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Aleena was taken aback as she gazed at the face of a man who inspired both disdain and admiration. "The wealthiest man on the planet," she thought, her forehead creased as she turned away. He caught her reaction but opted to remain silent, sensing that she recognized his identity. "How did you end up in this nightmarish place?" she asked
“I was at Comic-Con with my wife and kid when a simple trip to the restroom became the last thing I did before ending up here," he said, taking a moment to catch his breath. As they strolled through the golden wheat fields, the gentle aroma of almond water wafted around them. Aleena is intrigued and picked a stem. She took a whiff before giving it a lick. To her surprise, the wheat had an almond scent and flavor. Puzzled, she remarked, “This is odd; it’s meant to be wheat, but it smells and tastes like almonds.”
Eli grabbed a stem and mimicked her actions. “Do you think this works like the almond water?” Aleena got what he was hinting at. “I’m not sure, but this whole area has an almond scent.” Eli gnawed on the wheat stem, wishing it would help him recover more from his illness. As they continued walking, she asked him, “How did you get sick?”
“I don’t know but
while I was in the yellow maze, I spotted a drinking fountain and took a sip
from it.” Aleena remembers the note she found and how it warned her not to
drink the water. She then told Eli.
“So, this place
has many ways to kill you and all are permanent,” she noted.
“Do you think I
will die?” He asked. She shook her head and shrugged, “I’m not sure but when
you drank the almond water it made you feel better, right?” He nodded.
“We’re just going
to have to find more,” Aleena said.
“We’ll get through
this together,” he replied, gently grasping her hand.
“May I ask your
name?” he asked.
“I’m Aleena, and
it seems we both have stepped through the same yellow door,” she paused before
adding, “I know who you are.”
“I wanted to check it out and brought my kid along. As for my wife, she just happened to tag along,” he replied, his tone slightly detached. Aleena's expression tightened as she contemplated whether the rumors about him were true. She released his hand and came to a halt. She remarked, "We should look for a road or something similar." He agreed with a nod. While they meandered through the wheat fields, Aleena observed puddles scattered along the path.
She crouched down, reached out to touch it, and took a whiff. "This is almond water," she remarked. Eli followed suit, kneeling to scoop some of the liquid into his palm before taking a sip. Aleena grimaced at the sight. Eli suddenly noticed a large, imposing creature. He nudged her shoulder and gestured toward it. Aleena gasped, whispering, “Wow.”
They took a step
back, but the creature didn't pay them any attention; it looked like it wasn't
bothered by their presence at all. Instead, it kept munching on the wheat and
oozing some weird liquid from its skin, forming a puddle beneath it.
"Please, don’t say that." Eli replied, struggling with his queasiness, while Aleena continued to find the situation entertaining. She is aware of his identity and his past actions. In fact, prior to his departure from politics, many speculated he would flee the country, yet who could have imagined he would find himself in this dreadful place? Aleena is astonished to be here with him. She harbors no affection for him and feels indifferent, but he is the only familiar face from her past that she has encountered here. Eli continued to spit, attempting to rid his mouth of the lingering taste.
"Are you finished?" Aleena asked; her voice laced with mild amusement. Eli made a face and replied, "Yes." They pressed on, and as they strolled through the golden wheat fields, an unusual sense of tranquility washed over them. The aroma of almonds combined with the peculiar fluffy lavender clouds overhead created an enchanting atmosphere.
"Aleena, are
you attending college?"
"Yes, but I'm
currently on break until after summer." He smiled, paused, and glanced
around, noticing a few gentle, ogre-like creatures grazing nearby.
"They remind
me of cows, just grazing," he remarked. Aleena agreed with a nod.
"This place is quite strange," she said thoughtfully before asking, “Do you feel a sense of unusual calmness?" He lifted an eyebrow at her inquiry and replied, "A bit, what makes you curious?"
"I believe it's the atmosphere here. It
has a soothing quality that wraps around everyone who visits." Eli
contemplated this. "Then we should seek a different path and carry on with
our adventure."
