The labyrinth of the lost

Number 6 broke the silence, his gaze still fixed on the water. "You were a professor?"

"Yes," Number 29 replied, his voice carrying a hint of pride and longing. "I taught about languages—how they evolved, how different people use them to communicate."

6 nodded thoughtfully, tossing another piece of food into the water. "Hm. Interesting. Do you have any idea what you'll do here?"

29 hesitated, glancing at the fish darting around their feet. "I don't know yet. Do you have a place here where you take care of the fish?"

6 gave a small shrug. "All help is welcome. But maybe I have an idea for you."

That piqued 29's curiosity. He turned to face 6. "An idea? What kind of idea?"

6 smirked faintly, finally looking at him. "I don't think you've met them yet, have you?"

"Who?"

6 stood up, brushing off his hands. "I'll show you."

Without waiting for a response, 6 began walking toward the edge of the clearing, leaving 29 scrambling to follow.

Number 6 led Number 29 further away, toward the towering walls of the labyrinth. As they walked, a field of vibrant yellow flowers came into view, swaying gently in the breeze. In the middle of the field, three children were there, two were playing and their laughter echoing in the quiet.

A blonde girl, no older than six, chased a dark-haired boy who seemed about the same age. The boy ran with all his might, his breaths ragged, but he couldn't outrun her.

"Got you! You're it now!" the blonde girl exclaimed, tapping him on the back. Then, without missing a beat, she darted off in the opposite direction, giggling as the boy stumbled and tried to catch his breath before chasing after her.

A little farther off, a boy who looked about twelve sat on a rock, arms crossed and face blank with boredom.

6 stopped, gesturing toward the scene. "The blonde one is Number 1. She seems happy now, but when 2 found her, she was alone for an entire day. Crying, scared, probably starving…"

He pointed to the dark-haired boy. "That's Number 19. Good kid, talks way too much, though."

Finally, he motioned to the older boy sitting apart from the others. "And that's Number 12. He hasn't said a single word since he got here. No clue if he's special in any way—probably not. Maybe he's just scared."

Number 29 stared at them for a long moment, his chest tightening. "But… they're just kids."

6 gave him a sideways glance. "I don't think you're blind."

"I'm sorry," 29 said, his voice faltering. "But it's hard to see this and not… not question everything. We don't even know what's in that labyrinth. Are we really going to send children into something so dangerous?"

6 sighed, his face hardening. "What choice do we have? Tell me you what number our team is?"

29 frowned, caught off guard. "Team 3579," he answered, his tone tinged with sarcasm.

"Exactly," 6 replied, his expression grim. "So how many teams do you think are ahead of us? Or better yet, how many teams are behind us?"

"What are you trying to say?" 29 asked, his unease growing.

6 turned to him, his voice dropping to a cold, somber tone. "Look, this might not be easy for you to hear, but this whole thing feels like a game. A battle royale. Teams fighting to find a way out. Facing dangers, death, and god knows what else. The team that finds the exit wins. The rest? They die. Simple. You don't have to be a genius to figure it out."

Number 29 was stunned into silence, his gaze drifting back to the children playing in the flowers. The weight of 6's words hung heavily in the air, their implications chilling.

Number 29 stiffened. "So we're just supposed to send them to their deaths?"

Number 6 sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Please don't say it like that. We're not sending anyone to die. If anyone dies first, it'll be us, not them. And who knows? Maybe they'll outlive us all. Besides, we've got three years to prepare. None of us knows what's coming."

Number 29 fell silent, the weight of 6's words settling heavily on him.

After a moment, 6 continued, his tone shifting slightly. "So… you still don't have a task here, right? You said you were a professor?"

Number 29 narrowed his eyes. "Are you suggesting I teach children? Sorry, but that's not exactly my area."

6 offered a faint smile, more tired than amused. "Please. There's no one else here willing to take care of them. Just… think about it, okay? You don't have to decide right now."

Number 29 looked back at the children playing among the yellow flowers. The blonde girl, Number 1, let out a carefree laugh as she ran, her light hair catching the sun. Number 19 chased after her, his face bright with joy. In the distance, Number 12 sat alone, his expression blank.

The sight tugged at something deep in 29's chest—a feeling he couldn't quite place. "I'll… think about it," he said finally, his voice quieter than before.

6 nodded, seeming satisfied with that answer for now. "Good. That's all I'm asking."

Number 6 looked up at the sky, noting the position of the sun. "Looks like it's almost noon," he said. "How about we grab some lunch and let you think about it later?"

Number 29 blinked, surprised. "Where do we even eat here? And wait—you can tell the time by looking at the sun? That's impressive."

Number 6 smirked faintly, his tone relaxed. "You pick it up after a while. 11 taught me, actually. He's a bit… intense, but he knows a lot about survival. I'm pretty sure he was in the military or something."

29 raised an eyebrow. "Military? Makes sense, with how he carries himself."

"Yeah," 6 continued, stepping away from the lake. "Since he arrived, he's been setting rules and routines. And, well, people just… followed. One of his rules is that when someone new arrives, like you, their first day is just about getting to know everyone. No pressure, no tasks. But tomorrow? That's when the real work starts."

29 sighed, glancing at the looming walls of the maze in the distance. "Great. I can hardly wait."

6 gave a faint chuckle as he motioned for 29 to follow him. "Come on. Let's get some food. You're going to need your energy for tomorrow."