The group slid down a vent protruding in the corner of the room that they were. Josh led the way, followed by Myla and the teenagers, while Ralph was the last one in the line.

They embraced the dust and the cobwebs bravely as they marched forward until Josh called out: we have reached the other side. One by one they got off the vent and looked at each other perplexed.

Terrence knelt and scooped up a handful of grains. “Is this sand? Are we out?”

Josh: No, I don’t think so. The next step is the trials. But I got no idea what the trials will be. I did not expand on that.

Thomas: Don’t you think it would have been smart of you to expand on them? You could have written easy simple ones.

Josh: It did not cross my head man.

Myla: Calm down guys. At least we get to leave this hell soon.

Leonard: Let’s move forward kids. We do not want to miss the fun party people.

Myla: Do not mind Lenoard. He is always joking regardless of the situation.

The crowd marched forward, grumbling along the way how difficult it was to walk in the sand. Cacti grew side by side, making way for a straight path ahead of them. The heat penetrated their skin, seizing their sweat as a sacrifice.

Josh and Myla held hands while they exchanged information about each other. Ralph followed them close by, grinning about the hook up. All of a sudden, all the kids stopped in their track, causing the young adults behind to almost stumble among them.

Ralph: Jeez Josh. You can just kiss her later.

Myla: Ralph, this is not the time for jokes. OMG. It is a sphinx.

Josh held Myla’s hand stronger and rushed in front of the group. He stared at the golden man-lion, majestically standing on its paws.

He carefully made some steps towards the sphinx when he heard a loud grunt. He stopped in his tracks, in disbelief.

Josh: Did the sphinx just grunt?

Ralph: Since when sphinxes grunt Josh?

Josh: I am serious. I swear I heard it make a noise.

Sphinx: You should believe him Ralph.

The group froze, their breaths caught in their throats, as the sphinx moved with a grace that defied logic, its golden fur shimmering under the harsh sunlight. The man-lion got down from his pedestal and made his way slowly towards the group. Each step of the sphinx stirred miniature sand tornadoes, spiralling around its golden paws.

Josh, Ralph, and Myla sweated profusely under the duress fashioned by the walking sphinx and they backed in their steps slowly, urging the youngsters to do the same.

The sphinx continued to march towards them, oblivious to the chaos it was concocting in their minds.

Josh: Halt there. What do you want with us? Stop coming towards us…

Sphinx: Very well, no need to panic. You know the drill with a sphinx. You must answer my riddle correctly for you to be able to continue your journey. But make no mistake. If you answer this wrong, I will make sure you are all squashed under my paw. This will be your first trial. Each will test your courage, wit, and resolve. Fail, and the sands will be your tomb.

Josh stepped forward, his voice steady despite the trembling in his hands. “Bring it on.”

The young darers grouped around the sphinx which radiated warm and fear in its charismatic way, waiting for the riddle to be unfolded.

The sphinx’s riddle echoed ominously: “I never was, am always to be. None have ever seen me, nor ever will. Yet, I am the confidence of all who live and breathe. What am I?”

“Order,” Josh said confidently, without even thinking about it thoroughly.

The sphinx took a few steps backward with an unmistaken grin flashing on its human face.

Josh turned around and looked at Myla and Ralph, beaming with joy.

“You see Ralph. It’s eas”

Josh vanished to the other side of the room with a splat. As he landed, he coughed out the little grains that managed to get into his mouth. He tried desperately to fight the pain that kept him pinned down in the sand. The sphinx’s swat had extinguished all his strength. His new girlfriend ran in his direction, tears streaming down her face.

Terror and chaos reigned in the room. The teenagers scattered in all directions, screaming their lungs out.

“Please, Mr. Sphinx! Just one more chance! It is purity—I am sure of it!” Ralph’s voice cracked, his eyes darting between the sphinx and his scattered friends.

“Wrong. AGAINN,” the sphinx screeched.

Ralph jumped on his side as he saw the sphinx reaching out violently with his paw towards him.

“Myla, we need Josh. Wake him up,” Ralph beckoned to Myla.

The sphinx’s paw sliced through the air, sending a gust of sand spiralling towards Ralph.

Josh groaned faintly, his eyes fluttering open but unfocused. His limbs twitched as if trying to defy the weight of the sand pinning him down.

“Josh! Josh, wake up!” Myla cried, her voice cracking with desperation. She knelt beside him, her fingers clawing at the sand, flinging it aside as fast as she could. The grit bit into her skin, but she did not stop. “You must get up. Please!”

She shook him vehemently, her hands gripping his shoulders, her tears streaking her dust-covered face. "Come on, Josh! We can’t do this without you!”

Behind her, Ralph scrambled backward, eyes wide with terror as the sphinx loomed over him. “Myla, hurry!” he shouted, his voice trembling. “It’s coming for us!”

The sphinx growled, a low, guttural sound that reverberated through the air. Its golden mane glinted ominously in the harsh light, and its sharp claws carved furrows into the sand with every step.

Josh coughed weakly, his chest heaving. “M-Myla…” he rasped, his voice barely audible over the growing chaos.

Her heart leapt at the sound. “I am here, Josh! I am here!” She pressed her forehead against his, willing her strength into him. “You are okay. We will get through this.”

