Inside a bathroom, Wander sat by the sink in a fetal position, arms wrapping himself tightly. He tried to keep his crying down to a minimum but found it difficult. He wiped his eyes and nose.
"It's all my fault."
He wasn't mad at Sylvia, but genuinely blaming himself. He regretted the choice of helping with the mirror and bringing Sylvia with him. But her words also stung him in a way they hadn't before in long time. The fear of being hated for trying to do something good and pushed aside for it.
"I hope she won't stay mad forever. We always give each other a pat on the back and laugh it right off before," He tried to think positive, but it didn't help at all.
"I'm so stupid."
He pulled his entire hat over himself and let the darkness cloud his vision. Anything to numb the memory of the events from earlier.
-Knock knock-
He pulled off the hat and looked at the door, his eyes still watery.
"Who's there? I locked the door. I'm sorry."
Indeed he did so nobody could accidentally see him cry. He didn't cry very often, didn't want to look like a fool.
"Wander?"
"Sly?" His eyes lit up.
It was the muffled voice of Sylvia.
"Hey it's me, let's talk. Please?"
He wasn't sure if he could, he was still upset and hurt. But then again he thought , she must've felt bad and came back to console him?
"What do you want to talk about?"
"I'm sorry for what happened. I'm the one who's an idiot, not you."
Wander's face softened at her voice. But he felt strange about it. He ignored the feeling and let her continue.
"Well just lay low and relax like you said until morning." Her voice was sweet and encouraging.
A smile started to creep it's way on Wanders face, starting to feel more comfortable less anxious.
"Buddy, the only thing I ever regret not saying or doing since we got here-"
"Sylvia, it's alright! I forgive you," Wander stood up, feeling better.
"-I regret not hurting you enough."
A pit of dread fell into Wanders stomach. Stunned by her words he froze, unable to speak or move.
"I'm such an idiot that I haven't had the chance to make you tremble in despair."
Her voice sounded hollow after he heard that. But why?
"But Sylvia, I-!"
He began to protest, but then decided to say something else. He knew wasn't imagining things, her tone didn't have that same snazzy and upbeat feature. She sounded...devoid. She'd never say anything like that, not to get even, because of this, he told himself to not open the door for now. His heart pounded against his chest, he was so fearful of being rejected and alone and that his mistake of dragging her with him would end everything.
"What did I do? what can I do, Sylvia? I'll do anything!"
He needed her to speak, he was growing more and more uncertain if the person behind that door was playing tricks on him.
"Well, get us out, for one; and two you could cry like the little helpless baby you've always been your whole life."
That hurt. Those words, her voice. It hurt so much he'd wanted to drop and sob on the floor, and he nearly did. She hit his biggest weak spot that he managed to hide from the outside world. But despite this, it was enough to bring out his anger, and open the door to face this possible culprit toying with his emotions...He swung it open, hitting the wall behind it ready to give this person a piece of his mind.
But there was no one.
The hallway was pitch black and the only light was from behind him coming from the restroom, his shadow elongated in front.
"Hello? Sylvia? anyone..?" He called out.
He started to hyperventilate, he didn't know the reason for, but he couldn't focus and sat on his knees and took deep breaths to calm himself. His black beady eyes turned a silver-gray shade, filled with fear.
"What's...happening in this place? and to me?
...
"Wander?"
Sylvia searched aimlessly for her small friend. She wished she knew which parts of the museum she was in. Strange how the place was much more bigger than it was from the outside in which she took notice of. At least there was enough light provided for her to get around. She wished she had Wander's hat and got some flashlights, and annoyed that she didn't bring the lighter from earlier.
"Wander!"
Her voice bounced off the walls and no answer back. She bent her head down with remorse.
"I still haven't learned to not let my temper get the better of me, and look what happened."
She was about to let some tears come, until something caught her attention. It was the manager's office at the end of the corridor. Could Wander be in there?
She put aside her grief for now and walked there. The door was barely left ajar.
"I know it's wrong to snoop, but gotta check."
She went in and closed it, it was pitch black. She searched with her hand for a light switch. Which was a success and turned it on. Light revealed mountains of paper on the floors, shelves and the desk a few meters away.
