“Here goes nothing,” Faraz muttered as he took off. Sneaking into the staff’s wing at night was almost impossible without a friendly guard and some money. Groping the walls and flashing his torch for only a few seconds, Faraz soon found himself in front of the vent. The corridors were long, the night dark, and with the alternate guard absent, the risk was worth it. He went in headfirst.

The world beyond the grate was a labyrinth above the basement floor. A basement that even the chief troublemaker had never heard of. Curiosity and daring — a fatal combination that could prove deadly — urged the boy to move forward. The spin-the-bottle dare of stealing the upcoming quiz’s marking scheme was long forgotten as the new thrill of uncovering this mysterious place took over him. He could hear muffled voices and movement below.

There was a strange stench in the air, one he didn’t stop........

© Dawn Young Magazine