The Secret Door (#Wattys2016)

Chapter IX The Insane Chess Match

Yes, Kirsten is always been a burden to them and all she did is cried and complain. But as much as they want to leave her here where she would pester no one, Kirsten is still their schoolmate. They will be tormented forever by their conscience if something bad happens to her. And how would they explain to her parents that their good-for-nothing daughter had gone missing in this alien world?

Just thinking about the troubles of diving into a potentially dangerous place to find a hated character proves to be unappealing. No one is able to come up with a concrete plan and whenever they tried to wrack their brains for ideas, their mind will just produce blank buzzing.

"Do you think we should bring a small container, in case we only find bits of her," Don chuckled savagely.

This earned him an elbow from Alice.

"Okay, okay I'm just joking! How about you Van," Don whined.

"We should get out of here now."

"And..."

"No, Don we should move. It's not safe here," Van added.

The pigeon on Don's shoulder stirred nervously. What if the hunter comes back for his bird and he found them instead?

The others heed Van's words without pause. With nowhere else to go they head into the forest, deciding it's a great place to hide. They never stop running until they reach a wide clearing.

"No one will reach us here now," Van declared.

"Now let's find Kirsten," Cara added.

"Stay here, I'll go find her," Van suggested.

"And how would you find your way," Alice shrieked.

"Err you're right. But just go to the maze without me. Remember what Grizzlebark said, keep moving and you will reach the maze. I'll follow once I found Kirsten."

And despite of his friend's objection, Van leaves them to find Kirsten. But he won't be going alone. Cara insists to come along, sort of to keep him safe.

"I'll kill that Kirsten," Van said, his teeth gritted.

"Not so fast, you could go to prison for that," Cara replied.

"I hope we find her soon."

"In that case, I would help..."

They whirl around. The voice is coming from the bird they saved from the cage. The pigeon, as it turns have left Don and is secretly following them.

"Don't worry, your friends are aware that I'm here," it added.

"I should have known. I mean this is a messed up world after all," Van thought.

"What's with all the surprised faces, never seen a talking bird before?" The pigeon asked.

"Bird's don't usually talk, at least in the normal world," Cara replied.

The bird clicks its beak annoyingly. "You made it sounds that I'm not normal."

"Is that a normal thing you are doing," Van interrupted.

"By the way, about your friend, the one you call Kirsten..."

"She's not our friend," Cara and Van chorused.

"Yeah right, well let me help you find her. I know this forest more than anyone else. Finding her should be easy."

In a wing-beat the pigeon is airborne. It flies around and does a few lapses as a warm-up.