GET OUT OF THE LOOP

"Hey, we've been walking for a long time," Luna spoke with the lowest voice she could manage, "I don't see an end to this place."

"She's right," Ronda said, asking them to stop.

The white walker was standing in the same place, without moving, as if he were a statue, they thought they were further away from him but that was not the case, they were still at the same distance from where he appeared.

"And if we never go out?" Luna asked, showing pessimism.

"I think this maze is making us walk in circles," Milo commented.

"You may be right," said Ocean, "there's only one way to confirm it," she looked at them, "stay here, I'm going to advance, if I return to the same place as you then what Milo says is true."

"Wait, don't go alone," Ronda suggested.

"I'll go with her," Zev raised his hand, "only if you agree.

"Go ahead," Evander said, crossing his arms. "If something happens, you'll serve as bait."

Zev ignored the comment even though inside he was angry, Ocean didn't even look at him and started walking after her. They walked in awkward silence, slowly to avoid waking the wanderer.

"Hey Ocean," he dared to speak.

She looked over her shoulder at him and said nothing.

"Why did you change so much?" he sighed when he didn't get an answer.

"Change? I've always been like this…"

Zev looked at her, he was behind her, he felt small and indifferent next to her, her strong presence was very imposing and made him feel uncomfortable and even guilty.

"You and I were a couple, Ocean, have you already forgotten about us?"

Ocean stopped dead when she heard that, she turned showing a different look, harder and full of coldness. Inside she wanted to laugh but for the first time she tried not to be rude.

"You and I? A couple?" She cracked her lips, "ridiculous…

She looked at him and kept walking in silence, they felt like they had been walking for a long time, Ocean was starting to feel discouraged that she couldn't get out of there and Zev noticed how uncomfortable she felt so without thinking he hugged her from behind.

Ocean's eyes widened, then she clenched her fists, went very rigid, and spoke slowly.

"Let me go, Zev."

She knew she couldn't react violently since that would make the wanderer discover them but she was dying to blow up the place along with everyone there.

"I won't, not until you admit that you remember us," he clung tightly to her torso.

She took a breath that ended in a long breath, turned her face and spoke to him.

"Zev look at me," she murmured. He fixed his gaze on hers, "I already told you that I don't know you, you must be confusing me with someone else."

Zev noticed sincerity in her look, that Ocean was very different, maybe he was confusing her, he didn't want to accept it but she was right, she wasn't her. The boy released her and walked behind her again sobbing, wiping his tears from time to time. He looked up and saw that the others were nearby, in the same place where they stayed.

Just as they suspected, the maze was an infinite circle even though it didn't appear to be. Ronda and the others watched them arrive from the same place where they left.

"It's got to be a fucking joke," Ronda complained.

When the radio began to work, Commander Kylen spoke to them but it sounded so loud that the walker woke up and began to use his hands to hit the ground. That movement shook them and they decided to run away.

"We're never going out! It's our end!" Luna yelled without caring about the noise, whatever, the walker had already discovered them.

Zev looked around trying to find a way out, he suggested changing direction and going in the opposite direction, they should try everything so Ronda accepted. He guided them in the opposite direction but they returned to the same place, their attempts were useless and they began to fall into despair.

Suddenly the walls became bigger than they already were and the walker became more aggressive. Zev didn't want to give up, he once again looked around and saw that under the walker was a light.

"I think I know how we can get out," he told them. "The walker must be the way out, we have to get rid of him."

"Do you want us to go to him?" His brother questioned.

"Yes, we have to kill him, I think that if he controls this place, if he dies this will disappear."

Evander was watching him carefully, Zev was good at figuring things out and he wasn't as useless as he thought.

"But it's huge, how are we going to defeat it?" Milo asked, "our weapons won't hurt it."

"Ocean can burn it, here there is only land and fire can win," Zev said with conviction and then looked at her.

She thought it would be a good idea, although it would cost her to produce so much fire to kill that creature, she was still going to try. Huge amounts of flames sprang from her hands, which she launched one by one towards the walker, the plan seemed to be working, soon the white skin darkened.

Even so, the humanoid didn't give up, he was going to endure it and Ocean was running out of fire, without sparks and without gunpowder.

"I think I'll have to do something else."

"We have to get closer," said Evander.

They advanced towards the burning walker, taking care not to be crushed by its legs. Unfortunately the humanoid had killed the other three rescuers with its limbs, bathing the land in blood red.

"Ronda! I need you to bring me up to his face," said Ocean.

Luna, Zev and Milo were surprised to see how Ronda's hair grew too long. She could manipulate each strand and make it long or short, so she circled Ocean and pulled it up to the crown of the andante.

"Be careful!" Milo yelled.

The walker let out an uncomfortable roar that caused earaches but that didn't stop Ocean from doing her job, she put her hands on the creature and it began to incinerate itself.

Luna, Zev and Milo once again were surprised, those surely had more than one power. The creature turned to ash in a matter of seconds, filling the place with calm again. In that the walls were reduced and were disappearing, making way for the exit. They went towards the light and on the other side was the purple door inches away.

"We did it!" Ronda yelled happily.

Milo and Luna were jumping with excitement with huge smiles on their faces. Evander stepped forward to open the door while Ocean and Zev stayed behind.

"Thank you for getting us out," she spoke in a neutral tone.

Zev didn't say anything and went to his brother and Luna. Ocean entered with Evander while the rest waited outside. They took the capsules in turn, walking to the exit.

"Hey Ocean." "Hey Evander."

"We need to talk," they said in unison.