innovative strategies and utilize your unique skills to excel in the examination process.

Good luck to all participants. May the best aspirants emerge victorious. That is all.” 

…It was strange; later I found out each floor had a theme, the first floor resembled an abandoned community center, complete with a library, an industrial kitchen, a small stage, a gymnasium that doubled as a voting area, and numerous rooms with different seating areas. As I ascended to the second floor, I was enveloped by an eerie sense of cold and darkness. The entire floor was painted black, and the only source of light came from thin, blue stripes on the floor. The disorienting maze-like layout on the second floor seemed to have no resemblance to anything I had ever encountered before but every time I peered down those halls a sense of deep loneliness and fear surrounded me. The cabinets of various sizes were embedded into the walls, and some even sprawled across the floor and ceiling. Each door was unique, with some proving more complex to open than others. As I navigated through the dimly lit, claustrophobic space, I couldn't shake the feeling that the entire school was just a fancy cage and we were the lab rats being studied. The oppressive darkness of the room was so intense and chilling that I always tried to avoid it.

After four days of wandering and hiding, we witnessed firsthand what fear and lack of security could do to people who just a few days before were cheering and laughing with each other. The hallways that once echoed with laughter were now filled with whispers and the sound of footsteps creeping around corners. The students were like animals, driven by fear and desperation.

Students started forming gangs and claiming sections or even whole floors as their own. These groups were ruthless, marking their territories with crude symbols scratched into the walls. They guarded their areas fiercely, ready to attack anyone who dared to enter. The smell of sweat and fear hung heavy in the air, mixing with the metallic scent of blood. The violence escalated quickly. One day, as I crept through a hallway, I saw a group of students corner another boy. His eyes were wide with terror as they closed in on him, their faces twisted with anger. They beat him until he stopped moving, his cries echoing down the corridor until there was only silence. Every hiding place became a prize. Students killed each other for them, their hands stained with blood as they fought over the smallest nooks and crannies. One night, I found a small crawl space behind a broken locker. As I squeezed inside, I heard a girl scream from down the hall. She had been discovered by another group, and her desperate pleas for mercy were cut short by the brutal sounds of her beating. We watched each other constantly, suspicious of every movement. Eyes darted around, scanning for any sign of weakness. 

The weaker students were easy targets. I saw a boy and a girl huddled together in a corner, clutching each other as if their lives depended on it. A group of older students found them and dragged them out, leaving them to fend for themselves as the buzzer sounded for the next test. Not only did I have to worry about the teachers finding me, but I also had to keep an eye out for other kids. Every shadow held a potential threat. One day, I caught a glimpse of a student following me, his eyes fixed on me like a predator. I ducked into a nearby room and waited, my heart pounding in my chest until I was sure he had moved on. The days bled into each other, a constant blur of fear and violence. I saw things that I could never unsee: a boy with his arm broken, lying in a pool of his own blood and piss; a girl with a makeshift weapon, her eyes wild with fear as she defended herself against an attacker; students lying motionless in dark corners, their bodies too broken to move. The school had become a nightmare, a place where fear and desperation ruled. Every day was a battle for survival, and every night brought new horrors. We had become monsters, driven by a primal need to survive at any cost.

I decided not to join a gang because most of them wouldn't allow my sister to join since she was younger and considered a burden, and the gangs would kill each other on sight if you were found in others' "territories." The school was a warzone, with territories marked by graffiti and makeshift barriers. Food was scattered in small piles around the different levels, a cruel game of scavenger hunt. When we found food, we had to either eat it quickly or hide it. It was too risky to openly walk around with food and water. Because of this I never let Azlyn come with me to hunt for food, I'd always leave her somewhere hidden and safe and bring back food for the both of us. We’d developed a coded rhythm to alert each other of certain dangers and when it's safe to emerge from hiding. The water was bagged, which was weird, but I became grateful when I realized the bags wouldn't give away my location like a plastic water bottle would. However, they weren't refillable, which was an unfortunate downside. Although it sucked if you were on the floor that was getting closed down the day of the test, since you only got a half-hour to find a new hiding spot on a different floor, I became grateful after my third day in the nightmare of a school. Because of the students acting like wild pack animals, the bodies of dead kids littered the halls. The sight was ghastly. Blood smeared the walls, and the lifeless eyes of the fallen stared blankly at the ceiling. Their faces, once full of life, were now frozen in expressions of terror and pain. I was grateful that their bodies were being collected, as seeing the soulless faces of the other children traumatized me. The smell of death lingered, a constant reminder of the brutality surrounding us. There didn't seem to be a set age range in this place. There were children as young as six and as old as eighteen. Most of the younger kids died off early because everyone was only thinking of their own survival. There was no room for empathy, only selfishness. The little ones either died from hunger or were beaten to death for being caught with food. I remember seeing a tiny boy, no older than seven, clutching a stale piece of bread. A group of older kids spotted him, and before he could even take a bite, they descended upon him like vultures. They tore the bread from his hands and left him crying, his frail body bruised and broken. Children were dragged out of their hiding spots, their screams echoing through the halls. They couldn’t do much to fight back anyway. 