Aleena felt a
strange fatigue, attributing it to her empty stomach, while Eli's growling
belly echoed his own hunger pangs. They continued their journey, the vast
wheat fields pressing heavily upon them. Fatigue began to set in, and just as
they walked, a light drizzle began to fall. "What is that scent?"
Aleena wondered. As the drizzle turned into a downpour, she and Eli dashed down
the path, but no shelter was in sight. Aleena felt a sense of defeat as she
became drenched.
Eli glanced around and said, "We can't do anything about it. We're going to get soaked," clearly annoyed by the downpour. Aleena gazed at the lavender clouds, opened her mouth, and realized the rain tastes like almond water. "Ah, that explains the weird smell; it's almond water," she mused. Her eyes flew open as she motioned for Eli to part his lips, allowing the raindrops to cascade down their throats. "Wow, it's almond water," Eli exclaimed, a puzzled expression crossing his face. "Amazing," he added. Aleena pulled the almost empty bottle from her backpack and collected some rainwater in it. Once it was about halfway filled, she offered it to Eli. It was clear that Eli was still feeling sick, so the almond water would likely benefit him. Aleena experienced a rush of energy flowing through her, after she drank some and it seemed Eli felt revitalized as well.
He returned the bottle to her, and as he did, his fingers brushed against hers, his smile conveying a deep message. In that instant, she felt a whirlwind of emotions, aware of his identity and the unsettling rumors surrounding him. “Um, we should move onward,” she suggested as she blushed. He gave a nod, and they pressed on through the golden wheat fields. The rain had ceased, leaving a gentle almond fragrance wafting in the breeze. Aleena found herself wondering about Eli Marsh's age. If only her phone were working, she could easily check his Wikipedia page, but unfortunately, the battery had long since died. She suspected his phone was in the same state. From afar, Eli noticed an unusual tower. He gestured towards it, and they headed in that direction. Upon arrival, the imposing structure loomed before them.
"What is that?" Aleena whispered. "A tower of sorts, it looks like a medieval castle or something like that," he answered. Then he added, "Could be a lookout tower." They both gazed at it, puzzled.
"You could be onto something; it could be a surveillance tower, but who exactly is keeping an eye on things?" She glanced warily at the windows overhead. Eli proposed they enter the building. "I don't think that's a good idea," Aleena replied, sensing that something was off about the place. Eli gently grasped her hand, saying, "It's alright, let's explore a bit." Aleena felt her cheeks heat up, uncertain if she was ready to trust him with her safety. The wooden door let out a soft creak as Eli carefully pushed it open. With the knife safely sheathed, she placed her other hand on it as they carefully entered. They encountered a lengthy staircase ascending to the tower's summit. As they ascended, Aleena would glance down from time to time, anxious that a creature might be lurking behind them.
Eli asked, "What’s the matter?"
"I just want
to avoid any unexpected surprises, if you catch my drift."
"Ah yes,
those terrifying beings we've both faced since stepping into this bizarre
world," he replied. Just before they reached the summit, Aleena
stopped.
"I can’t help but wonder why this place feels so deserted," she remarked. Her voice echoed off the walls and she was unaware that she might have raised her voice too much. "It's okay," he reassured her, though his words offered little comfort. Aleena frowned and let out a deep sigh. They made it to the top and looked around. They kind of thought they’d just see more of the same, endless wheat fields, but off in the distance, there was a dirt road and a farmhouse further down the road. He smiled at Aleena, “That’s where we need to go,” he said. As Aleena glanced around, she noticed peculiar goblin-like creatures advancing from a distance. Unlike the gentle creatures they had encountered earlier in the wheat fields, these were clearly different.
"Look,"
she exclaimed, indicating the approaching group. They quickly descended the
staircase. "I just hope we can escape before they get to the tower,"
she said, her voice tinged with fear.
Eli nodded in agreement, and they quickened their steps. Upon leaving the tower, they veered away from the cluster of creatures they had seen. They navigated down a trail, maintaining a safe distance from the group. However, out of nowhere, a creature lunged at them, knocking Eli to the ground. With greenish skin and piercing yellow eyes, it glared menacingly as it drove an arrow into Eli's shoulder.
