Doors: The Tale of Guiding Light

Chapter 7

12:00 p.m

Hazel had just got going searching for the second anchor after completing the code for the first one. Everything just felt so... big. She had a bad feeling about this. There were strange grumbling noises that seemed to come from everywhere- how would she find how to do everything? UGH. How would she ever do this?

Keep calm. You came here in the first place, and now you have to get out.

She crawled up a small tunnel and opened one of the doors on the side.

There it is- the second anchor!

She typed in the code for it, and it turned on. Quick as a wisp, she turned around and came back to the machine. The third anchor was on the other side of the nest- the beep coming from rang clear in her ears. Hazel climbed up another circular-shaped path.

However, she was also met by a grumble, which Luna had signaled with a chime

Crap! What should I do? Wait, maybe they don't like light- since they're always in the dark?

She shined a flashlight on the grumble. Surprisingly, it did slow down and she was able to get out of the way in time. When the grumble had left, she kept going.

She turned right and opened another door.

Another pathway. Yay.

She was getting closer to the sound- the beep was closer.

I think it's at the end of this path.

She was almost at the door when the Queen grumble sprung up in front of her.

The chime rang again, but it was too late.

The Queen grumble bit Hazel and flung her against the wall, and then she continued on her path. Hazel got up slowly in pain.

Ouch. My arm- my back- ow, ow, ow.

Hazel looked at her right arm. It was drenched in blood, oozing out from all sides, and had a large cut.

If I don't soon find a plaster I'll bleed to death.

She opened the door to find the third anchor, along with two plasters.

Phew. I'm alive, for now.

She applied the plasters to her right arm and she entered the code.

The power turned on.

Hazel raced back to the machine, wary of any grumbles.

If I get attacked one more time I'm dead.

She looked at the final code.

"You can do it, Hazel," Luna whispered.

Hazel heard the chime. The bad thing, however, was that it was completely on the other side of the nest.

This is the last one. Don't mess up.

She walked through one of the back tunnels to find a small pool of water.

Some of the blood that wasn't covered by the plasters oozed off her skin and flowed into the water. The water now looked like ink.

Hazel continued on to another cave. A chime echoed through the chamber. As a grumble came through, she hid in one of the side doors. After the grumble had gone out of sight, she opened another door and crawled through another cave.

This maze... it feels like it's continuing on forever.

Hazel opened another door.

FINALLY! THE ANCHOR!

She filled out the code, and went out back to the tunnel.

However, another chime rang through the chamber.

There's nothing I can see. Wait...

The Queen grumble had again risen from the ground. She bit Hazel again, much more harshly, and disappeared.

For a moment, Hazel was silent.

I can't see... my face! My face! What's happened to my face?!

Hazel could hear Luna coming towards her.

"Hazel! Oh my god, Hazel!" Luna exclaimed. "I'll guide you. We better get out of here soon or you'll die!"

"Yeah. I kinda thought about that," Hazel said weakly. Her voice was slurred. "What happened to my face?"

"Your frontal lobe was damaged. The Queen grumble bit most of your face off."

"Welp. I may as well die now, since I have no chance of survival."

"NO! I know how to heal you. We'll get to Jeff's shop and get bandages and medical equipment. Take my hand and follow me!"

Hazel was running to who knows where, and was feeling weaker by the minute. She heard the power turn back on and a gate open. She heard the Queen grumble following them as they raced down the stairs.

"Figure must have a hard life," she wondered randomly.

"He's quite used to it, actually," Luna said, "Now. Can you feel around to find the ladder?"

"Found it," Hazel answered, and, using all her remaining energy, clambered down into safety in Jeff's shop.

She stopped moving. Everything felt numb and weak.

"Hazel! Hazel, what are you- no, no, no!" she heard Luna exclaim.

And then everything disappeared.

—

Hazel was dead. She knew that, because everything was numb but ached at the same time. She couldn't move. And then, she felt a jolt in her heart. She started hearing faint noises, and then her face... it felt... different. Healed, almost.

"Hazel! Hazel! Can you hear me?"

"I'm sorry, Guiding Light. She might not necessarily wake."

Hazel groaned and got up. She felt her face... her face!

My eyes! I can see!

She opened her eyes to see Luna, Jeff, Bob and El Goblino standing over her.

"Hazel! You're alive!" Luna exclaimed.

Luna looked the same, but she had glowing white-blue wings.

Bob was wearing a miner's helmet instead of a cap.

El Goblino and Jeff looked the same, though.

Hazel breathed in her surroundings. She instantly regretted it though, because the smell was putrid.

We're in a sewer. Yay. Oh, shut up, just be grateful that you're alive.

"What happened? How am I still alive?"

"Guiding Light revived you, which also means you have been completely healed," Jeff explained.

"It wasn't the best time to collapse and die though, düd. But it's okay for now. You're alive. Bien," El Goblino said.

"Also, I got you a bandage pack and vitamins," Luna said. "Don't do that again. I can't lose you."

"I'll try not to," Hazel chuckled. "Anyways, thank you. All of you."

Hazel and Luna continued through to the next door, where Rush came.

"Are Bob, El Goblino and Jeff safe?" Hazel asked. Before Luna could answer, she checked on them. They were hiding behind their chairs.

"You thought they only came after humans? Heh," El Goblino snorted. "Anyways, go on. We're safe."

Hazel nodded and both her and Luna continued on for the next door.