by Kim Cormack
In her mind, she travelled back to the sensation of her mother’s embrace. Her heart ached because she knew she’d never experience that feeling of all-encompassing adoration and security again. Maybe it was searching for that feeling that drew her towards a Kevin that was no longer? In his arms, it felt like home. This was why she couldn’t draw that line in the sand and why she hadn’t been able to force herself to let go of that last irrational shred of hope. This was not a fairytale. This was a nightmare. A nightmare with no foreseeable end. Kayn got up and stared at the wall that separated her from the madness. She was only postponing the inevitable by hiding in this room. That much she understood. She needed to leave this room and find the rest of her clan. She would stay away from him and then neither of them would be forced to do the unthinkable. Brains before brawn, she could do this. She was strong enough to face her fears head on. Angry... she had to be fierce. She’d have to be consumed by rage if he expected her to have any better luck at killing him than he had at killing her. She rested her ear against the stone entrance, pointless as it was. She couldn’t hear anything outside of it. What new sick and twisted torture awaited her beyond the security of her temporary sanctuary? Kayn placed her fingers in the grooves, inconspicuously etched into the stone. The wall slid open. She appeared to be alone. She left the safety of the room and sprinted past the fountain, darting through the first wall that opened. She kept running through each wall as it slid away. It was as though each obstruction had a will of its own. Each wall could decide to allow her through. Kayn was beginning to find it strange that she hadn’t bumped into anyone since she left the sanctuary of the sleep chambers. Where was everyone? A wall opened as she ran for it but it closed before she made it there. It felt like that was the way she should go. Maybe she should wait for it to reopen? A different wall slid open and even though she felt apprehensive, she raced through it. Her stomach lurched as she began to free fall into nothingness. She braced herself for the inevitable impact with an unseen ground as she plummeted into the unknown. It felt like she was descending at a rapid rate but after a few minutes of the same sensation she began to suspect, she was stationary. She was floating with the sensation of falling. She started to make a swimming motion, hoping she could maneuver through the nothing and bump into something. Each time she shifted her weight, she began to spin, with the sensation of endless space around her. If she set off her symbol she’d be able to get a look at her situation. As she floated through an ominous icy cold patch of air, it triggered her memory and she decided against shedding light on the situation. During the redo of her Sweet Sleep, she’d come to a place just like this. She knew what hovered in the never-ending darkness. Don’t think about it. Kayn drifted through more icy patches of air. She had been set adrift in a sea of wicked things. It felt like she’d been falling for hours when the wall slid open. Her eyes were unaccustomed to the light and it momentarily blinded her. She saw a familiar face; it was Zach. She also saw everything else, better left unseen.
Zach hollered, “Try and move closer to me! The wall is going to shut in a second! When I open it again, you need to try to reach for my hand.”
“Don’t leave me in here!” she called out as hundreds of hollow-eyed haunted beings turned her way, just as the wall closed. This is why, you don’t yell out for help in the darkness.
“You will never leave this place,” the dark entities wicked words echoed in the void.
The icy currents of air swirling around her arms and legs felt like they were trying to keep her there. She tuned out the intimidating whispers of the fallen souls and focused every last ounce of her energy on trying to make it to the wall without spinning and losing her sense of direction.
“You will be lost here, as we are… forever. You were sacrificed by your clan. There was never a way out.” The haunted sounding voices taunted.
She had an idea. She used the same motion as swinging on a swing set and ended up summersaulting forward instead of spinning. She slammed into a hard surface, bounced off and tried to catch her breath but the wind had been knocked out of her. The wall opened. Kayn struggled to grab for Zach’s hand before it closed but she wasn’t close enough. It started to open again and she flung herself at the wall right at the start of the grinding sound. She soared out and skidded on her stomach across the stone slab of floor.
Zach was standing above her, chuckling, “You’re lucky I came along. I was stuck in one of those for quite a while.”
Kayn struggled to get up but her sense of balance had been severely altered. Her arms were incapable of holding the weight of her body. She took a deep breath and tried again. Zach came to her aid and tried to help her regain her balance. She practically collapsed in his arms.
