AN: Hi...I'm back! Sorry this has taken two months and two weeks to get up and leaving you on a cliff hanger! Life got in the way. Happy New Year and Enjoy!
1962; July
"You have to do something Charles, she's been like this for two weeks," Raven whispered yelled over Alexis' comatose body.
"Raven," Charles sighed rubbing his fore head.
"Charles, as your sister I'm begging you to do something,"
"I don't know if I can do anything, she threw me out of her mind after showing me the attack."
"Please Charles, Hank believes she's dying as her brain activity is slowing down," Raven said with tears in her eyes.
"Go get Erik," Charles said folding his blazer over the back of a chair.
"No need," Erik said walking into the room with a raised eyebrow seeing Charles lay down next to Alexis, "What foolishness is this?"
"I need to help her," Charles said grasping Alexis' hand.
"You were out for three days!" Erik yelled stomping towards the bed intent on ripping Charles hand from Alexis' grasp.
"I know I need to do this Erik. Alex needs to keep working in the bunker. The others can wait. Raven you know how to run the manor but Erik is in charge. I love you," Charles said before touching his temple and took a deep breath. Charles was surprised to find how easy it was to sink into Alexis' mind and found himself looking at a child like version of Alexis.
"What are you doing here?" the child asked her hands on her hips.
"I'm looking for someone." Charles said getting on bended knee to be eye level with the child.
"Duh! I know that," the child said with a roll of her eyes, "Lexis isn't going to like that you're in her mind."
"Lexis," Charles questioned.
"Yes, Lexis you know the person who runs the show around here," the child said waving her arms around and going red in the face.
"Alexis," Charles asked.
"YES! Sheesh, you'd think with an IQ like yours you'd be quicker on the uptake." The child said and skipped off down the path to turn back to look at Charles, "Well are you coming or not?"
Charles scrambled to his feet to fallow the young Alexis down a dirt path. Charles had to smile as every third skip Little Alexis would trip slightly.
"What should I call you?" Charles asked.
"Alex," Alex said with a huff.
"Where are we going?"
"To see Lexis, duh,"
"You're very rude you know that," Charles said getting annoyed with Alex.
"I'm a child I don't know any better," Alex said innocently with a devious smirk.
"Little imp who's your friend?" a teenage version of Alexis who walked as if she had no clue what to do with the extra long arms and legs she recently sprouted as her hair lay long and limp to obscure her face.
"Al, he's here to see Lexis," Alex whined.
"He's here to help Alex, you needn't be so untrusting. I'm sorry about her. Alex never learned good manners. I'm Al and you must be Charles. Lexis has been viewing you recently." Al said pushing her hair behind her ears so Charles could see Alexis' distinctive hazel fleck in her left eye.
"Where is she?" Charles asked.
"The Labyrinth," Al said as she led the way up the dirt path to a beautiful Spanish style villa with wraparound porch.
"What is this place?" Charles asked.
"The Labyrinth," Al and Alex said
"How do I find Alexis?" Charles asked looking at the villa.
"DUH," Alex scoffed as Al said, "she's in the middle you are going to have to go through the labyrinth to get to her."
"Any words of advice," Charles asked his hand on the door to push it open.
"Don't die," Alex said before skipping off.
"Good luck," Al said with an uneasy smile before fallowing Alex.
Charles felt the door open under his hand he pushed it open not expecting to see a decorated entrance hall. The moment he took a step into the house the door slammed shut causing Charles to turn around and find there was no longer a door but smooth black Basalt. Turing back around to find that the black walls towered over his head as going forward were the only option on he walked.
Turing right at a fork threw him into a dank stone room with the feeling of misery, the smell of decay, with the sounds of guns going off in the distance but a cry of fear forced him to see what was in front of him.
Charles gasped at seeing Alexis dressed in a dress that was little more than a rag that looked to be of the eighteenth century, bruised and bloody. Her left eye swollen shut as her split lip weakly dribbled blood down her chin.
"I am not an aristocrat, I worked at the place as a laundress!"
"Liar!"
"I swear mister, I did the laundry,"
"You are one of Madame Deficit's lap dogs,"
"No,"
Charles stood horrified as Alexis was dragged off her screams bouncing off the stone walls echoing as the image returned to that of the maze. Running from the scene making left and right turns trying to move as far from the scene as possible every turn he made would show another horror. Charles couldn't tell if it was visions or something that happened to Alexis. Charles kept running trying to out run Alexis' twisted mind.
Erik watched his eyes turning colder and colder as Charles would look to be screaming but no sound would come out of his mouth. Raven worried for her brother and Alexis would wash the sweat soaked brows with cool wash cloths.
"How are they?" Hank asked from the doorway afraid of what Erik would do to him after he was strung up by the now destroyed chandelier when Hank asked that twelve hours ago.
"The same Hank," Raven whispered as she watched as the bed lifted up.
"Alexis," Erik said eyes flashing.
"That's good it must mean that Charles is getting to her," Hank said and ducked a sliver pitcher that Erik chucked at his head.
"Alexis, Charles is trying to help you," Raven whispered into Alexis' ear.
"Charles," a voice said. Charles lifted his head to see a beautiful blond woman with bright green eyes.
"Who are you?" Charles asked his voice gravely from screaming at the scenes.
"Lisa, Alexis mother, drink please," Lisa said holding out a crystal goblet filled with water.
Charles took the glass with a shaky hand and drank deeply.
"There all better?" Lisa asked with a kind smile.
"Yes, thank you Mrs. Reed," Charles said handing her the goblet back.
"It's Lisa, now come with me I'll take you to Alexis," Lisa said and cocked her head to the side and looked up her eyes narrowed, "I believe the boy has been traumatized enough, Alexis Viola Reed. No, you will explain it to him. Fine, Alexis would like for me to take you the long way."
"The long way," Charles asked getting to his feet.
"Yes the long way, Alexis believes that if you experience this next part that it will impress upon you the importance of what she has been trying to do." Lisa said and led the way.
Charles would flitch every time they came to a corner or a crossroads. Lisa was kind enough not to notice or comment as she told Charles amusing stories of Alexis and her brother growing up. Charles was so engrossed with the stories he didn't notice when Lisa had stopped.
"I'm sorry," Charles said bumping into Lisa.
"That is quite alright. I leave you here, Charles." Lisa said standing in front of a doorway, "When you are finished experiencing what Alexis wants you too. Good luck and watch over my daughter."
"I will," Charles said and pushed open the door.