Chapter Text
Waverly peered out the small window of the seemingly smaller aircraft. She saw her destination. The Island. Green, overgrown. Far off, higher altitude, her ultimate goal. The Maze. Scattered buildings were now mostly rubble. More than anything, there were trees. All kinds, everywhere. She wondered what this place used to be. They finished their descent, the pilot showed her how to open the finicky door.
"Good luck." His face, voice, sent a chill down her spine. Like he didn't believe he'd ever see her again.
She stepped out. Darker on the ground than up in the sky, much darker, lots of fog. The plane flew off, she watched it until it fully disappeared. Inhaling a deep breath, she began walking down the long road, unsure of what to expect.
Enter the Maze, solve the riddle , they told her. What you seek lies at the middle . The towering walls of the Maze were far off. Before she could even begin her journey, she'd have to get there.
Colossal trees stretched overhead to make a tunnel of wood and leaves, obstructing nearly all view. Their arms often grazed her hair, the friendliest hello she'd get from the unforgiving terrain.
White caught her eye. She looked about, nobody here. She walked towards it, something on one of the trees.
Paper.
For the journey , it read.
A pack sat beneath on the ground. She opened, dug through it. Water, protein stuffs, gauze, shells. Just the right kind. She'd brought her beloved shotgun. Small and deadly. Waverly took the pack off her back and stuffed it full with the newly found supplies.
No map, no compass. Only what she could see. And what she'd heard. She'd heard the Island was a big imp, played tricks on whoever dared step foot on him. Not to believe anything she saw.
Just walk. Walk the road. Answers will come. She tried to reassure herself as she steadily trekked the knotted road. The paper was still in her hand, she turned it over. Scratched in ink, rough drawings: Maze. In the middle of it: Tree. Below, a note written:
“ Look for Tree, it's the only thing that's real. It'll show you what you're looking for, show you how you feel .”
What the hell? Fuckin’ trees are everywhere. “Find the Tree to solve the Maze” - to find a Tree? Shit - I'm gonna die here.
She stuffed the paper in her pack, walked until her legs would carry her no further, still under the tree tunnel, seemingly no closer to the Maze. So she stopped, laid on the side of the road, and slept. Might as well, not a body on The Island but her. Wasn’t a good sleep. But it rested her legs.
She opened her eyes to find another pair, big and brown, staring at her. A crouched woman apparently had been studying her while she slept. Waverly started, reached behind her for shotgun. The stranger lifted it.
“Lookin’ for this?” Still balanced on the balls of her big black combat boots, elbows on knees, strands of short red hair clung to her dirty face. She wore torn blue jeans and a white tank top, a brown jacket over it, a blanket fashioned into a poncho, or a cape, or a combination of the two. All looked like they'd been to war and back. Weapons slung around her back, tied with ripped clothes to her limbs. Mostly knives.
“They said there was no one else here - ” Waverly's suspicion was high.
“They say a lot of things. You Waverly?” She stood, offered a gloved hand.
“Yeah. You?” She accepted it, still wary, stood.
“Nicole. Been waitin’ for you.”
“Doesn't make sense. They said I'd be alone.”
Pause, stare. “They lied. That's a fancy getup you got there.” Nicole eyed Waverly up and down, judging her apparel, and unashamedly taking in her figure, clearly impressed.
Waverly wore a sturdy black bodysuit, given to her by them. The ones that sent her. Standard, they told her, for all who went to the Island.
Still didn’t make sense. Waverly's furrowed brows gave the stranger more questions.
“I'm a guide. You goin’ to the Maze?”
“Yeah.” Why .
“Well then, that's where I will be guiding you. Here's your shit. C’mon.” She threw the pack at Waverly’s chest.
Waverly grunted from the blow of her items, followed the woman. She was tall, maybe a head taller than Waverly in those boots. Red head looked across the road, back and forth, ran to the other side.
She expecting someone to hit her?
Waverly followed, for some reason she didn't know, she didn't question. Nicole slid between two trees, into the depth of the forest where Waverly hadn't dared venture. But she followed still. She seemed to know where she was going, even after five, ten, fifteen minutes of wandering through, in Waverly's mind, the same bit of space over and over. Until they came to a clearing. A bridge closing a gap between a massive crevice. She followed Nicole across it. On the other side they wandered through even more nonsensical terrain, identical trees.
“Where are we going? Maze was right up the road!”
Nicole turned back, “Wasn't real. He moves, shows you things that aren't there. Island’s a tricky bastard.”
“So - how do you know what's real ?”
“Been here a while. Learned the signs.” She held up a hand, signaling silence, motioned forward, out of the trees once more. Waverly stepped out of the green, in front of a strange sight.
Truck.
She had a truck. Old, blue, scratch all the way down the drivers side.
