I have mixed feelings.
This place is terrifying—cold stone walls stretching endlessly, shadows lurking just beyond sight.
On the other hand, I've never experienced such a complex palette of emotions in my entire life.
The last trail led us to a vast corridor, so wide it almost swallowed us.
Walking further, I noticed that the path we followed was only one of ten leading here.
Everyone moved quietly.
All I could hear was my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears, speeding up involuntarily.
The foul, cloying smell had worn on us so much that no one even noticed it anymore.
The clouds above had become just another part of the grey monotony.
Inside the labyrinth, the air was cool and damp; there was no wind, only the lingering chill of moisture.
Is this... the arch?
Before my eyes appeared a curved structure, a bridge between two massive supports marking the ends of the walls.
The pillars themselves were carved with intricate patterns — plants twisting up from the base, birds soaring in the middle, and clouds crowned with a blazing sun at the top.
Beauty. I had never seen anything like it.
"They're running!" Finn shouted suddenly.
"Who?" Ayumi asked nervously.
"Cats," I answered, voice tight.
They should have attacked as soon as we crossed the arch.
But since I smell a faint scent of blood, they react faster.
I glanced at the timer strapped to my wrist: 05:19:42 remaining.
If Finn's right, a cat wakes every 30 minutes.
That gives us only 19 minutes left.
"Can you do this?" Finn asked, eyes heavy with guilt.
I nodded.
The plan was simple: before each arch, two burrows.
There are four corridors; the passages determine which one you'll end up in from here.
You can go left or right, so to make a full loop, you need to pass through the burrows four times, choosing the same side each time.
"Ready?" Fleur asked quietly.
The cats will be chasing me, drawn by the scent of blood, while my comrades make their way to the tower, close the gates, and wait for me.
"Yes."
If Finn's words can be trusted, it will take the cats about five minutes to reach here — and they're coming from all sides.
The tower was far away, but if I moved quickly through the burrow, I could cut my time inside by a minute or so.
That should give me enough.
We all heard it — the faint sound growing louder: the scrape of claws against earth as they sprinted.
I took the right one, everyone else took the left one.
I had to slip into the burrow when cats were close — if they're anything like the one who almost caught me, I could irritate them, make them reckless.
Faster, faster.
My body is burning like fire.
I moved my body quickly, using my hands and feet, desperate to get out of the burrow even just a second sooner.
Marked, I was their bait.
The scent faded inside the burrow.
My job was to leave the trail.
Having come out, I slipped behind the arch to see what lay ahead.
The space was pure white — blindingly so.
The cats lay scattered chaotically across the space, curled up in soft balls.
The tower rose ahead, probably twenty-five meters high by my rough guess.
A grotesque mascaron adorned it, the face of Medusa from Greek myth, snakes writhing where hair should be.
It was very beautiful and captivating.
From a distance, it was clearly visible.
Relief swept over me.
A bas-relief of horses protruded slightly from the wall, their forms frozen in eternal gallop.
Finn and the girls were still waiting in the other main corridor, the one behind the tower in front of me.
To my left, four cats burst into a chase once more.
Good.
The plan was working.
I rushed into the right burrow...
And when I came out, I looked at my bracelet: 05:13:16 remained.
I still had about 55 minutes left to spend in the burrow.
The girls and Finn had already run to the tower.
The cats had also run to my previous hallway.
One last transition...
It was dark.
Only now did I notice that this space was empty.
Reaching the last corridor, I saw my comrades running toward the tower.
I followed after them.
The feeling was terrible—like my whole body was on the verge of breaking.
It was a risk—I was going last.
One mistake and it was over.
A little over eight minutes remained.
Finn and the girls reached the tower, running past the sleeping cats without touching them.
I ran faster than ever, thinking I could make it in three minutes.
A little more... almost everything....
Finn grabbed something with both hands and pulled it up.
"What are you doing?!" I shouted.
The gates slammed shut right in front of me.
"Attention, to the right," Finn said calmly.
Attention, to the right?
What did he mean by that?
Turning toward that direction, I saw a familiar cat.
He was standing.
Its gray fur was stained with blood, eyes glowing fierce red with hunger.
Saliva dripped from its snarling mouth.
Its presence screamed without a sound: Finally, I've found you.
Something inside me snapped.
Thoughts raced: Death?
Did Finn shut the gate because I wouldn't have made it in time?
Am I... going to die?
Will it hurt?
The gray cat fluffed up its fur to look bigger, more terrifying.
He seemed to smile.
In an instant, it lunged, closing the distance between us.
Is this the end?
Am I really going to die here?
My body felt heavy, slow-motion took over.
I saw its claws stretch out — aimed straight for my chest.
Is this what they call seeing your life flash before your eyes?
Memories changed like a slideshow from childhood to the present.
But then I heard Finn's last words echo clearly in my mind: Attention, to the right.
I understood! But there was no time left.
Claws dug into me.
I held my ground, screaming out loud: Aaaah!
Oh, how painful!
Did that man feel the same?
The cat opened its jaws to bite my head.
"You want to eat me? Kill me?"
I spat blood from my mouth, driving my left hand deep into its mouth.
With a swift motion, my right hand dug into its left eye, pressing hard, trying to squeeze him out.