I saw a little girl, probably no older than six, being pulled out from beneath a staircase. Her wide, terrified eyes met mine for a brief moment before she was yanked away. Her cries for help faded as she was taken deeper into the shadows. The soulless faces of the other deceased children that traumatized me in my sleep played through my mind like a digital photo album. Ever since the first night, I've been having nightmares of the students I could have warned on orientation day. Their screams haunt my mind and leave me restless. Fuck. I found myself emerging from my hiding spot and hurriedly making my way in the direction of the little scream. Please be alive, please be alive. Every negative possibility that could ever happen crossed my mind like a train with broken brakes. Found Them! 

As I moved silently through the dimly lit hallway, I heard a commotion coming from a nearby classroom. Peeking through the doorway, I saw the little girl, cornered by a group of older kids. They were taunting her, pushing her around as they eyed the small bag of food clutched tightly in her hands. Why didn’t they just take her rations?? What do they gain from bringing her here? Her tear-streaked face was filled with terror, and her small frame trembled as the bullies closed in on her. My heart pounded in my chest as I assessed the situation. There were four of them, we looked about the same age, but I couldn’t just stand by and watch. 

I quickly scanned the room and spotted a broken chair leg on the floor, I quietly picked it up, gripping it tightly in my hands. The adrenaline coursed through my veins, and I felt a surge of determination. Gathering all my courage, I burst into the room, swinging the chair leg with all my might. The boy didn't see it coming and crumpled to the ground as the wooden stick connected with his side. The others turned in surprise, but I didn't give them a chance to react. I swung again, catching another in the knee, causing her to collapse in pain. "Leave her alone!" I shouted, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger. The remaining two bullies hesitated, their confidence shaken. One of them lunged at me, but I ducked and jabbed the chair leg into his stomach. He doubled over, gasping for breath. The last one, seeing his friends incapacitated, decided it wasn’t worth the trouble and bolted from the room.

Breathing heavily, I turned to the little girl. She was still huddled in the corner, clutching her bag of food tightly. I reached out a hand to her, trying to offer a reassuring smile. "It's okay," I said softly. "You're safe now." She looked up at me with wide, tear-filled eyes and slowly took my hand. She immediately pressed her tiny body into me for a hug. I embraced her in silence until she was ready to let go. When she finally calmed down I helped her to her feet and led her back to where my sister was waiting. The three of us quickly made our way to a safer hiding spot, an industrial I had discovered earlier, its layout reminded me of a Home Depot. I moved a large deep freezer over to uncover a crawlspace in the wall. Once inside, with the help of Azlyn, we pulled the freezer back in place, leaving us in complete darkness. I didn’t bother turning my head to face our new companion, "What's your name?" I asked softly.

"Emily," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Emily, this is my sister," I said, nodding towards her. "We’re going to keep you safe, okay?"

I heard her shifting in place and the sound of her clutching her bag of food. My sister handed her a small bottle of water, gently tapping her with it, and Emily took it with trembling hands after a brief moment of hesitation.

Azlyn was surprised to see me arrive with a child in hand but she never said anything about it. I feel like a hypocrite but maybe through this little girl, I can redeem myself and then maybe my nightmares will let me rest in peace. As we settled in for the night, I couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of hope. In this hellish place, where fear and desperation ruled, we had managed to save one innocent life. I saved someone's life. It wasn’t much, but it was something. And as long as we had each other, there was still a chance we could survive.