I'm sorry this took so long to get out there, but here it is.


"Chapter 9 - My Beautiful Anastasia"

Walk of fire Liberty told me the next place we were supposed to go in order to save the next victim. Down in the gym, I would find my next test, my next person who needed saving.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" I asked. Liberty nodded. "The guy in the mask told me everywhere you were supposed to go," she answered. "The gym was the next place you needed to go. He didn't tell me who'd be in there and he didn't tell me who your last test would be. He only told me to keep up my part or he would kill me and my family."

I sighed. Great. Not only did I have to save two more people in less than twenty-five minutes, but I also had to make sure I did everything Liberty told me to do or her family would die. What if that meant I wasn't allowed to save someone? What if I had to save someone a certain way and I was told by Liberty I couldn't do it? What if…what if I had to kill Liberty?

I stopped myself from thinking. I was reading too much into this. All I had to do was save two people and make sure I didn't haul ass back home, as much as I really wanted to.

I pushed open the gym door and rubbed my arms as soon as I did. "It's kind of hot in here," I announced. Liberty didn't say anything. I looked inside, but it was dark inside. Actually, there was some light, but it was blocked by a giant curtain. When I stepped inside the room, the curtain pulled away to reveal large patches of fire on the floor and one of those "you-are-here" boards. There was someone at the far end of the gym, but I couldn't see clearly because of all the heat waves.

The intercom buzzed and static filled my ears. It was loud and piercing at first so I covered them. When it died down, I pulled my hands away. Next I was greeted by that damn doll's voice. "Hello again, Emma," it said. "So you've managed to save your friend. I assume she's told you she's going to stay with you until the very end of your tests.

"This test might be exceptionally easy for you, or it could be as hard as choosing between your past and present. Whatever the case may be, you are to be a guide tonight.

"At the other end of the gym is someone you haven't known well, but someone your husband has known all too well. Jane Vaughn is chained to the other end of this gym and her only salvation is your guiding word; she is temporarily blinded and cannot choose her own path. You must direct her where to go, but if you tell her wrong, she will step into the fire. Beside you is a digital map that will tell you where Jane is walking. While you are not timed in this test, you should keep in mind that you are running out of time to ensure your own freedom. You choose whether Jane lives or dies. Make your choice, Emma."

"Emma?" Jane called from across the gym. The chains around her fell to the ground and she started walking forward. Then she screamed and jumped backwards; I guess she stepped into the fire. "Emma please help me!"

Well, this was interesting. To be honest, I didn't much like Jane and she didn't really like me. She was devastated when Spinner broke up with her and she even tried to stop my wedding when she found out Spinner and I were getting married for real. You don't have to know someone to know they hate you for everything you are. Honestly, why should I save her?

"Are you just going to let her die?" Liberty asked. I sighed. "I guess not," I said with a little less enthusiasm. I walked over to the map and found a glowing green dot that represented Jane. There were bunches of little red dots, so I guess they represented the hot spots. An in-screen video opened up and I could see Jane in black and white as well as the dots; I could only see from her chest up.

"Can you hear me Jane?" I asked. "Yeah!" she called back. "Which way do I go?" I looked at the board. It was a giant maze and each dead end had a spot of fire on it. If she went left, she'd be safe; if she went right, well…

"Go right!" I called out to her. The green dot on the screen started moving to the right, running as fast as she could. Once the green dot touched the red, Jane let out a loud scream of pain and fell backwards. "Sorry!" I lied. "Turn around and go the other way." Reluctantly, Jane got up off her feet and the green dot went away from the red one. As she kept walking, she bumped into a wall. I guess I forgot to tell her to stop.

"Which way do I go now?" she asked. She was mine to play with now. I guess I was torturing her a little, but it didn't really bother me. "Go left," I shouted to her. "Keep walking till I say stop." Jane started walking left and slowly walked on. The green dot started moving down the screen, signaling Jane was getting closer to the end of the maze. "Could you walk a little faster?" I asked her. "We have a small amount of time to get you out of here." Then Jane started walking faster.

"Stop!" I yelled with a smile. Jane abruptly stopped walking and fell forward because she'd stopped her feet before her body was ready. She fell to the ground with a loud thud. I snickered quietly under my breath. Liberty slapped my arm. "Stop playing with her," she whispered. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"When you get up," I began, "Go left. There's a big patch of fire to your right so be careful." Jane picked herself up from the floor and started walking to her left. She walked fast and I watched as the little green dot moved to the edge of the available pathway. "Stop!" I yelled just as Jane hit another wall. I heard her grown in annoyance and I chuckled. This was just too fun. "Sorry," I lied again. "Cut it out," Liberty chastised. I rolled my eyes again. "Fine," I retorted.