“Only thing you need to know that's real is Red. Don't know what he is, but he's got red eyes. And he's always pissed at somethin’.” Nicole took Waverly's bag, slung it over into the bed of her truck. “Let's go.”
Waverly had no time to second guess. Nicole was in the vehicle, starting the engine, and she had the feeling that she'd leave if Waverly didn't get it soon enough.
Nicole pushed a cassette into the player and turned up the volume, began to mumble the words:
“I hear the train a comin’, it's rolling round the bend. And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when, I'm stuck in Folsom Prison, and time keeps draggin’ on.”
Waverly stole glances at the woman as she held one hand out the window, steadying the wheel with the other wrist, mumbling along to Johnny Cash. This was Folsom Prison. She wondered how long she'd been here, how long she'd been waiting, and how she possibly could have been waiting for her. A little pine tree air freshener hanging from the mirror danced as the duo sang. Suddenly Nicole lowered the volume.
“So what're you lookin’ for?” She eyed her for just a second before looking back at the road.
Waverly looked back at Nicole. “Um - I don't know, really.”
Waverly jolted forward as Nicole hit the brakes. An uncomfortable silence snuck in.
“You don't know.” Her knuckles turned white as the tightened around the steering wheel.
“No, they told me to go to the Maze, said that I'd find it there.” She looked incredulously at Nicole.
“ - And? What else they say? They always give a clue.” She raised her brows at Waverly.
“They just said get to the middle!”
Nicole's head hit the headrest. “Shiiit.”
“What? I don't understand what's happening right now.”
“Obviously not! They gave you a clue! They give everyone a clue!” Nicole slapped an open palm with her other hand repeatedly, emphasizing each syllable, stared at the woman wide-eyed. But she only received a confused face in return.
“Great. Well, we're screwed. No, you're screwed.” Waverly winced a little as Nicole pointed a finger at her.
“Oookay - ?” Still didn't understand.
“I can get you to the Maze. Hell, I've done it just ‘cause I was bored . But if you don't have your clue, it's pointless.”
Waverly fiddled with her fingers, looked down at her lap. “Oh.”
Nicole released a heavy sigh. “Look - just. I'll still help you find it. Maybe you'll remember.” Waverly didn't respond. “Hey, look at me.” She did. “It's alright. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I did that. I'll help you, ‘kay?”
Waverly nodded.
Nicole sat silent, thinking. "I've been here a long time. Alone. Haven't talked to anything that talks back for a while. It's good to have someone. I'm sorry."
The smaller woman turned, looked her in her big chocolate eyes, nodded understandingly. "I’m sorry I don't know my clue."
"Eh. We'll give 'em hell anyways." Nicole hit the gas and the sped down the road once again.
Two hours, give or take, on the road, and Waverly fell asleep. She didn't wake when Nicole stopped the vehicle in front of a big wood gate.
Nicole looked to see the sleeping woman, observed for a moment. She pulled strands of soft brown hair from her face, revealing her features. Soft face, kind. And beautiful. Almost wanted to leave her, let her sleep peacefully, but she couldn't. She gently shook her arm.
"Hey, wake up."
Waverly inhaled deeply, opened her eyes, lifted her head.
Nicole pointed at the gate. " That doesn't belong here. Means we gotta get through it."
Waverly didn't understand this either. She didn't understand any of this.
"C'mon. Out." Nicole climbed out of the cab. Waverly, too. Cautiously, they walked to the gate. A broken padlock hung from chains, Nicole pulled them all out.
"Help me," Nicole motioned as she pushed the tall gate forward, Waverly pushed. Once open, they looked upon a displaced old town. Something Waverly was sure she'd seen in a movie, one of those old west films, taken out and dropped in the middle of her journey.
"Ghost town," Nicole murmured under her breath, taking in the sight almost admiringly. "Careful. Remember, no one else here but us, and Red."
Waverly looked at Nicole as she said the words. What was she expecting? Nicole returned to the truck to grab their bags, threw Waverly's at her with a thud, again. They tread forward, carefully, quietly. Waverly was tempted to stop at every little worn down building, they looked so real, so fascinating. She slowed down once, only to have her arm yanked. A warning, yet worried, expression told her not to do it again.
Fog set in heavy in the old town. Waverly swore she heard whispers. People talking, all around her. She could feel the whispers on her skin, like hot breath.
"You hear that?" Now she didn't dare stop, let alone slow down. She walked close to her guide.
"Yeah. Don't stop, don't look. Keep walkin'." But the fog only got heavier. Finally, unable to resist out of fear, Waverly reached out and took Nicole's hand.
"GET OUT A'HERE!! DON'T COME BACK!!" A hoarse, vicious voice pierced the silence from behind them. Waverly started to turn to the sound when Nicole freed her hand to place them on Waverly's shoulders, standing behind her now.