The cat clenched its jaws around my left arm with full force, yanking it sideways, tried to pull his claws out of my flesh.
The pain was unbearable.
Did I really deserve such suffering?
Gritting my teeth, I ran in the opposite direction—tearing my left arm apart in the process, leaving it behind in the cat's jaws.
Ok. If I trust Finn—though can I? He's smart, cold sometimes... but I have no choice.
The gate to his right should be open. This is the only hope.
"Fuck," I muttered.
I could barely see.
Blood blurred my vision.
It hurt to breathe, lungs burning like they were filling with blood.
A roar tore through the air as the cat spat out my arm and chased me again.
Persistent bastard.
Within seconds, he was back at me, clawing at my back.
I dodged, falling to the ground.
"Get up!" I forced myself.
Coughing blood, I pushed to my feet.
I'm not going to die here.
I ran on, spotting gates wide open with doors on either side.
Open!
I reached the tower and looked out.
The cat was almost standing.
The four others were running after him.
Where is the switch?
The lever?
I saw Finn closing the doors.
After looking around carefully, I found an old wooden lever at the bottom that needed to be pulled up.
I grabbed it with one hand and pulled.
Nothing.
Finn used both hands.
How do I do this?
With no better idea, I crouched, grabbed the lever with my teeth, and pulled with all my strength.
My gums bled, teeth cracked and broke.
Darkness crept into my vision as capillaries burst one by one.
Finally, the lever shifted up.
The gates began to close.
I stepped back to a stone step, pulled off my shorts, and fashioned a tourniquet from them — tightening it over my torn arm, using my teeth to help.
Then I took off my T-shirt and wrapped it around my chest.
The first aid courses paid off.
Cat quickly lunged toward me.
His head was caught between the closing doors.
Its roars echoed, ringing in my ears.
I watched him, his attempts to break free, his attempts to rip my head off.
Then I whispered, "At critical moments, even a mouse can gnaw through a cat's neck..."
Soon there was a crunching sound, the cat's neck was slowly squeezed by the door until its head fell to the floor in front of me.
Is it over yet?
Am I alive?
I need to find the cheese or I...
In the tower, torches burned on the walls, giving off warmth and gentle light.
Let the gates stay closed.
The others will survive... hopefully.
I slowly stepped onto one stone step, then onto another.
Aaah? I don't understand. What happened?
I can't move.
Pale, exhausted, I collapsed on the steps.
Straining, I lifted my head.
I lost too much blood?
Was adrenaline keeping me going?
Is this the end?
"Are you alive?"
A familiar voice pierced the darkness.
It was Finn.
My vision was nearly gone—nothing but blurry shadows and shapes remained.
Why are you here? Help me.
Thoughts spun wildly in my head.
However, I couldn't say the words.
Finn crouched down beside me.
"You look terrible," he said.
Oh really? I wonder why?
Without another word, Finn pulled off part of his T-shirt and began wrapping my wounds.
Then he bent down, lifted me onto his back, and stood up with.
"I don't know if you can hear me," he said quietly, "but I'll try to answer everything you're probably dying to know."
Go on, try.
"I left you behind for two reasons," Finn continued.
"First, I was scared. Second, you wouldn't have made it in time.
Right after I shut the gate, I opened another path and climbed to the top."
I see.
Nothing surprising… Most people would've done the same.
"When we first came, I told the girls to find the cheese and get out of here," he said. "As you can see, they're not here. They didn't want to go without you, but I insisted."
So they're safe…?
"I heard the roar, that's why I came back.
I believed to the end that you would make it..."
I feel sick...
He smiled faintly.
"You're interesting, you know?
I think we'd be great friends."
Friends…?
I was cold.
Everything ached.
My body was broken.
My vision blurred further with every passing second.
Finn's face was just a smear of color now.
"Hang in there," he said.
"If I have to throw you outside to make you go wild again, I will!"
He laughed.
"You…"
I tried to say something—anything—but failed.
Blood flooded my mouth.
"You're alive," Finn muttered.
"Thank God."
Step by step…
I feel us shifting through space.
Are we moving upward? Is he carrying me?
"We are on site," Finn said, stopping at last.
He gently lowered me to the ground.
I sat there, eyes barely open, staring ahead.
Even with fading sight, I could make out the space—it was enclosed.
Is this… the top?
The walls looked no different than below—cold, gray stone.
And in front of me...
Cheese. Massive. Glowing faintly gold.
Swiss-like in shape. The size of a table.
So... this... is what it looks like…?
My thoughts were falling apart, my vision was completely gone.
The warmth was dissolving in the air.
Breathing became painful and impossible.
I… I'll get out of here…
I tried to stretch out my hand. That would've been enough.
But I wasn't able to do it.
I'm… too weak…
Finn watched silently. Then, without saying a word, he reached down and took my right hand.
"I hope we will ... again." he whispered.
What?
Silence. All sound vanished. I have lost my hearing.
Finn guided my hand. He touched the cheese with it.
I couldn't feel anything.
Blue light consumed me. I disappeared into it.
In a moment, Finn touched the cheese too.
Disappearing in the same light, only one thought crossed his mind:
This is going to be fun.