Test and Sacrifices

Innocence

Chapter 3

The duo looked around the walls fruitlessly for the solution. Little did they know they were looking in the wrong place for the wrong thing. “ What does that damn riddle want us to find?” Julia exclaimed in frustration. Nothing about this place was easy and everything was a riddle. Why couldn’t anything just be straight forward for once? Who designed this and why? This is a place of tests and sacrifices and though they’ve already faced tests the series of the test was far from over and sacrifices are to be expected.

The red rose has sometimes been associated with courage and flowers can symbolize life and death. Red is the color of blood and blood is the life source within all of our veins. A rose is a rose, and we all bleed the same.

Thorns are the roses swords and in battle the sword will sometimes taste blood. Dahlia’s blood isn’t real either; it wouldn’t satisfy the monster, only real blood sacrificed to it will pacify its longing to devour. If not sacrificed the monster may take as much as it pleases.

Owen went back to the rose and picked it up. Its thorns were sharp like razors, which caused Owen to accidentally slice his finger. As soon as blood started to flow they heard the monster yell, or more like screeched. Julia and Owen jumped in fear. An empty vial slipped under the door. “Fill the vial.” Julia said. “Why?” Owen questioned. Julia then responded with “ Cause why else would we be given a vial right after you’ve been cut? It’s our best bet.” Owen understood how dire the situation was and quickly picked up the vial and held his cut finger over it. The vial was quickly filled, but what do they do with it?

Julia opened the door and peaked out the monster was right outside and in a voice that sounded like a raspy melody it said “Sacrifice?” The way the creature said it sounded like a mix between a question and a statement. Owen stepped forward and while shaking held out the vial. The monster grinned and took it. The horror of a creature then began to drink from the vial.

As it did it changed. What was once a monster now looked like a beautiful angelic woman. Her eyes became an ice blue and her hair was now a thick flowing blonde weave of strains cascading from her head to her waist. Her skin was now soft looking with a soft blush to it. Her teeth looked human and her claws were now gone.

“ I still don’t trust this.” Julia said as she pulled Owen past the women and back to where they saw the two tunnels. This time they went down the right tunnel. They stumbled across a room with walls painted a soft turquoise color.. It looked like a hotel room and in the corner was a stereo making the sounds they heard earlier. On the wall were the words “ Congratulations you’ve either been smart enough to pick the right tunnel or escaped the monster. Either way this room is for rest. There's a door on the other side you can leave whenever you want. Rest well to be able to continue your journey.”

There were bandages for Owen’s cut and water for the both of them. It had a small fridge filled with fruit and a complete bathroom. There was everything that they may need.

Relief rushed over Owen as he began to relax. Despite Owen’s relief, Julia still felt weary. Her mind still shaken from everything that has happened. The instinct to question safety has been burned into her mind. Her small body shivered as she timidly asked “Are you sure we’re safe?” . Owen was so taken aback by her change in behavior. When they met she was like a wild animal mixed with a murderer and even after she was freed from room she was still not at all frail.

Now she seemed so small and fragile just like a tiny sculpture made of thin glass.“ Hey, it's ok now. Come on, lay down and get some rest.” Owen said softly. Julia could see the pity in his pale green eyes and resented the fact that she looked so frail but was also happy to have someone at least somewhat care about her well-being.

“Maybe Owen isn’t just a scrawny i***t" she thought while remembering how he did manage to handle things throughout this insane journey and how he helped her. She walked over to the bed and lied down. It wasn’t till then that she realized how worn down her mind and body was.. she fell asleep almost instantly cause for the first time in years she had a place to lay down that wasn’t a cold hard floor. Owen looked at the small girl before him.

Her eyes closed and her face relaxed made her look so at peace to him. Her small thin lips closed and still, the slight rise and fall of her chest all made her look like the little girl she was. Owen saw this and felt an urge to be protective over her as if she was his little sister. She was two years younger than him.

Owen went to the bathroom to shower. He felt relaxed as he turned on the water and felt it flow against his skin. The cool, and refreshing touch of the water was so soothing. It was a place of tranquility within this dark place. He got out, and after drying off with a towel, he put his clothes back on. When walking back into the main part of the room he decided to sleep on the floor. There was only one bed and he didn’t want to wake Julia, cause for once she actually looked to be in a state of peace. As he lay down, Owen was relieved that the room was carpeted instead of being a hardwood floor.

Owen began to close his eyes and surrender his mind to sleep. The two were finally able to rest after the horrors they faced. Despite this, more troubles lie ahead. Their rest would be needed to complete the mission to escape and return to the world. Neither knew where they would end up after they escaped, but they did know that they definitely wanted out of this plight.

Despite how bad he wanted out, a part of Owen was glad this happened to him because Julia and him wouldn’t have met and she’d still be trapped in the room he found her in. That’s just life though, horrible tragedies filled with regrets may cause at least one good thing to happen.

Julia awoke to find Owen one the floor. She looked over at him and asked “ Why are you on the floor?” Owen then poked his head up and answered with “ Cause I didn’t want to wake you.” She thought about how sweet that was and thanked him. Then she said “ But you know you didn’t have to do that right?” “ I guess but I just wanted to be considerate,” he responded. She smiled warmly at him. For some reason that smile looked so familiar.

It was a sweet and innocent smile, that was like a gently unspoken thank you. He couldn’t shake the thought that he had seen something just like this before. Anyways he smiled back and kindly thought “Do I now have a little sister?”