Day: 183

Days Left: 5297

Lives Saved: 0

The last night together had seemed like any other night. Harmony, Corinna, and Calixte had spent it listening to music and playing board games, the topic of Harmony's escape not even mentioned. The only occasion it was when Calixte gave a quick toast at dinner, which they all dressed up for with the amphibian in a frilly shirt and bow-tie, Corinna in a shirt and waistcoat, and Harmony in a green sundress.

When it eventually came time to go to sleep, Corinna and Harmony lay down on the opposite edges of the bed, facing away from each other, neither able to sleep.

And then the day finally arrived.

The day that Harmony was going to escape the Eternal Abyss.

She had everything packed and ready for a few days now, her strategy of escape concocted in her mind. All that she had to be concerned about was the timing for the portal opening.

Harmony, Corinna, and Calixte all stood in the Land of the Lost at the base of one of the highest scrap piles. It towered above everything else, almost touching the ceiling of the world.

"So... this is it," mumbled Harmony, craning her head upwards, her eyes widening at the tower of discard items that she would have to scale. She had planned it so that she would have plenty of time to climb it, but it still wouldn't be an easy feat. Letting out a long breath, she turned round to face Corinna and Calixte.

"I-I have something for you," blurted out Corinna. She retrieved the present from her backpack, her fingers fumbling and almost dropping it.

Harmony accepted it, smiling at the frog on the lunchbox, then opened it to see its contents.

"It's a survival kit," explained Corinna. "Got everything you might need on the other side."

Spending a moment gazing down at the survival kit, Harmony packed it away in her satchel and retrieved a notebook out of it. "Thank you, Corinna. I..." She stared down at the green notebook then handed it to Corinna.

"What's this?" asked Corinna about to open the book.

"Don't read it!" Harmony shut the notebook and clung onto Corinna's hands to prevent her from opening it.

"Why not?" Corinna frowned in confusion.

"It's embarrassing!"

Corinna smirked and cooed, "what did you write in it, Harmony?"

Harmony's cheeks flushed. "It was a stupid idea, and I regret doing it. I want it back now!"

"No," said Corinna, holding onto the notebook, not relenting. "I'm even more interested now."

"It was not a 'stupid' idea, 'iss Har'ony," Calixte interrupted the two young women's tug of war.

Corinna looked down at the notebook, recognising it. "Weren't you using this to write down your memories? Why are you giving it to me? Surely you'd want to take them with you?"

Harmony shook her head. "I- after I escape I'll be on the run. There's a chance I'll be caught, and they might throw me back down here. I'll lose all of my memories again." Harmony let go of the notebook. "If that happens I'll still have some happy memories in here. Please, Corinna... can you please look after it for me?"

Corinna gazed into those bright green eyes, a slight smile appeared across her lips, and she nodded. "Yes, of course," she said softly. "But why do you not want me to read it?"

Harmony bowed her head low and mumbled, "it's awkward having people read your writing, you know? It's embarrassing."

Corinna laughed. "Alright, I promise I won't take even a single peek."

"Good." Harmony unclipped the lantern containing the wisp from her belt, then handed it over to Corinna. "The wisp and the house are officially yours. Feel free to renovate the place however you want. I imagine you'll turn it into a multi-story mansion by the time your sentence is finished."

"Don't forget the swimming pool and rock climbing wall." Corinna smiled for a moment, but then it faded. She swallowed. There was still so much she wanted to say to Harmony, but all she managed to muster was, "good luck..." If she had said everything she wanted, then by the time she had finished, Harmony would have missed her chance to escape. "I'll..." Corinna forced a smile. "I'm gonna miss you."

Harmony gazed back at the young woman, her eyes softening. "I'll miss you too," she said quietly. "But don't worry..." She poked Corinna's chest. "I'll be right here."

Corinna giggled as she noticed the frog sticker now on her chest. She flung her arms around the tall woman's neck, and the two were locked into a warm embrace. Harmony patted Corinna on the head, Corinna returned the gesture, and they both laughed.

After finally breaking away from the hug, Harmony said her farewells to Calixte, giving him a hug whilst secretly placing a frog sticker on his back.

"Right..." Harmony clapped her hands together. "I guess I'm off to escape!" She paused, taking in a deep breath as she stared back at Corinna and Calixte. "Thank you again."

Corinna and Calixte watched as Harmony scaled the mountain of broken objects. They winced as items fell down from the portals above, causing avalanches, but Harmony managed to gracefully evade them. Once she had finally made it to the summit, Harmony waited, ready with her grappling hook for the portal to open.

Unable to watch due to the twinge in her chest, Corinna stepped away from Calixte's side and wandered slightly further back, Harmony's notebook clutched tightly in her hand. That was when she stumbled into the pack of imps. They growled at her, raising their spears in hostility but then lost interest and refocused their attention back to Harmony, intrigued, staying for the free show.

The imps jumped up and down, chanting enthusiastically. Corinna glanced up at the item mountain and saw that the portal had opened, casting a bright light down. A silhouette of a woman swung her grappling hook into the opening and began climbing.

That was it.

Corinna turned away.

Harmony was gone...

A torrent of wind and billowed, sending up clouds of sand. Corinna dug her spear into the ground to prevent herself from flying away. The green notebook in her hand flapped, its pages rustling and rattling in the gale, then it tore itself from her grasp, rocketing away.

"No!" Corinna yelled.

The sandstorm subsided enough that Corinna was not at risk of flying away. She dashed over to the notebook, reaching out to it when another hand picked it up. It was one of the imps. Holding the book aloft, the imp bounced up and down, taunting Corinna that her belonging was now in its possession.

"Please," Corinna begged. "Please give that back."

The imp hissed at her, grinning at her desperation.

Corinna rushed forwards, grabbing the notebook but the imp still clung onto it.

That was when the ground began to shake. They toppled to the ground and the earth beneath crumbled then vanished.