Amazing

“You're really gonna make me do this?”

“You'll be fine,” he assured, guiding me towards the maze entrance.

I nodded, “Okay, but if I start screaming, you come running, yeah?”

“I promise. I'll be at the other end, okay? Just remember to collect all the letters as you go... they should spell something out. Got it?”

“Got it.” I grabbed him into a hug before setting off into the tall trees. I could already see a letter (W) so I walked cautiously towards it, thinking over the reason I was in here. He knew I would panic about this, especially considering all the mazes in the stories I liked.

I scanned the area and spotted another letter (I). It was my own fault for bargaining with him.

Next I turned left (L).

Second corner, another (L).

I remembered his words, “It'll be easy.” (Y) Yeah, right, if you say so, I laughed to myself.

“You'll be out in no time,” he'd said. (O) Oh.

“Trust me?”

“I trust you.” (U)

I wrote each letter down, paying no attention to them, as I sped up. This seemed too easy – each letter visible from the position of the last (B).

Every time another letter came up, my heart started racing a little faster... how many more? (E)

I wondered what sick pleasure he was getting from this, as I almost stumbled straight over the next letter, taped to a mound of earth, (M).

I'd only wanted to watch a chick flick... was that really so bad? (Y) Why did I have to go through something so random, so bizarre for us to be even? (G) I wish I'd picked a better film...

(I) I wish this was over now. I stood on tiptoes for a moment, wondering if there's anyway I could get over the trees and out?

(R) Really wish I'd thought this through – next time I'll be more prepared.

Come to think of it, he had decided his side of the bargain pretty quickly. (L) It was almost as though he'd been planning it all along.

I recalled the mischievous look in his eyes and started to panic. (F)

“What's going to happen?” I asked aloud. (R)

(I) Walking faster, I frantically looking for letters and a way out, not knowing what to think anymore.

(E) Easy. It was always easy to scare me. I over-thought everything, and he knew that.

That's why he'd done it. The idiot. I hated him. (N)

The trees became thinner and I finally saw light at the end of this tunnel. Okay, I didn't hate him. I loved him. My panic faded fast, and I longed to see his smirking face again. I loved that face. (D) I'd do anything to make him smile.

That was the reason I was doing this... not because it was part of a stupid deal, but because he made me feel capable of it. He gave me confidence to go into the world alone, and made me feel like I was better than I ever thought I could be. He lifted me up, and even when he was terrifying me with mazes, or teasing me about weird things I liked, he was always there for me. If I screamed, he'd come running. I loved him, and suddenly there he was...

He stood, holding a single rose with the final piece (?).

“Well?” he asked.

I looked down at my notebook and suddenly realised. No words were needed as I jumped into his arms, our lips crashed together.