567 Days - Olive's Journal - Infinite IKEA

Day 1

Today was supposed to be a simple shopping trip with my sister, Amber. We just moved into a new house and needed new beds, so we decided to check out the IKEA store nearby. Little did we know that this would be the beginning of an unimaginable adventure.

We walked into the store, the automatic doors welcoming us with a soft whoosh. Amber was excited, talking about how she wanted a cozy bed with fluffy pillows. I was just as eager to find the perfect one. Everything seemed normal, and we had no inkling of the strange world we were about to step into.

As we entered the showroom area, we were in awe of the countless displays of beds, sofas, and other furniture. We wandered around, trying out different mattresses and imagining how they'd fit in our new rooms.

But as we moved deeper into the store, something felt off. The place seemed to stretch on and on, far beyond what a regular IKEA should be. The arrows that were supposed to guide us to the exit started leading us in random directions, and it became apparent that something was amiss.

Amber noticed it too, her brow furrowing with concern. "Olive, this place feels weird. Why do the arrows keep pointing in different directions?"

I shrugged, hoping it was just a temporary problem. "Maybe they're doing some renovations or rearranging things."

We kept walking, trying to follow the arrows as best we could. But the further we went, the stranger things became. The employees we passed had odd expressions, almost as if they were trying to hide something. And their repeated phrases, "The store is now closed, please exit the building," sounded robotic and eerie.

Amber clutched my arm, her eyes wide. "Olive, something's not right here. Let's find the exit and leave."

I nodded, my heart starting to race. "You're right. Let's go back and find someone to ask for directions."

But when we tried to retrace our steps, we realized the path we took had somehow changed. It was as if the maze was shifting around us, trapping us inside. Panic began to set in, and we knew we had to find a way out as soon as possible.

We decided to split up and search for someone who could help. My heart pounded as I walked through the seemingly endless aisles, calling out for an employee. The silence in response was unnerving, and I began to feel a growing sense of dread.

After what felt like hours of wandering, I finally stumbled upon a cluster of strange-looking employees. They had blank faces, and their eyes seemed to pierce right through me. They all chanted in unison, "The store is now closed, please exit the building."

Fear gripped me, and I rushed back to find Amber. But when I returned to where we split up, she was nowhere to be found. Panic consumed me as I called out her name, my voice echoing through the empty aisles.

I felt lost and alone, my heart pounding in my chest. The realization that we were no longer in a normal IKEA hit me like a ton of bricks. This was something else entirely.

I stumbled upon a strange pillar that stretched into the sky. It seemed to be a landmark, and I decided to climb it in the hopes of getting a better view. As I reached the top, I could see the sprawling maze of the Infinite IKEA, stretching out endlessly in all directions.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I called out for Amber again, but there was no response. I knew I had to keep moving, to find a way out and get back to my sister.

The day that was supposed to be a simple shopping trip turned into an extraordinary and frightening journey. I'm filled with worry for Amber and hope that we can find each other again and escape this perplexing maze.

I'll continue searching and documenting everything I encounter in this journal, praying that somehow, we'll find a way back home.