Marie stared at Sera in shock.

How did she know this?

Why is she so calm?

Marie looked around, seeing the others nodding in agreement. Sera's composure must be something normal then. Yet, something seemed weird. She could not bring herself to like that look of grim certainty in those blue-grey eyes.

That woman was hiding something.

Sera surveyed the horizon and pointed at a cluster of bright red flowers. "We're going there."

"Why?"

Sera pursed her lips before smiling. "Just a hunch." The woman bent down and grabbed a small rock. She threw it as hard as she could.

It disappeared, leaving a small ripple. The crowd murmured.

Sera smirked. "Let's look for that rock, shall we?"

...

Lauris looked away as she confirmed her results.

The eye seemed like a gateway or a catalyst of some sort. Most people answered that they saw it at least once before they suddenly arrived in The Between.

That made her almost certain that the eye was the cause. So, what if someone destroyed the eye; shatter it? Would it send them back, or would it kill them?

So far, four people dropped dead.

Suddenly, darkness flooded in.

"I'm sorry, but those that can see are out of this conversation, for now."

Lauris looked back and forth.

No one.

Nothing.

Pure emptiness.

Lauris pursed her lips in an attempt to slow down her breathing.

Relax.

Just think of a way out of this.

Lauris froze and listened.

Silence.

She shook her head. That must have been her imagination.

Something gurgled.

Lauris gulped. She peered into the void, seeing nothing. The woman squinted, trying to make out a shape, anything.

...

"̶H̷e̸y̸,̵ ̵T̷u̴l̶i̴,̵ ̴d̷o̷ ̶y̵o̵u̸ ̷t̷h̷i̴n̷k̴ ̸w̸e̵'̶l̵l̴ ̵e̶v̶e̴r̵ ̶g̷e̶t̸ ̸o̵u̷t̴ ̴o̸f̶ ̵h̷e̵r̵e̵?̵"̴

̶A̶ ̴r̷u̶s̷t̴l̸e̷.̸ ̵"̵I̶ ̴d̵o̷n̴'̸t̶ ̴k̸n̷o̶w̶.̷"̷

̵"̶I̶t̵'̷s̷ ̸s̴o̴ ̶d̷a̸r̵k̵.̸ ̶I̶ ̵d̸o̵n̵'̸t̸ ̶l̶i̷k̴e̸ ̴i̷t̴.̶ ̴W̶e̸ ̶k̷e̶e̵p̸ ̷d̷r̸i̵f̸t̶i̵n̶g̸.̷ ̶I̶ ̴d̶o̶n̷'̵t̶ ̷l̵i̷k̶e̵ ̷i̶t̴.̴"̶

̵A̵ ̵s̵c̷r̶e̴a̵m̷.̸ ̶"̴I̸t̴'̵s̴ ̸h̴a̵p̷p̸e̶n̶i̷n̴g̵ ̸a̸g̵a̵i̶n̴.̷"̸

̴A̷ ̸s̴i̸g̴h̷.̶ ̷"̷I̷ ̷w̵a̸n̴t̴ ̶t̴o̶ ̷g̸e̶t̸ ̸o̵u̴t̵.̶ ̴I̶ ̷d̴o̵n̷'̴t̸ ̴l̷i̶k̸e̶ ̴t̵h̵i̶s̶ ̷p̴l̶a̴c̴e̴.̶"̷

̷S̶i̸l̴e̸n̶c̸e̵.̷

̸"̵I̶ ̷d̴o̵n̵'̸t̴ ̸t̷h̴i̸n̴k̶ ̵w̸e̷ ̴c̷a̶n̸.̶ ̵W̷e̸ ̴a̷r̷e̶ ̵n̶o̸t̸ ̸l̶i̴k̸e̷ ̸t̸h̸e̶ ̵o̵t̷h̴e̵r̷s̶.̶ ̷A̶s̴ ̶s̵o̷o̵n̷ ̵a̵s̷ ̴t̸h̸e̶ ̷b̵u̵b̸b̷l̵e̸s̵ ̷a̶p̴p̴e̵a̸r̷e̶d̸,̶ ̸w̵e̸ ̴w̸e̸r̸e̵ ̵d̶o̴o̴m̴e̶d̷.̷"̷

...

