CHAPTER#62

She couldn't hold her breath for two minutes anymore, but it was longer than a minute before she was able to break free to the surface again, gasping for air. She took a deep breath, holding it in despite the fire in her lungs, allowing her body to bob to the surface. Floating on her back, she used her hands to push herself off the stone walls. The river split, and she kicked herself toward the route that widened out, the water's flow ebbing. Lying on her back, she stared at the rocky sky above, marveling at the giant stalactites above.

"Where am I?" She asked the ceiling, but it was too far away to answer her. She floated this way for some time, a watchful eye on the shore. She was missing a period of time again, but this time, something was different. She hadn't just woken up in her bed, an entire day gone. No, she had been running from something, which suggested that she had been in control of her body.

Or had she? Either she had a split personality, or something else was going on. Her eyes on the river, she spotted a small outlet, and kicked her way toward it. Crawling onto the rocky shore, she rolled on her back only to feel something pushing into her hips. Shifting her weight, she realized that she had a bag strapped to her body.

"What the fuck?" Sitting up on the rocks, she slid the bag around to her front. It looked like a miniature messenger bag, strapped securely to her torso. Unzipping it, she reached inside.

"Gah!" Her fingers had touched something hairy and wet. Standing up, she tossed the bag on the rocks, waiting for something like a giant rat to crawl out. Nearly a minute passed, and she was about to try again when the bag moved on its own, shifting about. Holding in a scream, the last thing she expected to push its head out was a creepy doll.

No, not just any doll. It was the one that Mike had given her, standing up on the rocks. The doll hopped out, pushing its rumpled red dress down in an attempt to flatten it out.

"I... don't suppose you know what's going on?" She asked. When the doll nodded, she didn't know whether to be surprised or not. "How... how did I get here?"

The doll walked toward her, and Beth took a step back. The doll stopped, holding one arm up, like it wanted to shake hands. Reluctantly, Beth knelt down, tentatively touching a finger to the cold, wet fabric.

The entire world popped, and Beth was standing inside of a house. On closer inspection, she realized that most of the windows and doors were painted on, a chill immediately traveling up her spine.

"Hello?" She asked. Wandering from room to room, she realized she was in a replica of the Radley house. Making a beeline for the stairs, she was headed for the front door when she saw the woman standing over by the hearth.

"Oh, please, no..." Beth whimpered, staring at the bedraggled figure. Her long hair covered her face, and her red gown was soaking wet. She was the epitome of every evil thing waiting to crawl out of a well, or television, or whatever, eager to drag Beth back to hell.

"Don't run," the figure said, remaining still. "I need to tell you what is happening."

"I'm dreaming?" Beth asked hopefully.

"No. This place is a figment, but it is my figment. It is real." She lifted her head, the hairs on her face never parting. "My name is Jenny. You've been here before."

Yeah, I doubt that, Beth thought to herself. "Okay Jenny, fill me in."

Jenny sagged, leaning against the wall. "No time for everything. I am exhausted, and cannot speak long. You are in a Labyrinth, a maze, a skip, a hop, a jump away!" Jenny shook her head, placing her hands against her temples. "No, wait. That's not what I meant. You are here with Mike. You need to find the others."

"What others?" Beth asked.

"Others like Lily."

Lily. The morning was coming back to her. The car crash, the story Lily had told her, the demon in the mirror. "Will the others hurt me?"

Jenny shook her head. "The minotaur might if he catches you. Avoid him at all costs. He will charge you what you cannot afford, put it on my tab!" Jenny tightened her hands into fists, pressing them even tighter to her head. "Dangerous. He's dangerous."

"Minotaur?" Beth asked. "Head of a bull, body of a man?"

"Don't leave my body..." Jenny sagged against the wall, sinking to the floor. "I'm... tired." The house shook and crumbled into darkness. Beth was standing on the shore, kneeling over the little doll that had collapsed.

"Well...fuck." Beth stared at the river, a sudden desire to toss the doll in surfacing in her mind. Jenny freaked her out. Grabbing onto the doll, it occurred to her that she had gone to the trouble of bringing it to this place. Whatever reason she had had for bringing the doll, she could figure it out later. Adjusting the straps on the messenger bag, she tucked Jenny back inside. Shivering, she examined the shore around her.

"I could really go for a fucking fire," she muttered to herself, climbing the slope. At the top was the entrance to a tunnel. Crouching to go inside, she walked for several feet, marveling at the bioluminescent moss on the walls. Touching it with her hands, she realized that it was slight warm to the touch.

"I'll take it where I can get it." She let her open hands hover over the brighter patches, fighting the chill that threatened to chatter her teeth. The tunnel opened up, and she found herself staring at a four way juncture.

"Hey, Jenny, which way?" she asked. The doll remained silent. Placing her left hand on the wall, she took the turn closest to her. Since she had no idea where she was going, the least she could do was try her best to avoid getting lost.