"You know what?" Jane shouted to me. "Screw you! You obviously don't want to help me! I'll find my own way out of this." She started walking to her right and I watched her as she moved across the screen. As I watched, the green dot started to move towards another red one. "Don't go that way!" I called out to her. But she didn't listen; she just continued to go towards the red dot. She screamed the moment the fire touched her body and shot backwards.

Jane turned around and started running the other way. I could see her hands pressing against walls so she could figure out where any turns were. Once she got to the next turn, she decided to move right. This little green dot was heading toward another red one. "Please don't go that way Jane!" I pleaded. Now I was starting to get worried for her. Jane ignored me and continued going the way she wasn't supposed to. She screamed and winced as soon as she touched the flame and fell to the ground.

Jane's body was still on the flames, but she wasn't getting up. She was screaming at the top of her lungs. The camera that had been on her lowered so I could see her writhing on the floor. "Jane get up!" I screamed. "I'm sorry for hurting you, but you have to get up!" Jane continued to writhe and scream on the floor and I could see tears of blood starting to fall from her eyes. "I can't!" she screamed. "I can't feel my legs!"

I ran up to the exit of the maze and wanted to help her out. But as soon as I tried to step foot in the maze, flames shot up from the ground. I screamed in fear and backed away. "Crawl away, Jane!" I exclaimed. "Please get away from there. Fucking roll if you have to!"

I ran back to the board to see Jane crawling away from the flames, one of her pants legs on fire, the other completely burnt off up to the knee. I could see the skin that'd been burnt by the fire. I could faintly hear Jane sobbing over the crackling flames.

"Jane?" I called out. "Go right!" I exclaimed. Jane continued to crawl towards the right, moving just a little slower that her fast walking. "You're almost there, Jane! Now make a left!" Jane turned left and I could feel her nails scraping against the floor. It made me cringe to hear it. I looked to the screen and saw how close she was to me. "You're so close to the end, Jane!" I told her. "You can make it!"

Jane continued to crawl, but then she stopped and started breathing heavily. "I can't do it!" she exclaimed. "It hurts too much to move. You know you don't care about me; just let me die here."

"No!" I shouted. "I'm sorry for leading you to the wrong ways! Please just keep going." Jane turned her head so I could see it on the camera and I saw how blood-stained her face was. Whatever this guy did to her to make her blind, was really taking a toll on her. Jane let out a sob but then picked herself up. She grabbed onto the wall for support and managed to stand up. Then she started limping onward.

I looked to the screen; the green dot was coming across another red dot. And after that turn, there would be another choice between a red dot and the exit. "Turn right!" I called out to Jane as I saw her getting close to the end. I could also see the blisters forming on her hands. "You're almost out. Just one more turn left!"

As she was getting closer, I could hear Jane's loud breathing. She was starting to wear herself out. "I don't think I can keep going," Jane announced. She started shaking on the screen, but it was the kind of shaking you do when your legs start wobbling. She looked like she was about to fall again. "Please keep going!" I pleaded. "There's one turn left and you'll be out of there. Then we can go get you help!"

By now, the anticipation was killing me. I wanted to run in there and save her so badly. I wanted to help her more than anything, but it was only my place to guide her through it. I looked kind of silly as I practically danced in place trying not to run in the maze, even though a large wall of fire would attack me.

"You're coming across your last turn!" I stated. I started smiling with joy. She was almost out! "Turn left now!" The green dot turned down the left corner and started nearing the end of the maze. I could see Jane in person as she grabbed at the walls and limped toward freedom. But then, something so cruel happened.

Right before Jane reached the end, a large chain-link fence rose up from the ground, sealing her in. "No!" I shouted. I ran to the fence and Jane stopped moving. "What's wrong?" she panicked. I shook the fence and it clinked loudly. "He put a fucking fence up!" I exclaimed. Jane ran the rest of the way with her arms out and touched the fence. "I'm trapped in here?" she questioned. Her eyes looked like an empty, sky blue with no pupil and they were filled with fear. I could see first hand the tears of blood streaming down her face as she feared she wouldn't make it out alive.

The intercom made a loud buzzing noise and I covered my ears again, clenching my eyes shut. "Congratulations, Emma," that same voice that had haunted me all night thanked. "You've managed to put aside your differences with Jane and guide her through this maze. However, I'm afraid I can't let her go on with you; you and Liberty must advance to your last test without her. Follow Liberty to your next test and leave Jane here. Then, she shall be taken out of the maze and transported to the nearest hospital. And Jane, should you tell anyone of the events that have occurred tonight, you will be killed before you can blink. If you know what's good for you, you will forget what happened here. That being said, your last test awaits you, Emma; have fun."


So Emma learned to let go of her feelings and save Jane. There's one big question that's been here all along: What is Emma's final test? Find out in the final chapter!