Lauris blinked. What was that? She gasped as a hot searing pain stabbed through her eyes. The woman tried to think back to what she witnessed, but the pieces of memory faded, gone. The headache disappeared.

Lauris took a deep breath and squinted once more.

She needed to see.

She needed to see the exit.

...

"̶H̶e̴y̶,̷ ̶I̵'̵m̵ ̷b̸o̶r̵e̸d̵.̷"̶

̴A̶ ̸s̷i̵g̴h̷.̵ ̵"̴I̵ ̶k̶n̶o̷w̸,̵ ̶b̶u̷t̸ ̵w̷e̵ ̷c̴a̷n̵ ̴o̷n̷l̵y̸ ̴w̶a̸t̶c̶h̵.̵"

̵"̴I̵ ̶s̶e̷e̵ ̶a̶l̷l̶ ̷t̵h̷e̷s̶e̷ ̷l̷i̵g̵h̵t̶s̶ ̶i̶n̵ ̵t̸h̵e̸ ̷b̶u̵b̴b̷l̶e̴s̶.̵ ̶D̶o̸ ̷y̴o̷u̶ ̵t̴h̵i̵n̶k̴ ̵t̴h̵e̸y̵ ̶w̵i̴l̴l̷ ̷p̴l̶a̶y̸ ̴w̷i̶t̷h̴ ̵u̷s̴?̶"̵

̵A̷ ̷r̵u̸s̴t̴l̷e̴.̸ ̷"̶I̵ ̸d̸o̵n̸'̴t̷ ̷t̶h̸i̶n̵k̷ ̵s̵o̷.̶"̸

̴S̸i̴l̵e̷n̸c̵e̴.̸

̴"̶H̶e̴y̴,̸ ̵I̸k̵n̸i̶,̸ ̷a̶r̶e̷ ̸w̴e̴ ̴b̸a̵d̷?̴"̴

̶"̴N̷o̸.̴ ̷W̷h̷y̶ ̷d̴o̶ ̴y̸o̶u̸ ̷a̴s̸k̸ ̷t̷h̵a̵t̷?̶"̸

̴"̶T̴h̷e̶ ̶l̸i̶g̵h̸t̷s̸ ̶d̶o̶n̶'̸t̷ ̷l̴i̵k̴e̴ ̴u̵s̷.̴ ̴W̸e̵ ̴c̴a̵n̵'̴t̸ ̵t̶o̷u̸c̷h̶ ̴t̸h̴e̸m̴.̶ ̷T̴h̴e̷y̶ ̴f̶l̵y̴ ̵a̴w̵a̵y̶.̴ ̴T̴h̴e̵y̵'̵r̸e̷ ̷s̴c̶a̵r̵e̴d̴ ̷o̶f̸ ̴u̸s̴.̷"̴
̵"̸I̶ ̵g̵u̷e̴s̸s̴ ̶t̴h̴a̶t̸'̸s̴ ̴t̴h̷e̵ ̵c̶r̸u̴e̴l̸t̶y̷ ̵o̷f̴ ̵o̶u̷r̷ ̵e̸x̸i̵s̵t̸e̶n̴c̸e̴.̷"̸

̵"̴W̷h̵o̶-̵W̷h̵o̸ ̴a̵r̶e̴ ̴y̷o̵u̵?̴"̷

̷A̷ ̸c̶h̵u̴c̵k̵l̴e̷.̵ ̵"̸M̷e̶?̵ ̷I̵'̸m̵ ̶k̴n̴o̶w̵n̴ ̶a̴s̸ ̵T̸h̵e̶ ̸B̷e̶i̵n̴g̶.̶"̶

