Part Six
Spiral
Loki leaned against the wall as I took the key to the door and inserted it into the groove where it belonged. I smiled, Loki had said that whatever summoned me here will let me back into the real world once I killed it. I, of course asked him what these monsters were but he instead looked down and said that he wasn't sure and didn't really want to think about it. I understood where he was coming from but I guess it was my curiousity that was bugging me about it. I completely forgot to ask him about Claudia too but I would have to ask him later.
As we entered the room, we found ourselves at the top floor of the demented mall. A small pathway protuded from the walkway to end in the middle. Loki announced that there was a ladder that I could climb down and I slapped him softly, telling him I could've figured that one on my own. He smiled and said that he wanted to make sure that I didn't accidentally plumet to my own death. We walked together, the sounds our boots made on the floor echoed around us and I looked up at him.
Is there something wrong, Heather? Loki asked me and I shrugged and we turned unto the walkway with the ladder.
"When I return to the reality, what will happen to you?" I asked him and we stopped at the foot of the ladder.
I will remain here and I'll follow your presence. Loki replied and he nudged me to go down the ladder.
I wanted to say something to him as I went down the ladder but I didn't. He then began to climb down the ladder too. It was a long climb down but all the wise cracks I made about Loki's rear end made it quite bearable. He was yelling at me to shut up or he was going to kick me but I could just imagine how red his face was! I laughed and he said that we were almost at the bottom.
"So...what now?" I asked as I stepped off the ladder and walked toward the center of the six chambered area.
Thats when I heard Loki fall and when I turned around, he was on his rear and the ladder was broke. He strachted his head and I gave him a sheepish smile. He then got up and walked to my side just in time when a gate in the middle of the other two tunnels popped open. A purple worm that had a shell that was vertically cut in half open and close to protect its presumably soft head/mouth thing. I pulled my handgun to the ready and Loki put his hand on my shoulder.
Becareful Heather. Loki said and I turned to him and smiled.
"I will, you better be careful too." I said as I took aim and fired at the worm's face.
Just for you... Loki replied as the worm closed it's shell around it's soft face and retreated into it's tunnel.
We moved back alittle and when I spied Loki looking at a tunnel, I looked to where he was looking, the worm appeared and I waited for it to open up its hard shell. When it did, I shot at it and after the process of it retreating and popping out again, I finally put an end to it's existence. I smiled and then a rust colored steam began to form everywhere and everything began to melt away. I looked back to Loki and he was fading away as well. I reached out to him but when it was about to get to his arm, I was back to reality and it was a bittersweet relief. I saw I was in the plaza and I sighed.
Thats when I noticed a rag doll laying on the edge of the water fountain. I grabbed it and noticed a note attached to it. 'Dear Heather, Even though you can't see me, I'm still close by. You have to go back to your father's house. He maybe in grave danger. Please don't ask me why but if you don't get there in time, I fear for the worse. You must hurry! Your Friend, Loki ' was the note and I agreed with him. Thats when Claudia came up in my mind. If he was connected to Claudia, maybe he was trying to warn me about something she might have stored for my father. A bang of worry hit my heart and I hurried off towards the subway.