The upward path was nearly as hellish as the field had turned out to be. After five flights of stairs, sweat dripped from Calli's face and neck, plastering strands of hair down and causing it to frizz wildly. It seeped from under her clothes, making it harder and harder to maneuver in the wet fabric. She struggled to breathe as her thighs burned with every step up. Ahead, Ada led the way, hardly seeming fazed at all by their steep trek. Devon trailed not far behind. His broad gait took each step two stairs at a time. The sweat had at least become evident on both him and Lucy, making Calli feel not entirely unfit. Lucy still gently cradled the puppy. She looked wholly miserable in her oversized sweater and Calli wondered why it was she kept it on.

"So," she started, "how are you doing?" She asked the young woman, trying to be nonchalant between gasping breaths.

Lucy paused, gripping the handrail in one hand as she bent over and took a deep exhausted breath. "Wonderful," she managed to get out. "I love long walks," she quipped.

Calli could only muster a weak laugh. "Don't you want to take your sweater off?"

The red of her breathless cheeks deepened, "No. I'm fine."

"Well at least let me carry the puppy for you," she offered.

Lucy bit her lip.

Why's she trying to be so brave? What's she trying to prove? Calli wondered. "Is it difficult after what happened in the maze?" she asked.

She smiled at Calli, sad and bittersweet. "No, because I know him," she confessed, nodding to the puppy in her arms.

"Oh," so she's a fan? Calli thought.

"I've known him for ages, not that he would remember me."

"Oh," Calli understood.

"There's no way he's the same demon puppy," Lucy looked down at the pup in her arms and patted it affectionately. It yapped and wriggled, watching the others get further ahead, urging her to keep going.

There's no way she's an actress, Calli thought, but surely Jonah isn't really a puppy now. She shook her head. Hopefully I win. I'll need the money since they'll be committing me to an asylum by the end of it.

"Demon puppy?" Devon asked. Calli hadn't noticed they'd caught up to where he'd stopped. His breathing wasn't half as labored as their own but the sweat that dripped from his face proved he too was exhausted.

Lucy shrank into herself as she looked to Calli to answer.

"We were in a maze following a puppy that," she was unsure about saying the next part as she hadn't actually witnessed it, "that turned into a demon."

He narrowed his eyes, glancing to the side at a memory of his own.

That test proctor, Calli recalled. The lights in the room had played tricks on her and she'd imagined shadows receding in his eyes. Devon doesn't think that man was a demon, does he?

"There's some weird stuff going on here," he whispered, turning to search for Ada.

She had stopped walking and was looking down at them from the next level up.

Calli shivered. What has gotten into her since we got here? She's been so weird, she thought, recalling the woman's flippant attitude so far.

"Well, hurry it up," the woman called down to them. "We've made it to the top."

They glanced at each other hesitantly. Calli nodded, offering an encouraging smile, and they made their way up the final flight of stairs to meet Ada.

She stood with her arms crossed in front of another door, impatiently tapping a foot. "Go ahead, open it," she nodded to Devon. "Winner," she added with a smug smile.

He eyed her suspiciously, reaching for the doorknob and stepping through. One by one they followed after him, finding themselves in a wide-open gymnasium.

"What is this place?" Calli wondered aloud. The sound of their shoes squeaking echoed with every step across the waxed floor.

"Devon's reward," Ada answered, taking in the empty stadium seats and hung banners of past championships that decorated the walls.

"How would you know that?" She countered.

Ada shrugged, "Isn't it obvious?"

Calli shook her head in bewilderment, "What?"

"It doesn't feel like a reward," Devon muttered.

"You know this place?" Lucy asked, setting the puppy on the floor. It barked at the group before turning to run toward a door, scratching at it and begging it to be opened.

Devon nodded, following the pup to the door and opening it on command, "Worst day of my life happened here."

Calli raised her eyebrows, but words floundered.

"Oh, yes!" Lucy exclaimed.

The puppy had led them to a locker room. In the center was a table set up with bottled waters, protein bars and fresh fruit. They collectively breathed a sigh of relief before opening and chugging a bottle of water each.

Calli eyed Devon as he finished his water and wiped a hand across his lips, "Can I ask what happened?"

He peeled open a banana and took a bite. "Nearly killed someone," he said through chews.

Lucy gasped.

"Nearly but not quite, am I right?" asked Ada.

He chucked the rest of the banana down and shook his head, "No, but I ruined his life." Devon sat down on a nearby bench, covering his face with his hands.

At his seated height, Calli was now barely as tall as him. She approached, placing a hand on his shoulder, and felt just how small she was in comparison, "I'm sure there's more to that story."

He rubbed at his eyes, wiping away the tears, "I had a game here. Football. Went into overtime," his breath turned shaky, "I heard this thing in my head telling me to go hard. I had to win it. My team only keeps me around for my size. I'm too stupid to do much else aside from defensive tackle." His red-ringed gaze met Calli full force, "I ran that quarterback into the ground."

So much remorse, the intensity prickled at her eyes as Calli held back tears. She cupped his face between both hands. "Sometimes the hardest thing to do is ask forgiveness from ourselves."