̴"̵M̷r̴ ̵B̸e̴i̸n̸g̶ ̷–̷"̶

̴"̵T̸h̴e̴ ̸B̸e̵i̷n̶g̶,̸ ̶t̷h̴a̵n̷k̸ ̶y̷o̸u̶ ̷v̴e̶r̵y̷ ̸m̴u̴c̶h̶.̴"̴

̴"̸T̷h̷e̵ ̷B̸e̸i̷n̷g̴,̴ ̶a̷r̵e̴ ̴w̶e̵ ̸b̷a̶d̴?̷"̴

̶S̶i̴l̵e̶n̸c̴e̶.̶

̵"̴D̴e̴f̴i̶n̵e̵ ̶b̸a̶d̷,̴ ̵y̶o̸u̴n̷g̵ ̷w̵a̷n̴d̴e̵r̴e̶r̶.̶ ̶F̸o̷r̵ ̴e̴x̶a̵m̵p̷l̶e̵,̴ ̷t̶h̴o̸s̷e̴ ̷l̸i̶g̶h̸t̸s̶ ̷m̸a̷y̶ ̵b̶e̴ ̶c̷r̶u̶e̵l̷ ̵f̵o̸r̵ ̵e̶x̷c̴l̴u̷d̶i̴n̵g̶ ̴y̶o̷u̵.̴"̴
̸"̶M̴e̷?̷"̷

̴"̶Y̴e̷s̵,̶ ̴y̴o̴u̵.̷ ̸Y̴o̴u̴ ̶t̷h̷i̶n̴k̵ ̷y̵o̶u̴ ̷a̶r̵e̴ ̴t̶w̴o̴,̵ ̸b̷u̷t̴ ̵y̶o̷u̸ ̵a̵r̴e̴ ̸o̸n̴e̷.̸ ̴Y̶o̸u̸ ̷a̵r̷e̸ ̵a̵ ̶D̴o̷u̸b̵l̷e̸ ̸E̷x̷i̶s̶t̵e̴n̷c̶e̵.̵"̶

̴"̶D̴o̴e̵s̵ ̵t̶h̴a̸t̷ ̷m̸e̴a̴n̷ ̴w̴e̸-̸I̴ ̶a̸m̴ ̸w̵e̸i̷r̵d̸?̴"̸

̶M̷o̷r̷e̶ ̷s̷i̴l̸e̷n̴c̴e̵.̵

̸"̵N̷o̵.̷ ̷Y̵o̷u̴ ̴a̸r̸e̴ ̶y̴o̷u̴n̴g̶ ̸a̴n̶d̸ ̵f̶i̵x̵a̸t̴e̵d̴ ̸o̵n̷ ̶o̵n̵e̸ ̶l̶a̶y̴e̴r̷.̷ ̷P̴e̴r̴c̴e̷p̷t̷i̴o̶n̸ ̵i̸s̵ ̵i̴n̵f̷i̷n̵i̷t̸e̸.̸ ̷Y̴o̴u̸ ̴a̸r̷e̶ ̴o̸n̵e̷,̵ ̶a̸n̵d̶ ̷y̶o̵u̴ ̶a̸r̸e̵ ̴t̷w̶o̶.̵ ̶Y̶o̶u̸ ̷a̷r̵e̶ ̷t̸w̷i̸n̴s̸.̴"̷

̵"̴T̵w̷i̴n̶s̴?̴"̸

̴"̶Y̷e̸s̴,̴ ̷t̵w̵i̶n̷s̴.̶"̶

̵S̵i̷l̸e̸n̵c̸e̴.̴

̴"̴H̷e̶y̸,̷ ̸T̵h̵e̴ ̷B̵e̷i̶n̶g̷,̷ ̵c̶a̴n̶ ̷w̷e̸ ̵p̴l̴a̴y̷ ̴w̴i̷t̶h̶ ̵t̸h̷o̴s̵e̸ ̶l̶i̷g̶h̸t̸s̸?̴"̴

