Chapter 61: A Game Of Traps
304 Words
Maria’s heartbeat pounded in her ears as she stepped into the dimly lit hallway. Every shadow seemed to breathe, every creak of the floorboards echoed like a warning. Daniel’s instructions rang in her head—“Don’t move unless you’re sure.”
But certainty was a luxury she didn’t have.
She moved slowly, eyes darting between the cracked walls and the faint glimmer of something metallic at the far end. Then she saw it—fine, almost invisible wires strung across the corridor. One wrong step and it wouldn’t just be an alarm—it would be a trap.
A whisper came from behind her.
“Maria.”
She froze. It wasn’t Daniel’s voice. It was colder, sharper… familiar.
Turning slightly, she caught sight of a figure half-hidden in the darkness. The person’s silhouette was lean, confident, and dangerously still. Whoever it was had been watching her for a while.
“Looks like you’ve learned a few tricks,” the stranger said, stepping forward. The dim light caught his smirk. “But tricks won’t save you from what’s coming.”
Maria’s hands tightened into fists.
“Neither will overconfidence,” she shot back.
The man chuckled, circling her slowly, his eyes scanning the wires as though amused by her caution. “You’ve set traps,” he said, “but so have I.”
And then—click.
A section of the floor beneath her dipped slightly, and Maria’s breath caught. The sound was followed by a faint metallic slide. She glanced down—small, sharp spikes began to rise from hidden panels.
She leapt back, barely avoiding the deadly mechanism.
“That’s just the first one,” he said, his tone almost playful. “The real game hasn’t even begun.”
Maria’s pulse was racing. This wasn’t just survival anymore—this was war.
- Writer