"No. Don't look." Her face was next to the small woman's, barely a whisper escaped, making it to her ears.
"Th – that's my daddy." Waverly trembled, Nicole took her hand again.
"No, it's his voice. It's not him. Keep going." They picked up the pace. A little quicker every time a voice shouted out. Through the thick fog, Nicole saw another gate. Their exit. They started to race toward it when a deep moaning froze Nicole, which in turn froze Waverly. She tried not to speak, tried not to ask questions, but they just stood. She couldn't help it.
"What's happening?" Waverly leaned, whispered to Nicole.
An awful pause. "Red." Nicole was visibly frightened. And it terrified Waverly.
A great rumbling overhead craned Nicole's neck, she looked into the sky. It sounded like a trash compactor was suddenly flying over them. Eyes narrowed, Nicole studied above, face went slack, she grabbed Waverly and pushed her at least five feet forward, falling on top of her, shielding her from debris with her body. An enormous crunch resounded behind them. Dust flew. Fog slowly lifted. Neither woman moved until the deep moaning was far off.
Waverly lay on her back, hands gripping biceps, eyes shut tight. She opened them to realize their position. Nicole's face was buried in her hair, upper body shielding her face.
"Um - Nicole?" She loosened her arms from the redhead. Her muscles were firm, strong. It took Waverly by surprise. Not that she was strong, more how nice the arms felt in her hands.
Nicole slowly lifted her head, looked around, eyes wide, down at the woman beneath her.
"You okay?" She wiped sweat from her upper lip, brows bent in concern.
"Yeah." Waverly cleared her throat, hoped to god her cheeks weren't flushed, because Nicole's were just fine. Nicole got up to her knees, dusting off, though she was still kneeling over the smaller woman, an awkward straddling position. Waverly sat up beneath Nicole, staring directly at her chest. She averted her gaze.
"Oh. Ho-holy shit." She pointed a finger behind Nicole. Nicole turned to see the ghost town vanished, and her truck, right there in front of them. In two pieces. Bed completely separated from the cab. She jumped up, ran to her car.
" WHAT ? OH! Oh, Come ON Red!" She sighed as she rested her hands in her short auburn locks. "Damnit." She kicked a wheel. Something fell through the window. Pine tree air freshener. She snorted. "Great." She picked up the souvenir, the reminder of her previous vehicle, now useless.
Waverly had stood and dusted herself off, watched Nicole mourn her truck. When Nicole walked back to her, she rubbed her arm sympathetically. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah. Bound to happen sooner or later. Well, now we walk." She'd planned on running back and driving the vehicle through, after they "disabled the booby trap", so to speak. She glanced down at Waverly, who shrugged her shoulders.
"I kind of expected to do that in the first place." Nicole lightly chuckled at her optimism.
That's the first time she's smiled. She's got dimples. Hm.
"Here, your first souvenir." Nicole gazed down, handed Waverly the silly token. She took it, inhaled the still fresh pine scent. Then, like she'd run into a wall, she stopped.
"I know what it is."
"Hm?" Nicole turned back, her longer strides already took her ahead when Waverly had stopped.
"The hint - my hint. I know what it is." Waverly met Nicole's eyes. " Tree ."
She expected Nicole to be happy, or show some sign of enthusiasm, some excitement that they were no longer blindly wandering. Instead, her face only showed confusion. "Tree? You sure?"
Waverly grabbed her pack, took the paper from it. "Yeah, I found this when I first got here."
Nicole took the paper, mumbled under her breath. "Look for the Tree - that's real - how you feel - " She looked away as she handed the paper back to Waverly. "Great. Now we know."
But her disposition had changed. She didn't seem glad to know the information. It almost seemed, to Waverly, like something had shaken her.
"Is that bad?" She ran after the now practically sprinting after Nicole.
"What? No. No, of course not. I just - never seen that one before. Nobody gets The Tree." Her face twisted in thought.
"What does it mean?"
Nicole stopped, turned to look at Waverly. "I can't tell you that. You have to figure it out."
"But you know?"
Pause. "Yeah."
Nicole started forward again, Waverly groaned and again ran after her.
Goddamn long legs.
"Hey, could you just - stand still for one fricking minute!" Waverly stopped as Nicole faced her, she adjusted her shoulders, placed her hands firmly on her hips. Waverly was not going to let this issue rest until both parties were comfortable and at ease.
"Okay. So. You know what it means. And - that obviously makes you uncomfortable. I don't why . I don't even know you. Maybe you could just - pretend you don't know?"
Nicole eyes filled with something Waverly couldn't pinpoint. "I wish I could." Waverly crossed her arms, huffed in frustration. Nicole sighed. "I'm sorry. I won't let it bother me. I'm here to guide you, I'll guide you."