̴A̶ ̵s̸i̴g̸h̴.̸ ̷"̶I̴ ̵d̸o̸n̸'̶t̸ ̵k̸n̴o̴w̸ ̵w̷h̵y̵ ̷y̴o̶u̴ ̵a̷r̶e̶ ̷s̶o̵ ̶f̶i̶x̷a̸t̶e̷d̷ ̴o̴n̷ ̸t̶h̶o̵s̷e̵ ̵l̴i̸m̵i̷t̴e̴d̷ ̶e̷x̷i̷s̴t̶e̵n̸c̴e̷s̵.̸ ̴Y̸o̴u̴ ̸a̷r̵e̸ ̴b̴l̵i̸n̴d̶ ̷t̵o̵ ̸t̵h̴e̵ ̵u̸n̸i̶v̷e̷r̴s̷a̴l̷ ̸h̴i̴e̶r̴a̸r̷c̸h̶y̸.̴"̵

̸"̵W̷h̴a̸t̴ ̴d̶o̷e̵s̶ ̴t̶h̶a̸t̴ ̷m̵e̴a̶n̵?̴"̸

̴"̷I̶'̴l̷l̷ ̸s̸h̸o̸w̸ ̶y̶o̵u̵.̴"̵

...

Lauris screamed. Bright flashes exploded in her mind. The woman doubled over as pain crawled over her skin. Then, a sudden clarity.

...

"̴W̶h̶a̵t̵-̶w̵h̵a̵t̶'̸s̷ ̷t̸h̴i̷s̶?̴"̷

̴"̴T̸h̵a̷t̷ ̵i̸s̸ ̸c̸r̷u̷e̸l̶t̷y̸.̸"̸

̸"̶W̵h̸y̷,̵ ̶w̷h̸o̶ ̴d̵o̶ ̶t̴h̷e̶y̴ ̷d̸o̸ ̵t̸h̷i̵s̵?̸"̷

̶"̵B̴e̷c̷a̷u̷s̷e̶,̷ ̵a̸s̷ ̵a̷ ̷l̷i̵m̴i̴t̶e̸d̶ ̵b̴e̸i̷n̸g̴,̴ ̸o̸n̴e̵'̵s̷ ̷g̴r̵e̵a̸t̷e̶s̸t̷ ̷s̴t̸r̶e̷n̸g̸t̵h̶ ̶i̴s̵ ̵o̵n̷e̶'̴s̷ ̷g̶r̷e̴a̴t̸e̵s̶t̶ ̸w̶e̷a̸k̵n̷e̵s̸s̷.̷"̵

̶"̸W̵h̷i̵c̸h̷ ̴i̶s̷?̶"̶

̸"̷G̴r̷e̶e̵d̴.̸"̶

̸"̶D̷o̶ ̴t̶h̶e̸y̵ ̷r̶e̴a̵l̶l̶y̸ ̷h̶a̶t̴e̴ ̴e̸a̴c̶h̷ ̴o̶t̸h̴e̷r̵ ̵t̶h̴a̶t̸ ̵m̵u̸c̶h̵?̷"̴

̶S̶i̸l̴e̴n̷c̶e̴.̴

̷"̶N̶o̴,̴ ̷t̵h̵e̶y̷ ̸j̴u̷s̷t̸ ̸l̶i̵k̶e̶ ̸o̶t̷h̸e̷r̷ ̴t̶h̴i̶n̸g̸s̵ ̸b̸e̵t̷t̵e̴r̸.̴"̸

̶"̷O̷h̶.̴"̴̷̸"̷B̵u̴t̴ ̸y̸o̴u̸ ̷s̷t̷i̷l̶l̶ ̵w̴a̸n̷t̸ ̵t̵o̴ ̵p̴l̵a̸y̵ ̴w̴i̶t̷h̷ ̵t̸h̶e̷m̷,̷ ̴r̴i̷g̸h̷t̸?̸"̶

