Their legs pained as they walked miles to their next trial. Their shoes embraced the mud without any hesitation. The increasing intensity threatened their sanity, issuing hallucinations and delirium in their mind.

The group leaned on each other for support, not stopping for even one second.

Josh could see the concern flashing every now and then on Ralph’s face. What if he was right?

Eventually the mud ran out of its juice, and became hardened soil.

“I think we are approaching the next trial. Everyone should now be on their guards.” Ralph remarked.

The group clustered closely to each other, examining their every steps.

“HALTT.” Ian yelled.

Josh reached out forward with Myla and Ralph by his side. “Oh My God!”

A wide crevasse separated them from freedom. The soil on the sides gave life to miniature plants who thrived in the minimal exposure to sunlight. The crevasse knew no end, at least according to the youngsters.

“There must be a way across this crevasse. Look for something that could help us cross it,” Josh said to the others.

The group shook apart without wasting any time, but it would not be long until they learnt about the trial awaiting them.

“Guys. Over here! I found something.”

The group rushed over to the origin of the sound, finding Martin crouched at a wooden sign hoisted into the hardened soil. The sign was swarmed with dust and cobwebs, hiding an engraved message beneath it. Ralph swiped the sign with his hands, causing a sneezing pandemic among everyone as the dust got into their nose.

He then solemnly read, “Tread on thy righteous path and thou shalt survive. But stray and you shalt meet your end.”

The air thickened with sullen atmosphere as they saw their only way out hanging over the crevasse. Two planks laid side by side to each over, fastened with ropes. But what was more eerie was that they had to choose between one of them. One would lead them to safety, or to their untimely death.

The plank set on the left had a devastating look on itself, promising a rotten future to whomever set their feet on it. However, it also emanated a feeling of safety since it looked like it had been used by so many. But one can never judge a book by its cover.

The one to its right looked too new. Too good to be true.

They had to choose between one of them: the old v/s the new. Who would win?

“I will go,” a croaking voice yelped.

“Ian, what are you saying?” Ralph demanded. “You are not old enough. Leave this to the adults.”

“No, I said I volunteer. This is for me, for us. Even if I do not survive this, I will die knowing I helped save you guys. Let me go.”

The horde of prisoners of The Night Library contemplated each other. They did not want Ian to be the scapegoat, but he was right. One of them had to go test the plank. A sacrifice was inevitable.

Ian marched forward to the path on the left. Tears betrayed his self-courage and confidence. He knew the consequences if he had chosen wrongly. He solemnly swallowed on his thoughts and clutched to the rope dangling on each side of the plank pathway.

One pace at a time, Ian slowly advanced along the way, his fears diminishing with every step he made. Soon enough, overconfidence crippled his reservations and he rushed forward at a faster pace despite the pleas of his friends to remain vigilant. But he turned a deaf ear to them, just wanting it to be over.

CRACKKKKKKK!!!

Ian stared in horror as he saw his right leg sinking through a rotten piece of wood. He was stranded in the middle of the way, stuck with no one close enough to help him. “HELPPPPP. HELP ME PLEASE.” He shouted, hoping his pleas were heard at the other side. Ian insurged all his strength into holding the ropes but he knew sooner or later he would no longer be able to continue hold on.

Several metres away, chaos possessed the scene. His young friends all wanted to rush to save him but Ralph advised them against it, “If you all go, you might doom him instead of saving him. Keep calm. Me and Josh will think of something.”

Streams of tears flowed down the cheeks of the girls, compelling Myla to play the nice calming mother to them. Josh and Ralph were the brains and the brawns of the mass, and all hopes of a rescue mission laid in their hands.

“I will go. I am the oldest one. Do not reason with me Ralph. I am by far more physically fit than you,” Josh argued.

“But it should be me. Think about Myla. How will I face her if you die too? And you are my best friend. How can I let you go?” Ralph retorted.

“I love Myla. But I love you too Ralph. I can’t ask this of you. It should be me.”

With a surge of thrust, Josh broke away from Ralph and ran to the rescue of Ian, distancing himself from the cries of his new friends and his love.

CRACK!!!  CRACK!!!  CRACK!!!

Josh took a quick look behind him and saw the horror unleashing without delay – all of the wooden logs broke hell and were threatening to end him next. He had to hurry, all it would be all for nothing. He ran as fast as he could, glancing every now and then as the logs catching up to his pace.

Suddenly, a loud yelp echoed throughout the space, earning worried cries for Josh. The ropes had given way from the other side of the crevasse, and Josh was now holding on for his dear life. But so was Ian. Ian was hanging upside down, his leg still stuck in the wood. Josh yelled in agony, as he felt his hands’ grip on the rope slipping slowly. Josh was so close to Ian but yet so far.

Josh carefully retreated one of his hands off one of the ropes, and tied one of the ropes to his waist just like he learnt in Boy’s scout some years ago. Then he cautiously proceeded to untangle Ian from his prison. Josh used all of his strength to try pull him up but his power was quickly depleting.

