Chapter 8: Infinite Grocery Store

Eli and Aleena pressed on along the dusty path, which appeared to go on forever in both directions. Eli caught sight of the worried expression on Aleena's face. "Don't fret, we'll discover a way out of this place."

Aleena replied, "Yet here we are, navigating another section of this intricate dimension. It seems we've wandered into a realm that challenges all rational thought. This place is unlike the previous levels, but it may be just as perilous. I sincerely hope we don't encounter those goblins again."

Eli nodded, remarking, "This place feels like it's in a perpetually afternoon time zone." 

Aleena let out a scoff, followed by a light chuckle. "Exactly, and we have almond water to enjoy." Just then, raindrops started to fall, prompting Aleena to pull out the bottle and catch the rain, filling it up. They both took a sip together. 

As the rain eased, the sky transformed into a canvas of grey and lavender hues, enveloped by the fragrant aroma of almonds and wheat. Sipping the refreshing almond water revitalized them for the journey ahead. Eventually, they stumbled upon yet another farmhouse. 

They exchanged glances and dashed toward it. Cautiously entering, they found the interior in an even worse condition than the previous place. The room was devoid of furniture, with curtains dangling from broken rods, and cobwebs and dust blanketing every surface of the ceiling walls. 

Aleena was eager to leave quickly. As they wandered through the house, they opened a door and unexpectedly stepped into a sprawling grocery store. Just as they decided to retreat, the door disappeared behind them. They exchanged a wary glance before continuing their exploration of the expansive grocery store, filled with row after row of food and, strangely, an abundance of what appeared to be water bottles. She unscrewed the cap of one and took a careful sip. It was almond water but at least it was something. There appeared to be some soft drinks too. She opened one of them and took a sip. She made a face. 

“Oh God, no way.” She left it on the shelf. Eli looked at her, and she said, “I suppose almond water is in the abundance here but that soda, I wouldn’t touch.”

“Oh my God, just look at this! We have actual food! He exclaimed, and they embraced. The moment was uncomfortable yet unexpected when he kissed her, causing her cheeks to redden. She took a step back, letting out a nervous laugh. To shift the mood, she suggested they look for some food to take along. As she browsed the aisles, Eli did the same. "How about we grab a few bags of beef jerky?" he shouted from a couple of aisles away. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she hurried over to him. "Shh, keep your voice down," she urged, her tone filled with urgency.

"Why?" he murmured. "Because in every place we’ve been to," she hesitated before continuing, "there's always something that..." 

“That could kill us, you're right,” he replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "He’s getting a bit too cozy with touching me," she thought. 

She looked away shyly and remarked, "We need to be careful here..." Her voice trailed off as she spotted a woman watching them from a short distance. Eli quickly turned and called out, "Hey, wait up!" The woman took off running down one of the aisles, while Aleena positioned herself at the other end to intercept her. The woman had messy, shoulder-length dark blonde hair, and her greenish-brown eyes were wide with fear and apprehension.

"Hold on, we just want to chat with you," Aleena said to her. The woman brandished a knife, making Aleena leap back. Eli caught up and asked the woman, "Who are you? Did you end up in this nightmarish place like we did?" A sudden voice broke the tension from behind Aleena. "Leave her," a man ordered, leveling a pistol at them. His tousled light brown hair matched the intensity of his stern expression, which conveyed a clear message.

Aleena cautiously stepped back and stood beside Eli with her hands raised. She shot a worried glance at Eli. Then she mustered the courage to say, "We’re sorry if we have done something wrong," she hesitated. "It's just that we haven't encountered anyone else in this strange, twisted dimension, and when we spotted her, we felt both excited and anxious about the possibility of another person being here." The man nodded in agreement. His stern eyes never wavered away from them. He brought down his pistol. 

Aleena scrutinized their attire with interest. He wore a fashionable, weathered brown leather jacket over a black t-shirt, complemented by faded jeans and a holster strapped around his waist. The woman next to him sported a denim jacket, a stained blue tee, and similarly worn jeans, both finishing off their looks with flat leather boots. Aleena couldn't help but wonder, “I’m curious as to where they got their clothes.”

"This nightmarish dimension is known as the Backrooms," the man disclosed.

"The Backrooms," Aleena whispered.

"The Backrooms?" Eli said curiously.

“Yes, this twisted dimension as you referred to it, is called the Backrooms. It has many levels and many ways for you to die.”

‘You can bet on that,” the woman chimed in.

“My name is Syra and this is Kyle,” she said and shook Aleena and Eli’s hand. The man pocketed his pistol and let out a sigh.

“Well, you should come with us, we are a part of a colony, not the main factions but one of the smaller colonies and if you want, you can join us. We have a place to stay, clothes, showers,” he paused and added, “Well sort of.”

“What do you mean, sort of?” Aleena asked.

“As you probably have figured out that most of the water in this place is almond water, but some have found a way to filter the water enough that a bath is possible. Of course you’re still gonna smell a little like almonds.” Aleena and Eli looked at each other. “Okay, show us the way,” Eli said.

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Chapter 10