I felt bad. I didn’t really feel like myself anymore. It seems like I couldn’t help but explode at the inch of a penny given. The baby was just beyond my reach and things only seemed to get further and further, it was an awful feeling made easier to swallow with the occasional yelp and scream. Maybe to the wrong people. Like Taylum, Sophia seems like a curious girl. It's hard to take things as is now anymore. Right?

“No dawdling. Come on inside Lian and friends. Your beloved Drock had called in a favor for both a Lian and Taylum. Perhaps your friend got lucky on befriending the two of you. You see, Armanto is very busy and see’s very few people a year if at all. A man of such... prestige... rarely has time to play with the hearts of man, let alone three children.” Ye-Estefa explained, her echoing voice fading further away.

“Do not fret girl. As I said, you are invited too…” She continued, her ominous voice surrounding Sophia like Darbis' fog, only thicker.

“Step into the darkness. Armanto is expecting you.” She insisted.

I had no choice but to move forward. He felt close, the baby felt so close I could practically hear him cry. It wasn’t long before I noticed Taylum and Sophia follow very closely behind me, albeit a little too closely and I couldn’t blame them. We were walking into a super dark room with nothing but a disembodied voice to guide us and a couple of green glowing mushrooms to light our path like some sort of creepy runway.

When I turned my head again, Taylum pressed closer and closer to Sophia in horror, to the point where there cheeks were nearly plastered into each other. Admittedly I almost had forgotten Sophia was here. If I wasn’t for Ye-Esefa, I most definitely would or forgotten. I remember faintly hearing Taylum call her behind me, but I’m surprised she tagged along. After all, she was at my throat only moments ago.

“Lian look!” Warned Taylum.

“The mushrooms are moving behind us!” His voice trembled.

As we passed each individual mushroom, they would repel themselves away as if we were the same side of a magnet, only to end up clumped up behind us. At times, I could hear a faint quick shuffling, sometimes even from the roof just above us. A scuttling, a crunch, and even a squish, these mushroom things seemed to just follow us everywhere we went. We need to move faster...

I glanced back at Taylum and Sophia, hoping to gather some courage from them but they seemed just as afraid as I was. Taylum and Sophia moved at the anxious speed of someone expecting to get mugged from behind. I don't think my shaking knees give off a more courageous picture to them.

When the mushroom's green light occasionally hovered around Sophia, I could see her head swivel left and right with the caution of an animal listening for there hunter. Taylum on the other hand...it didn’t take long for me to overhear Sophia push him off of her once more.

“Toiggis! Taylum! Whatever! Calm down! We’re all obviously scared here! Please get off! I can’t breath!” She commanded just behind me.

“Do you not see the army of insects growing around us!?” Warned Taylum.

“W-we should keep moving Taylum. Ye-stella got us in, she can get us o-out.” I tried commanding with the best of my ability.

Taylum and Sophia nodded there head, as if there was nothing else they can do, and maybe they were right. It was like a horror movie. The shuffling only grew quicker, closer, and louder. Sometimes when the green light from the mushrooms tilted just right, we could see a shimmer from a pair of big beady bug eyes.

“You may want to lower your voice Taylum. The Elings will become upset.” Warned Ye-Estefa, her voice fading in the darkness in front of us.

“Just keep up and you’ll be fine.” Taunted Ye-Estefa.

“We’re trying.” Mumbled Taylum.

Every second walking down this mysterious hall felt like a second too long. Everytime the floorboard creaked under us, I felt one of us jump up towards the ceiling like some sort of old cartoon. I am getting tired of almost soiling myself in fear and I’m sure everyone felt the same way. Maybe I should lighten the mood up with conversation...I don’t know...anything at this point could help.

“Sophia?” I asked reluctantly with an unexpected heavy sigh.

I saw her eyes dart towards me like a bull on red. They weren’t as ferocious as before but she seemed very bitter towards me. Although to be fair, I too felt as though I went overboard. .... Is it too late to apologize? Is this even the time? Should I say something...

“You’re bumping into my basket.” I groaned, my voice even cracking a bit.

Those were the only words I could direct towards her without losing composure. At first she appeared even angrier but quickly she backed away from me and opted to deal with Taylum instead. For that, I could finally appreciate her.

I could hear Taylum giggle behind me, although I don’t know if he truly found my attempt at peace or voice crack funny, or maybe..., he was finally going insane from the scuttling of the mushroom bug things or Elings- as Ye-Estefa called them-.

“Is the slime supposed to tickle?” Whispered Taylum, just behind me.

“You will be fine. Should you be selected to be eaten, you would of not made it this far. We’re almost there everyone, please just follow my voice.” Instructed Ye-Estefa

“Why does it have to be so dark? It wasn’t like this before. Not at all. I didn't say hallways, no bugs, nothing but a desk and a couple of chairs. How?” Asked Taylum once again.

