Pandemonium

Stage Three Part II

I crash onto the ground and try my best to roll towards the elevator. The fire could follow me. I might not make it. Hopefully all of those years Hector and I spent rolling down hills will save my life. That, and the adrenaline pumping through my veins. My aim is off, however, and I don't reach the door. I hit the wall and wince, staring as the flames nearly touch my face. Am I...alive? Did I really make it? The sweat builds up on my body and I am stuck here, unable to process how I survived. I shouldn't have been able to survive that. 

"Hendrix!" Hector's panicked voice rests on my ears. I struggle to stand up, trying my best to remain as close to the wall as possible. I look down and see the floor has a shade of color to it. I look out and see the rest of the floor is black. It's scorched from the flames but there are glimpses of blue in it. This blue, that I'm standing on, surrounds the edges of the room. I might've accidentally found the way out. 

"Hector..." I squeak. I clear my throat and try again, panic still running through my veins. "Hector!" 

"You're alive!" Hector's head pokes out of the elevator's doorway and tears stain his cheeks. "You're alive!" he repeats again, as if not believing what he is seeing. 

I carefully sidestep, hugging the wall to the best of my ability, and Hector grabs my arm and pulls me back inside. He holds me close as I shake with fear unable to fully forget the events that have just taken place. Hector glares at Claude, whose face is pressed against the floor, held in place by Faust. I guess they were serious about being my older sibling. 

"You're the Traitor, aren't you?" Fonso kneels down in front of Claude's face. He looks down at him, pure disgust. "You killed your wife and tried to murder your own kid. What else could you be but the Traitor?" 

Claude's cackles fill the room. "Go ahead, kill me. But, what if I'm the King? Then what? Do you want to risk everyone's life on a simple whim of yours?" 

"You risked hers and by consequence ours! Don't give me that bs!" Fonso stood up and kicked Claude in the face. "You're the worst piece of scum I've seen in years. Start telling the truth." 

"Never," Claude smirked as the blood on his forehead traveled down his face. "I only 'risked our lives' as you say because I was certain of her rank. Do you really want to trust your gut on this? It could come back to bite you. Why do you think I'm so keen on making sure everyone else dies in my place? Because I'm the King. I shouldn't have to worry about peasants like you returning to your rightful places. You can't kill me anyway or you'll die!" Faust presses Claude's face harder into the ground.  

"He might be evil but we can't kill him," Odette took a step forward. "We can't give him that satisfaction of tainting our souls. I know our hearts are filled with mourning and anger but we must not stoop to his level!" 

"The edges," I whisper out. "If you hug the walls you can escape..." I look towards Faust, hoping they understand what I mean by this. They smirk and nod, assuring me they know. 

"Our compromise," Faust releases Claude so that they can stand up and then grab his arm and drag him to the doorway. "If you die then we know that this isn't the way out and you deserved to die for your sins. If you survive, we all win and don't have to worry about if you're the King or not. Hug the walls." Faust gives him a gentle push and he crosses the threshold. I enjoy the panic on his face as he turns to hug the wall. 

Each of us crowds around the doorway, watching with anticipation as he moves along the wall. None of us seem to care about the potential of him dying. I know I don't. If he dies and ends up being the King, at least I know I got justice. Nothing is happening so far. I hold my breath as he makes it further than halfway. How does he get to survive while my mother had to die? I grit my teeth, Hector still holding me tight. 

"This is wretched," Rose punches the elevator wall, leaving a dent. "He shouldn't be allowed to live." 

"Rose," Gilbert raises his hands, about to reach out to comfort her but he ends up placing his hands back at his sides. "No one deserves to die. It's not our choice to make." 

"A life for a life!" Rose raises her fist, about to punch Gilbert for being so stupid, but stops herself. 

"He made it to the other side," I mumble, not wanting it to be true. I watch as Claude fumbles around looking for a doorway. Something clicks into place and the wall parts, revealing what looks to be a staircase. 

"I've run out of shoes to throw," Fonso looks down at his feet. "One of you better lend me one when we finally get to that game master," he rolls up his sleeves and steps out onto the floor, hugging the wall. 

Faust chuckles. "Don't worry, sweetie, I'm sure we can manage that," they promise and follow suit.