CHAPTER FOUR
It was all very strange- the reaction she had to the blue heart balloon bothered her. 'Was it a mini seizure? Or a stroke maybe?' Frisk wondered, briskly walking the rest of the way to the coffee shop.
Pausing at a stoplight to cross the street, Frisk glanced down at her wrist again. 'Yup, definitely left a mark….' Her pale skin bruised easily, and she could already tell that this particular bruise was going to be a nasty one.
'She said I didn't know who I was. Why would she say that?' Frisk's habit of worrying her bottom lip kicked in and she was once again chewing on it as she thought about all the things that she had known to mean her.
'My name is Frisk Dreemur. I am 25 years old. I live alone other than my cat, Temmie. I like to read and I work at a local coffee shop in Ebbot.'
It was a lot to consider on a Thursday morning. By the time Frisk arrived at the coffee shop, it was already swimming with customers. She almost bumped into one of them as she entered the café, dodging out of the way at the last second before she or the rushing customer got a face full of hot coffee. The coffee shop was small, but not cramped. There was a good amount of seating, and in the morning the sunlight flooded the space with a welcoming warmth. In the background, a soft radio station played some lofi, and nestled in the left corner of the café was a cozy reading nook with worn tomes.
One of her favorite coworkers, Catty, was working, along with her sister (who was not quite as dear to Frisk), Bratty. When the former spotted Frisk she waved, throwing coffee grounds in the air as she did so.
"Hey Frisk! I thought you were off today! Decide to come help us out?" She called out as Frisk weaseled her way up to the counter.
"Hahha, nooo. I just stopped by for some breakfast…and maybe some more coffee! Did you need help, though?" Frisk glanced around at the organized chaos, judging the level of madness in the shop.
"She always needs help." Bratty sniffed as she finished up the cream swirl on a specialty latte. Catty rolled her eyes, ignoring her sister.
"We're fine. Unless you wanna stay and hang out?"
Frisk wrinkled her nose, "I was going to go to the park today, and the bookstore later. But you can always call me in if things go absolutely mad."
"NUMBER 12, HOT COCOA LATTE WITH EXTRA WHIP!" Bratty bellowed out, handing off the drink to a short man in a suit who quickly grabbed his coffee and ran out the door.
"So, Frisk, whaddya want today?" Catty asked her, clearly happy to help someone other than a rude stranger rushing to caffeinate their body.
Frisk leaned over the display case, looking at the assortment of baked goods. The blueberry muffins were amazing, and the cookies were always her guilty pleasure when she was on the clock. "I'll take a buttered croissant, and, uhm….one of those hot cocoa lattes?" She requested, straightening up to dig around in her bag for her wallet. The other girl grinned at her, and then turned to Patty, who upon hearing Frisk's order, rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'll make it Patty, you man the register." And she hopped away to begin the drink.
Frisk hummed softly to herself as she waited, looking around at the different people in the shop. While Frisk didn't consider herself a particularly social person, she still enjoyed a good people watching session. In a corner seat near the right side of the shop sat a lady with huge round glasses on and a bright green floor length dress who was sketching something in the notebook in front of her. Two tables away, a younger guy was listening to music, the dull beat pounding through his headphones.
"Here, Frisk!" Hearing her name, Frisk turned around to Catty proudly displaying her latte. The whipped cream was a bit lopsided, but a cute heart of powdered cocoa dusted the top. Frisk grinned at her, carefully taking a sip before she put the lid on. "Mmmm, delicious! Thanks, Catty." Catty returned her grin while Bratty, as usual, rolled her eyes.
"Don't forget your croissant," the apathetic barista drawled, shoving a small brown bag towards Frisk. Frisk scooped it up, depositing it into her own bag. "Thanks, Patty." she said with another grin.
"Hey! What happened to your wrist?" Catty exclaimed, catching a glimpse of the dark discoloration as Frisk grabbed her pastry. Frisk blushed and began to stammer, "Oh, uh, this? It's n-nothing. R-really! I just bruise really easily is all." Catty cocked an overplucked eyebrow at her, plainly not buying the stuttered response.
"What's my total?" she asked, pulling out a small wad of bills and eager to change the subject.
"Oh Frisk, c'mon. You don't gotta pay anything!" Catty giggled, swapping places with Patty to begin taking more orders. Frisk shrugged and shook her head, sticking one of her five-dollar bills into the tip jar by the register.
"You guys are the best. Remember, call me if you need anything! I'll be close by!" she shuffled around a disgruntled looking woman who clearly disliked the small talk occurring between Frisk and the two employees.
Catty waved as she left the store and Patty gave her signature eye roll.
As Frisk walked the two blocks to the park, she sipped on her coffee. 'Why didn't I tell Catty about that weirdo at the convenience store?' It wasn't like Frisk openly spoke about many of her private thoughts, even with people she considered friends, but the strange encounter earlier this morning was something most would talk about. Every time she thought about it she felt a pit in her stomach and her throat went dry. 'Should I have reported her to the police? What would I even say? This old lady grabbed my wrist and laughed like a crazy person?' Even though she was trying to talk her brain out of obsessing, Frisk couldn't help but feel haunted by the experience.
