The Mysterious Chocolate Factory

Chapter 21- Divided We Stand, United We Fall

Equipped with food and map, our friends began their journey.
Ananya: The map says that now we have to go through the Break-Up Forest. It says, “Warning: Which ever ship (Friendship or Relationship) will try to sail across this sea called the Break-Up Forest, will drown, never to found. However you try to make-up, none can resist the break-up.”
Shweta: This sounds terrifying. I don’t want to even go near this forest.
Archita: We can’t stop here! Because if we did we have to do it forever. This whole thing is terrifying. Just think it is a bad dream and move on.
Off they went to venture in the adventure of the Break-Up Forest. The factory was filled with things made of chocolate which were brown in colour. But the forest was black. The tree trunks had scary faces engraved on them. The fruits were shaped like broken hearts and smelt rotten. Scary shrieks were heard every now and then. Cold eerie mist spread through the forest. Chilly gusts of wind blew. The trees were so huge that not a single beam of light was there in the forest. It was so dark that it was hard for one hand to reach the other.
Kratika: I wish we should’ve carried a flashlight.
Hitanshi: Shhhh… There may be deadly and poisonous animals in the forest. We should move on as silently as we can.
They moved on and on, when suddenly, Shweta stepped on a thicket and slipped down a cliff. It was a dead end.
All: SSSHHHWWWEEETTTAAA!!! (They screamed ‘SHWETA’ as they should. Duh!)
Hitanshi: Shhhh… Quiet! Have I not warned you all not to open your mouths? Animals, remember?
Ananya: What is happening? First Mahek turned evil and now you? Why are you behaving like this? Don’t you care about Shweta?
Anushka: Shhhh… Hitanshi’ is right! We already lost Shweta. Now be quiet if you don’t want to lose the track of others.
Archita: Anushka!!! What happened to you? First you were too worried when a single friend lost. Now what happened to you.
Kratika: Stop fighting everyone!!! Let’s go find Shweta.
Hitanshi: No need for that. Or else what if we struggle to search for Shweta and she just leaves us and goes to the chocolate factory door.
Archita: Hitanshi, why are you not trusting Shweta?
Anushka: We trusted Mahek and where it led us? This is what over-trusting gives you.
Archita, Anushka and Hitanshi started to debate over this matter. When finally, tired of all these things, Ananya yelled.
Ananya: QUIET!!! Quiet everyone. I don’t want to hear a single word now not a word. We have been debating over this matter for around 3 hours right now. I cannot tolerate this anymore. Now no one will say anything now. Do whatever and go wherever you wish.
All: AGREED!!!
Anushka: I am going to move further.
Hitanshi: I am with Anushka.
Archita: I will search for Shweta.
Ananya: I am with Archita.
Kratika: I… I just… I don’t know. I think I’ll be going back.
Anushka: How can you back away now?
Kratika: I don’t think I can move on. There may be danger ahead. I want to go back to the house where we stayed before.
Hitanshi: How can you…?
Ananya: Quiet!!! As I said, it is our own choice.
Anushka: Okay! Give us the map and we’ll move away. We don’t need you.
Kratika: Give me the map. If you can’t then drop me at home and then go wherever you want.
Ananya: The house which you are calling home is not our real home. Our real home is in the real world. And I won’t give the map to anyone. After all, it was I who found it. And I won’t drop you because I won’t afford to waste more time.
Hitanshi: What if you found it first? It was my idea to search in the library give us the map book.
They started fighting for the map. The map book fell down the cliff.
Archita: Saw what fighting gets us? I think it will be much better and appreciated if we quietly move to our different routes.
All agreed. Archita and Ananya went to save Shweta, Hitanshi and Anushka went on with their journey and Kratika started towards the shelter. Meanwhile, after everyone left, Shweta climbed up the cliff. When she reached the ground, there were tears of betrayal in her eyes.
Shweta: As I thought! My very friends betrayed me. How can they leave me alone like this? Why didn’t they even try to save me? I understand that they might not be able to but can’t they wait here for me. All the time that we all spent together… was it all fake? I can’t believe this!!! Clearly it is proved now that I can’t trust anyone. It will be better if I stop wasting my time. I should move on and search the gate of the factory before those betrayers.
Meanwhile, let’s see what happened with Hitanshi and Anushka. Both of them were quarrelling on which way to go.
Hitanshi: It’s not always important that what you choose is right?
Anushka: I can say the same. And after all, you were fighting for the map book when it slipped off your hand and fell into that cliff. So it is your fault too.
Hitanshi: Don’t blame me, you were fighting too. You know what? We’ve been quarrelling for hours now. And I just don’t want to be with you anymore.
Anushka: Even I can’t wait even a second with you now. And if you really think that your path is right, then go on with that. I will go where I want.
Hitanshi: So be it!!!
Archita and Ananya climbed down the cliff. They searched far and wide for Shweta. But as we know, Shweta already climbed back up. Archita and Ananya decided to climb up back. But when they reached the top of the cliff, they found an inscription on the sand (which is actually cocoa powder) which said:-
“I needed friends not betrayers: protectors not slayers.
If you betrayers are reading this then listen- HOW CAN YOU ALL EVEN DREAM TO THINK OF DESERTING ME LIKE THIS!!!
I just want to say- I HATE YOU!!!
You all just lost the trust of your friend.
-Shweta.”
Ananya- It’s all your fault. If she was really our friend then she must’ve trusted us. Why didn’t she wait for us?
Archita- I think this is all a misunderstanding!!!
Ananya- You know what? She is not worth it.
Archita- Ananya!!! What happened to you now?
Ananya- I am really sorry but I don’t know. And whatever happened to me now is right. You just need to get out of your cute fantasy world and face the reality. There is not a second to waste. I don’t know about you but I am going for sure. Bye!!!
Archita climbed the cliff. She decided to get out of the forest.
Kratika started her journey to return back home. But suddenly negative thoughts filled her mind.
Kratika: What if they all land in trouble? And Shweta is already in danger… I can’t do this anymore… I just can’t turn my back to my friends. I… I’m going back. I have to rescue Shweta.
Kratika reached the cliff. She climbed down the cliff in a swift. She searched for Shweta far and wide. When suddenly, her eyes laid on the mapestry. She was delighted to see it. But she was also disappointed because she wasn’t able to find Shweta. She thought, “What if others saved Shweta when I was returning home? Let me climb up.” When she climbed up, she was deeply depressed when she saw the carving on the sand by Shweta. The very carving which Archita and Ananya had found. She decided to gather everyone back. “We entered in this factory together and we will get out together too. I will patch up everyone and then, with the help of this map, we will reach the door together. But for now, I just don’t think I can do it. This message was intense. It is an impossible task.” She sighs and moves on.
Archita- Why is this happening to me? It’s my worst birthday ever. All because of my stupid wish. But… I just can’t sit here idly. I have to bring everyone back together. I just don’t know how. But for now, I better get out of this forest. But… I don’t know why… even though Mahek is behind all of this… a part of me feels that this is all my fault. Why did I make such a terrible wish? Mahek!!! If you are listening, then you better make this better. Or else… everyone already hates you now and… and they’ll hate you even more.
Mahek was watching all this. Her pale expression turned into a smirk. She cackled loudly, her voice echoing.
Mahek: Just what I wanted. It’s perfect. After all, it is MY plan and MY factory. PERFECTO!!!