Sweat streamed down his face as the struggle was felt miles away.

“I’m sorry, Josh. I… I can’t hold on anymore,” Ian murmured, his voice trembling as he gazed down into the abyss below. “You have to let me go.

“NOOOOOOOOOOO.”

Josh’s eyes dimmed slowly as he saw the falling body get further and further from him.

The next time his eyes woke up to the world, he was cradled in a sleeping woman’s arms. Her sweet face brought him comfort, until he remembered what had happened. He shook up in panic, waking up her girlfriend.

“It’s fine Josh. We are all fine,” Myla whispered as she kissed Josh gently on his face. “But Ian… he is..” Myla cut him off as she hugged him tightly. “Don’t ever do that again Josh. Promise me,” she spoke in a low voice.

Josh examined his surroundings, feeling so alienated from humanity in the moment. His friends had hoisted him up and had carried him all the way to where they were currently. He could recognise that he had spent a lot of time unconscious.

“What happened while I was down?” Josh turned to Myla. Before Myla could say anything, Ralph chipped in, “We carried you half-way across the other plank when we triggered a trip wire by mistake. We had to run like hell while carrying you. Then we continued to follow the pathway until we decided to have a rest. We should be close to the fourth trial now. So, you have woken up at the right time bro.”

Josh gazed at his new family with grief in his heart as Ian’s last words echoed in his mind. The group solemnly woke up from their resting place and set off towards unchartered territory. Everybody’s mind was elsewhere, not paying attention to their environments and the increasingly unbearable heat which unconsciously wore them down.

Hours dragged on, each step heavier than the last, before they finally stumbled upon something worth their attention.

Three doors stood erected in the wall. Three doors. Three options. One choice.

"The left leads to your doom, the right promises your future, and the middle guards a secret." A loud voice echoed throughout the cave.

Everybody jumped in their skin and gave dark glances at the guilty person. “Jeez don’t do that Ralph,” Josh scolded Ralph.

“So, what do you think of the clue? We should be going right, should not we?” Ralph queried. However, no clear answers ever came to his ears. The group was busy arguing with each other. The cave mockingly mimicked their dispute to a louder intensity until a voice of reason shut them all down.

“Shut up everybody. Listen carefully here. The left door obviously leads to danger so that’s a no-no. We just need to choose between the other two. The right door is obviously the safer option,” Myla hushed them.

But the younglings would not agree. They were so entranced by the secret that they did not want to see reason. However, the adults agreed with Myla. So the young ones did not have a choice but to follow through chosen door.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, sunlight blinded their sight for a few seconds, before their survival instinct kicked back in.

The green valley stretched out before them, its vibrant expanse igniting a glimmer of hope in their weary eyes.

“Did we do it?” several voices chimed in unison.

"You could say that. But in doing so, you defied the laws of The Night Library, Mr. Davis. You tampered with forces far beyond your comprehension. And now, the world shall bear the consequences. Your world will come to know the supernatural. Furthermore, you dared to bypass your second trial, and in doing so, you have skipped your third. There will be repercussions."

“Whatever. We don’t care,” Ralph retorted.

Josh gently cupped Myla’s face in his hands, their eyes locking as the weight of their journey melted away. As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson, they leaned into each other and shared a deep, passionate kiss—a silent promise amid the chaos, as if the fading light was blessing their union.

By the time their moment ended, Ralph was already guiding the kids as they carefully descended into the valley.

It was completely dark by the time they reached the village square. The villagers had gathered in a tight circle, their faces illuminated by the flickering light of lanterns, as they listened intently to the survivors’ tale.

Josh took Myla and Ralph to his house, where they clinked bottles of beer in a quiet celebration of their survival. The air carried a sense of relief, even if their hearts were heavy with the memories of what they had endured. Myla rested on Josh’s lap, her head nestled against his chest as she listened to the boys’ deep conversation. Ralph’s voice was steady but reflective, recounting moments of courage and fear, while Josh nodded along, his fingers absentmindedly running through Myla’s hair.

“What are we going to do now?” Myla asked, her voice soft but laced with curiosity and a hint of concern.

“Simple,” Ralph said, leaning back in his chair with a confident grin. “Paranormal investigators. I mean, it was our fault we unleashed the supernatural into our world, wasn’t it?”

Josh chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s one way to look at it. But Ralph’s right,” he added, looking at Myla. “We can’t just sit back and pretend none of this happened. We have seen what’s out there. We have survived it. Maybe... maybe we are meant to face it head-on.”

Myla sighed, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I guess if anyone’s going to deal with the chaos, it might as well be us.”

“Exactly!” Ralph raised his bottle in a toast. “To the newest, baddest paranormal investigators in town.”

Josh and Myla clinked their bottles against his, a sense of purpose brewing amidst the remnants of fear.