The year was 2535, and it was time for the initiation. In order to pass, we had to go through a maze, and everyone was faced with a challenge, some different than others. Whoever made it through within 6 hours made it to After. That’s what everybody called it, at least. We got to the start of the maze, along with 98 other kids. The elders, adults who decided to never go to After in order to keep order in Arlen, went towards the hourglass that held enough sand to pass through in exactly 6 hours. “The initiation has now… Begun!” an elder said as he turned the hourglass over.
      “Race ya Marcus,” Tyler shouts over the cheers of the Young and Elders. “What do you mean? We’re all racing, anyway!” I almost face palmed right there. “Oh, right.” All 100 of us came to a stop as we reached a fork in the path. There were ten different roads. We knew that at least one of them lead somewhere we would never come back from and all of them had a different challenge. After a little hesitation, we all split up, going in different directions. Tyler and I took the sixth path. It just seemed like a good number. We were joined by Aly, whom I had known since I was 5. Everybody else went the second, eighth, and tenth paths. In Arlen, we had grown up with even numbers in everything: time we went to bed, grade levels, and even scoops of ice cream. We took a right, then a left, then another left. I remembered what my older brother, Philip, told me about keeping my right hand on the wall at all times, so I used that tip. I would have no clue where I was going without it. The three of us stopped in our tracks as we heard a hiss.
      “Um.. What was that?” Aly asked nervously. We turned around, but there was nothing there. “I think we’re about to meet our challenge.” I said. “No duh, Sherlock. Haven’t you watched, like, every horror movie ever?” Tyler said matter-of-factly. “Who’s Sherlock?” Aly asked. I looked down, wondering where I had heard that name before… some old detective, I think. Suddenly, a red insect passed over my foot. Oh, it’s just a ladybug. Aly went to pick it up, but the moment she touched it, ladybugs started pouring onto us, from the walls, the sky, the ground. There was nowhere to go. I ran blindly, feeling thousands of little legs all over me. I was suffocating in a flurry of red. I remembered to keep my hand on the right wall and ran with all the energy I could muster. I ran and ran, not knowing where Aly or Tyler were, and not caring. Get to After. Get to After. I must have run for 30 minutes, and finally the air was starting to clear of insects. I could see something up ahead and ran towards it. My heart started to race. It was a dead end. No. No. No! I pounded on the wall. I heard a click. Then another. No more ladybugs! The ground gave way beneath me and I fell.
      I must have been in the dark for 3 or 4 hours. I knew Aly and Tyler didn’t make it out. Suffocated to death by ladybugs. I could hear Tyler complaining about the dumb way he died. There was no way out. I had given up hope. Before I realized what hit me, light was flooding into the room. I was blinded, but when I could finally see, I made out the shape of a man. Is that... Philip? “Welcome to After, Marcus.”