Tyson expected that the weight of Sybil's pain, the power of her emotions, would break her down for good. Thus, he was surprised when she soon started putting herself back together. It was a gradual process, but he could see her dragging back her emotions and slipping on the indifferent mask that she wore so well.

It reminded him that one could never know how another person felt or what they were going through. After all, humans had gotten so used to masks, and many were raised to think showing emotions was a sign of weakness. It was no wonder that many people would have done anything just to avoid showing that softer, vulnerable side of themselves.

"You need to go as soon as the next portal opens and stay vigilant," Sybil said, wiping away her face as if that one act could erase all her sorrows as well. "The others aren't as understanding towards your actions as I am. If they catch you, they are likely to kill you, no questions asked."

"Why?" Marcus asked, annoyed at the Mazers for adding another layer of danger to the already difficult task of staying alive. "I mean, we didn't do anything to them! Why would they want to hurt us? Why did that guy shoot at us?"

"Because the Maze has brought out the worst in people. Mistrust is spreading so much that I am not even sure they'll allow me to stay with their group for much longer. Sunshine and her husband are partly to blame. However, it's mostly the violent human nature coming to life," Sybil said, sounding much older than she looked.

"Why are you even friends with those people? They are mean," Marcus said, sounding more like a small child than a man he was supposed to be.

"Because they are clever. They aren't my friends but these people have a lot of experience in the Maze, and they are bound to discover even more about it than what we know so far," Sybil said, shifting uncomfortably. "For as long as I've been in the Maze, I've never learned more than I have once I joined their group."

"It seems like you have learned quite a lot from them. Maybe it's time you left them," Tyson said cautiously.

"And do what? Wander the Maze by myself until that monster kills me, or I do something stupid enough to erase me from history?" Sybil retorted angrily.

"Well, you could," Tyson said, pulling his hand through his hair nervously. "Stay with us or something."

It was difficult to tell who looked more surprised, Sybil or Marcus, as they both stared at Tyson as if he had grown another head. That idea hadn't even crossed their minds. Tyson wasn't sure if that was because it was a bad idea or because Marcus and Sybil didn't really see eye to eye about anything.

"Stay with us?" Marcus was the first to ask with a shock that didn't seem to go away as the idea settled in his mind.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Sybil said carefully. "You two are like young children learning about the world for the first time. You would just slow me down."

"Maybe, but it seems to me that all you've done so far was surviving. Have you ever thought about living?" Tyson asked boldly, saying what was on his mind even though he wasn't sure if that was the best idea.

"Maybe. One day when I am back home, and all of this is behind me like a bad dream," Sybil said wistfully.

"But what if that day doesn't come? What if here and now is all that we have?" Tyson asked emphatically. "Would you rather spend it pretending you agree with their methods or being your true self with us?"

Sybil froze for a second as if that notion had never occurred to her. However, soon enough, she was back to her old self, and Tyson wasn't even sure if the flicker of doubt he saw was an objective observation or what he wished that he had seen. Either way, she turned her back on them and started slowly heading up the incline they always went down when reaching the tunnels.

"I plan on getting out of here and living. My best chances are with them," Sybil said, slowly climbing up. "I wish you luck, but I am not ready to take the risk that spending time with you two is bound to bring."

"Are you just leaving us behind without explaining anything about what you learned about the portal or helping us in any way?" Tyson asked, allowing a trace of despair to color his voice.

"You'll be just fine. I told you enough to keep you safe, but too much knowledge can be a dangerous thing," Sybil said with labored breathing as she continued her climb. "Besides, we still don't fully understand anything. What I know for sure, I have already told you, and that should be enough to keep you alive. See you around."

As she said that, all sounds from her general direction stopped, and Tyson and Marcus could guess that she climbed out of their safe hole. Yet, where she had gone, they had no idea.

It intrigued them that Sybil seemed to know how to avoid the creature roaming the tunnels as they never heard its noisy approach. Yet, she chose not to share that information with them.

"Tyson?" Marcus whispered moments later.

"Yeah?" Tyson said, still disappointed that he couldn't convince Sybil to stay with them.

He was sure that her help would have been invaluable and that it would have increased their chances of reaching home safe and sound. He couldn't stop himself from going through the conversation in his mind and trying to figure out what he could have said or done differently to entice her to stay.

"Do you think that we are going to die?" Marcus asked, his voice breaking.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down every few seconds, and it was clear that he was close to his breaking point.

"What?" Tyson asked, snapping his attention back to his friend.

It was clear from Marcus's rigid posture and jittery movements that he was terrified. Tyson cursed fate, which chose to allow Marcus to pay attention to what was being said at precisely the wrong moment.

"Well, you told her that we might never get out of here. That we only have the 'now'. Do you think that we will die trapped in the Maze?" Marcus asked, fearing the answer but still wanting to know what their fate held.

Marcus was always the type of person who feared knowing too much about the future. He never visited the fortunetellers or checked his horoscope. It was terrifying for Marcus to even imagine what might be heading his way. However, this time he thought that not knowing would be far worse as he didn't want to die like a rat trapped in a labyrinth without ever having done everything he had planned.

"No, of course not. I was just trying to convince Sybil to stay with us, to help us. I would have said anything if I thought it would have convinced her to become our ally," Tyson said.

He tried to stick as close to the truth as possible without alarming Marcus to the low chances of their survival he predicted.

"You are not lying to me, are you?" Marcus asked with such sadness in his voice that Tyson was tempted to tell him the truth.

However, that would have only made Tyson feel better for not hiding things from his friend. Yet, it was bound to put Marcus in panic mode, and that was the last thing they needed when the dangers only seemed to multiply with each step they took.

"You remember that time when you were scared to come to school because of those bullies?" Tyson asked, hoping that their shared past and trust might help soothe Marcus's fears.

"Yes, you told me that you would deal with them and that I could come to school. You promised that they would never bother me again," Marcus said, his voice sounding louder as more and more confidence came back to him.

"Did they ever bother you again?" Tyson asked.

"No, you took care of it," Marcus said. "You told me to trust you, and everything turned out okay."

"Exactly," Tyson said, hanging onto the old trust and trying to build a new, false one on top of it. "Now is no different. Once again, I need you to trust me, and we'll get through this as well. Together."

The lies burned Tyson's throat as there was no way he could guarantee any of it, yet they kept pouring out because he knew Marcus needed the reassurance. If they ended up being lies, they wouldn't be alive long enough for Marcus to disapprove of his actions. If they ended up being true, Marcus didn't need to ever know that Tyson had had doubts about their survival.

"You're right. I am sorry. You just sounded worried when you talked to Sybil. That's all," Marcus said, already going back to his cheerful self. "I guess you are just that good of an actor."

"Yeah, that's me. I am a real Brad Pitt," Tyson mumbled to himself as Marcus went back to his favorite pastime, searching for tasty food to eat.

The familiar buzzing saved Tyson from piling up on the lies he was selling to his best friend and stopped Marcus from enjoying his meal.