P.R.I.S.M of Memories -on Hold

Chapter Twenty-Two

~Conrad~

We slowly descend down the stone stairs holding hands. It looked worn with age but it felt sturdy enough. Laura's hand feels like ice. Near the bottom of the stairs I stop her and gesture for her to sit down. She complies. I kneel down until we are at eye level.

"Laura...are you ok?"

Her face miserable looking, she cast her eyes down. "...Yeah. I guess."

I breathe on her hands and rub them trying to make them warm. "Because you're freezing."

I try to put my forehead by hers and she jerks back. "I'm fine, Con. Let's just focus on getting out of here, ok?"

She didn't have to pull away so violently. I just wanted to check her temperature. I think she is getting sick. She is paler than when I first saw her. I gaze at my tunic.

It's long enough I think...

I rip at the fabric and it gave way more easily that I would've thought.

"Conrad, what are you doing?"

I manage to get two large strips out of it. I'm not really sure how well this will work but its better than nothing. I wrap one strip around her bare foot and try my best to make a pleasant looking shape. I repeat it with her other foot. She raises her foot up as if admiring it.

"It's hideous."

...ouch!

"But thank you. It's better than nothing, I guess."

...You could try to sound a bit more grateful, you know. I inwardly roll my eyes. Now's not the time to argue over something so dumb. I stand up and offer my hand to her. She takes it and I pull her up. We walk forward into the arched narrow hallway. I grope the stone as we walked through. It felt warm but definitely not breakable. Like the white room.

"Do we have to actually walk through this thing? I think it will just make us more lost."

I remain silent. I was wondering the same thing. I didn't want us to end up trapped in another room.

"Hey Con? You know what this reminds me of?"

"What?"

"That video game you were obsessed with for a while. Remember? It was like all puzzles? And the crazy machine that was supposed to be your friend but it was lying to you about the party with the cake? And like it had that nauseating view and gave me headaches when I would watch you?"

"Oh...yeah. I remember. You mean 'Gateway'? "

"Yeah. Doesn't it remind you a little?"

"I had teleportation magic in that game, Laura."

"I'm just saying that maybe...this is like that too. I mean I know it's a maze...but isn't that like a puzzle?"

I stop in front of a looming doorway. The walls reached far past what we could reach even if Laura stood on my shoulders.

"We are going to have to go through. I want you to stay close, Laura. I don't know what lies beyond here."

She giggles. "Yes, my fair knight."

I couldn't help but smile. Only Laura would try to find humor in such a bad situation. I reach for her hand but she pulls away to rub her arms.

"It's pretty cold in here though."

I feel a little rejected but brush it off. "Yeah it is. Let's do this."

We push the door open together and walk into a large circular room. The torches light themselves and illuminate six different hallways with stairs leading either up or down.  I hear the doors close behind us with a dull thud. I turn around and see a plain wall.