Runaway (first 8 chapters)

Chapter 7

"We need a love potion. Would you happen to have one?" asked Mia. "Non-consensual drug use? I thought you were better that?" said the other person teasingly. "Oh shut up. It isn't for me, it's for-" "Me," Grace cut in. "My future depends on this! My whole future of happiness depends on this!" "Well, that's too bad," the red-capped person deadpanned. "We have one of those - they're rare and expensive, ya know - and Golden has it." "And he's out," the green-capped person added. "Well, where can we find this Golden?" Grace panicked. "Uh...him and D were out looking for BF, and-" "Stop with the names! She doesn't even know all of ya'll," said Mia, rolling her eyes. "Just give a clear answer." "The clear answer is, we have no idea! If anything, we've lost three members to cause of death," said the red-capped person. "Don't talk like that! They're still alive!" the green-capped person grumbled. "This is great. Do you have a straightforward answer, or are we going on a wild goose chase here?" said Mia. She really needed that potion - it would take her forever to learn how to make her own, and again, she didn't want to disappoint Marilyn and Grace- no, Spotlight and Gigi. "They were headed for the Forever Labyrinth on their search," the green-capped person spoke up, realizing his fellow friend wasn't going to give any useful information. "No...such a deep, dark, chasm of mankind has not been destroyed?" "Nothing that powerful can be destroyed. You have seen the map yourself - surely, you must know." "Then...I'm afraid we've no choice but to look. Any clue on a room?" "Perhaps check Seas." "Will do." Grace could only stare confused at the two, wondering what they were going on about this "Forever Labyrinth". A maze, of sorts? She had also noticed the slight change in their way of speaking. A more refined tone. "Grace." The mention of her name caught her attention. "Let's go. And on the way, I will explain the Forever Labyrinth." "Tell me now! Come on, I'm so curious! I'm dying of curiosity!" Grace cried as they walked back to the car, under the watchful gaze of the camp's guards. Once they were both inside, before starting the car, Mia turned to look directly into Grace's eyes. "You do not know where we are going. You cannot begin to understand until you see it with your own eyes. The Forever Labyrinth.

"And if you linger and dally...it will eat you alive."

Grace nodded nervously and tried not to look intimidated as Mia turned on the engine. Whatever happened next, she knew it would all be worth it as soon as she got Benjamin back where he truly belongs - in her arms.

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All Grace remembered was driving deep into the mountains before everything faded to darkness. When she gained awareness of her surroundings, she found herself in a room. But something was different. The world had turned white, with nothing but blue pencil sketches that formed every piece of furniture. An old, lavish house in the old ages of England was what she first thought of. Mia stood over her, looking not in the slightest bit as worried as Grace. In fact, she looked more annoyed. "About time. Was the warp really that much for you? I suppose I've just grown used to it by now. You're only a child. But so was she." "Can you just stop with the riddles!" Grace yelled, jumping up. "Just tell me clearly, where the heck are we and where is Golden? Where is my love potion? WHERE IS MY BENJAMIN!" "Woah, calm down!" Grace had grabbed Mia's jacket. She let go with a sigh. There was an old regal sofa, a chair with the same style on the other end of the room; a rounded table placed high above the floor by its tall stand, in front of the sofa, with a piece of paper placed on top, neat cursive writing scrawled on it; a rug that ran from one wall to three fourths of the rest of the room; a lamp, near the staircase leading into shadows, the way from which they had entered; a hectagonal mirror hung on the wall - a painting hung near the chair. But all of it was drawn. Even herself, even the older demon. None of it tangible, an element of reality yet almost as transparent as one's imagination. Grace felt dizzy just looking at the blank walls with small blue diamonds running along them. "Where's my...love potion, then..." "We are in Professor Sheldrake's room. I don't have to explain her to you. She would have been marked a historical figure, if her era hadn't descended with her. Listen, I have to explain the rules. The Forever Labyrinth is an infinite maze with only one definite spot, and that is the Source. But the Figure resides there, and a monster is sure to trap you in a room that will crumble in on you. It's become unstable after...the last." Mia adjusted her jacket. "Remember, the paintings are not clues, but keys. They are the doors to new rooms, and your entryway to death - an eternal future trapped here, until you are driven to madness." Mia noticed Grace's fearful eyes and sighed. "Do not be scared. I'll be with you. I have experience. But even I cannot ever predict the path of the maze. Shall we get going then? Stick close. We're going to the room of Seas." Mia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and walked towards the mirror. "Hey...what does that paper say?" asked Grace quietly, still in a bit of shock. Was she about to die in this place? Mia groaned in exasperation. "That's not important. Don't fall for distractions like a fool. We cannot afford to steer off-track. Now, no time to waste." That formal tone. Grace was sure she would never get used to it. She watched curiously as Mia approached the mirror. "Right this moment, it's just a mirror," Grace explained, "...but I know how to change that." She put out her hand, revealing an intricately carved coin, almost shaped into a flower. "A coin of Inspiration. The symbol of the maze." Mia held out the coin, and the glass began to melt. "Woah..." Grace stared in awe as the mirror started to bend reality, warping into itself. Then the mysterious ripples washed outward over the room. Grace felt like she was on the fastest metro train of the future, flying high above the clouds, before she found herself in another room. It looked almost exact to the other, but the rounded table was placed closer to the chair, the paper's size was bigger, there was a fireplace, and the painting held an Egyptian goddess instead of green and blue scenery. Mia walked over to the table and picked up the note. "A lidded eye, always watching. Drawing water even when full," Mia read aloud, before putting the note down and letting out a long, loud sigh. "Here we go again." Grace timidly stood in the corner and watched Mia as she brought out her knapsack and dug through its contents. A knapsack? Where on earth had she gotten such a thing? Mia looked at the painting, then turned towards Grace. "Should we follow the riddle, or try something a bit familiar? Search the known?" said Mia, with a wink. "Uh..." Grace was at a loss for words. "Okay, here. Hats, Eyes, Moons...? Or something new?" "Uh...moons?" Grace blurted out. "I guess..." Mia gave her a soft smile. "Don't be nervous, sweetheart," she laughed. "I guess the Forever Labyrinth is quite intimidating at first sight. Well then, let us travel to the room of Moons." Grace blushed, embarrassed. "Yeah...let's." "Here we go again!" Mia cheered, finding the warping experience almost thrilling, while Grace was praying to whoever was listening throughout the journey.

The door opened, and they went through...into a place similar, yet not the same.

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A room. Even older than the previous ones. Tattered walls and an assortment of objects scattered everywhere, almost like a storage room of sorts. "This is an exotic attic room," Mia stated. Grace took her comment as a description and replied, "Yes, we've kind of traveled away from our own world..." Mia pulled her arm harshly, forcing her to step off the wooden planks she was standing on. "Watch out. You fall down there," Mia pointed to the box, "we lose each other." There was a chair again, two piles of laundry, two baskets woven with branch skin. But what seemed to catch Grace's attention where the paintings. The only things in the Forever Labyrinth with color outside of its palette of gray and blue shades were the paintings. A bird soaring towards the moon, its feathers flying out; a stitched mess of red, golden, green, and brown, with lines of blue - the Egyptian goddess from which they had traveled through. A stone plate lying on the ground, it had no color, but Grace found herself attracted to that as well. As if there were blue sparks fizzling off its edges. There were two passageways, one on each opposing wall. "I don't see water here," Mia grumbled. "We have to get to the room of Seas and see if we can find clues for Golden's whereabouts. Let's keep moving. I expect you'll follow before the bell sounds?" "The bell...?" Grace started. Mia kept walking towards the door on the right. "Hey! Wait for me!"