We All Fall Down {Braylon/Lucy Day Five}

[cameo]

~Location I of Red Path~

Mysterious noises, erupting from a nearby distance, intrudes upon the hearing senses before eyes even slant to an opening, let alone adjust to the misty surrounding. But eventually the environment does focus… unfortunately. Each Runner sluggishly resides within their own personal cage, captured even further by the Maze-Makers horrific imagination - they’re not solely accompanied by another Runner however. Within another larger cage a carriage and it’s driver are fuming over their own captivity. Before understanding can be comprehended the luscious voice of Layla’s startles the confusions.

“Good morning, our lovely Runners!” Layla sequels with excitement. “Now I’m sure you’re all curious by what’s going on - and the buttons each of you have in your cages.” The buttons reach attention, to brew more curiosity within Layla’s pause. “If you press your cage’s buttons, your friends will be released… HOWEVER, if both buttons are pressed - then the Griever will be released as well, and a new battle will ignite.” Another break in words to allow absorption. “Will everyone be freed to fight? Or will some be left to die? The decisions are in your hands today Runners. Have fun!” The mic cuts, and the silence seeps.

Task: Runners must decide to press button in their cage or not, if all buttons are pressed they must fight the Evil Pumpkin Carriage.

[Arrow]

Lucy has pressed her button to free Braylon.

[Kaplan]

So what if I'm crazier than crazy?
So what if I'm sicker than sick?
So what if I'm out of control?
Maybe that's what I like about it

Waking up in a cage wasn't what I expected to happen the next morning. I remember seeing  the face of Hera Leopold among those deemed dead were shown to us and the anthem played. Knowing that meant that Zeus Prank would be quite furious, it made me smirk. Seeing that kid angry was something I found amusing, in a way. I wasn't quite sure why, though. In all honesty, he was rather similar to me in that he seemed to be rather sick-minded. Regardless, I much preferred the company of Charlie, Pierce and Lucy.

Lucy. She was in a cage, too. It was a separate cage, across from mine, and she awoke when I did. A voice came over the loudspeaker. The Maze Makers were speaking to us to explain what was going on in order to break our brief state of baffled confusion. Apparently, the buttons that were in our cages with us would open that of the other runner, freeing them. If we both freed one another, however, we'd have to fight the mutt that resided in the third cage. I wasn't exactly looking forward to that.

Without even speaking to one another, though, as soon as the Maze Makers concluded what they were saying, Lucy pressed her button and my cage door swung open. I looked at her for a moment, wondering why she hadn't even said a word. I stepped out of my cage and spoke to her.

"I hope you know I'm not doing the same," I said. "I can't. I need to get out of this maze alive. I'm the one who needs to win. If you can press the button that quickly without saying a word to me about it, you must want me to win, too. That means I'm leaving you."

That was when I looked into Lucy's eyes one last time. Then, I left the area, never to see her again.

Table by Thundy of HGRPG