This Is My Exodus

Chapter 7

The sound of dripping blood echoed against the walls. Xalei wrung his wings dry, making it so he could float again. In contrast to his laidback personality, aggravation became apparent on his face. Hide-and-seek never was his favorite type of game. If he had more time, it wouldn't be so bad. He didn't like wasting time.

He sighed to himself. "Boy, I could have prevented that. I'm losing my touch."

It seemed like he went in circles, like a never-ending maze. Sometimes, he made it back to the same place with the pool of alcoholic blood. The walls seeped out more blood. The next turn he took, the world around him shifted, like a surrealistic painting coming to life.

Curtains twisted like vines, looping across the ceiling above him. Their abstract shapes created a disorienting effect. Some of them cut off at odd angles as if a cartoonist forgot to finish the piece of their work. Mannequins sprouted across the walls. Their faces didn't have the right proportions, with noses jutting out from their foreheads. Another had an eye oozing blue watercolor paint.

For a moment, Xalei stopped, focusing on the curtains. He realized the curtains made a trail, so he followed it. His fluffy ears picked up on an odd melody and voices. Closer and closer, he went into another area. There, he saw an uneven stage with closed curtains. An audience of mannequins sat before the stage, waiting for the show to start. The curtains giggled, making the fabric ripple like water. Then, they parted, and the sound of thunderous clapping—presumably from the mannequins—filled the area. A pair of familiar light brown eyes met his.

Thin strings tightly held Chalala's wrists, elevating her arms above her head, casting an uncanny resemblance to a doll.

"Watch out!" she yelled, looking directly at Xalei.

"Wha–"

In a flash, strings lassoed around Xalei's wrists, forcing him to clap. A dumbfounded expression crossed his face.

"Well, this is embarrassing. I wouldn't make an audience with this type of show," he grunted, trying to get himself to stop.

Chalala's face deadpanned. "You're worthless."

Not able to degrade Xalei for long, the strings on her wrist started to move. Against her will, her body turned so that her hip faced Xalei, an odd sensation to get used to. The strings led to the side of the stage, revealing Kelia controlling Chalala's every move with the threads of her body.

Kelia let out an exhilarating laugh. "Little missy, isn't this a grand ol' time? You're the star of the stage! They adore you!"

The audience's heads bopped together, making a clapping sound. Xalei's paws went faster, despite him trying to use his tail to remove the strings. If he had said something, Chalala couldn't hear him due to the uproar. A creature hopped onto the other side of the stage. Chalala's head faced in that direction, so she spotted it first. The creature towered over her. It possessed a distinctly human face, but its arms outstretched beyond its body. The knuckles of the hairy, muscular arms scraped along the ground. The teeth were long, but not particularly sharp. Chains encircled its body, and the neck consisted of a thick layer of intertwined chains.

The creature—a male, Chalala presumed—lifted one of his arms. It revealed a bottle. Instantly, Chalala recognized its contents. He lifted the bottle to his lips and took a swig. Chalala gave Xalei a look out of the side of her eyes.

I think I know what this is. She wants an audience, for some reason. And the alcohol...the blood...she's showing us what she went through. I'm being controlled too, which means...I'm her.

A loud slap resounded throughout the makeshift auditorium. Chalala's mind needed a moment to process the sudden sting on her cheek. Her eyes traveled back to the creature. She should have felt pain. The creature had a metal chain wrapped around his hand. However, a momentary sting quickly faded as her body started to feel like some foreign vessel.