̸S̷i̸l̷e̷n̸c̵e̶.̵

̵"̶Y̶e̶s̷.̷"̴

̷"̴T̴h̷e̶n̶ ̵y̸o̷u̵ ̴h̷a̴v̴e̵ ̷t̷o̵ ̶s̸p̴e̸a̶k̶ ̵w̶i̴t̵h̷ ̸t̶h̴e̶i̵r̵ ̴l̴a̷n̸g̶u̴a̸g̸e̵.̴ ̷Y̸o̴u̶ ̶h̸a̵v̴e̶ ̷t̴o̷ ̸b̴e̶ ̸c̵r̷u̷e̵l̸.̴"̸

̴"̵W̷h̸y̵?̵"̷

̵"̸T̷h̸a̸t̵ ̸i̸s̴ ̶t̶h̸e̴ ̸o̶n̵l̵y̷ ̶t̶h̶i̷n̴g̶ ̵t̴h̵e̸y̶ ̷u̸n̶d̴e̸r̴s̷t̵a̶n̴d̶.̶ ̸T̶h̷e̷y̷ ̵c̵a̵n̸'̶t̴ ̶c̸o̵m̵p̴r̵e̵h̵e̵n̷d̸ ̴u̶s̸,̴ ̵s̸o̶ ̶w̴e̶ ̵n̶e̴e̸d̷ ̵t̶o̷ ̶g̵i̷v̵e̵ ̸t̵h̴e̵m̵ ̸o̵n̶e̶ ̴t̸h̴i̸n̸g̸ ̸t̵o̵ ̴f̷o̸c̷u̴s̶ ̸o̸n̷.̴ ̸T̶h̸e̷y̵ ̷a̴r̷e̸ ̸d̷i̵f̸f̷e̶r̴e̴n̶t̶ ̶t̷o̶ ̸u̴s̶ ̵o̸n̵ ̶a̶ ̶f̷u̴n̷d̴a̴m̵e̵n̷t̵a̸l̶ ̵l̴e̷v̶e̸l̴.̶ ̴T̶h̵e̵y̴ ̸p̴r̶e̸t̷e̶n̶d̴ ̶t̶o̷ ̶b̸e̷ ̸k̸i̷n̴d̶,̸ ̷b̵u̸t̸ ̵t̶h̵e̷y̸ ̷a̶r̵e̵ ̶r̷u̵t̶h̶l̸e̵s̶s̶.̷"̵

̷"̸W̴h̶y̴ ̴c̵a̵n̵'̶t̷ ̴t̶h̵e̸y̵ ̷u̷n̵d̶e̴r̷s̷t̷a̴n̴d̵ ̴u̵s̴?̴"̶

̴S̶i̶l̷e̵n̶c̸e̷.̶

̶"̵I̴ ̷g̷u̷e̸s̵s̴ ̵i̶t̵'̷s̷ ̸p̸e̴r̶s̵p̴e̵c̷t̵i̷v̷e̸.̶ ̵T̴h̶e̶i̵r̸ ̵s̴m̶a̶l̸l̵ ̶m̵i̶n̷d̵s̸ ̷a̴r̸e̴ ̴n̴o̸t̸ ̴y̷e̴t̷ ̷r̸e̴a̷d̶y̴ ̷t̶o̴ ̸o̷p̷e̶n̷ ̷u̴p̵ ̸t̵o̵ ̷c̵o̵n̴c̴e̵p̶t̶s̴ ̶a̶l̴i̷e̷n̸ ̵t̸o̴ ̵t̶h̵e̶i̶r̶ ̶u̴n̶d̶e̶r̶s̸t̷a̸n̶d̶i̸n̷g̷,̵ ̵a̸l̶i̷e̵n̶ ̵t̷o̴ ̸t̵h̴e̴i̴r̸ ̵r̸u̵l̸e̴s̴.̸ ̷T̶h̴e̷i̷r̴ ̴a̵c̷t̷i̸o̴n̸s̶ ̸a̴r̸e̸ ̴b̴o̶t̸h̶ ̷i̵d̴i̵o̴t̷i̵c̵ ̸a̵n̷d̷ ̵a̸m̷u̷s̶i̷n̶g̸.̸"̶
̵"̴H̸o̶w̵ ̷c̵a̸n̸ ̵I̸ ̶g̶e̵t̴ ̶t̵h̵e̵m̵?̶"̷

