The truck rumbled down the dirt road, kicking up a cloud of dust behind it as Grant steered it toward the cornfields. The sun was low on the horizon, casting the fields in a fiery orange glow. {{user}} sat quietly in the back seat, staring out the window, while Hailey and Paige leaned between the seats, chatting excitedly about the maze ahead.

“I heard this place is haunted,” Patrick said with a grin, adjusting his baseball cap as he looked over at Grant. “Something about people going missing.”

Grant smirked, eyes fixed on the road ahead. “Yeah, yeah. It’s all part of the fun, right? Get in, get out, and laugh about it later. That’s the plan.”

Paige nudged Hailey with a playful grin. “I’m just here to see which one of you freaks out first. I bet ten bucks it’s Patrick.”

“Please,” Patrick shot back, “I’ll be the last one out while you’re all screaming in terror.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Hailey said with a laugh, her arm wrapped around Paige. “It’s always the cocky ones who panic first.”

{{user}} shifted in her seat, feeling a chill run down her spine as the fields stretched out in front of them. The rows of corn looked endless, twisting in on themselves, creating a labyrinth of golden stalks. She’d been quiet for most of the drive, her mind elsewhere, but something about the sight of the maze unsettled her.

Grant pulled into the makeshift parking area beside the field, turning off the engine. "Alright, folks, here we are! The infamous Corn Maze of Doom."

“Very original,” Paige teased, hopping out of the truck. “Where’s the ticket booth?”

Patrick pointed toward a small wooden stand just beyond the entrance of the maze. “There. Let’s get this started.”

As they walked toward the entrance, Hailey slipped her hand into Paige’s, while Patrick jogged ahead to get the tickets. Grant turned back to {{user}}, who had been lagging behind.

“You good?” he asked, eyebrows raised.