Chapter 2: Eli Marsh

 

Eli Marsh stood at the sink, scrubbing his hands as he directed his guard to find his son and girlfriend mingling where the booths were at the Comic Con. Commitment was never Eli's strong suit; he shied away from the responsibilities of a devoted husband but despite having had four wives and a multitude of children, his vast fortune enabled him to shower his kids with extravagant gifts and a lifestyle that many could only fantasize about. His bodyguard looked at him with a furrowed brow, "Are you really going to be okay, sir?" Eli flashed a smirk and replied, "Yessss," rolling his eyes for emphasis.

"I'll just put on my sunglasses, and nobody will recognize me," he joked. The bodyguard sighed, shaking his head as he stepped out of the restroom. Eli finished washing his hands, looking at his reflection in the restroom mirror, he donned a black baseball cap and slid on his sunglasses before stepping outside. He looked sharp in his sleek black blazer, a white button-up shirt and jeans. After a moment's thought, he removed his cap and placed it on a nearby trash bin. He chuckled to himself, pondering how wearing a cap seemed a bit excessive. His shades had a soft brown tint to them, giving people a sneak peek at his gorgeous, alluring hazel eyes. As he strolled down the hallway, something caught his attention—a peculiar yellow door that stood out. 

There was something captivating about it, as if it were inviting him, urging him to open it. He felt a tingling sensation at the nape of his neck, a shiver coursing through him. An extraordinary moment was on the horizon, one that would alter the course of his life forever. When he swung the door open, he stumbled and found himself face down on a carpeted floor. 

"What just happened?" he wondered, feeling slightly disoriented as he pushed himself upright. Rubbing his eyes, he spotted his sunglasses nearby and glanced around, realizing he was in an oddly unsettling yellow room that felt liminal in some way.

  "Hello?" he shouted, but the silence was deafening. Swallowing hard, he began to walk, each turn revealing yet another room that mirrored the last.

"Is anyone here?" he called out, his voice trailing off into the stillness. The incessant hum of the fluorescent lights above added to his unease, and a frown creased his brow. As he wandered through the labyrinth of vacant rooms and corridors, it occurred to him that this might be an odd Halloween maze, perhaps designed for a party and yet not quite finished. But the absence of typical festive figures and the fact that it was far from Halloween left him puzzled about the true nature of the place.

"Can someone help me?" he yelled again, his voice tinged with desperation. Standing in the middle of a spacious room with his hands on his hips, frustration was evident on his face as he let out a deep sigh. Just then, he heard a noise that didn’t seem human. Taking a deep breath, he chose to move away from the sound, quickening his pace as a chilling screech echoed behind him. He dashed down a corridor and entered another vast, empty room. He noticed a message hastily painted in red on the wall: “Exit,” accompanied by an arrow indicating the way. Compelled by curiosity, he chose to pursue it. The building's non-Euclidean architecture sent a shiver down his spine; everything felt unsettlingly askew.

 Chapter 3: Which Way?