Aleena leaped onto
the goblin’s back and, with a quick motion, she cut its throat. It emitted a
terrible scream that echoed, alerting the other goblins nearby. Spotting a
crossbow that had fallen from the creature, she quickly snatched it up.
"Let’s go," she said, pulling Eli to
his feet. "We need to get out of here," she insisted with urgency.
She understood that taking down one of those creatures would make her a target
but at the moment, escape was all she thought about.
They made it to
the road and kept running. Despite the pain from his wound, Eli pushed through
the agony and forged ahead. Not sure if the creatures were pursuing them, they
had no time to ponder or pause to check for any signs of being followed.
After what felt
like an endless run, the farmhouse finally appeared in the distance.
"Look!"
Aleena exclaimed, her heart racing with excitement. Thankfully, the almond
water they had consumed earlier seemed to have given them the boost they
needed.
They both let out
a deep sigh of relief. Aleena's face flushed with color, and she felt
nauseous from the intense run they did. In contrast, Eli actually threw up, and
blood oozed from his injury. Once they were inside, Aleena secured the door.
She looked around
the living room, which was surprisingly decent given the circumstances. There
was only a light layer of dust on the furniture, and while the faded yellow
walls had cobwebs in the corners, the space felt manageable. An old,
brownish-grey couch was pushed against the wall and a matching loveseat was on
the opposite side. In the center, a dirty white carpet lay beneath a yellow
chair that added a splash of color to the otherwise drab setting. Eli plopped
down on the couch, sneezing from the dust, and asked, “What now?” He rubbed his
eyes, feeling fatigued, much like her.
"I'm going to
take care of that wound," Aleena stated. She pulled out a bottle
containing just the right amount of almond water and handed it to Eli. Then,
she headed to the kitchen to look for a dish towel. After finding one, she took
her knife and cut it into three-inch strips before returning to the living
room. "Could you roll up the sleeve?" she asked.
"I’ll do better," he said as he started to unbutton his shirt, revealing his chiseled physique. Aleena couldn't help but gaze at his toned body. He carelessly tossed the soiled shirt aside. Sitting there, he hoped she would catch his gaze, but she was too focused on tending to his wound. He finds her modesty and quiet demeanor incredibly appealing. Aleena broke the silence with a curious question, "How did you end up getting sick?" Her voice jolted him from his thoughts, prompting him to reply, "While wandering through the yellow maze, I spotted a drinking fountain and took a sip. It wasn't until I fell ill that I understood it was a bad choice."
She gently nodded.
"I wasn't entirely reckless, but I was fortunate to discover the backpack
and the knife," she said with a smile as she rose to her feet, making her
way to the kitchen to wash her hands. The water had an unpleasant odor, but since
she didn't plan to drink it, she deemed it acceptable. Still, a sense of unease
lingered within her about the water in this strange and harsh environment. Eli
chuckled and smiled, acknowledging her point; he knew he had been careless and
foolish. He will do better the next time.
She re-entered the room. "Do you think we could take a shower?" Eli inquired, and Aleena glanced at him, puzzled by his words. "Together?" she asked, feeling a bit foolish for her question, yet intrigued by the possibility, as she sensed his attraction towards her, leaving her uncertain about his true intentions. He laughed lightly and replied, "Only if we become more familiar with one another." She laughed awkwardly, realizing that his inquiry was straightforward and simply referred to taking a shower. She blinked a few times, chuckled a bit, and with a hint of embarrassment in her voice said, "Well, I don't think that's a great idea." She sniffed her hands and noticed the weird smell still lingering. Sighing, she continued, "There's definitely something off about the water, so I think we should use it as little as possible." He nodded in agreement, saying, "Alright, let's stay here for a few hours while we figure out if we should carry on with our journey or..."
“Yeah, I
know," she interrupted, "We can't be sure if those goblins will
pursue us or not."
After a moment, she noticed he was still without a shirt, then said, “Maybe we should find a shirt. It’s possible there might be clothes here.”
