*Labrinth

The music and everyone stops dancing. My dark stranger takes my hand and leads me to the stage. The mystery man is even more gorgeous in the limelight; he can't be human. The creator is indeed unfair if he is, for the man is of rare beauty. I have to admit I don't give into that blue-eyed blonde hair fetish. At least I didn't have one until now.

One can tell he has great esteem for himself by how he stands. He has that greek god top model esthetic, tall slender with this very standoffish glint in his eyes. It's almost noble; one could believe he was a knight of some realm in the past.

He laughs," I was more than that."

My face doesn't even have time to sketch a quizzical stare as he speaks.

"Friends, the time has come for our Initiatio. We have special guests tonight. Be careful to treat them well. As you can see, some of you have black masks, and the rest have white. It's for our little game, a part of cat and mouse. There's only one rule, those with the black masks must make it back here before the sand in this hourglass runs out," he says and points to the hourglass on a stand next to me which I overlooked until he spoke.

"We must make it back from where? Why leave when we can just wait here?" Someone says.

There's always someone to interpret the smart Alec.

The man smiles, "you can stay here, but it's at your risk and peril. You must all pass the curtains behind you and be back when the sand runs out," he smiles at the audience, brings my hand to his lips, and kisses it, "please come back safely milady."

It's hard to explain, but it's one of those moments where your mind tells you to run, but you're stuck on the spot for some odd and stupid reason.

"It sounds easy," Aurora says as I join her.

"Exactly, it seems too easy. I wonder what lies behind those curtains?"

"Inna, we came from there, remember. What do you think is behind it?" Aurora says as we follow those with bandit masks like ours while the white masks wearers remain with the host.

The guest who spoke remains also, something tells me to persuade him to come with us, but the arrogant stare he gives us as we pass turns my desire to help on snooze. We pass the curtain.

"Aurora, are you sure this is where we came from?"

A long corridor with white and black checkered tiles stretches before us with doors on either side. It seems endless; behind us, I hear what appears to be screams and dog barks.

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Aurora says.

This here, folks is the story of my life; I'm always the only one to see and hear things. Many thought I suffered from schizophrenia because of my outbursts as a child.

See the girl who thinks there are monsters in her closet and under her bed, well, that's me. Because of this, I slept in Knoxs' room until I was twelve. My parents went out of their way to stop me from doing so once my menstrual cycle started. Afraid of my visions, I had a hard time comprehending why it was wrong to sleep in the same bed as Knox. I mean, he's my brother. Okay, we're both adopted, but he's my brother, as I said.

Knox has always protected me. He spent his time following me so that I wouldn't get hurt and came off as a stalker for some. Many, including Aurora, thought he had a Siscon complex when he dumped Jane Robinson because she said I was a freak. I was a weight in his teenage years when I think of it.

Back then, I had no notion of what it meant. I laughed when Aurora explained the definition of the term. As if my brother could have romantic feelings for me.

It's weird Knox is the first person who comes to mind every time I feel menaced like right now. Everyone here seems undisturbed, and all I see are lighthouse beaming red lights.

"Look, there's my name on this door," someone says.

"This is mine," a woman yells.

Aurora and I advance to see if there's a door with our names. That's when they come out from behind the curtain, fangs dripping with saliva.

Wolves, big white wolves à là Little-Red-Riding-Hood.

I've never seen anything like them. People scream and run to the doors in panic, but they quickly realize they only open for their name bearers.

"Aurora."

"Come on, Inna, run."

"I can't move in this dress, remember."

"Rip it."

"What? It's your dress."

"Rip it; otherwise, you won't walk ever again," Aurora says.

Eh, I don't know if I should do it, though my life depends on it. I've got little scruples to tear her one thousand five hundred dollar dress. Still, I tug on the back, pull, and the slit opens up.

We run.

The wolves begin their walk; those who have found their door enter to flee the pack.

Don't look, back don't, look back, Inna, I repeat to myself as the screeches rise. I must be dreaming. It's the only explanation; this doesn't make sense. Perhaps we're in a video gag episode.

Wolves, my mind is a total warzone; I almost forget I'm not alone. We are many to experience this frightful moment.

"There's my door," Aurora shouts.

"Aurora, please don't leave me."

"Inna, you saw you know you can't enter."

Aurora," I plead though I'm well aware she can't do anything for me. Still, I grasp her arm. The wolves are close, too, close.

Human nature.

Aurora pulls off my hands," Inna, get off me."

Her natural reaction astonishes me though I know I would act the same way. Her salvation lies behind the door, but desperate me hangs on, forgetting I'm preventing her from leaving.

"Inna, they'll have us both. Let go of me," she shrieks like a banshee.

I let go as the slap of realization she inflicts me lands on my cheek. Aurora turns away; I'm alone in this hall with these wolves.

Where did they come from?

The host didn't speak of wolves; I'm almost sure those to chase us were the white mask wearers. I run while the wolves strut behind.

Where's my door, goddammit.

Finally, I see it, open and enter. Honestly, I should have stayed with the wolves. More doors and mirrors stretch before me. I look behind the one I entered is gone.

What is this place?

Again, I can't explain, but I have this déjà vu sensation. My body recalls something similar.

Where did I feel like this?

Oblivion tattoos, the hall from the parlor to Sorens' room, this place reminds me of it.

Good job, Inna, I'd like to congratulate myself more, but I remember I have to get out of here. I'm going straight to the police as soon as I am.

Since when does a nightclub own a wolf pack?

The wolves attacked the guests; perhaps some are dead already. Aurora is crazy; how can she wish to become a member?

I slalom through the mirrors and enter the first door as expected horrors lie in the darkness, reminding me of my worse nightmares. The course resembles a fairs' ghost train, with spooky sounds and skeletons popping out of nowhere.

I meet a dead end and turn, shit, there's another one. There aren't many options; I open another door and advance while praying to remain in the dark. For the first time in my existence, I feel relieved by the lack of light. The obscurity camouflages what I step on and the elements that brush against my legs. All I hear are hissing sounds and the pitta-patter of steps.

Suddenly, lights beam and blink on and off to my frightful delight. I see the swamp of snakes at my feet and thousands of spiders.

My breath hitches, my heart speeds up, and this burning sensation fills my lungs which combust. I scream, but there's no sound. Why can't I feel my mouth, a short flash of light allows me to see my silhouette; my lips are gone.

Silence.

I'm deaf, and for once, I wish to be blind. My eyesight can't handle the terror around me. Without a doubt, I'm sure I'll die here.

How I hate myself right now, I should have said no. I should have stayed home and watched Goblin.

Why did I accept to leave Crimson central?

I lose feet; the snakes and spiders conquer my body which sinks underwater.

What, there's a pool here?

Wait a minute, rewind. I'm sinking, yes, I confirm, I'm sinking.

The creepers leave my body, and I'm free, or at least I think I am, until I feel suction on my leg and look down at what grasps me: tentacles, those of a gigantic octopus I've ever seen.

Yep, Imma die here.

To all the girls in slasher movies I dissed for making bad decisions, I'm no wiser than you. As far as I'm concerned, I'm dumb as fuck right now.

The octopus reels me to him when suddenly light and I see the huge technicolored wings of a butterfly.

What is this? A Patronus, this hallucination, yes, it's what I've decided all of this is; otherwise, I'll go crazy. So this hallucination keeps getting wackier.

Can someone please tell me when am I going to wake up from this nightmare?