He held her close. While stroking her hair, he affirmed, “I’ve got you.”
She closed her eyes. Kayn rested her head on Zach’s shoulder and whispered, “I just need a second.” They were quiet for a moment before she commented, “Did you just say there was more than one of those rooms?”
“That room was nothing,” Zach replied, while summoning her to follow him with a wave of his hand. He added, “I found a room like yours and then I wandered into another pitch-black room like that one where I was viciously attacked by those hovering demons. Did you know they had claws? Well, they do and let me tell you, that was a most unpleasant experience. I’m starting to think there’s a lot more to this test than finding some Amber room at the end.”
“Aren’t you the fortunate one, to have found them both though,” Kayn chuckled as she followed him through each sliding wall that opened.
Zach enquired, “Have you been stuck in that room for a long time? We couldn’t find you anywhere.”
She told him a version of the truth, “I had a run in with a sword. A few fights. I was in one of those safe rooms for about half an hour. I was running and then… I was falling.”
He nodded, obviously taking her answer at face value. Zach exclaimed, “We spotted a place to rest for a while. We just couldn’t relax until we located you. I was little worried you were stuck in one of the rooms and I was right.”
They entered an open area with another fountain, similar to the last. There appeared to be no other clan around. Zach walked to the wall, laid his palm against it and it opened.
Melody beamed as she stood up and waved them over to a platter of fruit, rolls and figs. She addressed Zach, “Was she stuck in one of those rooms?”
“Yes, I was.” Kayn answered for herself. Relieved to be in the same place as her friends, Kayn strolled over and greeted Melody with a hug. She whispered over Melody’s shoulder mid-embrace, “I’m famished. Where did this food come from?”
“It just appeared after Zach went looking for you,” Melody replied. “I thought I’d wait for you guys to get back.”
They all sat down on the brightly colored large pillows to enjoy their mini feast. As she grabbed a handful of figs, Kayn recalled the bags she’d found. She reached into her sarong and removed her private reserves of salt, figs and sugar coated candy. She was quite surprised they were still there after her endless feeling free fall. She placed the bags in front of her friends as she interjected, “When I second guessed my instincts, I got shut in that room. I think we’re supposed be following our instincts…They’ll guide us where we need to be.”
“That might be the deepest thing you’ve said all week,” Zach provoked as he dumped out the contents of one of her little black bags.
Kayn sparred, “You know what? Under ‘deep’ in the dictionary there happens to be a smiling picture of me.”
“Really? Your picture is under ‘deep’ in the dictionary too?” he teased.
Melody started to choke. Zach humorously patted her on the back. “Keep your mouth shut when you’re eating. I said I wanted to date you, not be covered in dates by you,” he playfully bantered. Zach tossed a date into the air and caught it in his mouth.
He’d probably taught himself to do that, to entertain his younger sibl
ings. It was something her brother Matt had done to entertain her. “Be careful what you wish for,” Kayn remarked. After chuckling at her own witty comeback and stewing on Zach’s somewhat romantic confession, she nudged him and baited, “Why don’t you want to date me?”
Zach winked at her and teased, “Honestly, I’m not sure I could wear a Darth Vader costume to turn you on without creeping myself out.”
“Touché,” Kayn replied without an attempt at denial.
She tried to copy his trick by tossing a date in the air and opening her mouth humorously wide to catch it. It bounced off her nose. They all howled laughing.
Melody tore off a piece of the large roll, while saying, “I haven’t seen any other clan for a while.”
“They could be stuck in those rooms?” Zach responded while taking a sip from his goblet. “Triad definitely doesn’t do the whole brains before brawn thing. I’m fairly certain Triad’s mantra is just the opposite.” Mel covered her mouth as she laughed so she wouldn’t spit out her mouthful of bun. Zach chuckled, “Seriously, keep it in your mouth.”
They all raced to say, “That’s what he said.”
Kayn shifted around on the pillow and grinned as she launched a surprise date at Zach’s face.
He caught it in his teeth, chewed it up and swallowed it. He grinned and teased, “Don’t mess with the master.”
