Down an endless hallway, the moldy smell of carpet assaults her nostril. Sophia feels her heart hammering against her chest. Each thump reminds her that any misstep or slowdown could be fatal.
There's no way out...
As she sprints down the labyrinthine hallways, Sophia feels like a lab rat struggling to escape a maze scientists cruelly put her up against. Left or right, the choice seems irrelevant. No matter the direction, she finds herself back to where she started.
Just when she's about to give up, Sophia spots an intimidating double door at the end of the hallway, guarding her only way out. She musters up the remaining stamina and rushes toward it. A fleeting moment of relief washes over her when she yanks the doors open, however, she finds her hope shattered when she steps into an unfamiliar kitchen.
There's no escape...
A generous chunk of juicy steak falls onto the well-oiled stainless pan, serenading the spacious and lavish kitchen with its satisfying sizzle. Decorated with a warm palette, from high-quality copper pans to spotless trays, the kitchen is a chef's paradise, and it belongs to Sophia.
Sophia owns a renowned Italian restaurant, with her reputation preceding her. She enjoys the incessant compliments like a good plate of Risotto al Tartufo; satisfying, yet never enough. Behind the prestigious facade and its seemingly friendly workplace, a dark secret lurks: Sophia's exceedingly high standards have led to countless firings, and even resulted in the tragic consequence of one of the employees taking his own life.
After soaking in her guests' compliments, Sophia returns to her office. Still giddy from the praise, she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and revels in the fragrance of herbs permeating her office. When she gradually opens her eyes, she notices an envelope on her mahogany desk: An invitation.
The relentless summer heat assaults Sophia as she steps out of her car. She stops in front of a gigantic mansion, vines crawling over the seemingly abandoned building. Hesitant, Sophia checks the envelope again to make sure she's at the correct address. Then, she approaches the heavy double doors, adorned with intricate and beautiful carvings.
Thinking of knocking, she raises her hand, but before she can, the doors slowly creak open...
Despite the moldy smell and cool, humid air, the mansion's historical charm is calming and aesthetically pleasing. Hannah, a timid lawyer, sits in the well-decorated and elegant dining room. The mouth-watering cuisine in front of her is the best food she's ever savored. The food is beyond delicious, yet the presence of strangers at the table makes her feel uneasy. Who are they? Using her peripheral vision, Hannah realizes everyone is as uneasy as she is. Looking up, she notices a foreboding oil painting of hounds tearing a poor farmer into pieces. Whoever painted this possesses an exceptional technique; it's surreal. Maybe it's the raw steak in front of her, but Hannah feels like she could smell the blood of the farmer.
Hannah realizes all the guests have the same question: Why are they here? Who invited them? Hannah figures she should be the one to ask. When she opens her mouth, the front door creaks open, and all the curious eyes turn to see Sophia walking in.
After Sophia, Hannah, and the guests finish their succulent meals, dessert arrives. However, instead of the anticipated Crème Brûlée, the guests find a note sitting on the tray that says: Let the fun begin.
Everyone leans toward the card; one of them frowns and asks, "What does it mean?"
As if answering the question, the mansion suddenly begins to shake violently. The walls start chipping off and morphing into something unrecognizable; they pulsate and emit a foul stench. Panic ensues, and everyone dashes in different directions.
Feeling dizzy and her head heavy, Sophia puts one hand on the wall to support her wobbly frame, each step requiring great labor. She feels liquid oozing from the wall. Drawing her hand back reflexively, she examines the unknown translucent liquid in her palm and wipes it off on her pants in disgust.
A piercing scream echoes from upstairs. Sophia looks up the staircase and notices a shadow flitting across a wall. Instinctively, she rushes upstairs, fueled by the desire to assist whoever is in danger.
Hannah's body trembles with fear; it fails to respond to her commands, her mouth agape. Before her is a horror beyond imagination: A blob of slime with some resemblance to a human slowly crawls toward her. As it stretches out an arm, a tar-like substance drips onto the pristine carpet. Its mouth opens wide, letting out a painful groan. Is it pleading for help? Was it a human once?
Just before the slimy creature can grab Hannah's ankle, Sophia pulls her away. Carrying Hannah's limp body, however, proves to be difficult.
Tears brim in Hannah's eyes. "I'm sorry."
"We can talk later," Sophia's voice is strained as she struggles to carry Hannah down an empty hallway, bathed in an orange glow from lights on either side. The hallway seems endless. After running away from the slime for a while, Sophia looks around; they seem to be safe, for now. Sophia sets Hannah down and catches her breath.
Leaning forward, hands on her knees, Sophia asks, "What's your name?"
Still in shock, Hannah licks her dry lips and whispers, "H... Hannah."
Sophia smiles warmly. "Sophia." Standing up straight, she continues, "Listen, I have zero idea what the fuck is going on. But succumbing to fear is the last thing you want to do, if you want to survive that is."
"I'm sorry," Hannah sobs.
"I'm just saying," she looks around, not sure where they are. "Do you have any idea what happened? One minute we were eating, and all of a sudden..."
Hannah shakes her head, "I just want to go home."
"We will, I -" Sophia says, her words trailing off. Goosebumps crawl all over her body, a thought strikes her. "Do you think it has something to do with the food?" A flicker of hope surges in her chest, "What if all of this is in our head?"
Hannah pulls up her sleeve and reveals a long, deep, nasty gash. Despondent, she says, "I doubt it."
How long has it been? hours, days, or weeks? Every part of the mansion looks identical. Doesn't matter which door they open, it leads them to somewhere unpredictable, including an abandoned hospital. The longer this drags on, the more doors they open, the dimmer their hope. Fortunately, with Sophia by her side, Hannah manages to muster up some courage and a tad of determination. Armed with a wrench, she follows Sophia.
It doesn't make sense, there's no way the entrance she came in just mysteriously disappear. If there's a way in, there must be a way out. Sophia thinks, and she refuses to think otherwise.
Just as despair seems to verge on swallowing their sliver of hope, Hannah discovers the exit. As they make their escape, a horde of disgusting and grotesque creatures, more horrifying than the slime creature, pursue them. Breath short, feeling lightheaded, and hearts racing like the fluttering wings of a hummingbird, they keep running. Hannah grabs a chair and bolsters the door with her quick thinking. Thanks to Hannah's bravery, they finally escape the nightmarish place. Sunlight rewards them with a warm embrace as they smile and savor the sweet victory.
Pans clanking loudly, knives chopping nonstop, the fierce fire, and steaming pots turn the space into an oven; the kitchen is as lively as ever. Sophia is busy shouting orders and giving commands as her keen eagle eyes oversee different stations, but there's something different about her: her tone is softer, her attitude kinder, and she treats her staff with the respect they deserve. Most importantly, she smiles.
After a long and exhausting day, Sophia exchanges goodnight with her crews, making sure the kitchen is meticulously cleaned and secured, she closes the door behind her and locks it. As she turns around, she freezes, color drains from her face. Instead of the parking lot where the cold night breeze caresses her cheeks...
... she's back.
She's returned to the labyrinthine, suffocating, and disorienting hallway...
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