Chapter 3

                                    

                                          
Once the burning had stopped, she wearily walked around the painting and down the hallway. Bright yellow paint, still fresh looking, was placed on the wall.
Beware of Lips
        Biting her lip in contemplation, she sighed as her curiosity got the better of her and cautiously walked to the end of the hall. On her left was a small pair of lips. 
        "Hungry... Give food..." They said as if they could sense her presence. She jumped in shock when her arm suddenly hurt. Looking at her right arm above her wrist a bite mark appeared. Blood gushed out of the new holes and she groaned as the pain traveled up her arm. 
        Taking the bottom of her shirt she pressed the fabric down on the fresh wound, mentally thanking herself for wearing black. She stood on the opposite wall of the lips until the blood stopped. She sniffled and wiped the pained tears away. She felt exhausted. Her body was starting to ache with all the walking around and she felt tired. She leaned her head back and thought about her next action.
        There was still a hallway to go down. She would have to be careful as she was almost down half her petals. Getting off the wall reluctantly, she slowly walked. Standing in front of the hall she stared at it, mentally getting drained of all the action. She took a step forward but her foot walked on a piece of paper. Leaning down, she grabbed it. 
Just when you've forgotten...
        Taking note of the last hallway she walked down, she walked in the middle. She was about to round the corner when a hand suddenly reached out. She let out a yelp of surprise and backed away. Like the others, it furiously tried to grab her. 
        She gave a hum of satisfaction and childishly stuck her tongue out at it. "Ha, didn't get me that time." While it had been an easy thing to avoid, she still counted it as a win against the place. 
        She turned her head to see down the hallway and frowned. An uneasy weight filled her stomach and she folded her arms over her chest. Above her were dolls hanging by a string. Tied around a limb they lifelessly dangled. 
        She cautiously walked under them, their shadows creating disturbing creatures on the floor. A doll dropped in front of her so quickly that she didn't have time to react and tripped over it. Her arms unfolded to reach out and catch her fall. She kneeled over it and swiftly scrambled back, afraid it would come to life. 
        When nothing happened, she crawled towards it to see why it had suddenly fallen. A lime green thread contrasted its darker green shirt as the number 18 was hastily sewn onto it. She licked her lips nervously and got up, seeing a door in front of her. On the side of it, a number pad seemed to be glued onto the wall. 
        Etched into the number pad seemed to be a code. 
X×X X=?
        She was missing a number and looked down the other side of the hallway. She had been so distracted with the hand and dolls that she completely missed the other door. Entering it she felt multiple eyes on her. Paintings of women of all different colors were framed along a wall. Below each woman was a golden plaque.
"Stand in front of the statue, go west 3 steps, then south 1 step. That's the answer!" The woman in green said. 
        She entered the room between the paintings and saw the statue. Following the instructions, she stood on top of the tile and lifted it. She instantly dropped the tile when gas leaked out. Her lungs couldn't receive the fresh air they desperately needed as she coughed.