̷"̶S̵i̵m̵p̷l̸e̷,̵ ̵y̵o̵u̸ ̵i̴n̴t̷e̷r̴f̸e̶r̶e̷ ̶w̵i̸t̶h̶ ̷t̶h̷e̵m̵.̶"̷

̶"̷S̴o̶m̸e̴t̸h̴i̴n̶g̸ ̵l̴i̷k̸e̷ ̴t̶h̶i̸s̸?̶"̷

̶"̸Y̶e̸s̴,̶ ̸b̵u̵t̸ ̶y̴o̶u̸ ̵c̸a̶n̶'̴t̶ ̸e̶x̵p̸o̵s̴e̵ ̴t̶h̶e̵m̶ ̷t̴o̵ ̷t̸h̶i̴s̸ ̷s̵p̵a̷c̶e̷.̵ ̷T̷h̵e̴y̶ ̸w̴i̸l̷l̸ ̶g̸o̷ ̸m̸a̶d̷.̵ ̸Y̶o̸u̷ ̵n̷e̶e̴d̶ ̶t̵o̴ ̵c̷r̷e̶a̸t̶e̷ ̶a̴ ̴t̶e̵m̸p̶l̵a̷t̵e̴.̴ ̶S̷p̶r̸e̷a̵d̵ ̸t̵h̸e̵ ̴b̶u̶b̴b̷l̶e̵ ̵t̸o̴ ̸c̷o̶v̸e̷r̸ ̵t̸h̷e̶ ̴s̴p̸a̶c̴e̶ ̶s̶o̵ ̴t̵h̵a̸t̸ ̶t̷h̶e̸y̷ ̷c̸a̵n̵ ̴l̴i̵v̵e̴.̸ ̵L̷e̴t̷'̷s̷ ̶c̵a̵l̷l̸ ̸t̷h̶i̴s̸ ̷T̴h̶e̴ ̶B̶e̸t̴w̷e̸e̷n̶,̵ ̶s̵h̷a̷l̴l̷ ̶w̴e̴?̷"̵

̴"̸O̸k̸a̸y̷.̵"̴

̷"̵A̵n̵y̴t̷h̴i̷n̴g̶ ̵e̶l̶s̶e̷?̵"̷

̷"̴W̶h̴y̵ ̴a̶r̷e̶ ̷y̸o̶u̴ ̶h̸e̸l̷p̷i̸n̶g̴ ̸m̸e̸?̶"̸

̵S̸i̷l̴e̶n̵c̵e̸.̸

̵"̴B̶e̸c̴a̷u̴s̸e̸ ̴I̸ ̶l̸i̵k̵e̶ ̵t̵o̷ ̵w̶a̴t̸c̷h̴.̸"̶

̵"̴W̴a̶t̵c̷h̸ ̴w̴h̷a̵t̵?̴"̶

̵"̵Y̷o̴u̶'̵l̷l̴ ̴u̵n̸d̷e̷r̷s̶t̷a̴n̶d̸ ̴o̴n̴e̷ ̷d̶a̶y̴.̶"̴

...

"Girl, hey, girl."

Lauris blinked as her vision blurred and doubled.

"She's awake."

Lauris sat up, groaning as a sharp pain pierced her head. "What happened?"

A woman clasped her hands excitedly. "You're one of the ones that can see, right? Of course, you are! You disappeared!"

Lauris blinked, watching as the woman's bright green eyes flashed madly. "You are going too fast. What's going on?"

The woman stepped back. She laughed. "Of course, of course. I forgot. I'm sorry."

Lauris surveyed her surroundings. She shivered. People stared at her with expectant eyes, anticipating eyes. The woman looked behind her. There were others. Some sat up groggily, while others stood, guarded.

Were they the others that could also see?

Lauris frowned.

Where was Nora?

Lauris looked back at the woman. "Could you start from the beginning?"