Waverly nodded in agreement, sprinted forward to Nicole's side. "Okay, so I do have one question."
Nicole chuckled. Damn. She might just kill me.
" TREE ?" Waverly jumped in front of Nicole, now walking backwards, hands out to her sides gesturing to all of the trees surrounding them. "Really?? Talk about needle in a haystack!" Nicole laughed out loud at the face Waverly made. So confused, so frustrated, so adorable .
Waverly smiled at Nicole's laugh. There it was. That smile. Those dimples. She didn't even notice she'd slowed, stopped walking, still facing Nicole, just staring, a stupid grin on her face. Nicole kept walking toward her. Stopped only inches apart. Waverly felt Nicole’s breath on her face and it did - something - to her that she didn’t completely hate.
"You gonna walk like that the whole way?" A serious face broke out into a dimpled smile. Waverly made gibberish noises and turned when she realized she’d actually leaned in a little. Waverly rolled her eyes at herself. Nicole smirked. They walked in a silence that was not entirely uncomfortable.
Less than an hour into the quiet walk, few words spoken here and there, the sun set. Only, the sun didn't set here. It was more like a light, switched on and off. Nicole kept to the left of the road, which became more of a path, checking trees as they went. When the sun disappeared, Nicole stopped.
"Shouldn't we stop, I don't know - sleep?" Waverly really didn't wish to be out in the open during the night. Not here anyway.
Nicole knocked on a tree.
No way. No way is she doing this.
"Don't tell me, Keebler Elves." Nicole frowned at Waverly's sarcasm.
"Two minutes. C'mon." Nicole pulled Waverly's arm and they continued, true to her word, for two more minutes, when Nicole stopped in front of a giant tree. The trunk was massive. And there were planks nailed to it. Nicole had Waverly climb first, then followed.
Waverly lifted an overhead trapdoor, found herself in what seemed to be a home. Just, a home in a tree. Small, sparse, but she still couldn't really believe it. Wood floors, a couple windows and cupboards, a big chest.
"I've got quite a few of these spread around. Don't know when you'll need to sleep - or hide. Right?" Nicole closed, locked the door in the floor.
"Right." Waverly nodded her head like she understood, but she didn't, at all.
"Well, most of this stuff was here when I came. Sometimes I get drop-offs. New blankets. Last one was a water filter! Score ." Nicole muttered like all of this was completely normal. But Waverly couldn't be more confused. Nicole was busying herself unburdening everything she'd been carrying, laying blankets out, getting proteins and water pouches. Waverly stood watching, unmoving. Nicole pulled her boots off and sat on a blanket against a wall.
"You gonna stand there, or you gonna sit down?"
"Oh." Waverly walked to the blanket, set her pack down.
"Shoes." Nicole pointed at the fancy black combat boots. "Is that comfortable? Doesn't look like it." She gestured up and down Waverly's black suit.
"Not really. It's what they gave me." She pulled off the boots and sat on the blankets. Nicole stood, went to a chest in the corner and dug around. She occasionally threw an item of clothing behind her. Ripped up black jeans, a black t-shirt, belt, big multicolored poncho. Waverly looked over all of the items, they definitely looked more comfortable than the confining suit she wore.
"Put the pants and shirt on now, you'll sleep better." Nicole laid down, took a bite of protein, sipped some water. She stretched her neck side to side and shut her eyes. Waverly, waited, figured she'd gone to sleep, so she stood, removed the suit.
"Keep those fancy-ass boots though- oh! Sorry!" Nicole turned over after she opened her eyes to offer advice. Waverly had stood up, and was down to her underwear and bra, right beside her.
"Sorry, didn't know you were - going to actually do that." Waverly took her time getting dressed. Spent most of it making faces ranging from frustrated to giddy while Nicole was turned away. She finally calmed herself, sat down.
"It's alright. All good now."
Nicole turned and Waverly was seated, legs crossed and barefoot, next to her. Head on her pillow, Nicole reached over and touched a butterfly. Waverly pulled her foot in.
"You have butterflies on your toes." She looked up into the hazel eyes.
"Yeah?" A small smile crept over her lips.
"I like 'em." Smile. Dimples.
The smile grew, laughed. Her nose scrunched up when she smiled, eyes got small, crinkled. Like her smile was just too big for her face. "You really should wash your face, you know."
"You calling me dirty?"
"Mm - yes." She reached behind her, pulled out some gauze from her pack, spread water all over it. "Here, sit up." Nicole obeyed. Waverly held one side of the face while wiping the other, gently brushed her hair away from her forehead. When she finished, she looked into Nicole's eyes, saw her face for what it was.
