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They all let out sighs of relief as they allowed themselves to relax onto the car seats.
Shang looked back to his old house and then turned his gaze to the front. Madeline leaned her head to the side so it fell on the man's shoulder and slipped her hand under his, intertwining their fingers and squeezing his to try and comfort him.
Shang placed his head on top of hers as Katy drove the car to where Morris and Trevor were directing them.
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The car stopped in front of a forest made out of tall and dense bamboo trees.
"The first time I witnessed pure artistry. 1968. Planet of the Apes. I was sitting in the cinema next to my mum, watching mastery unfold before my very eyes. After the film, I asked her, How did they get those monkeys to do those things? And she patted me on the head and she said, It's not real, pet..." as Trevor told them how he had gotten into acting Madeline woke up from Shang's shoulder and tried to raise her head.
Shang looked to his side where Madeline was, taking a moment to admire her profile. From the curve of her nose to the shadow her dark eyelashes formed over her cheekbones.
He caught the eyes of his sister who smirked at her brother only to have him stick out his tongue to her.
Madeline felt her neck a bit stiffly as she had been leaning on Shang's shoulder the whole trip out there only to find out her hand was still lodged under his. She refrained from moving her own hand too much as she quite liked the feeling of his palm against hers.
"Um, this is really cool and all, but how long do we have to sit here?" Shang's voice brought her back to the conversation happening at the moment.
"Morris is very clear. The way through is all about timing" the other man stated as he stroked the faceless creature on his lap.
"Okay, but how long are we talking? Like, hours? Days?" Madeline asked him.
"Friends, I am but a transitory vessel for the infinite wisdom of a creature far more advanced than well ever truly understand. What he sees, what he feels of this vast, unknown universe is beyond anything our simple brains can..." the man was cut off when Morris squeaked loudly, startling them all "Oh. You can go"
"What?" Katy asked.
"Go. You can go. He says go" Trevor did a motion with his hands for her to start driving.
Katy was careful as she pressed her foot down on the gas pedal. Madeline took the chance to admire the trees framing the path and the sun coming down on the ground, ignoring the growing feeling she felt In the pit of her stomach. Her hand instinctively went to her bracelet which she still had and traced the patterns that imitated golden scales.
"You should speed up" Trevor said.
Madeline heard a faint cracking sound and looked back behind them.
"What? Why?" Katy asked, only speeding up slightly.
Shang and Xialing also looked back to see what was so very interesting to Madeline only to see the actual trees moving and closing the path on their asses.
"Katy, go, go, go!" the three of them shouted as the closing of the bamboos accelerated.
The engine of the car purred loudly as they rushed through the forest.
"Morris says, Hard right on three" Trevor said after the animal cooed.
"What?" Katy looked at the man besides her as if he were crazy.
"Two" he continued to count down.
"Hard right where?" Shang Chi asked as his grip on Madeline's hand tightened and hers did as well.
"Now" Katy turned the steering wheel with a grunt as far right as it could go and the forest opened up in front of them.
Morris trilled and flapped his wings a bit.
"And left" Trevor communicated.
The tyres of the car screeched as they took a left this time.
Madeline grunted as she was thrown onto Shang's lap and she begun to excuse herself thoroughly not seeing the man's blushing expression.
"It's all about staying in the pocket" Trevor conveyed.
"What pocket?" Katy asked in confusion.
"We're in it now" he said.
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From above the trees of the forest can be seen opening and closing, creating different paths like a living maze. The pocket mentioned by Trevor visible as the trees parted in front of their car and closed behind it.
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"What happens if we don't stay in the pocket?" Shang asked in a panic, and rightly so considering Trevor's next response.
"The forest eats us" the other man said in a strangely calm state.
"Eats us? What does that mean?" Xialing and Madeline leaned forward to ask the actor.
"He says it eats us. Go left" he ordered.
Shang-Chi gasped as this time he was thrown onto Madeline, not that the girl was complaining.
"Watch your back!" he shouted as the trees closed in faster.
"Stay in the pocket" Trevor repeated, leaning back on his seat.
"How close is it?" Katy asked.
"Five metres" Xialing responded.
"Stay in the pocket" Trevor warned her again.
"What is that in feet?" Katy asked as she tried to turn her head away from the path ahead but too afraid to do it.
"Davvero dannatamente vicino!" Madeline shouted out as she took Shang's hand with her other free one and squeezed (Really damn close!).
"Really fricking close" Shang said.
"Stay in the pocket" Trevor repeated again.
"Will you just stop saying, Stay in the pocket?" Katy shouted as her hands turned white from how tight she was holding the wheel.
"One last right, then straight on to the end" they all grunted when Katy swerved wildly to the right making Madeline slam into Shang. The man wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kept her close just in case.
"You might wanna hurry up" the space in front of them also started to close.
"What do you think I'm doing?" Katy retorted.
"We're not gonna make it" Xialing said.
"Vaffanculo Xialing!" Madeline shouted at the woman as she stuffed her face into Shang's neck (Fuck you Xialing!).
"I'm coming home, Mummy" Trevor grabbed an old blanket and brought it up to his nose, not really inspiring any confidence in Katy.
They all closed their eyes but opened them when the car broke through the bamboo a fell into a deep pond.
They all relaxed and sighed in relief.
"Morris says, Great job, everyone. Now, all we have to do is go through that waterfall and were pretty much there" the car advanced slowly forward and into the waterfall as he had said to do.
"Sorry Xialing" Madeline muttered even though the girl hadn't understood her Italian swear, which must be why she received a confused look.
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YOU ARE READING
ℭ𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔰𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔉𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔰 || 𝔖𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔤 ℭ𝔥𝔦 𝔏𝔢𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔡 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔗𝔢𝔫 ℜ𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰
Fanfiction.҉ .҉ .҉ Madeline Liu moved with her mother to San Francisco at a very young age after her father died. When she was grown and after the death of her mother, which left her all alone, she got a job as a valet parking cars where she made friends with...
