It is a common thing to say, do not believe in the word of strangers
But in desperate times, choices become scarce
The Hallway still goes, growing are are the shadows
They look to a way out, they try to stay in course
...
Wirt and Gregory were moving forward on the semi-desert mall, quite different from the one they were before, quite a lonely place as well.
"Do you think we'll reach somewhere if we keep on walking like Minos told us to do? We barely got to talk with him, I shoud've asked more directions" Said Wirt, as they were passing through the main plaza of that mall and going forward.
"I don't know, it's cold here, hope we may get out soon".
They kept on walking and the corridor, like that hall of mirrors they were in the beginning, stretched apparently endlessly, some lights were on, making the way clear, others were shut, however, making paths colder and unreliable, they kept going onward, in spite of the dark parts, they found some animals there too, they tried to be helpful, but couldn't give the brothers too much information.
"Excuse me, lady, can you help us? We are trying to reach the end of this mansion."
"You should go forward and then to the direction on the right, this is the much I can tell you, I'm lost on these parts"
"And so are we"
"Oh what an unfortunate situation, okay, I must be off, goodbye boys"
Most of the interactions had the same dynamic, some animals pointed to some different directions, and others ignored the brothers altogether. As they kept on walking, it was getting late and the both needed a place to rest, even the energic Greg was feeling his legs heavy and wasn't wandering around as much anymore, also, the place was getting with few lights and the darkness was overbearing. At one moment though, they saw a light glowing, it came from one of the stores, that looked like a brownstone House, it was a ghost-like light, one that even two tired brothers looking for a safe place to sleep didn't appreciated much.
"This is the first true sign of civilization we've seen the whole day, but sounds fishy, maybe we should keep on walking, Greg"
"Maybe it's just the lights there that are different, let's take a look, maybe we'll find some food!" Said Gregory, that was tired but still enthusiastic and optimistic.
They went to the place, very cautiously, and saw animals wandering around next to the building, minding their own busines nonetheless, it was a diner, in the middle of the dark hallway. Inside they could see some cold silent animals, eating their food on their own, some looked scared, it wasn't the most wonderful place, even by the standards of that creepy corridor.
"O-okay, this is no place for us, we should..."
"OH DO MY EYES DECEIVE ME, OTHER HUMANS, WELCOME WELCOME!"
A middle aged man said those words, he was by the balcony taking care of the accounts and payments, was as cold and silent as the other animals were, but at the sight of others like him, he came to life.
"Hello hello my fellow beings, what a time to be alive! Hello hello!"
Gregory was quite happy on seeing such a friendly fellow, but Wirt wasn't too comforted by the vision of the man.
"Yay!!!!! Hello!!! We are beans!!!!"
"Indeed indeed you are, oh you are! Come in gentleman! What is your name young man? And yours, gentleman?!"
Wirt looked around, even with the noise the animals pretty much ignored them.
"Ehr... Nice to meet you, sir..."
"Call me Mr. Schuman! I'm Wolfie Schuman! And you are..."
"Ehr, Wirt! I'm Wirt, and this is Gregory..."
"Yea! We've been walking this hallway the whole day, Mr. Schuman! Do you own this diner?" Said Gregory, who was hungry and tired.
"Yes, yes! Yes I do, Gregory! Oh, what a joy, what a joy indeed!"
"So.." Gregory verified his wallet on his pocket to make sure he was with his money. The credit card of his step-dad was there too but only for emergencies, as he told Wirt, he was trusting him, oh crap, thought Wirt, he completely forgot about the credit card of his dad, they needed to go back home for sure now, but Wirt also realized this was the least of his concerns, verifying he had enough money for any expense, and relieved for it, he proceeded his sentence, "Do we order food in advance or do we get a menu and choose the food we want in our time? Can we get a table?"
"Hungry, I can see! No need to worry, no need to worry! Come with me, gentlemen, we shall eat at home with me, free of charge, of course!"
"No, this won't be necessary!" Said Wirt, who really didn't trust the man, "We are just regular costumers and..."
"NO! You have no idea, the last time I saw a human was months, months ago! You both are my guests! I insist!"
"Well, anyway..." Wirt knew something was wrong, but protesting about it would be very impolite, so he just went along with Gregory, who was so enchanted by the thought of having some nice food wasnt really thinking how strange that situation was. Mr. Wolfie opened up a door to his house and they went upstairs for it, quickly arriving, it was a semi-modern place, it had Art Deco decoration, a diner table with four chairs and a chandelier in the center, pots of flowers, some dying and some alive, also this place clearly belonged to someone interested in science, there were books everywhere, as well as pictures depicting studies, diagrams, and a room in the end of the hallway which had a very strong blue scent coming from it, that house was clean like a hospital and as creepy as a butcher shop, but they were guests, so Wirt decided to shut his judgement and they sat on the chairs while Mr, Schuman left some bread and butter in the table and went to make some soup for the boys, he couldn't stop talking with his cheerful but desperate voice.