"Wander, you in here?"
But then she realized he couldn't have, the room was much too small and cramped for any free spaces to take up. She went closer to the desk, there sat a computer and Amie's belongings. It was just as a mess.
"Amie's not only disorganized, she's also messy at keeping secrets."
Now that the mirror had disappeared, it struck her curiosity. She did think of the possibility that Amie may have either chucked it out, or taken it home with her. And knew something she herself didn't. But it didn't give an explanation as to why she trapped them in, as well as not hearing their protests. She blinked in realization.
"Oh flarf, Wander's traits have rubbed on me," She sighed deeply.
"I'll make this quick."
Over the messy piles of paperwork she skimmed them over for any information on Amie and the mirror. But nothing of the sort after five minutes of reading.
"Bills, water bills, and more bills." She huffed.
Then she felt a pang of sympathy, Amie must've struggled with finances for a very long time, and had put up with it in silence.
She was going to call it quits, when one thing finally did peak her interest: A small round photo frame sitting on the right corner of the desk. She picked it up gingerly and held it with both hands.
It was of Amie, younger and hugging a young girl next to her. For once she smiled a toothy expression. It took Sylvia a minute to see the other girl looked like…
Her thoughts were interrupted at the sound of breaking glass, and it was loud. She put the photo down and shut the door. Panicking that someone may have caught her she hid behind a pile of potted fake plants. She heard whispering, from not one, but two or three people. It was incoherent and hard to hear what they were saying. Until she could make out;
"Hide it, make sure no one finds it."
Sylvia carefully peeked over the leaves of her safe spot, but darkness wasn't on her side and she couldn't see who was whispering. Then they became quieter as they left the hallway.
"What are you hiding, exactly?" Sylvia grit her teeth.
She stepped out, going to continue to look for Wander until a sharp pain from her foot caused her to convulse.
"Ye-ouch!" She grunted and held her foot.
"What the heck is this?"
She carefully pulled out a small piece of glass from her skin, luckily there was no bleeding, it didn't break her skin. Naturally tough to cut through and normal for a Zbornak. She only got a pinch.
"Right. Something broke."
She tossed aside the piece.
"Sylvia?"
Her eyes dilated at the sound of her best friend's voice. She quickly turned, and stood with shock.. then relief.
"Wander!"
She ran to pick him up in her arms, and he allowed it and made room for a hug. She noticed he didn't squeeze back like he'd normally would, but put that aside.
"Are you okay, buddy? I've been looking all over for you, I'm so sorry for-"
"Shh!" He said harshly, then tilted his head to hear anything in the empty darkness. His hat leaned over with him.
"What's the-?
"Listen, you and I know by now something is really wrong with this museum, we need to be quiet and not bring attention to ourselves."
"Uh, r-right."
Strange. It was the opposite sometimes, he'd try to make a show of himself to get an enemy's attention. But because of the seriousness of the situation it made sense. She hoped she didn't hurt him to the point he wasn't himself permanently.
"What's your plan?" He asked.
"Oh...uh, maybe go back to the entrance, and try to get out? If not, we wait there. Since it's an open space I feel safer over there than here. With such enough space, we might defend ourselves better."
To her it made more sense in her head, but better than nothing.
"Sounds decent." He smiled.
"Let's do it." She said confidently but quietly.
Before she could start going, she felt a tug on her tail.
"You might wanna watch your step." Wander added.
"What, why?"
He pointed to the floor. There was shards of broken glass everywhere.
"We need to go that way to sneak around, Sylvia."
She looked at him and then back at the floor.
"But...I can't, they're broken shards of whatever is on there and I'll get cut!"
His narrowed his eyes at her and frowned.
"I know that, but we can't turn around, I just came that way, and I heard whispering there. If we go back, they might still be there waiting. We have to go straight."
"But, Wander-!
"DO it." He ordered.
She paused. Not because she didn't know what to say to protest; there was something about his eyes she felt were unsettling and distant. If she resisted further he might do something.
Oh boy, this was going to hurt.
"Alright.. I'll do it."
Wander's face lit up, pleased. There it was, that same happy expression she knew. Maybe he was back to his old self?
"I knew you could." He did a small clap with his hands.
