Meet the main character - you ✨
One day your whole world crumbles around you. Literally. The sky splits, and everyone you know turns into dust. You escape to the thousands of glowing portals to any dimension imaginable. Only you are trapped, and hun...
You stare. And stare. And consider backing further away and into the corner, and yet your body won't move. A portal would be good, if only you didn't have to jump about and whirl your hands around to crack one. Or if that dance would open one for sure.
You're so not sure.
Lars slowly turns his head. You watch him back. The Black Emperor sighs, throws his legs over the armrest and sprawls in the armchair.
The logs crackle. It smells of smoke and something nice, a sweet scent you can't name.
"H-h-hr..."
"Is he...?" Lars nods at the Black Emperor.
"Fell asleep," you breathe out in awe. "That's kinda our chance."
Lars bites his lip. "Can you send us away? You know, through a portal."
"He'll notice," you snap and poke your head out.
"H-he doesn't look that..." Lars looks down when you glance back. "... e-evil. Maybe he'll let us g-go."
"That's the Black Emperor!" you shush. "He destroys worlds like that." You quietly snap your fingers.
"H-h-hr..." and that's the most terrifying snore you've ever heard!
You wave Lars off. He mumbles and sniffs, and yet crawls from behind the cupboard after you.
The door. Your fingers hurt, and you pull it very slowly. Then squeeze through the gape and creep back to the grand hall.
The white marble stairs loom over your head. You step out of the shadows–
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Stairway, Wolf Castle, Wales photo by aurelien
"Who are you?"
Fuck. Two, two chairs, how could you miss to realise that?!
"Who. Are. You. Duh." The girl crosses her arms over her chest. They are wrapped carefully with milk ribbons from her elbows down to her wrists. Two neats bows at the elbows. She stands by the doors and cuts off your escape. Dark red hair streams down her shoulders. "Hey, I've asked you a question!" snaps the girl.
She looks somewhere around your age, that's a few years younger than the King of Wands and Swords. Her pale summer dress has a bell skirt. Light sandals.
"S-sorry, we got lost," mumbles Lars–
"Sh-h!" Your eyes are locked on the girl.
"I know you're there." She slowly steps forward. "You," tilts her head, "two?" The milk ribbons soar from her wrists and coil in the air.
A flower crown. Wait. Her eyes are wrapped by the same ribbons, and their ends curl with her wavy dark red hair.
"She can't see us," you mouth. It's hardly a whisper.
Two more steps. "Duh." The girl gestures to her face and purses her lips. "Blind girl." Step. Her ribbons float and twist. "Congratulations, genius." She tosses her hair back. "But I can feel you two there! You're not invited."
"Sorry–" starts Lars and leans even closer against your side.
"Run!" you yell and shove him in the opposite direction.
Lars yelps and tumbles to the floor– You dash for the wall. The girl bolts forward. Her ribbons soar and split the air right where you two have been. Lars crawls back and scrambles up to his feet. You run.
"Idiots!"
You throw your hands up and whirl them around. Oh, come on! Please!
"Argh!" She pounces– did she have to choose you?! – a ribbon wraps around your arm and yanks towards the girl.
"Let go!" you shout and tear it off. Hurts. Fuck, the fabric cools your fingers but leaves a bleeding burn.
You run–
"A-a-ah!" The floor. The ribbon tightens around your shin and cuts into your skin. You toss about – it pulls. Your palms slide against the marble tiles.
"Let them go!"
Lars?
A light blue shimmer whizzes in between. You wriggle, kick your heel into the ribbon, and it loosens. Sit. Your head spins. Her milk ribbons untie further, just a little higher from the wrists. You rip that one off. Others soar and coil. Longer. One more wrap and they'll be her height. Her hair floats up too.
Lars's fingers glimmer.
"You, idiot!" The girl twirls on her heels and pounces.
Tap. Her sandals against the tiles. She slips and shrieks.
Lars gestures, the side of his palm cuts through the air. A light blue vine. Ugh. You shut your eyes – the glower hurts – and jump to your feet. Wobble. The floor sways. The vine shoots from Lars's hand and crashes into the floor.
A rip. Cracks. The girl rolls away just in time. Her skirt gets caught on the sharp splinter as the tile breaks in half. The blue vine darkens and grows into the floor, and flower buds pop up. The other end roots up and under Lars's sleeve. The milk ribbons twist and float. Confused?
You don't look back. Run! Push the door– your palms bleed. You slam your shoulder against the wood instead and tumble out. Lars shouts. Thud, thud, thud! Oh, that's your heart in your ears. A lump up your throat. Sick. You feel so sick, and your knees give way. The door booms shut. Lars pants.
The flower crown handle rattles. Wood cracks – ribbons creep through – and the door swings open. One hinge gets knocked out.
"Oh, please!" you groan and slam your fist into the grass.
Huh? And a familiar cool tinge spreads up from your fingertips. The over-sweet blossoms' smell clenches your throat. The blackness spills and gobbles up the spot around you.
"A-a-ah!" You fall through, and Lars jumps after you. The ribbons lash over your heads, but the portal cracks shut.
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