The woman smiled. "Of course!" She pulled her white jacket closer and sat down. "A bunch of people suddenly disappeared. We all panicked, but then the twins showed up! And guess what?"

Lauris tilted her head. "What?"

The woman chucked.

Another shiver ran down her spine. Why did this feel so wrong?

"The twins told us the way out! We just have to break the eye statues scattered around the house. However, those that can't see will never find them. So, we need the help of all those that can see! We want - no, we need your help."

"Lies!"

Lauris jumped as a fierce voice came from behind. She blinked as a teenaged boy stepped forward.

"You took Nora. She isn't back yet. How can we trust you? What if you killed her?"

Lauris raised a brow. Knife?

The woman frowned. "Dear boy, let's clear up some misunderstandings, shall we? Why would we harm you? You guys are valuable. Find all the eye statues, and we all can go home."

The boy stared at the woman suspiciously. "Fine."

The woman chucked. "Good! I'm glad we are all on the same page. Now, shall we? I can see that all the others are awake."

Lauris looked back. She watched as some slowly stood up from the cold floor.

The woman clapped her hands. "Okay, first stop, the stairs."

...

"Well, this is a problem."

Lauris nodded. There were no doors, only a pile of eye statues. However, there were only six statues in all.

"What's taking you all so long?"

"What's the problem?"

"There aren't enough statues."

"No way."

Lauris looked down. "What if we explore the rest of the house?" She shifted as stares pointed her way.

"It's safe right?"

Lauris shrugged. "I don't know, but first, let's put these statues somewhere."

"How many are there?"

"Six."

Murmurs rippled across the small group of people.

"There are twenty of us in total."

Lauris glanced at some of the others who could see. "It's up to you. Personally, I feel like something wrong, as in, something is going on."

At that, everyone froze. A bone-chilling laugh rang across the room.

"How did you know?"

Lauris turned around. It was that woman.

"How did you know that we planned to kill all those who could see?"

Lauris pursed her lips. "First of all, Nora is missing. Then, at the top of the stairs, six statues were conveniently placed here? Not to mention, there are a lot fewer people than before."

"I knew it! I knew there was something fishy."

The woman laughed. "I see. You are half right and half wrong. Nora was of great help until she dropped dead. However, there was still a place we have yet to explore. Believe it or not, the only places available were here and the bottom of the stairs. Beyond that darkness was nothing. Just a weird warping curtain of nothing."

"So, you need us to see the way."

The woman nodded. "Yes. For once, the boy said something smart. Now, we could get lucky and all have eye statues, or we could be stupid and die here. However, as long as there's hope, you people are willing to do anything. That includes helping us, no?"

Lauris looked back. She saw the others looking at each other uneasily. Since when did people start separating each other into groups? She understood the need to go back. However, how would they know that this would work? How did they know that the eye statues sent them back?

Lauris began to count the heads.

Ah. It made sense now. It all made sense now.

The woman thought back to the tombstones. The numbers were a countdown to death. There was one way out with the hope that everybody had a statue, especially with an unexplored area of the mansion.

There was another leader. However, that leader must have left, along with a bunch of other people. This group was the dregs, the leftovers.

It was only then that she grasped at the cruelty. It was obvious but no one could do anything about it. Whatever the twins were, they knew how to manipulate human nature.

Everyone here was a toy, a spectacle, and judging from the despair mixed with anticipation in their faces, everyone knew.

This set up was a ticking time bomb, an explosive act. It was just some managed to leave early, and perhaps that was thanks to Nora. Nora helped some to escape, but she died.

Suddenly, she knew why everyone was so tense, why they were willing to grasp at any hope, why there were willing to listen to someone clearly mad.

Lauris gasped.

No. The woman was not mad.

It was desperation. The woman was desperate, and so was everyone else.

Lauris knew that she was also desperate. She sighed. "I'll go. Anyone else is welcome to join."

There were more murmurs. The woman blinked at her, eyes wide in surprise. She watches as more people began to look at each other.

Lauris swallowed down her guilt.