Ye-Estefa gave no response. Our only choice is to continue to follow the voice into the darkness. Every step I took deeper into that darkness felt heavier than the last and the increasing number of scuttling behind us only added to my sensation of being in danger. Even though we were being lit with more lights from behind, I couldn't help but feel more unsafe, as the bugs scuttling noises grew louder than numerous Taylum's shrieks of fear.

“I know your worried Lian. That baby is safe. I trust Drock. Armanto can't be a bad guy. He can’t be.” Assured Taylum, panting his way next to Lian.

I could only nod at Taylum. I know there is a possibility he is wrong, and that possibility alone was enough make me feel as though I am harboring some sort of boiling rage. If I opened my mouth, I don’t know what I could say.

“Ok everyone watch your step!” Announced Ye-Estefa, her voice now louder than ever.

“I wish I could.” Remarked Taylum, now just behind me.

As we walked closer to the voice, the mushroom creatures behind us sped in front of us crawling all over the ceiling and walls. Even the floor became covered in these moving mushrooms. Taylum, Sophia, and I hopped over the mushrooms as if they were a roaring rope of flame, fearing to step on whatever creature the mushroom was held upon. It wasn’t long before a glowing variety of swirling blue and green lights swirled into a spiral shape that decorated corridor as if it was twisting. At the end of the glowing spiral was a circular elevator with a single giant lever at the center. We could finally see Ye-Estefa waiting for us at the end of the hall.

Before Ye-Estefa stepped into these dark hallways, I caught a quick glimpse of her down the hall. Ye-Estefa appeared to wear some sort of white dress, although I couldn’t tell for sure. The glow of the mushrooms don’t help right now either but at least I can see I am dealing with the same person, or thing here...hopefully.

I gazed at Ye-Estefa waiting at the end of the spiral as she gazed right back at us, hardly blinking. Her eyes were a piercing bright yellow, like a weird circular lamp or the stare of a predator who's eyes reflected moonlight. Her iris was a thin pulsating black line that moved away and closer to her black pupil like the scope of a sniper rifle. She studied our every move.

I turned to Sophia and Taylum with a hopeful smile, hoping that they as well were behind me on moving forward. Needless-to-say, they were directly behind me. So close in fact, I felt there heart rates in both my shoulders.

"Are we sure about this?" I asked aloud.

Sophia and Taylum swayed there head left and right repeatedly, yet there bodies only pushed me forward despite me sometimes pushing back.

"Hurry now. Armanto does not wait long." Ye-Estefa warned,

Sophia, Taylum, and I rushed down the greenish blue hall packed together as if we were glued, racing toward Ye-Estefa who was just out of reach now. Ye-Estefa appeared to wear a long white dress with patches of white leather-like armor all around it. She reminded me of a bride that was getting ready to go to war, I've never seen a garb like it. The top of her chest was exposed and her arms were wrapped in a tight white silk. There were tiny yellow flourishes of cloth adorned all over with small yellow etchings at the edges of her dress.

As we grew closer, I could only continue to stare at her. I felt that if I broke eye contact with her strange moving eyes, I'd probably get eaten. Now, we were merely inches away.

Ye-Estefa appeared young, hardly older than me. She was pale skinned with a tiny white nose and somewhat puffy cheeks. She wore a tiny swirling band on her head while her hair was long enough to touch her hips. I felt conflicted. I looked toward Taylum and Sophia and even they stopped for a moment, staring at Ye-Estefa surprisingly somewhat normal appearance as well.

The circular elevator she was standing on was like the Poam elevator from before, only with a giant lever at the center, less decorated, and far smaller; although I do remember the Poam can change size too, so maybe this was a front of some kind.

“Line up on the outer rim of the circle and take a seat on each of its side as best as you can.” Instructed Ye-Estefa.

“Hey Lian. Guess we now know she can see in this darkness, but I think she forgot we can’t.” Whispered Taylum nervously.

“An Eling will be stationed where you must be seated.” Ye-Estefa explained, her voice becoming somewhat relaxed.

Taylum, Sophia, and I took position in the outer rim of the elevator. Going in, Taylum was on the left scared colorless by the Eling scuttling about next to him. Sophia was directly in front of the entrance. I was on the right. Ye-Estefa was at the center at the giant lever.

“Lian, Taylum, Sophia, be ready. Please remain seated criss-cross. You are about to meet A. A. Armanto owner of the Croak N Crunch. You must provide him with the utmost respect should you wish to leave here alive.” She requested, her hand now tightly on the lever.

Taylum, Sophia, and I looked at each other with regret. We all sat criss-cross immediately at her command, questioning almost nothing. The Eling simply retreated back into the hallway and we were once again left in the darkness with only Ye-Estella’s bright yellow eyes to light us.

“Going down.” announced Ye-Estella.