It has been six
months since Aleena and Eli first set foot in the colony, and gradually, the
number of vacant homes is dwindling, leaving behind a sense of unease. One
evening as Aleena and Eli were chatting in her apartment, she feels that she
should discuss with Eli what she has noticed in the past week or two. They
settled on the couch, her fingers nervously tracing the fabric as she gathered
her thoughts. With a deep breath, she breaks the comfortable silence that
envelops them. “Eli,” she starts, her tone calm but laced with an undercurrent
of worry, “think back for a moment. Do you recall that day when the man was
attacked by the Hound? Where were we when that happened?” The question hangs in
the air, a reminder of the chaos that has begun to intertwine with their
everyday existence, and she watches Eli’s expression shift as he processes the
memory.
“We were at the
diner,” Eli started but his words faded as he struggled to recall the details.
Aleena let out a sigh and shook her head, then shared her own memories of the
event, leaving him stunned by what she revealed. Initially, he found it hard to
accept, but the earnestness in her gaze urged him to dig deeper into his own
recollections. Slowly, fragments of the past began to resurface. Suddenly, he
exclaimed, “Oh shit, I remember,” though confusion still knitted his brow. He
looked into her beautiful hazel eyes and asked, "What’s going
on?"
She replied,
"Something's happening in the town, and I’m worried we might vanish
too.”
Eli nodded
thoughtfully, adding, "Everyone seems to be here for now, but since Harold
rarely goes out, we can't really know if he's still around."
Aleena exhaled
deeply, her mind swirling with a mix of emotions and reflections. She
understands that her perspective might not sit well with Eli, yet she feels
compelled to voice her concerns. “Despite the comforting sense of safety
that this place offers, this is not a permanent solution. The reality is that
no matter how secure we feel, the day would inevitably come when we must
leave,” she paused letting out a soft sigh. “When we join the scout team in a
few days, we should check out the layout of that level. Even though it may seem
endless, I’m sure there’s a door somewhere.”
Eli let out a deep
sigh, his head nodding in reluctant understanding. "Alright, when we get
there, we can explore a bit, but we shouldn’t leave just yet," he
stated. Before he could finish, Aleena cut in, her voice tinged with
frustration, "But why not?" The exasperation in her gaze was
unmistakable, revealing her eagerness to journey back home.
After visiting Brian at the library, Aleena decided to stop by Harold's place, but to her surprise, all that remained was an empty lot where his house used to stand. Approaching the site, she felt a strange tingling sensation in the air, almost like static electricity, heightening her sense of unease. Backing away slowly, she abruptly turned and hurried toward the building where she and Eli were staying.
“Where had the
houses disappeared to?” she thought. The view beyond the fortress wall that
surrounds the small, ever vanishing town, was still discernible. However, as
she looked over at some of the structures down the street, she sees the subtle
changes in the landscape, a reminder that time is slipping away and each tick
of the clock seemed to echo in her mind, amplifying her sense of urgency and
confusion as she tried to piece together what is happening around her.
As Aleena stood in
her apartment, she was jolted by the piercing sound of a woman’s scream echoing
through the stairwell. Her heart raced, and she instinctively furrowed her brow
in concern. Without a moment's hesitation, she swung open her door to investigate
the commotion. To her surprise, she spotted Mary, a fellow resident of the
building, hurrying down the stairs with a look of panic etched across her face.
It was clear that
Mary had just emerged from her own room, and the urgency in her movements
suggested that something was seriously amiss. Aleena's mind raced with
questions as she watched Mary’s frantic descent, wondering what could have
caused such a distressing outburst.
Emerging from
Eli’s room, a woman with short brown hair and rosy flushed cheeks, caught
Aleena’s attention as she glanced up. The woman was wearing a rose mauve slip
dress that clung to her figure, and her short brown hair was slightly
tousled.
“Eli, what’s going on?" The woman called out, her voice laced with worry as she glanced down, watching Aleena and Eli running down the stairs. Meanwhile, Aleena managed to reach Mary first. “What happened?” Aleena asked. Mary inhaled deeply, her voice trembling as she recounted the unsettling experience to Aleena. “I was in the bathroom, just finishing up my routine, when I glanced at my reflection in the mirror,” she began, her words laced with a mix of disbelief and fear.
“That’s when I saw it, the yellow maze. It appeared right in the mirror, vivid and intricate. I glanced behind me and for a second or two,” she paused. “It looked like I was back there again.” As she spoke, tears began to flow down her cheeks, which had grown slightly hollow from the weight of her emotions. The sight of the maze had shaken her to the core, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed, as if the very fabric of her reality had been altered in that fleeting moment. Aleena furrowed her brow in confusion and asked, “What do you mean?” Just then, Eli made his way toward them in the lobby, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. Mary, feeling the weight of the moment, reiterated her unsettling experience. The air thickened with tension as Aleena and Eli exchanged a worried glance, both sensing the gravity of the situation. “I’m not going back in that room,” Mary declared, her distress evident in her voice, as she stood firm in her decision, clearly shaken by whatever had transpired within those four walls. It seems that everyone has found their way into the Backrooms via the non-Euclidean yellow maze, and it's easy to see why Mary is feeling so distressed. Her experience was harrowing; she barely managed to escape the labyrinthine corridors that seemed to stretch endlessly.
