Mistakes of My Past

                                    

                                          
       CHAPTER 10: 
Haerin's POV
I can't deny that I'm worried. Since we arrived in this dimension, all we've been doing is wandering around and running into unpleasant creatures. We can only trust ourselves, and we are directionless.
Danielle and I found Hanni and Hyein. They were with Minji, but it seems she drifted away from the two. This worries me, though I know Minji is smart; she can certainly handle herself.
We kept walking through the great hall in the fog while calling out for Minji, and at that moment, I realized I don't know much about her-nothing, really. All I know is that she's in the school's photography club, she's sociable, and she needed help with a project the teacher assigned.
Hanni said she went after her father because, apparently, it was his voice around here. It doesn't make sense for Minji's dad to be in this bizarre place.
We kept walking through the large space, now a bit darker, when we came across a new door. It was white this time, and a little small.
- What could be waiting for us behind this? 
Hanni asked, looking at me and Hyein, who was observing the large hall next to Danielle, who was keeping an eye on her.
- Hey, guys, look, there's a paper here!  
Hyein said, picking up a piece of paper stuck to the wall and approaching us, followed by Danielle.
The paper seemed in good condition, almost new. It wasn't crumpled or scratched; it looked like it had been written recently. I took the paper from her hands and read:
"I think I've gone crazy. It's been a few days of wandering aimlessly through these rooms, hallways, and stairs. I wonder when I'll finally get out of here. At least, in one place I find relief, but I feel watched. Yes, the pools are so deep...
PS: I hate chairs!"
I finished reading, and Hanni had a scared look. Hyein placed her hand on her chin and seemed to think. The text ended abruptly, as if the person had given up writing or didn't know what else to say.
- What did they mean by 'I hate chairs'?  
I asked, and Danielle approached, looking at me.
- I don't know... Have many people been here?  
Danielle asked, looking at the floor, thoughtful.
- I don't like to think about that. What are our chances of finding the way out? 
Hanni added, seemingly reading Danielle's thoughts.
- Hey, guys! No giving up now. A few minutes ago, we promised to find Minji and get out of here. We're not giving up!  
Hyein said, firmly shaking Hanni and Danielle's arms.
I nodded, put the paper in my pocket, and tried to cheer up my companions.  
- Hyein is right. No negative thoughts. That's not going to help us get out of here.
I looked at the door with Hanni, and we ended up looking at each other. We turned the doorknob together, pulling and opening the door. There was a white staircase attached to the door, and we probably had to climb it.
We didn't even think twice, and since the door was small and narrow, we lined up and climbed the small staircase. Upon reaching the top, my eyes couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was a completely different place: bright, with white walls and an open sky above us. As each of us reached the new floor, we were stunned by the cozy environment.
I felt something very peaceful in that place. It was cool and seemed a bit familiar, and as the paper said, in front of us was a large, deep pool.
- Oh my gosh, how big is this place?!
Hyein asked, looking at the sky, mouth agape.