Whispers in the Dark

Welcome to the Jungle

Leaving Nikita behind to take care of Kol in case things took a turn for the worse, the other three went ahead and explored more of the nightmarish place they were at.

"These all seem pretty long," Luke commented, getting spooked by the rollercoaster kids' screams once again. "Think they're all designed to separate us?"

"Probably," Eve agreed. "We're easier to pick off like that."

Martin snorted. "A guy like him needs to make it easier for himself? Bullshit. He's just screwing with us. The keys might not even be real."

Sadly, Eve thought he was right. Olivia was more openly vicious, but Los was the one with the real power. If there was such a thing as a god, he definitely was one.

"What even is he after?" asked Luke, trying not to bump into any of the little kids running around. "Are we even still on Earth?"

Eve and Martin both pointed up at the fake sun, and Luke flushed in embarrassment.

"Nevermind then."

Martin noticed a familiar face off into the distance, and started walking toward the person. They winked, then turned and ran into the crowd, so Martin hurried to keep up.

"What the-" Eve started. "Where are you going!? Martin, STOP!" She ran after him.

Luke was about to follow, but a little boy ran by him and grabbed his hand, then started dragging him away.

"H-Hey," the big guy protested. "Kid, I'm really busy. Hey, kid. Little boy? Dude, come on!" He did not dare to pull free by force, fearing it might hurt the kid. Luke was eventually lead to a circus tent, and immediately paled upon seeing it. Circus tents meant circus performers. Circus performers meant clowns.

"You're Kol's friend," the little boy told him, looking dead serious.

"Um, yeah?" Luke was not sure how to follow. Was this just a trick?

"Did he tell you anything about Patrick?" the boy asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "About what happened?"

Luke was taken aback. "How do you know Kol?"

The boy sighed, then proceeded to explain everything. The more Luke listened, the more he understood Kol's strange obsession with the ghost dog case.

Before Eve could catch up with Martin, she got distracted by one of the attractions. It was a simple doorway, and had a peculiar sign on it.

"Fifteen minutes of hell," she read aloud. It sounded mostly unpleasant, but it wouldn't take very long. She looked toward where Martin had gone, but couldn't see him. There were just too many people.

If Kol could take one for the team, so can I, she thought, then approached the door. Before she could touch it, the ground in front of it opened, and Los came out. "Hello, Miss. I take it you're interested in this ride?"

Ride? In hell?

She eyed the younger boy suspiciously. "It really takes only fifteen minutes?"

The ginger nodded, a mischievous grin on his face. "You have my word." Somehow, that didn't put her at ease.

"What do you want with us?" She spread her arms wide. "Why even bother with all of this?"

Los looked puzzled, and thoughtfully brought a finger to his chin. "Who knows? Boredom, maybe? I've lived many, many lives many, many times over. I've got to find some way to amuse myself."

"And it has to be at the expense of others?" Eve snapped.

Los shrugged. "Like I can understand human emotion. You're like aliens to me. So weak. So small. Sometimes I wonder how you live as long as you do." He snapped back to mischievous in an instant. "Anyhow, there's plenty of you to go around. Who cares if I waste a few?"

Eve pulled her fist back, ready to punch the brat, but he raised a finger, and she froze.

"Do you ever stop to think about all the bugs you kill with pesticide? Of course not. They're so beneath you, it doesn't even occur to you that they might matter. Do you show sympathy for the cows and pigs you butcher? Of course not. You can live without killing them, but that's way less fun. You can live with mice and rats in your house, but they disgust you, so you improve your moods by getting rid of them. Why then, my dear Eve, should I show you compassion? You yourselves seem incapable of it."

Seemingly having had enough of his own monologue, Los stepped aside, snapping his fingers. The door opened. "Will you enter or not?"

Eve's thoughts went back to Kol's eye. Would she be capable of making such a sacrifice? Even for Kol and Luke?

It was foolish to hope the challenge would be an easy one, but some part of her still did it. Some foolish, childish, hopeful part. Without a word, she stepped through the doorway, which disappeared behind her.

Eve was now standing in a clearing surrounded by trees. A forest? No; A Jungle. Was the key somewhere among the trees? That would make it hard to find - too hard for mere fifteen minutes.

Standing around won't get me anywhere, she realized, then started walking. She entered the jungle with caution, watching the ground to see if there were any traps. Every few seconds, she would stop and inspect the trees, hoping to find the key up in one of them.

She heard cackling from one direction, and decided to go the opposite way. That did not sound friendly. As she walked, she swore she could hear someone following her, so she sped up just enough for it not to be noticeable. Abruptly, she stopped and turned around.

No one was there.

She heard another cackle, coming from a completely different direction.

Then another one.

Then another one.

Fuck this, she thought, then started running. Eve could hear footsteps behind her the entire time, but didn't dare look back. Eventually, she found a relatively short tree, then started climbing it. Once she was up, she finally faced her attackers.

First, it was just one hyena staring up at her, but then the second one came closer. A third one cackled, then joined its friends, and was then itself joined by at least a dozen more.

Eve turned pale at the site of them. These weren't regular hyenas; They were spirits. Spirits of the sun, to be exact, and she doubted she could do well against anything relating to power.

Stuck in a tree, she desperately looked around, hoping to find a way out.