DAISY - THE FACTORY

Chapter One: The Seed

As Evan stepped through the entrance of the old toy factory, he couldn't help but feel anxious. The broken-down building loomed before him, shadows dancing within he turned the knob while the door creaked open. He clutched a crumpled piece of paper with the address in his trembling hand, his heart pounding in his chest. 

A voice called out from behind the front desk, breaking Evan's thoughts. He turned to see a small figure approaching. As it got closer, it looked as though to be a living sunflower seed plush. "New friend! Welcome to the Flower-Rise factory! I'm Seeds, your friendly tour guide!" the plush exclaimed, a genuine excitement gleaming in their eyes. 

Evan forced a smile, trying to ease his growing anxiety. "Uh..Hi, Seeds..I'm Evan. I'm just looking for my children. They wandered off into the factory, and I need to find them." He said awkwardly. Seeds nodded sympathetically, their leafy hands twitching with nervous energy. "Oh, dear, that's not good at all. 

Don't you worry, I'll show you around and help you find them. Follow me!" They said. Relieved to have some assistance in his search, Evan followed Seeds as they began the tour. The factory was a labyrinth of giant toys, each more surreal and eerie than the last. As they walked, Evan couldn't shake the feeling that the toys were watching him, their glassy eyes following his every move. 

Halfway through the tour, a hauntingly beautiful voice echoed through the air, drawing Evan's attention. It seemed to be coming from the supply room, where a sinkhole had formed in the worn-out floorboards. Entranced by the melody, Evan's curiosity got the better of him. Seeds called out in alarm, "Evan, where are you going? That's not part of the tour!" But Evan couldn't tear his eyes away from the inviting glow emanating from the sinkhole. 

An inexplicable attraction seemed to pull him towards it. Without thinking, he stepped closer, his footsteps echoing in the empty room. He leans over the sinkhole to get a closer look. He loses his balance, and falls in. As he peered into the dark abyss, a figure began to emerge from the shadows. There was a doll sitting on a rocking chair, her porcelain skin gleaming under the pale light. 

Her eyes, a vibrant shade of blue, seemed to hold a deep intelligence within them. "Hey, I don't recognize you...you're not from around here..who are you?" the doll asked. Startled, Evan stumbled back, his voice quivering. "I...I'm..Evan." The doll stands up on the chair. She Turns her head ever so slightly to the left. 

"Evan...hm...well, you don't work here. You're not wearing one of those dusty old uniforms. And this certainly isn't your home. Let me introduce myself. My name's Daisy, I'm one of the toys here at Flower-Rise Factory...well, before everything happened, of course. Anyway, you must've came from the surface. 

Tell me, what are you doing in a place like this?" The doll questioned, her voice tinged with both curiosity and suspicion. "I'm...looking for my children. They sneaked into this factory last week, and have not come out since. I must find them." A flicker of sympathy crossed Daisy's delicate features, her wavy ginger hair framing her face. 

"You poor thing...Perhaps I can help you, Evan." Evan found himself questioning his sanity, conversing with a doll in a forgotten factory. But desperation clouded his judgment, pushing him to accept any help he could get. "What are we supposed to do from here?" Daisy's porcelain lips curved into a smile, though it bore no warmth. 

"I can guide you, Evan. But first, I need your assistance. You see, I can't reach the doorknob to my room. Will you open it for me?" Evan hesitated, his mind filled with doubt and a sense of impending danger. But the need to find his children overpowered his instincts. Determined to find his children, he nodded and followed Daisy towards her room.

As Evan reached for the doorknob, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being led further into the unknown. With a creak, the door swung open, revealing a dimly lit hallway stretching into the depths of the factory. 

Without a moment's hesitation, Daisy stepped into the darkness, her eyes glistening in the eerie hallway. "Follow me, Evan. Only through the darkness can we find the light." With a deep breath, Evan braced himself for the worst, and followed Daisy into the unknown, his heart racing with a mix of hope and fear.