AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With every step, it grew larger, its details becoming clearer — the chipped paint, the rusty handle, the cross seeming to pulse with a life of its own.
Tix, running just ahead of me, slashed at a particularly aggressive demon that lunged from the side, its flaming fingers inches from my face.
I responded by spraying another cluster that tried to block our path, the steam from the evaporating demons creating a misty barrier behind us.
Just a few more steps.
Another chunk of building material crashed down, narrowly missing Tix but blocking my path.
I skidded to a stop, my heart pounding.
I felt a searing heat behind me — the fire demons were closing in.
“Grace!” Tix reached out, his hand stretching through the debris, searching for mine.
Gritting my teeth, I took a leap of faith, diving through the small gap next to the fallen debris, reaching for his hand.
The warmth of his touch was an immediate comfort.
Together, we lunged for the door, the world around us a blur of reds, oranges, and shadows.
The screams of the fire demons combined with the roar of the collapsing blueprint, creating a cacophony that threatened to drown out everything.
We slammed our shoulders into the door, it burst open, and we fell through it.
* * *
With a thud, Tix and I tumbled into the next room.
My lungs ached for breath, my head spinning from the rapid escape and our sudden descent.
We’d finally reached the fifth stage of this dreamscape labyrinth.
“No more surprises, please,” I muttered, rubbing my temple.
Tix was on his feet before I was, swiftly kicking the door shut behind us.
I could sense the lingering presence of the fire monsters just beyond the door, their heat and malevolence permeating the very air.
He spun around, nearly colliding into me, and our eyes met for a split second.
That brief glance spoke volumes.
Relief, confusion, fear.
All those emotions played out in a swift interplay.
My attention was quickly diverted.
This room, unlike the unstable disintegrating blueprints we’d navigated through, felt solid and real.
It was eerily silent except for the persistent knocking on the roof.
It sounded like giant fists pounding, desperate to get in.
The room seemed impenetrable, with walls built from a robust material I couldn’t recognize.
And right at the center of this fortress-like room was a sight that took my breath away — a hospital bed.
