💫 Starburst ⭐️

Starburst;Part 6

    The Cave To Terror
As Lacey made her way down the market, she glanced around to see if Katherine had entered the market. She looked around once more before going in the aisles, trying to find any escape in the huge market.

"Hello child," an old woman smiled. "Hi... do you know any way out?" Lacey asked. The woman shook her head and moved ever closer to Lacey. "Oh no dear... but do tell me... what's the hurry?" The old woman tut-tutted, just an inch away from Lacey.

Lacey slowly moved back, grabbed two boxes and threw them on the old woman, but as she grabbed another box, the floor opened beneath her, giving way to a dark pit. "Bye-bye dear," the old woman placed the box back where it was and the floor closed on top of Lacey.

"Lacey?" A familiar voice said. "K-Katherine?" Lacey shivered, moving in the direction of the voice. "I thought I lost you!" Katherine sprouted right out of the darkness and ran to Lacey, hugging her.

As Lacey hugged her back, she felt something. Like... Katherine was that sister she'd never had.

"I tried to find an escape, but there is none!" Katherine's voice was filled with despair. Lacey looked around, peering under and over. There are two of the same things, Lacey noticed.

What things were they? As she saw it again, she moved in the direction, followed by a reluctant Katherine. Lacey bent down and touched it. "It's a troll!" Katherine yelled and pulled Lacey away. A troll?

But Lacey had just touched a mouldy piece of wood perhaps? A troll couldn't be that tiny... or could it?

As the creature unfurled from its curled ball, it rose up with an arched back. Oh wow. That's um... pretty huge? Lacey backed away, Katherine only a short distance from her. The troll had rotten skin, a sickly colour of brown. It's red eyes seemed to glare at every thing.

His mouth opened, revealing a set of dark teeth, as sharp as those of the Fear Suckers. Lacey rummaged through her brain, trying to think of what to do. As the troll moved in closer, Katherine turned to look at Lacey, worried.

The amethyst... Lacey thought. But just as soon as Lacey had opened her bag, the troll lunged at her and swung her bag into the corner. "ME HANGRY!!" the troll roared. Finally, Lacey decided that there was one thing to do.

There was no escape, no corners to run to, no doors to hide in. Lacey grabbed a rock, cutting her hand. "Again?!" Lacey clutched her hand, but brought the sharp rock into close range with the troll.

"What's your name?" Lacey yelled. "Trome!" the troll growled. Katherine smiled at Lacey, knowing her trick. Lacey threw the rock to Katherine and eyed Trome. "Can we talk maybe?" Lacey asked. Trome crossed his arms on his chest. "No!" Trome whined.

Lacey opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Trome seemed to be a young troll, which alerted Lacey that his parents could be close. Katherine stood behind Trome, and nodded at Lacey.

"Sorry Trome," she whispered. Katherine stabbed the rock into Trome, causing him to shriek and collapse. As he fell, a light appeared behind him. And then, right in front of Lacey, a door opened. A stone door of course, carved into the rock.

Lacey jumped over Trome and ran, followed by a relieved Katherine. "That was um... not so easy," Katherine said. "I don't think that rock will stop him," Lacey sighed. "Probably will. That place was pure darkness. That rock you pulled out must be covered in darkness..." Katherine explained.

Lacey eyed Katherine and remembered the questions in her mind. "Can I call you Kathy?" Lacey asked. "Sure," Katherine smiled, a laugh bubbling inside her. "I... have a question. You seem scared... why?" Lacey asked. Katherine looked down, away from Lacey.

Lacey's eyes bore into Katherine, searching for an answer. "This world... it's magical. I know the place you come from has no trolls or darkness. No magic... but if you never would've come here... this whole place would become darkness. And it would slowly travel... and finish off the real world. Your world," Katherine bit her lip.

Lacey paused and glanced at Katherine. "And Zaglonia IS this place. Rimester, my country, is the good country." Katherine pursed her lips. "The flash your looking for is in Rimester..." she said.

Suddenly, Katherine stopped abruptly. She looked ahead, and then let out a bloodcurdling shriek. "Astiana!" Katherine screamed. Lacey looked at Katherine, wide eyed. And then, Katherine disappeared into a wet mist.

"Kathy?" Lacey looked around. The cold mist moved towards Lacey, wrapping its cool fingers around her. And before Lacey could run, somebody emerged from the mist.