( DRAFT ) When These Walls Come Tumbling Down - A TADC Story

Chapter 4: Is That An Exit Door? Part. 1

Jax stormed away angrily. Ragatha apologised to Caine for his temper and ran after him. "Caine... If you're a human, then... do you think you could maybe help us, I don't know, find... an... exit...?" Pomni said, being careful with her choice of words.
"I've been looking for one for years, Dear. I don't know how else I can help. I've searched every single corner of this place, but nothing. I'm sorry." Caine replied.

The next morning, everyone sat eating breakfast quietly, Caine nowhere to be seen. Jax sat, staring into space angrily. Ragatha looked over at him and sighed. Pomni was the first to finish, getting up out of her chair and walking over to the stairs. Since Caine and Bubble's confession the day before, the atmosphere in the circus changed drastically.

Pomni walked up the stairs, her head hung low. She hummed the circus's theme to herself, before spotting something in the corner of her eye. She looked towards it, a flood of vibrant red paint on a door met her gaze. The door read "Exit". Pomni let out a yawn. She knew that it was just a digital hallucination, she did. She really did, but she didn't care. Her gloved hand grabbed the door knob and twisted it, opening the door to reveal a desolate hallway, with flickering lights. Pomni had adopted this hall as her quiet place. It was somewhere she could go to clear her head and escape the rest of the group.

She walked, and walked, and walked, for what felt like hours, until she came across something that was unfamiliar to her. She knew this part of the circus like the back of her own hand, but this? This was new. A tall grey door stood before her with a glowing, green exit symbol above it. Pomni's heart started to race. She pushed the door open. A cold breeze passed through the door into the hall, her shield her face. She started in amazement at the sight Infront of her. They could finally leave! All of them! Pomni turned on her heels to run back the way she came. With a sudden rush of adrenaline, she raced out of the hall and back down the colourful staircase to meet the rest of the crew.

Jax was the next to leave, storming down to his room. His anger had gotten the best of him, making him act very cold towards everyone. Especially Caine and Bubble. He placed his keys into his door. a picture was painted onto it that showed a picture of a tall, purple bunny with a wide, yellow grin looking off to the side. Once he had gotten into his room, Jax flopped onto his bed, not bothering to lock the door behind him. He his himself under the warm covers and started to sob. How could Caine do such a thing... he thought to himself.

There was a knock at his door. Jax didn't move. He didn't feel like it. He thought Caine to be something of a friend him, but now he felt betrayed. "Jax it's me," the person at the door called out to him. It was, of course, Ragatha.
"Go away." Jax said, the crying evident in his shaky voice. Ragatha exhaled slowly, before putting one of her soft, plush hands onto the doorknob.
"I'm going to open the door, is that okay?" she asked. The silence made her assume that it was a yes. She turned the doorknob, and to her surprise, the door actually opened, slowly, making a loud creaking noise as it did so. Ragatha stepped into the dark room, shutting the door behind her. She went over and sat down on the edge of his bed, messing with her hands. She pulled the cover off over his head and wiped away a tear that was running down his cheek.
"You can't hide in here forever, y'know?" she said, making Jax frown more. "Look," she said "I know you're upset, all of us are! But you can't just ignore everyone! It came as a shock for all of us, Jax." Jax nodded his head. Ragatha sighed and she took one of his hands in hers. "We all need each other right now. And if you're not going to do it for them, do it for me... please?" The pain in Ragatha's eyes just made Jax want to cry more, but he knew he had to stay strong for her, and, as much as he hated to admit it, the others too.

Gangle, Zooble and Kinger were having another one of their usual chats about Kinger's insect collection. Gangle was quite engaged in the conversation, however, Zooble just wanted to leave. They had heard too much about his insects and other weird things.

Pomni, Jax and Ragatha all arrived back in the main area at the same time. "Er... Kid, you alright?" Jax asked. Pomni was panting frantically, trying to form a sentence but unsure on what words to use.
"I found... an exit," she finally said, "I found an exit." Kinger sighed.
"Pomni, are you sure you're not hallucinating again?" he asked.
"I'm not this time I swear." she replied. Kinger suddenly screamed.
"AHH! Oh, sorry Gangle, you scared me," Gangle frowned as her comedy mask fell to the ground because of Kinger's scream.
"My comedy mask is broken again..." Gangle stated, shedding a tear or two.
"Are you all forgetting what Pomni said or what?!" Zooble cried, turning to face her, "Are you sure you're not hallucinating?"
"I mean it, I know what I saw!" Pomni replied, a bright sparkle in her multicoloured eyes, "We can all finally leave this digital hell!"