"Oh Wirt, I've been on this mansion for so long now! Yes! I was once a friend and was sponsored by Mr. Synklisi himself! But we eventually had some difference in minds and broke up our partnership! Oh how some don't dare to dream, Mr. Wirt! I've been on my own since then, on this brownstone shop I converted as my new home! I lost all connection with other humans, but even around them, no one understand me, no one to call my friend and with the same interests as I have! How frustrating it is! But the sight of you both gave me hope! Aha! And the soup is ready, there you go!"
Wirt looked at the scientist with suspicious eyes, but in the end decided to taste the soup with the bread, and found out the meal was quite good.
"Ehr, this is delicious, mister! Thank you so much!"
"Best soup ever, Mr. Schuman! Yay! I feel like a new man"
The Mr. also noticed how tired Greg, and even Wirt, looked, and offered a spare bedroom to the brothers.
"So you both are off now? How tired you seem! Come on now, let me offer you my hospitality!"
"No, sir, we really must be off, we need to come back to where we came from, and..."
Gregory let a huge yawn escape himself, one that quickly followed one by Wirt.
They both were really tired and apparently with no hope of finding a way out of that maze soon, so Wirt, usually so suspicious, decided to take in the offer of the man, who appeared so gentle, without hesitating much.
"So, we can stay for the night?"
"Why, of course, of course! Here, let me take you and your brother to the spare bedroom, please, feel at home, gentlemen! Oh what a joy, what a joy!"
Wirt and Gregory followed the man through a long hallway and he lead them to a nice bedroom with two cozy beds, one in each corner of the room.
"So here we are, in where you are staying! Don't be afraid to rest here! You are safe, you are safe! So I see you in the morning? I do, right? Goodbye, gentlemen!"
There was a lamp on the room and Gregory turned it on, the lamp was shaped like one fed by oil, not by eletricity, bringing bad memories to Wirt.
"So, Greg, do you think..." But Wirt turned and saw Gregory already sleeping, so he decided to fully lay down as well. He rested for a bit, not fully deep on his sleep. This was a good thing for him.
Deeper in the evening, Wirt didn't have difficulty to awake with the sound of steps in the bedroom, also wheels carrying something, this was completely out of the ordinary, and when Wirt turned his head up, he saw Mr. Wolfie with a litter and a syringe in his hand, ready to give Greg an injection of something, he then shouted.
"YOU"
"MR. WIRT, I CAN EXPLAIN"
"NO, HANDS OFF MY BROTHER, YOU DECEPTIVE MAN"
"I AM NOT DECEPTIVE"
"Greg? What is going on? Mr. Schuman?"
Mr. Schuman, even if still trying to appear like a good person, grabbed Greg's arm firmly and still was trying to give him an injection, but Wirt, desperate, knowing he had to act fast to save his brother and himself, jumped in the man's back and grabbed his neck with his arms, Greg tried desperately to let his arm go of his hands, and after the man completely lost control trying to deal with Wirt, finally managed to escape.
"BOYS, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, THE MAGNIFICENCE OF SCIENCE WILL BE TESTIFIED TODAY, LET ME GO!"
"WIRT WHAT WILL WE DO"
Wirt was screaming in desperation as he tried to think of a way to escape there, the man, even if pale and very thin, was stronger than Wirt, and was trying to free himself of his arms.
"MR. WIRT, LET ME GO! I SWEAR I WILL DO THE PROCEDURE IN YOU FIRST IF YOU DON'T LET ME GO! YOU INSOLENT, I OPENED THE DOORS OF MY HOUSE TO YOU, NOW YOU BOTH BELONG TO ME, FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF DAYS, I SWEAR!"
"YOU ARE MAD, YOU ARE MAD"
Finally, after a while of struggle, where Greg grabbed the leg of the man and Wirt was still with his arms on his neck, the man fainted. Wirt grabbed a lantern on the pocket of Mr. Wolfie and grabbed Greg by his hand and rushed out of the house, luckily the man was so immersed on whatever he was doing he didn't even lock the house, Wirt barely was dragging Greg out of that place, as he was running faster than his brother. They ran away, they didn't care for the dark hallway or the creepy animals around that café, they ran away and they didn't stop running away for a while, with the thought of Mr. Wolfie and whatever was he planning on their minds, haunting their path.
...
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