She was beautiful, defined jaw, strong features, incredibly soft eyes. She'd noticed that she was attractive before, but seeing her without any distractions, she imagined it would be like seeing someone without makeup for the first time. The dirt was flattering, honestly. But this face, nothing covering any blemish or crease. It was perfect . She rested a hand on a cheek.
"There, perfect." She looked down at the gauze. Black. "Oh, gross. See? You absolutely were dirty." She threw it to the side of the blankets.
"Can I tell you something?" Nicole just gazed at the woman in front of her.
"Yeah."
"You have a great ass."
"OH! Geez!" She playfully slapped Nicole's arm.
Nicole laughed. Dimples . "Hey. You said yourself I was dirty." Waverly rolled her eyes, laid back on a pillow. Mulled over a thought.
"You really think it's good?" Waverly pursed her lips, couldn't believe what she was saying.
"As far as asses go, it is top shelf ." Nicole had laid back down, she held her hand up, mimicking a "top shelf" when she emphasized the last words.
Waverly’s face scrunched in pure delight. Pause. "Yours isn't so bad."
Nicole raised an eyebrow. Waverly turned her face to Nicole's. Her expression had very suddenly changed. No longer playful. Worried, it seemed. Nicole shifted so her body faced Waverly's, now concerned.
"I have a question." Waverly, too, shifted so she faced Nicole. "A serious one."
"You mean - not about asses?" Nicole's face was serious, but she still tried to lighten the mood. It worked. A small smile spread across Waverly's lips.
"No, not asses." She took a deep breath. "How many people have made it - off this island? Gone through the maze, and made it out?"
Nicole's expression was now void of any joking. "I can't say. I can't do that."
Waverly gulped down fear. "That's not exactly encouraging."
Nicole took one of Waverly's hands in her own, squeezed it reassuringly. "You're different. You're gonna make it, I know you are."
A thought suddenly occurred to the Waverly. And apprehension seemed to set into her face. She took their connected hands and held Nicole's face. "What about you? What happens to you when I leave?"
Waverly swore there were tears in Nicole's eyes. "I really don't know." An honest answer.
"Why do I - has anyone ever stayed, instead of leaving - when they got their answer?" Waverly wasn't entirely sure where this was coming from. She felt as if something in her had latched on to the woman lying next to her, and it would take a great force to separate it.
Nicole shook her head. "No." Barely a whisper. The tear Waverly swore she saw finally fell. She felt one roll down her own cheek. Nicole brought her hand up, wiped it away with her thumb. Unable to manage anything she currently felt, Waverly flipped to her other side, back now facing Nicole.
WHY? Why does it feel like my heart is being torn in half? I just met this person! But now I don't want to leave. But no one has ever stayed! But what if I could?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand gently rubbing her shoulder. "I'm gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay. Don't let this eat you up, please." Nicole's voice practically begged her. Waverly shifted so she could look directly at Nicole, the long arm now fell around her torso, stroked her back. She took the soft, newly clean face between her hands before grasping the back of Nicole’s neck, pulling her down so she could hold her tight. She inhaled, deep. Nicole smelt like sweat, trees, dirt, not a smell Waverly would normally want to breath in long and hard, but she did now.
They both stunk, both were dirty. But they held on to each other, because they knew they didn't have long. And even though it'd been less than a day, it didn't seem like it, to either of them. The connection that had latched on and sunk in only went deeper, through to their souls. Nothing was going to break it.
Sun beams shone through the window above their heads, and Waverly's eyes fluttered open. They'd barely moved during the night. Nicole's head rested on Waverly's chest, all arms still wrapped tight. Waverly leaned her nose against the red hair, smelt like sleep and pine trees. Something about sleep makes hair smell better, too bad it didn't do the same for breath, Waverly thought to herself. She peered over to the sleeping woman's face. She looked just like she did when she was awake, only eyes shut. Waverly had never seen someone look so presentable in their slumber. Her fingers laced through red strands of hair. Nicole's body heaved slowly, eyes peeled open.
No, don't wake. Stay sleeping. Don't move.
Waverly already was working to fight back the despair that was threatening to take over. She'd come to this place for answers, not more heartache.
Nicole turned her face into Waverly, smelt her shirt on the woman, their scents now mingled. She lifted her head, eyes looked out the window, back down to Waverly.
“Hey. We gotta go soon. Can't stay here long.” Though regret was in her tone. She sat, reached to her side of the makeshift bed for proteins and water pouches, gave one of each to the brunette.
“Here.”
“Aw, breakfast in bed, you shouldn't have.” Waverly smiled at Nicole, hoped that the joke wasn't too terrible.
It wasn't. Nicole laid herself down again, closer. “Anytime.” Smile. Dimples. She stroked Waverly's cheek, moved forward slow, pressed a soft kiss to the woman's forehead.
