The way back home | ✓

two

Heat abandoned Elisa's body the minute she stepped inside the labyrinth. Maybe it happened because the sun seemed to be absent there or it could be the result of her life escaping away.

In front of the terrified mother stood several walls covered in vines, the plants were in extreme different to the ones that decorated Delia's garden, they looked gloomy and almost dead. A cold wind flew around the place making a lugubrious sound. She was alone but it didn't seem like that to her, Elisa could feel someone else, like she was being followed.

With trembling hands she held the cloak hood tight against her head. The voice inside her head constantly repeated the witch's warning. Elisa felt scared of the creatures that waited for a single mistake.

Before she entered the labyrinth Nino explained to Elisa the secret to finding the right path. Engraved in the tall walls were several marks, each of them hiding a message but only one held importance to Elisa: the sun. According to the gnome, if she followed that symbol she would find the way to Almendra.

The journey seemed uneventful, nothing stopping the woman except for her own fear. At least that's what it looked like until an agonized scream filled the air.

"Mom, help!" the voice she wished to hear for so much time was finally there. The woman ran towards the sound forgetting about the cloak. The hood slipped from her head, her presence became known to the creatures.

Fog covered the labyrinth paths, Elisa couldn't see anything. Whispers were heard, steps got closer and sleep crawled into the victim's body.

The mistake made by the mother brought an immediate consequence. She turned into a prey for the monsters but her mind was still set on her daughter's voice.

"Mum, over here!"

The woman reached out for the unknown silhouette. Sitting on the floor, holding onto one of the walls, was Almendra. Her hazel eyes showed bewilderment, the long hair seemed unraveled and her clothes were ruined by several cuts. The girl called her mother using her hands. Ignoring the common sense Elisa took the hand in hers, in that instant the girl's teeth grew and the eyes color turned red. With a quick movement the creature bit her arm. The blood smell attracted other monsters.

Instinct helped her survive. She put the hood back on, invisibility protected her one more time. Something tried to call her, seduced her to get rid of the cloak. The voices and the pain she felt on the arm prevented her from thinking straight.

"Mum, come back. I need you, I'm afraid of the dark,"

Ignoring her desire to help the girl wasn't an easy task, years of responding to her daughter's needs created a habit she couldn't leave behind.

"I can't be alone!" The voice continued.

The more Elisa heard the more she wanted to comply. Even after seeing the horrible appearance of the one that was talking she found Almendra in it. The mother took one step, and another, the distance between the two got shorter.

Her daughter needed her, she said the dark made her afraid. Those thoughts kept filling her mind.

"My brave girl doesn't fear the dark and she knows how to be alone," Elisa screamed once she remembered the truth. Almendra always fought without asking for help, since she was little she enjoyed investigating unknown places to show everyone how capable she was. Her daughter faced her fear when she joined the group of students that protested defending their rights. She was smart enough to find the way out of her own troubles and she would never give up without a fight.

Full of conviction Elisa turned around to the right path. Screams came out of the creatures that tried to find her location. She moved as fast as she could, her legs tired because of the stressful situation. She was able to go through half of the way, the light of the end of the labyrinth gave her strength.

A single drop of blood complicated the situation. The liquid substance fell to the ground and the creatures smelled it. In a matter of seconds they were behind Elisa's body, ready to attack.

What happened next was a disaster,  the woman started running while the monsters fought against each other to get a piece of the prey. One of them grabbed the woman's foot making her fall. She kicked the creature, setting herself free. Elisa crawled until she found a big branch and used it to stand up.

She couldn't walk correctly anymore, her right leg had a deep wound. More blood fell, more monsters tried to catch her. The branch was her only weapon. She use it to hit her adversaries, she didn't made any damage but at least they back up a little. 

Elisa battled without a rest. She didn't notice when the light covered her, sending the creatures away. Only four steps more and she exited the labyrinth. Her mind relaxed, her body laid down on the ground, her eyes  closed. She was safe.