Thursday, June 25, 2026

The Maze from Hell: Chapter 6 Excerpt

 


(An excerpt from my book The Maze from Hell-Chapter 6 Into The Suburbs)

Aleena has made her way through various levels of the Backrooms and has now found herself in a strangely familiar suburban neighborhood. She can't recall how she got there, but she vividly remembers being pursued by one of those terrifying Eldritch Horror creatures. She quietly pondered, "I wonder if anyone else is here. It seems oddly quiet." Pausing for a moment, she strained to hear, convinced she detected footsteps echoing in the distance. As she turned, she narrowed her eyes and peered down the street, searching for any hint of activity. She was alone, but her experiences at previous levels had put her on high alert. 

The challenges she faced in those places had significantly eroded her trust in others. One location featured a labyrinth of tunnels constructed from bricks and cement, with each room housing an electrical device that Aleena believes powers the other levels she has navigated through. Additionally, there was a maze of deserted offices, filled only with emptiness, yet within it lurked another strange entity. Lurking behind the windows, the entity is ready to snatch up anyone naive enough to believe they can escape by opening the windows. She saw through its trickery and steered clear of the windows. Then there was the ominous hotel, filled with its own set of bizarreness. The death moths were challenging, yet she successfully evaded them as she flung open a door and dashed through. The scenery transformed, and she suddenly found herself on a quiet neighborhood street. 

"Where am I now?" she wondered, inhaling deeply. The night air was refreshing and brisk, and with each step, her feet crunched over the brittle leaves scattered on the ground. The asphalt beneath her is worn and fractured. Aleena moved forward carefully, gripping the knife tightly in her hand. Her eyes were wide and vigilant. 

She donned the olive-green bomber jacket she had discovered earlier. The white blouse she had been wearing was ripped in multiple spots, so she opted for a slightly damaged white T-shirt she had found instead. It has been days since her last shower, and she probably wouldn’t get the chance to clean up unless she stumbled upon a secure location with running water. She has several bruises on her arms and one on her cheek, but fortunately, none are severe. She accidentally made a deep cut on herself. To control the bleeding, she ripped a piece from an old shirt and wrapped it around her arm just above the wrist, as the blood was starting to attract attention. After sipping the almond water, she noticed about an hour later that the bleeding had stopped. When she took off the bandage, she discovered that the cut had healed.

“Wow, oh my god, this is amazing,” she muttered. It intrigued her, but she didn’t dwell on it. She viewed it as a quiet blessing. She discovered a note tucked away in a desk of the office maze, which said: don't drink the water unless it's almond water. Although she wasn't entirely sure what it meant, she decided to follow the advice. As she moved along, she wished to find something to munch on. The almond water was getting low too. She thinks that every level has a knack for crafting situations that force travelers into tough choices between life and death.

 "Day or night," she said, taking a moment to breathe. "How can anyone really tell what time it is here?" Even though it feels like night where she is, she’s fully aware that every location she’s been to has its own set of eerie challenges ready for the next visitor. She fears that this level is no different. She carefully steps into one of the houses. She thought about calling out to see if anyone was hiding inside but chose not to, fully aware that making any noise could lead to a deadly encounter with some unexpected creature lurking within. She glanced around the living room before heading into the kitchen. The space was a bit messy, but not overly dirty. When she opened the fridge, she discovered it was completely bare.  

“What do I expect?” she thought to herself as she kept searching through the house. Then, she stumbled upon something unusual. In a room on the house's lower level, she discovered a dagger in its sheath. Next, she stumbled upon a flashlight and turned it on to check if it functioned. It did, but the light is weak.

"Damn," she muttered quietly.

 "Maybe there are batteries around here." She searched frantically but found nothing. Suddenly, she heard what sounded like chanting. A look of confusion flashed across her face. She sprinted out, leaving her backpack behind, but the dagger she had found was securely fastened to her belt. As she got closer, she saw a crowd gathered, cheering for a picture that one of them was proudly displaying. She moved in a little closer and gave a timid smile. 

“Hello?” But they didn’t see her, so she took a small step back. Their behavior seemed off. “What’s up with them?” she wondered. Just then, a woman with long blonde hair and blue wide eyes, turned to look at her with a crazed look on her face. She held up an 11 by 14 picture of a blue parrot and exclaimed, “Praise our glorious God, our savior Polly!” Aleena slowly backed away, her heart racing. “Something’s wrong with these people,” she mused. From a distance, she spotted two horrifying creatures sprinting in their direction.

 Her eyes grew wide with terror as she dashed back to the house where she had left her backpack. She locked the door and took refuge behind a curtain, peeking through a narrow gap to observe the approaching creatures. As they got closer, she noticed their unusual shape. They resembled a giant eye supported by optic nerves that twisted into spider-like legs. It was a sight straight out of a nightmare, and they could move with astonishing speed.

(Images are for the reader's entertainment, enjoy)






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