Then he pounced and got on her back.
"Let's go."
Sylvia prepared herself. Biting her lip, she took a step forward. She didn't dread the pain as much, but she had no clue how much broken shards were on the floor, making it unpredictable. She tightened her fists with each step. This was going to be agonizing.
On her third step, she hit contact with a shard. It pinched, but didn't break her skin.
"I know it hurts," Wander patted her back, "but just a little bit further."
Another step, and another, it seemed the pain was both starting to lessen and worsen at the same time, making her adrenaline pump faster.
But the next one she took..,she nearly doubled over and screamed. For sure, a piece went through.
"How are you feeling?" Wander asked.
He sounded more out of curiosity than concern...which started to rile her up. Did he really not know how much this hurts?
"Like a million pieces of jellyfish pie, thanks."
"It's sort of pathetic."
That made her stop. She felt her blood ooze from her foot, but that wasn't what she was worried about right now. Did he just scoff at her?
"What do you mean?"
She turned her head to face him.
His expression; he smiled, but it wasn't a compassionate one. Then it faded and turned to disappointment.
"You've been through rougher situations than this and you can't handle little pieces of glass? Just weak, Sylvia."
"Alright, that's it!"
She went back to where she started, ignored the pain and snatched him off her back and set him on the floor, hands on her hips.
"I'm SORRY, okay? I'm sorry for the awful things I said," She let her emotions out, "I hate myself for saying it just as much as you hate me for it."
His expression stayed the same, with a hint of surprise.
"What I did was wrong and I was just mad. I know you were doing it out of the kindness of your heart, and sometimes I forget that. Please, forgive me?"
What Sylvia didn't predict was him to start rolling on the floor, laughing and patting his ribs.
"Oh that's too good! You're hilarious."
He raised a snark brow at her, "You think that's what I'm mad about?"
She balled her fists, "What do you mean? You ran off and got upset, as your friend, I'm supposed to apologize."
She was baffled by his response, what was going on with him? He never spoke to her like this in a such a way.
"I'll tell what makes me boil, Sylvia...it's you."
She made a breathless gasp.
"You've made me at times, yes... ,realize in the past I've been selfish. But you forget too, you're just as self-centered..."
He pointed a finger up to her face,
"You never understand my feelings half of the time, and don't want to help me help others, you only want to help yourself to how you see fit."
"Wander! Why are you saying this? I'd never-" She tried to defend,
"Yes you would, the mirror knows."
"What?"
He cleared his throat, frowning and looked at her once more.
"Deny it all you want, you cause more pain to yourself than you do with me."
He turned around and started to walk off, in the direction of the broken glass on the floor.
"Where are you going?"
"Nowhere in particular."
He smiled, his hat covering his eyes, and snickered.
"This was fun, and it was a joy to watch you writhe in pain." He made a mischievous chuckle.
"WANDER!"
Furious, she stormed after him. She heard the sound of glass shattering once again, and in the same spot where he stood, but he was gone.
"Wander?! UGH!"
She put her hands on her head, and exhaled. She was so frustrated, and upset. More so than before. So many emotions swam through her. She didn't know which one was appropriate to be feeling more. Until she couldn't handle them all. And began to bawl.
"Why would you say that, and run off?" She sobbed.
She looked at her foot, the blood was already dried and caked. She rubbed it to clean it off. Did he really feel this way towards her? and never said a word? Was she that ignorant?
"Wander, you'd never say something like this, and made me walk on something that would hurt, that's not you at all."
All she wanted to do was just sit there and not move. And feel terrible for herself. She knew she ruined the friendship and it was clear as day that Wander hates her guts for it. Perhaps...this was punishment.
"Sylvia...?"
She lifted her head at the sound of Wander calling her.
"Sylvia! Where are you? I'm scared!"
It was faint, but she could hear him. But she was torn up mentally and physically.
"Should I go find him? and try again?"
She picked herself up and stood, her tail snapping once.
"The mirror knows.."
She repeated out loud one of the things Wander mentioned to her that struck the most, aside from his blunt honesty. She reminded herself to not forget that detail.
"I can't give up, Wander is important to me and I will find him."
TO BE CONT