They all laughed and giggled until a confused look simultaneously passed across each of their faces. Throwing dates in Zach’s mouth wasn’t that funny. Even the act of breathing was hysterically hilarious. The room wavered.
“I think someone drugged our food,” Mel snickered.
Zach chuckled, “I do feel excessively happy. I feel kind of like I just sucked back some laughing gas.” He waved his hand in front of his face and while appearing to be in awe of what he was seeing, he whispered, “Oh…Wow. Will you look at that?”
Kayn got up. None of them had seen this plot twist coming. They had to eat, didn’t they? There was a meal provided for them. Why wouldn’t they assume they were supposed to eat it? Wait... maybe, it wasn’t the food. The air smelled funny. She lifted her hand and noticed for the first time a thickness in the air. Kayn declared, “We’re being gassed. It’s not the food. There is something in the air. Don’t you guys see it?” Kayn waved her hand in front of her. You could actually see the haze. Zach jumped up and made an uncoordinated effort to get to the door. He pressed his hand down into the grooves and it ground open. The fumes billowed out of their sleep chambers into the open area. Kayn staggered behind the other two. A hazy cloud was travelling in from other areas too.
Zach stammered, “The whole place is being gassed. We can try to out run it. Maybe, it’s not everywhere.”
Sensing the urgency of the situation, the three newbie immortals raced away from the fountain area and through the first open door. They were cautious to stay together, knowing if they separated they could get stuck in one of the rooms. So, they entered each door that opened, two at a time, while one waited a millisecond longer to follow. As they staggered down the third corridor the outline of the walls began to waver and they realized, there was no way to outrun the toxic fumes.
Out of breath, Melody asserted, “We should have stayed in that room. We were safe in there.”
Zach held both hands out to his sides, it looked like he was attempting to balance as he said, “I hope you remember the way back? If my phone number was written on the back of my hand, I couldn't read it right now.”
Kayn couldn’t stop giggling while in pursuit of the duo. She was wobbling around on Jell-O legs like she’d just downed a case of peach cider. Her comic timing kicked in, “I’m pretty sure there’s no cell service in here... it’s just a guess.”
Zach chuckled as he staggered into the next room and tripped over some bodies. He slurred, “Poor little fellas.”
The bodies were sprawled out next to an unconscious mix of a boar and a lizard. As Kayn stumbled past them she looked at their faces. It was Patrick and a Trinity she hadn’t known. She fought the urge to drag the gentle Triad away from the creature. She wasn’t supposed to be his friend anymore. She wasn’t paying attention as the others went through the next wall. He was a nice person. She still thought of him that way even though he had accidentally stabbed her. The mortified expression on his face had been apology enough. Her eyelids felt heavy so she started rubbing them. Was she ever dizzy. When she looked up, a wall opened in front of her and she assumed that was where Zach and Melody went. She wasn’t even capable of running anymore as she wandered through the open wall into a room full of drugged sleeping demons. Well, this is both lucky and unlucky. She tip-toed to each side of the room and stood by the wall, hoping it would open. When nothing happened, Kayn’s heart dropped. She was stuck. The walls weren’t going to open by themselves. She leaned against one of the walls as she realized, she’d left her sword in the room. Kayn pulled the tiny dagger out from under her sarong. Why was she was still awake, if demons triple her size were out cold? She watched them sleeping peacefully. The moment had finally arrived. She was about to experience Grey’s worst nightmare. Kayn walked over to one with her dagger clutched in her hand. She could kill them? No…she had better let sleeping demons lie. She sat down against the wall. Feeling something bulky, a flickering lightbulb lit up above her fume intoxicated head. There were still pouches tied on her belt. She had salt. She could cover herself in salt. She had no water. The salt would just slide right off her skin. She could lick her skin and then the salt would stick to it. She began to lick her own arms. There wasn’t going to be enough for her entire body. She would have to hold onto one of the pouches and throw it at them when they awoke. It might buy her all of one second. Damn it. Melody and Zach, where are you? Either it was the fact that she was drugged or an act of sheer brilliance, but she wondered for a moment if the walls were alive. They opened and shut as if they knew she was coming. Not now though… Right now, they weren’t listening to her at all. Kayn stroked the wall she was sitting against as she quietly implored, “I need your help. I know you’re listening to me. Please...I don’t want to be eaten alive. Help me.” The wall slid open on the far side of the room. She leapt up and almost made it there before it closed. She stood directly in front of the wall, silently willing it to give her another chance. The demons began to stir. Come on, please help me. They’re waking up. Kayn whispered, “Please, please… Open up for me again.” The same wall slid open in response to her plea. She dashed through it, into the next room. Interesting... the walls will open if you ask them to. She couldn’t wait to tell her friends. This was a game changer. She went through the next wall, into a room full of fumes. She struggled to hold her breath as she staggered through the next open wall into another room, in a similar state. She had to breathe it in, she had no choice. It felt like she practically levitated through the next open door. It occurred to her that she should have passed out a long time ago. She stumbled around for a second, dropped to the floor and she was out.
