Ch. 3 Journey Ahead...

I step through another door, a new place yet to be explored. What will come to be now?...

My body numb, and my mind stale, unlike moments ago when I was prepared for anything. I know not what to think now. It's only been at least thirty minutes since I have awakened and read the letter and accepted this "game". Up until now I've been holding up, nothing was to serious... until that poor woman........ I should' have chosen her!!!!!... It's all my fault..the outcome... I know there is nothing I can do to change anything or bring her back, but it's all sickening. I know I would be risking my life by taking part in all this, but involving the lives of others and just toying with them in your hands is.. just wrong! You know what... If- WHEN I get out of here, I swear I'm going to kill him. He's going to pay for everything he's put me through in this pathetic game! There is no point in giving up, either way he'll get his satisfaction. From now on I won't beat this game just  for my sake, also for the woman.... I finish pep talking myself and make sure my emotions are set.

I examine the new habitat within the labyrinth. This hallway is quite nostalgic. Beautiful vintage wallpaper and lush red carpeting, and the scent of the air is somewhat that of cinnamon. I can't go straight forward, for this hallway is horizontal, so I have to choose either left or right. Placed directly in front of the door is a wooden nightstand with a basket sitting on top. The contents of the basket are the items I had chosen from each of the windows. I pocket the pencil, deck of cards, red ribbon, and the map. Placed next to the nightstand is an empty chair, I am certain it was reserved for the woman if she was my decision instead of the map.

Left or right? I choose the side to my right, and start walking. From where I am standing it appears as if the hallway has no end, but I'm sure there is. It's probably just a trick with the lighting, so I disregard it. 

* * *

After what seems to be a few hours, (at least in my brain it seems that way, since I have no other way of keeping track of time) I finally see something. I run towards it in anticipation. I find a door on the right side of the wall with a nightstand holding an empty basket sitting opposite to the door. NO! I just made an entire circle! I've wasted all this time to only end back where I started! I missed something... I had to.. there has to be another way out, I can't possibly go back through this door, it's where I've come from already. Maybe the last hallway changed or something, who knows... So in hope in shedding more light on my dilemma I grab the old door knob thinking that the previous room could have changed, but it won't re-open. 

Stumped. What could I have possibly missed? There was nothing else in the entire hallway. I stand glaring from one end to the next. I guess I could walk around again, it's not like I have anything else to do  in this labyrinth. I'm sure I just overlooked something, I'll find it. I set out on another round, and continue on my previous path.

***

More time elapses, and I'm deep in the hallway once again. Things start to feel like a trance, like this place is never ending. This hallway just repeats on itself, but it can't. I come to a halt, and turn around and glance at both ends of the hall once more. Ugh... so confusing... what could I have possibly missed?!?.... Wait a second... I have a map! Face palming myself and pull from my pocket the map presented to me earlier, but just as I begin to unfold it, I feel something. Cool air brushes my cheek, hmm, a breeze..................................... Wait! A breeze!?!?!?!? There is no possible way I could feel a breeze in here unless there was some sort of opening, so there is a way out! I frantically place the map back in my pocket in excitement for coming just a bit closer in finding the passage out of here. Standing motionless, I close my eyes feeling the breeze a little bit stronger. I must be close.... I think. Widening my eyes I scan the ceiling and carpet around me, no luck, so I turn towards the wall on my right and the breeze completely stops. I turn to face the wall opposite of it and a small gust of wind blows over my entire body. Hold on... how can it be that wind is coming from a wall?...A solid wall?.... Entirely nonsense.......... unless..could it be?... I stare at wall intensely, the beautiful vintage paper dressed over it, I wonder. The wall shows no signs of depth at all, it's just a flat wall, it would be impossible to get through unless I had something to break through, which I obviously don't have. BUT there's still the possibility, it wouldn't hurt making an attempt. So that is exactly what I do. 

I stretch my hand out towards the surface, my fingers inching closer and closer. When it appears as though they would collide with the wall finally--- they don't. My hand continues to keep moving forward but the wall looks to have been placed closer to me, my depth perception feels really off. My arm continues to stretch so I take a step forward, nearer and nearer to the wall. I take a few more steps, then I realize, I stepped through into it.

To be continued....

 

Author's Note

I've edited this chapter and extended it because it merges with future incidents in the story. It's still really good though! Thanks for staying with the book if you've read the previous chapters, enjoy :)