Aleena broke the silence with a curious question, "How did you end up getting sick?" Her voice jolted him from his thoughts, prompting him to reply, "While wandering through the yellow maze, I spotted a drinking fountain and took a sip. It wasn't until I fell ill that I understood it was a bad choice."
She gently nodded. "I wasn't entirely reckless, but I was fortunate to discover the backpack and the knife," she said with a smile. Eli chuckled and smiled, acknowledging her point; he knew he had been careless and foolish. He will do better next time.
She rose to her feet, making her way to the
kitchen to wash her hands. The water had an unpleasant odor, but since she
didn't plan to drink it, she deemed it acceptable. Still, a sense of unease
lingered within her about the water in this strange and harsh environment.
She re-entered the
room. "Do you think we could take a shower?" Eli asked, and Aleena
glanced at him, puzzled by his words.
"Together?" she asked, feeling a bit
foolish for her question, yet intrigued by the possibility, as she sensed his
attraction towards her, leaving her uncertain about his true intentions.
He laughed lightly
and replied, "Only if we become more familiar with one another." She
laughed awkwardly, realizing that his inquiry was straightforward and simply
referred to taking a shower.
She blinked a few
times, chuckled a bit, and with a hint of embarrassment in her voice said,
"Well, I don't think that's a great idea." She sniffed her hands and
noticed the weird smell still lingering. Sighing, she continued, "There's
definitely something off about the water, so I think we should use it as little
as possible."
He nodded in
agreement, saying, "Alright, let's stay here for a few hours while we
figure out if we should carry on with our journey or..."
“Yeah, I
know," she interrupted, "We can't be sure if those goblins will
pursue us or not."
After a moment,
she noticed he was still without a shirt, then said, “Maybe we should find a
shirt. It’s possible there might be clothes here.” He nodded. 1. As Aleena
ascended the stairs, she unsheathed her knife, catching Eli's attention. He
regarded her with intrigue, thinking, “Interesting girl, I think I like her.”
While her primary goal was to find a way back home, a nagging worry crept in,
the deeper they ventured into this enigmatic realm, the further she drifted away
from going home. She pondered the potential awkwardness of being stuck with
Eli, a thought that made her uneasy. Although she had never considered him
romantically, the prospect of developing a close bond as they spent more time
together unsettled her, especially given her history of feeling awkward around
men and Eli's questionable past. As she rummaged through the vacant rooms, her
search led her to a closet in the last room, where she discovered three men's
button-up shirts. Grabbing a blue shirt, she made her way back downstairs and
tossed it to Eli, who promptly slipped it on.
As it started to rain again, they found
themselves sitting quietly on the couch. Eli finally broke the silence, asking,
“If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?” Aleena paused before answering,
“I’m 21.” Curious, she asked, “And how old are you?”
With a playful
smirk, he replied, “I’m 40,” though it was a fib. Aleena smiled softly, sensing
he might be older, but it didn’t really matter; they were both trapped in this
hellish situation and needed to find a way to endure it together. They started
sharing stories about their lives before arriving at their current situation.
She discovered that he had dreams of leaving the States but felt anchored by
his wife and son, although he mentioned they were contemplating a divorce.
“I was going to
attend the local community college but then this happened,” she said. Noticing
the worry etched on her face, he gently wrapped his arm around her in a
comforting gesture. She didn’t pull away but remained cautious about the
attention he was giving her.
“We should sleep
but should we take turns or…” Aleena started.
Eli suggested they take turns, expressing his willingness to share the watch. “With this intriguing crossbow and your trusty knife, I feel confident that we can manage.” She agreed with a nod, and he allowed her to rest first. As he observed Aleena sleeping peacefully, he quietly rose and gazed out the window. The night was absent, replaced by an eerie mix of rain and fog that shifted back to rain.
“It
doesn’t seem to ever become nighttime here,” he mused. During their time
outside, they had noticed peculiar clouds looming overhead. The rain was almond
water, and Eli pondered the seemingly endless fields around them. Having
discovered one house, he held onto a glimmer of hope that more would be found,
and perhaps, they might even encounter other people.
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