The Secret Door (#Wattys2016)

Chapter X Maze of Mirrors

The pigeon found Kirsten just a stone's throw away from the house of the statues. And when they get to her minutes later, she is neither crying nor panicking. She did look confused but Kirsten still managed to put on a haughty air.

"I was about to find my way," she said. With the pigeon's help, they are able to navigate back to the clearing where the others are still waiting. Alice immediately gives Kirsten a slap for making them worry. Kirsten never dared to retort, maybe this is her way of saying thank you.

"Let's move now, I'm enough of this place," Van muttered, "too bad we won't be winning that prize."

"Believe me, it's not worth it. Do you know Grizzlebark?" The pigeon said.

"Yes, he is that large and old looking tree," Van replied.

"Hmm, you have met. Then what can you say about his fruit?"

Van lets go a snort after the pigeon said those. "That's the prize?"

"A year's supply," the pigeon chuckled, "It's just Grizzlebark's way of getting rid of his over-ripe fruits."

Van just can't imagine himself dragging several sacks of something into his house as his mother scratches her head in indignation.

"And did Grizzlebark told you how you should get out of here," said the pigeon.

"All he said is that we should keep going forward and never look back," Van replied.

The pigeon clicks its beak as a sign of approval, "and that's exactly what we'll be doing."

"But which way is forward actually," Cara interrupted.

"It could be this way," Don pointed left.

"Or that way," Alice pointed behind.

"A direction one takes is relative to the observer. Any way will do, as long as you don't look back," the pigeon said.

To avoid confusion, they choose to head north, towards the floating hourglass.

"This it too easy, and Kirsten got lost," Don said.

But this is not as easy as what Don thinks. Going forward is one thing, not looking back is another.

"Van, any problem there," Don asked.

"Huh, nothing really, why," Van replied.

"But you tapped me on the shoulder."

"Hey you're not supposed to look behind," the pigeon snapped when he caught Don trying to turn his head.

"But Van tapped me," Don retorted.

"No I didn't..."

"It's the forest. It's now playing tricks on you so you will be tempted to look back," the pigeon explained.

"What would happen if we did," Alice asked. Something is crawling on her back, it must be a large insect.

"Don't!" Cara warned when Alice tried to glance over her shoulder to check what's on her back.

"Nothing bad will happen to you, but you must change direction or else you are trapped here forever," the pigeon explained.

For now they are only plagued by touches and nudges in their backs, something that is easy to ignore. Then voices began whispering in their ears, urging them to look what's behind them. They also felt an unexplained urge to stop and turn their heads around.