She chastised herself for it, but she couldn't help it. Waverly turned her face, pressed her own kiss to the palm holding her, then took it in her hand.
“I don't want to go.” She looked sincerely into the brown eyes.
“I know. But we have to. You came looking for answers, we have to go get ‘em.”
“I don't even know why I came. I don't care about those answers, whatever questions I had. I just want to stay here.”
Nicole's eyes shut tight, like she was pushing away some kind of pain. Waverly's hand ran through her hair, opened them again.
“Do you - do you want me to leave?”
A sharp pain hit Nicole's heart. She couldn't think of words to say. She stroked Waverly's cheek and broke every rule as she pressed their lips together.
“No,” She whispered, as she pulled away.
Now or never.
Waverly leaned over Nicole as she laid back, an arm on each side of her face. She held her gaze a moment before closing the distance, pressing her lips to Nicole’s. Arms wrapped around her back, pulling her close. Fingers trickled under shirts, desperately seeking more skin. As Nicole sat up, they simultaneously peeled shirts off, taking in beauty. Lips met again, and Waverly's hands wandered to buttons on jeans, Nicole's jeans. Nicole broke away, put her hands over Waverly's. She looked into the hazel eyes, full of questioning concern. Waverly kissed Nicole's lips softly, nodded. It was all she needed.
Nicole awoke first the next time, looked down at entwined bodies, then up at a window. Dark had come again. No use leaving. She drew a blanket over their naked forms, chill setting in. Waverly's head rested on her chest, she turned, kissed the soft brunette hair.
No, I don't want you to leave.
As if Waverly had heard her thoughts, her arms wrapped tighter around Nicole. She, in turn, hugged the small woman closer, wished they didn't have to move, ever.
Waverly woke to see Nicole sitting toward the edge of the blanket, a smaller blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She crept over to her, saw a face deep in thought.
“What are you thinking about?”
Nicole was surprised out of her contemplating, opened the blanket and wrapped Waverly in it, holding her close.
“Wish I could say.”
“Nicole, what does that mean?” Waverly was frustrated, frustrated with the cryptic words, that Nicole wouldn't tell her anything.
“Wave, I'm a guide . I know things about this Island, about the Maze. Things no one else does, things they can't know. I can't just - tell you what I'm thinking, it's not that simple.”
Waverly was silent. But she noticed the nickname. Wave. She called me Wave . And she liked it.
“But, ah! God , I wish I could, I promise you, I wish that I could tell you.” She turned to face her as she spoke, her frustration clear in her voice and expression.
Waverly smiled meekly, nodded. “I believe you.” Somehow, she felt it too, felt Nicole's desire to tell her. It was true, real.
Silence sat. “Hey, it's still dark. We uh - we can't leave yet.”
Nicole looked at Waverly, who wore a mischievous smirk, raised brows, and nothing else. “Hm. True. I think I have Monopoly.”
Waverly giggled as she threw herself on top of Nicole, knocking her to her back, kissing her deeply.
“Hey, what's Red look like?”
Sun turned on again, they regretfully left the sanctuary of the tree home. As they walked and hours dragged on, green became less and less, replaced with dead things, stone, old tracks that they walked along now. Looked like a train once rode along them, but that didn't make sense either. But, Waverly had given in the to fact that nothing made sense here. Only Nicole. Nicole made sense.
The tall woman looked sideways at the question, back forward. “I don't know. Lots of things. Everything, nothing. Only thing I know is he's got red eyes. Never changes that.”
“So, he changes? Changes what he looks like?”
“Kinda. Looks like different things to different people, or at different times. I think - I think what he does - he looks like what you're most scared of. Or the thing you hate most, or maybe the nightmare that always haunted you. Whatever you don't want to see, he becomes.”
Waverly pondered the words.
I don't want to leave. I don't want to never see you again. How's he gonna look like that?
“So, he'll look like one thing to me, another to you?”
“Yeah.” Nicole held up a hand, Waverly stopped, silent.
She crouched low, studied the expanse all around her. She picked up a small rock and threw it with force. It traveled several yards before hitting an unseeable wall, bouncing back to the ground. A ripple effect shuddered from the blow, like there was a curtain of solid air and the rock disturbed it. The view before them hazed in and out, fuzzy, crackling, like a hologram. Miles of dry, dead land dissipated to reveal great, thick stone walls, covered in overhanging moss.
Maze.
She didn't have to be told, Waverly knew that's what it was. Nicole stood again, took in the sight with a strange awe.
“Never seen it like this before,” Nicole almost murmured under her breath.
“What do you mean? It looks different?”
“Yeah.” She looked to Waverly. “Has a mind of its own. Changes for everyone.”
“So, what do we do first?”