Lucy joined them, placing a hand on Devon's shoulder. "I was there. At that game," she clarified. "I saw what happened from the stands. You broke Jonah's arm," she revealed, "but you didn't break his spirit. You should try talking to him," she offered.

He broke Jonah's arm. Calli thought back on Devon's initial hesitation around Jonah. She'd confused it for admiration, but it was fear.

Devon looked at the puppy where it absently sniffed at the floor.

"Well, I mean, it might be easier with him like this," Calli teased and the three of them softly laughed together. She realized it was a new sensation, laughing with what felt like friends. Did I do this before my accident?

The puppy sniffed at another door, turning to bark at someone among them to open it.

"I'll help you with that, little one," Ada offered, making her way over.

Lucy quickly joined them.

Calli gave Devon a reassuring smile that he returned, and they proceeded after the rest of the group.

The next room had a large pool. The puppy jumped excitedly at its edge before diving in with full abandon. The water swallowed it whole as it disappeared below the surface.

"Jonah," Lucy shrieked, holding her hands to her mouth.

Calli rushed to the edge, searching the waters for any sign of the small dog. The water bubbled and steamed, obscuring anything below its depths.

Devon kicked off his shoes, preparing to dive in after the puppy.

Ada held her hand up, "Wait."

He started to protest but something in the pool caught his eye.

The turning waters began to settle and clear. Through it swam a figure, making its way to the stairs at the opposite end. Slowly, Jonah emerged, fully human. Dripping wet and all but naked aside from slicked tight underwear and running shoes.

He walked toward them, every muscle evident and exposed. "Do you think there are any clothes back in the locker room?" He asked, pulling his overgrown hair back to wring out the water.

Shameless, Calli thought with a smirk.

As red as she was, Lucy had dropped her hands away from her face as she gawked, open mouth at Jonah.

"Oh, strange," he continued, "my arm is healed." He emphasized its mobility by rotating and flexing the arm, winking at Lucy when she still couldn't look away.

A towel hit him in the face.

"No clothes, unfortunately, but I found this towel," Ada offered.

Jonah patted his face dry, hiding a sly smile behind the towel.

"Let me guess," Devon addressed Ada, "movie magic?"

Ada tapped a long manicured nail against her teeth before biting its tip with a smile, "Hmm, could be. Of course, what other explanation could there be?"

Calli flared her nostrils, "Okay, what is going on with you? Is there something you're not telling us? You know something we don't?"

Ada waved her hand dismissively, "I know a great deal, darling. You'll have to be more specific."

"This gameshow!" Calli shouted. "You've been aloof ever since we found each other in the field!"

"One should always be aloof, darling, it adds to the mystique," she teased.

"Ada," Calli pressed, "I thought we were family. Why are you hiding things from me?"

"You two know each other?" Devon interrupted, glancing between them.

"We all do," Ada revealed. "Or did you not just get done telling us how it was you who broke poor Jonah's arm in the first place?"

Devon nervously looked at Jonah.

"It's cool, man," Jonah flexed his arm, grinning, "It's all healed now. Water under the bridge."

"But you lost your spot. They didn't bring you back this season. Said you might not be coming back," Devon questioned.

Jonah wrung the towel between his hands. "I didn't want to go back," he answered quietly.

Devon narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"I think it's time we all get some rest for our next trial tomorrow," announced Ada.

"You didn't answer me," Calli pleaded, "tell me what's going on, please, Ada."

The older woman sighed, pulling Calli into a half hug, "I meant it when I said we've become family, Calli. I still need you to trust that I have your best interests at heart." Ada led them away from the others, dropping her voice as she whispered, "The truth is, I snuck into the games to keep an eye on you."

Calli stared wide-eyed at the woman. "Ada," she hissed under her breath, "you can't take care of me forever. What if they catch you. You could get in all sorts of trouble. All because you think I'm incapable."

"No, darling, not at all," she gently palmed Calli's face in her hand. "I did it purely out of greed."

"What?"

"Hey," Jonah called over to them, "we found some cots over here."

"Wonderful," Ada called back. "I'm absolutely beat from today," she said to Calli, patting her on the arm with a smile before following Jonah.

All alone, Calli contemplated everything that had transpired so far. She's hiding something else, she thought of the woman. Movie magic, she glared into the pool, what other explanation could there be? Ada's words echoed in her mind.

Fed and hydrated, the exhausted group climb into their respective cots. One alone sat empty and Calli couldn't help but think about the old man they'd left in the field. Am I a bad person, she thought, recalling how he'd swung at her with a knife. Could I have done something to help him? She looked at the other contestants. They each slumbered peacefully. Lucy had tightly wrapped herself inside her sweater. Despite hanging his feet off the edge, Devon managed to squeeze into the cot and make it work. Though it looked a bit miserable to Calli. Even nearly nude Jonah slept peacefully, using the towel Ada had thrown at him for a pillow. 

Calli looked to her carer. She had never seen Ada sleep before. It was not unlike a wax statue. She considered it was all to avoid wrinkling her suit or fussing her perfect hair. That or she was simply feigning sleep. Calli narrowed her eyes and tried to catch Ada breathing. The woman's chest rose and fell in a steady rythm. No, that's silly, she resolved, yawning as she curled into herself and closed her tired eyes.