Aleena and Eli
exchanged knowing glances as they settled onto a wooden bench by the lobby
window. With a tone of genuine concern, Aleena reassured Mary, "I believe
you.” Her recent observations about what’s been happening in the town made
Aleena anxious.
Meanwhile, Eli,
oblivious to his attire in just his boxers, prompted a sigh and an eye roll
from Aleena, who couldn't help but grimace at the situation. The woman who was
in his room earlier was already dressed and heading downstairs. She paused to
ask, "What’s going on?" Aleena recognized her as the manager of the
local shop where residents pick up their daily essentials.
She is the person
responsible for collecting signatures in a notebook, ensuring that individuals
receive the items they need, although groceries must be sourced from a
different store. Eli recounted what had happened, and her reaction was one of
genuine astonishment.
"Oh no," she exclaimed, her eyes
widening in disbelief. "Eli, I think I’ll have to avoid coming back here,
this is truly disturbing." Her concern was palpable, reflecting a
deep-seated fear of the unknown consequences that could arise from returning to
a place where strange happenings had taken place. Aleena scrutinized the woman
more closely, noting the way her almond-shaped blue eyes sparkled with genuine
concern. The delicate crow's feet at the corners of her eyes hinted at Claire
being in her mid-thirties.
“Don’t worry,
Mary, we’re here for you, and nothing will happen to you,” she reassured her
gently. Aleena shifted her gaze from Eli to Claire, sensing the tension in the
air. Eli swallowed hard, fully aware of the unspoken thoughts racing through
Aleena’s mind. Meanwhile, Mary rubbed her eyes, a gesture that revealed her
distress, and nodded in agreement, murmuring, “I know, but what I saw was
terrifying.” Claire, sensing Mary’s fear, placed a comforting hand on her
shoulder, offering silent support in this moment of vulnerability. The air was
thick with concern, as each of them grappled with the weight of the situation.
Claire turned to
Eli with a warm smile and said, “It was nice sugar, but I’d prefer we just stay
friends.” Eli felt a slight flush creep up his cheeks as he nodded in response,
his expression surprisingly calm. It was clear he wasn’t disheartened by her decision
to keep things platonic, and there was a hint of understanding in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Aleena, who had been observing the exchange, couldn’t help but smirk
at Eli’s reaction, as if she found the whole situation amusing.
After Claire left,
Aleena realized it was only a matter of time before the entire town learned
about what had happened. A few hours later, Eli and Aleena went with the group
of people that were going to the endless grocery store level. As Aleena stepped
through the door, she couldn't help but wonder if it might lead her back
home.
“Maybe if I came
alone,” she mused. Eli caught her gaze, sensing her thoughts. He suggested
they gather what they needed and head back to town. She nodded in agreement,
but deep down, she was already plotting her escape. Around them, people
strolled by with woven baskets brimming with groceries and other essentials. After
they finished gathering the items, they headed toward the door.
“Let’s move
quickly; the door will only be visible for a few more minutes,” Syra urged.
Aleena and Eli were the last to step through, and as Aleena turned to look
back, she saw the door vanish. “Until the next time,” Aleena softly murmured. They
exited the house that led to the grocery level and took the baskets to the town
hall where things will be sorted later. The group of people that ventured
out of town to gather wheat arrived an hour later. The wheat is made into
bread. Aleena was tired and after the events of the day, she headed to her
building. As she walked down the street, Eli approached her and walked into the
building with her. Aleena paused as she glanced around.
“Eli, I think we
should consider moving to another building.”
“Why?” he asked,
as they made their way up the stairs.
“What would happen
if this building disappeared while we were in it?” she asked with a hint of
worry. He sighed, understanding what she was implying.
“I’m sorry if I
keep holding you back from leaving but I think it’s dangerous for you to do it
alone,” he said. She chuckled, “Ever the knight in shining armor, aren’t
you,” she responded playfully. They entered her apartment. He did not leave but
he decided to stay with her for the night, whatever is considered nighttime in
that place. Aleena is consumed by a growing anxiety as homes and buildings
vanish into thin air, and she can't shake the feeling that the house with the
door leading to the grocery level might be next. As Eli sleeps peacefully
beside her, completely unaware of her turmoil, she feels a pull toward that
mysterious door, a gateway to the unknown that beckons her with the promise to
lead her home.
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