“Figure out how to get in.”
“Well, how do you usually get in?”
“Walk in. It's never been shut before.”
Waverly sucked in a deep breath. “Oh. Well, then. Let's figure it out!” She gripped the straps of her pack tight, walked confidently toward the wall. All kinds of symbols, pictures, moss everywhere. Nicole took out one of her many knives, cut away the overgrowth to reveal a sliding puzzle. Nicole ran her fingers over the tiles.
“I hope you know what this is.”
She did. But, she was surprised that Nicole didn't. Hands on hips, she turned to Nicole. “You mean you don't?”
Nicole raised her hands. “Hey, this is your maze.”
Waverly began sliding the tiles, muttering as she worked. Nicole just watched.
“What is it?”
“It's a hexadecimal record.” Nicole leaned against the wall, focused on Waverly. She'd admit, weird shit happened on the Island. Stuff she couldn't even explain. But she had no idea what the hell Waverly just said.
Waverly looked back at Nicole, saw the question in her face. “Binary.” She stated like it was as obvious as breathing.
Waverly stood back, face twisted in thought.
“What's wrong?” Nicole looked from the puzzle to the girl.
“It's a trick. The tiles are switched. It can't be solved.” Both women jumped back as the wall in front of them slowly sunk into the ground.
“I guess you solved it,” Nicole smiled at Waverly. Of course, a trick in binary, and she figured it out. “Miss Waverly, I do believe the Maze had to make itself smarter for you.” An impressed grin formed across her face. Waverly blushed at the compliment.
They peered down the long walkway in front of them, back at each other.
Nicole turned to enter when Waverly grabbed her arm, stopped her. They faced each other now.
“What's wrong? We gotta go,” Nicole's voice was reassuring, but she knew they needed to leave.
“I um. What if you waited - out here? I can do this. I can - I can go in there. And uh- Oh shit. Okay. Here goes. I'm gonna say goodbye. Right? We're going to have to say goodbye. I just don't see- Why draw it out? I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I hate this, this isn't how I wanted this to happen. I just-“
“Wave. That's not how it works.” Nicole interrupted, she knew she'd have to divulge at least some information here. “Two people go into that maze. Never one. Only one if it's just me here and I'm screwin’ around. But never one of it's someone here looking for answers.”
“I don't-“
“Every time someone comes here looking, it's a chance for me to leave. But they have to let me, they have to follow me. You're the only one that's followed me this far.”
“So -- When they got to the maze-” Waverly spoke slow, unsure.
“Yeah. They never left. But I couldn't tell you that, you had to follow me, trust me.”
“I did, I do !”
“I know. Waverly, you're the only one that did.” Nicole took Waverly's hands in hers.
Realization struck Waverly. “So you could- If we make it through, you could-”
“Yeah. I could. But we have to go through together.”
Finally. The cryptic words, answers, the questions, they began to fall into place. Waverly looked up at Nicole liked she'd just seen the sky for the first time. “Oh -- OH !!” She jumped into Nicole, who lifted her off the ground, wrapped her arms tight around her neck, placing kisses all over.
“I'm not leaving without you.” Waverly's eyes met Nicole's, she whispered the promise close to her face.
Smile. Dimples.
Nicole met her promise with a kiss. “Well then, let's give ‘em hell.”
They locked hands as they tread down the first path. First turn, two options.
“Right or left?”
Waverly looked at Nicole, down the passages. Left looked light, airy. Right, dark, like something was waiting. “Shit. It's right isn't it?”
Nicole made a face. “Probably.” Right they went. A bridge over lava.
How original. Waverly couldn't help but criticize. As they stepped across, the bridge shattered, like it had been waiting.
“So. We won't be turning around.” Nicole stared into the red abyss. Back into the winding walls. More puzzles, which Waverly solved. A wrong turn, an arrow in Nicole's shoulder. A panic attack for Waverly. Pulled it out, wrapped it up, continued. Voices followed, some were from Waverly's past, some, Nicole's.
They wandered a whole day through the winding twists and turns, until they came to a clearing. No more paths. A platform like circle in the center.
“Are we lost?”
“No. We're here. The middle.” Nicole looked at Waverly. “You still have your clue?”
“Yeah.” She pulled the paper from her pack. Maze with Tree at the center, a cryptic message. She looked up to Nicole, but she was gone. She spun around. “Nicole!”
“Waverly, I'm here!” Waverly spun to see Nicole on the circle step, the pedestal.
“What? How did you-?” She looked from her side to the pedestal. Too far, too short of time.
“Come here.” Waverly cautiously walked to Nicole. “What's your hint?”
Waverly held up the paper once more. “Tree. I already told you. And you got super weird about it.” She felt the need to remind her.