She disliked the reckless plan forming in her mind. The woman looked back at the others. It didn't help that some of the others could see. The woman walked down the stairs and across the floor. She stopped at a curtain of warping darkness, akin to cloth blowing in the wind.

Reaching out her hand, she saw.

Lauris smiled bitterly as she looked back.

It was clear that for now, the group will band together, bound by hope and desperate longing.

For now, at least.

She touched the curtain, watching it ripple and distort. Her plan was reckless, but what could she do?

After all, she too desperately wanted to go home.

...

The Being watched as its pawn reached out to a tear in The Between. It held in its laughter.

Interesting. So interesting.

Limited beings were oh so entertaining. No matter which universe, which race, they all struggled the same. They all acted the same.

They were all idiotically ignorant.

"̷A̶r̶e̴ ̴y̵o̸u̸ ̸g̴o̵i̴n̶g̶ ̵t̸o̷ ̶r̵e̶p̴a̷i̶r̵ ̵t̸h̴a̵t̸ ̷s̸p̷a̷c̵e̵,̶ ̴N̴e̸b̶u̷l̷o̸u̵s̷ ̵W̸a̴n̷d̸e̸r̵e̷r̴?̴"̷

"̸A̷r̷e̴ ̴y̵o̸u̷ ̸g̷o̴i̶n̸g̷ ̸t̵o̸ ̷k̴e̷e̶p̷ ̴w̶a̴t̶c̴h̸i̸n̸g̵?̴"̵

The Being laughed. It shifted its attention to The Wanderer. "You're not going to call me by my title?"

The Nebulous Wander stayed silent.

The Being shook its head. "̶R̸e̶l̷a̵x̴.̵ ̴I̶'̵m̶ ̷n̸o̸t̸ ̶g̶o̵i̸n̶g̶ ̵t̴o̴ ̶d̵o̵ ̵a̶n̵y̸t̸h̶i̸n̵g̴ ̶t̵o̸o̶ ̷d̵r̶a̵s̵t̴i̸c̶.̵ ̷T̴h̸i̷s̴ ̷t̷i̷m̸e̴,̵ ̶I̵'̵m̸ ̸j̷u̴s̴t̶ ̷a̶ ̵s̶p̴e̵c̸t̴a̵t̶o̸r̴.̸"̸

"̴O̴f̵ ̵c̶o̷u̵r̸s̶e̶,̴ ̶y̵o̶u̵ ̵h̶a̶d̷ ̴t̸o̸ ̴c̸h̶a̸n̵g̶e̵ ̶t̷h̷e̷ ̷g̷a̷m̴e̴ ̷u̶p̸ ̶a̸ ̵b̷i̵t̷.̵"̸

The Being shrugged. "̷I̸t̴ ̷d̸o̸e̷s̶ ̵g̴e̴t̷ ̷b̸o̵r̵i̶n̴g̵ ̸o̸n̸c̶e̷ ̴i̵n̸ ̷a̶ ̶w̴h̶i̶l̸e̶.̸"̶

The Nebulous Wanderer slithered away.

The Being shook its head. "̸I̸ ̷w̵o̴n̴d̴e̴r̸ ̷w̵h̵e̷n̴ ̴t̶h̸a̷t̴ ̵y̴o̷u̸n̷g̴ ̶o̸n̶e̸ ̴w̶i̵l̶l̸ ̶f̵i̸n̵a̶l̵l̸y̴ ̷u̷n̸d̴e̴r̴s̶t̷a̶n̷d̸ ̵t̴h̷e̵ ̸c̵o̶n̵c̴e̵p̸t̸ ̵o̴f̸ ̵e̵n̸j̷o̵y̸i̵n̴g̵ ̵e̶x̷i̶s̴t̶e̶n̷c̷e̷?̶"̵

******

Urgh. It's so hard trying to maintain the balance of glitchiness and readability. 

All the pieces start falling together, don't you think? I also think a change in blurb is needed. Once this is done of course.

Anyways!

Four thousandish more words to go!