The sphinx’s deep voice rumbled like distant thunder. “Hurry now, little ones. Time is running out. Face your fate, or perish beneath my wrath.”

“Shadow… no, that does not make sense. Hope? Confidence? Future?” he muttered, his voice hoarse and strained.

“Josh, focus!” Myla urged, her grip tightening. “Think clearly. We do not have much time!”

The sphinx loomed closer, its massive paws leaving prints that seemed to quake the ground. Ralph stumbled back, his hands raised as if to ward off the inevitable. “For the love of everything, Josh, hurry!”

Josh’s eyes snapped into focus, the glimmer of realization sparking within. He straightened, his voice growing stronger. “Wait… I got it. It is tomorrow!” he roared, his voice carrying across the sand like a battle cry.

The sphinx halted mid-step, its golden eyes narrowing. A long, eerie silence stretched between them, broken only by the rustling of the wind through the sand. The great beast’s expression twisted into a snarl, displeasure etched into every line of its majestic face.

“Correct,” it growled begrudgingly, each syllable dripping with disdain. “You have passed the first trial. But do not celebrate too soon, mortals. Four remain, and they will not be so easily conquered.”

The group sagged with relief, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Myla clung to Josh, her heart pounding against her ribcage. “We did it… we actually did it,” she whispered.

But the sphinx’s ominous glare reminded them that the ordeal was far from over. Its towering form retreated, vanishing into a swirling vortex of sand that left behind only the echo of its thunderous voice.

“Prepare yourselves.”

The group gathered back together, letting out sighs of relief.

A door magically revealed itself in the distance, beckoning for them to intrude into new territory.

The crowd looked at each other, believing that it would be better that any comments would be better left to themselves.

Josh pecked Myla gently on her hand.  Nobody doubted their love. They could all see it in their eyes.

Myla clutched her hands around Josh’s arm, ready for the next adventure.

They marched forward towards the door, with no doubts clouding their judgement.

The next moment they saw light, there were all in a hollow room bursting with antiques. The group dispersed in diverse directions, their delicate fingers exploring every inch of the room.

The room was divided into five distinct categories but Josh could not wrap his head around it. This room gave him the heebie-jeebies.

CLICK!

Everyone turned back to the origin of the loud sound. The door… the door was locked. They were trapped.

And then it all clicked in Ralph’s head. “It’s an escape room.”

Myla and Josh examined their surroundings in horror. Ralph was right. It looked exactly like an escape room.

Leonard’s expression darkened as fury overtook him. ‘Not this again,’ he spat, his voice a mix of anger and fear, as though he knew this was not going to end well.

Josh rushed forward attempting to calm him down but dark Leonard was way stronger than Josh.

Leonard’s friends hurried to help Josh in his endeavours but they were all met with failure. Leonard was not someone they could try to reason with when he was in a dark mood.

The latter’s hand gnawed at something in the ground. It was a wooden latch sealed to the ground- their way out of this prison. But they had not solved the escape’s room puzzle.

“Myla, you don’t think he might actually be able to get us out of here without solving the puzzle, do you?” Ralph questioned. “There might be some repercussions to this insanity if we do not leave this room the proper way. If we don’t solve the puzzle, who knows what might happen?”

Josh and Myla looked at each other in agreement. Ralph was right. They had to stop Leonard’s sudden mental breakdown before something would go very wrong for them.

Leonard’s expression darkened as fury overtook him. ‘Not this again,’ he spat, his voice a mix of anger and fear, as though he knew this was not going to end well.

Josh rushed forward attempting to calm him down but dark Leonard was way stronger than Josh.

Leonard’s friends hurried to help Josh in his endeavours but they were all met with failure. Leonard was not someone they could try to reason with when he was in a dark mood.

The latter’s hand gnawed at something in the ground. It was a wooden latch sealed to the ground- their way out of this prison. But they had not solved the escape’s room puzzle.

“Myla, you don’t think he might actually be able to get us out of here without solving the puzzle, do you?” Ralph questioned. “There might be some repercussions to this insanity if we do not leave this room the proper way. If we do not solve the puzzle, who knows what might happen?”

Josh and Myla looked at each other in agreement. Ralph was right. They had to stop Leonard’s sudden mental breakdown before something would go very wrong for them.

Josh and Ralph rushed to Leonard’s side but it was too late. The latch was open and Leonard had already jumped into it. Without hesitation, they followed him, knowing they could not afford to lose him.

They crawled in the tiny space as quick as they could. They had to catch up with him. The air grew cooler as they crawled, the faint glimmer of light ahead their only guide. Emerging into the open, they found Leonard crumpled against the wall, his sobs echoing in the cavernous space.

One by one, they got out of the dark and grouped around Leonard.

“Leo, what’s up with you brother?” Myra asked.

As he sobbed, Leonard apologised to his friends and explained his actions: “I am claustrophobic. I could not stand being locked in that room. I am so sorry guys. Please forgive me.”

“It’s fine Leo. We understand. But this is the last time that we bend the rules of The Night Library. We don’t know exactly with what we are dealing here. Is that understood?” Ralph reassured Leonard.

Leonard nodded, and looked at Josh. “What’s next?”

“We have to continue down this path to find out.”