Nicole pulled Waverly closer. Pushed strands of her red hair from her neck, moved her ear so Waverly could see behind it. She held the red hair as she peered at the skin.
There. Tiny. Inked onto her skin. Tree . Same Tree drawn on her paper.
She stepped back, a look of bewilderment on her face, mentally trying to piece together all of the parts of the riddle.
“You - you're The Tree. The guide, the hint, the answer - you're - all of it.” Nicole stood staring, Waverly had to figure it out, it had to be her words, or it wouldn't be true.
The small woman stepped back in the taller woman's space, grabbed her face and kissed her hard. “It's you .”
Nicole's face beamed, dimples glowed. She covered Waverly's hands with her own, nodded her head gently. “Looks like it.”
“So, how do we leave shithole?”
“They said if I ever leave, to go to the harbor. Not sure what that means, but, I think we can figure it out. Let's get out of here first.” She took Waverly's hand and stepped down from the pedestal. Upon stepping off, the stone sank down, like a button pressed. Directly across from their entrance, another wall sank into the ground, this one revealed something new. Far off, a beach. Sandy shore, clear waters.
Waverly looked at Nicole. “Harbor?”
As they were about to leave the Maze, walk towards the haven in front of them, a familiar deep moaning rumbled behind them. They halted, turned.
Red.
Waverly saw Nicole. A pale, frightful version of her, almost ghostly, but red eyes. She reached a thin arm out to Waverly, spoke to her.
“Leave this place. Don't come back. Leave me. I am not what you seek. I never will be what you seek. You have failed this mission, Waverly. Leave, don't come back.”
Waverly looked on wide-eyed, and even though the real woman stood next to her, the fear took over.
Nicole saw Waverly. Red-eyed. Arms crossed sternly, malice on her face.
“You thought it was you ? You thought you were my answer?” Red-Waverly cackled horribly. “Never,” she practically spit the word. “You'll stay here, Nicole. You'll stay .”
Fear crept into Nicole's heart as well. But she turned to Waverly, who stared at the red eyes. She forced the smaller woman to look at her.
“Don't. Don't believe, whatever he said, don't believe it. I don't. Okay? Don't believe.” She crashed their lips together, as if it were the only hope, the last measure. The kissed deepened, full of longing, hope, passion. The longer they held each other, the longer they kissed, the less they feared Red, his words. He felt it, felt the fear dissolve. A loud roar, like a monstrous lion, shook them apart, down to the ground.
Now Red was one, appeared the same to both. A shadow. Red eyes in a black shadow cloud.
“I am GOD here! You will fear me! You will stay, or you will die !”
Waverly and Nicole scrambled for each other, stood and ran towards the exit. They reached the sand, and the wall to the Maze rose, closing them off.
Waverly trembled, held Nicole, looked hopefully in her face. “Did we do it? Is he - is he gone?”
“I don't know.” Fear still gripped her as she pulled Waverly close.
“You will stay, or you will die.” The words rung in her ears.
As they held each other tight, a dark cloud surrounded them, covered them.
“What is he doing?!” Waverly shouted over the deep moaning that returned.
“I don't know!”
The black cloud lifted them off the ground, still clutched together. Red eyes glared at them, seemingly floated in nothing but the cloud.
“You choose death.” The words were slow, deep, dripped with loathing.
“No! Let her go! I'll stay! Let her go!” Nicole pleaded over the moaning and the wind and the sand whipping all around them.
“Hey! I told you I'm not leaving without you!” Waverly pulled Nicole's face to look at her, met her eyes. “I'm not. You stay, I stay.” So close, her words were barely a whisper.
“We tried to leave.” Tears spilled from the brown eyes. She shook her head. “We already-”
“We chose.” Waverly stroked Nicole's face. “We chose, I know. I'd do it again. I love you. I don't know how, or why, but I do. I love you, Nicole.” Her eyes now filled with tears.
Nicole nodded. “I love you. I waited so long for you. I love you, Waverly.”
Their lips met in a deep kiss, one last time. As they hovered above the ground, chaos swirling about them, they knew nothing but the other's lips, deepening the passion of the kiss, holding each other tighter. The black cloud grew tighter and tighter around them, they didn't let go. And like a shock wave explosion, the cloud disappeared. Both women, Red, gone.
__________
Waverly sat upright with a jump, heaving sobs. Gentle hands rested on her arm. A soft British tone spoke.
“Waverly, darling, look at me. It was dream. Look at me.” Waverly turned, faced the voice.
Blonde hair, thin face, kind eyes.
“I know it all seemed very real, but that was a dream.” The woman had been following, analyzing Waverly's journey, knew that she'd wake up in this state.
After a few moments of coaxing, Waverly calmed, the woman sat beside her.
“Waverly Earp, I do believe we found what you were looking for.”