As Kayn awoke on the unforgiving stone, she remembered to listen before opening her eyes, understanding that anything could be waiting for her to awaken. When she felt certain she was alone. Kayn scrambled to her feet. She was standing in a seemingly endless, dark hallway. She began to cautiously make her way down the hall. There was absolutely no point in running, with no obvious exit in sight. “What have I gotten myself into now?” She whispered as she scanned the corridor for grooves on the wall. She paused, sensing something was coming. Once again, her pulse raced and her stomach clenched as instinct attempted to warn her. She spoke aloud, “Can you help me out here? I seem to be in another one of those trick rooms.” Nothing happened. Kayn started to grasp the situation. What are my options? I can run down the hall that never ends like a complete moron, or I can embrace the whole brains before brawn thing and think my way out of this? She began scanning the walls again for the telltale finger holes and grooves. She walked slowly down the hall inspecting the stone from the floor
to the ceiling. There had to be a trick here. There was a way out. She just had to find it. Kayn felt a vibration. There was a rushing sound as water began flooding in from dozens of vents on the ceiling. Her pulse raced as panic tightened her chest. What the hell is this shit? She sloshed down the hall in ankle deep water in search of an exit while desperately pleading her case to the walls, “Open up! Please! Open up!” The walls weren’t listening to her as the water rose around her ankles. She looked up at the vent she was closest to. She could try to escape through one of those vents but she wouldn’t be able to reach it until the chamber filled. It might be possible. She glanced down at her hips and up at the size of the vents. A tiny built person would fit through with no problem. She might not make it. There was a chance her curves were going to be the death of her. The vents appeared to be the only way out and she was already knee deep in water. There wasn’t going to be a lot of time to plan her escape. She’d have to wedge her dagger in the vent to keep it from closing. Escape routes always seemed to close. She wasn’t certain of many things but she knew the Testing wasn’t going to make it easy. Still…an impossible plan was better than no plan at all.
The steady sound of the rushing water reminded her of something. Although, she couldn’t pin point the memory. The tunnel was filling up quickly. Adrenaline pulsed through her body as her feet left the stone. She was going to have to tread water. Her mind began to repeat the words, brains before brawn... brains before brawn. She had to conserve energy. She’d float for a while and then tread water for a bit. Drowning was probably not the worst way to go. She was furiously treading water as her hands were finally able to touch the ceiling of the crypt. With only moments to do what she’d planned, she wedged her knife into the side of the vent. It was actually going to work! She might fit! Hope rose within her as she curved her fingers over the top and began to pull herself out. Kayn had the briefest moment of salvation as her face burst through the vent. She made eye contact with the one person that would seal her drowning experience. Stephanie smirked as she pushed her head back under the water. Kayn fought with everything she had. She would have torn her frenemy’s flesh to shreds, if she’d had any nails. She struggled until her head began to pound. Kayn watched Stephanie’s satisfied smile through the swirling curtain of liquid above her. She attempted to fight back once more as her headache began to subside. Her mind began to soothe her fighting spirit. Sleep Kayn... You can go to sleep now. Kayn’s mind made a plea for her sister, Chloe… Where are you? Chloe, help us. There was no answer from the twin that still dwelled somewhere beneath the surface of her skin.