Turning a corner, the wide expanse of the park opened up before her. There was a large reaching meadow full of bright yellow flowers and framed by a few large trees. The town of Ebbot was so named for the looming mountain that sat to the north of the town, and of which the park at the best view. There had been plenty of attempts at building expensive condos where the park was to appeal more to tourists who came for part of the year, but the locals loved the mountain and had priorities. Thus, the park stayed as did the unobstructed view of the landmass.
Frisk was no different from any other local; she loved that mountain. Seeing it filled her with a sense of home that she didn't even feel in her own apartment. It was always there, always a constant in her world, and that thought gave her a great deal of comfort.
Walking lightly across the meadow, Frisk found what she deemed a good spot closer to the mountain, but not quite in its shadow. She sat down on the soft grass and pulled out her croissant. Munching on the buttery flakey bread, she looked around for the fluffy white dog and his owner that were usually at the park. Today, however, she didn't see him. In fact, she didn't see anyone. It wasn't too odd, given that it was the morning of a weekday. All the kids were in school, and all the adults were mostly at work. Frisk had the park all to herself.
Using her bag as a pillow, she laid back and closed her eyes, feeling the soft breeze and smelling the delicate sweetness of the flowers.
Frisk let her mind wander, feeling very content in the sunlit field. She was a notorious daydreamer, it was one of her favorite activities, so her mind naturally drifted into one of her regular fantasies.
As she breathed in the sweet scent of the flowers, she had a sudden impression of a large furry paw stroking her hair. She sat up with a start, heart suddenly pounding in the tranquil environment. She was still alone in the meadow, and the sensation had disappeared nearly as soon as it had started. Frisk stowed her empty cup in her bag, along with the wadded-up paper that had held her breakfast. She looked towards the mountain, its snow tipped peak twinkling in the rays of the sun.
She chewed on her lip as she stared at it and stood up. A gust of wind whipped her hair about wildly and she tucked a few strands behind her ears. Almost of their own accord, her feet began walking towards the mountain. Frisk couldn't explain it, but she had a very strong and impulsive urge to be closer to the alp. She knew that there was a relatively easy hiking path that led to a few scenic spots, and her outfit wasn't entirely inadequate for the activity. Her boots were sturdy, and her leggings and sweater were thick enough that she should stay warm as she ascended. It was also early enough that she wouldn't have to worry about the temperature drop that happened at night.
It didn't take her long to reach the start of the path, which had a large wooden gate inscribed with the words Enter the Realm. When the early settlers had first occupied the area, there was a strong belief that inhuman creatures roamed the mountain. Most had chalked it up to superstitions brought on by an unfamiliar environment, but some of the older people in town still told tourists the strange stories of the mountain folk. Frisk, ever a romantic, had believed the stories secretly. She had gone on the hiking trail before and hoped to come across some fantastic beings but had instead found only stunning views and quiet solitude.
Slinging her bag more comfortably across her chest, Frisk began the slight incline of the trail. She kept her eyes open for the occasional wildlife; from a distance she saw a fox run slyly across the path, and there were a lot of chirping birds that flitted between tree branches. She didn't come across another human while she climbed, which didn't bother her one bit.
After about half an hour she reached the first scenic spot. It was a picturesque area that had an incredible view of the town below. From this distance, the buildings and houses all looked like the miniature set of a stop motion film. Frisk spotted her apartment building, and the coffee shop. She pulled out her phone to snap a picture and noticed that the battery was still mostly full. 'Good, I didn't even think to check that before I began climbing a mountain,' Frisk thought wryly to herself. She turned her phone off to conserve energy and slid it back into her bag.
Spending another few moments taking in the view, she finally pulled herself away and turned back towards the path. Up ahead, the trail led through a rocky tunnel that was covered in moss and pale green lichen. Frisk felt a significant temperature drop as she entered the covered walkway and pulled the sleeves of her sweater down a little more on her arms. She picked her way along the pathway, sidestepping a few times to avoid crushing the mushrooms that had sprouted up in the dark space.
As she continued walking, Frisk began to get light headed. She paused to blink a few times and rub her eyes. 'Should have brought water,' she silently chided herself, thinking the exercise might have dehydrated her a bit.
To her shock, when Frisk opened her eyes and gazed forward, she no longer saw the trail exit the tunnel. Instead, it stretched forward into a black expanse. Perplexed, she turned to look behind her at the way she came. The same view of nothingness greeted her. 'What the hell…how is that possible?' Her mind tried to wrap itself around the impossibility. She had been in this tunnel before and it had never taken her more than 5 minutes to make it through. Even if she had been standing in the center of the shaft, she still would be able to see clear through to each side, there were no bends or curves that would have obstructed that view.
'Should I turn back? It looks the same either way, just darkness.' Frisk could feel panic welling up inside her. Forcing air into her lungs, she dug around in her pack and turned on her cellphone. The glow of the screen illuminated the ground in front of her, nothing but dull grey rock. 'Of course, no reception. You are in a TUNNEL, dummy.' Frisk swore as she realized she had zero bars of service in her current location.
'Well, I suppose I should keep moving. Maybe there was an eclipse that I didn't know about. The exit should be just up ahead…' It was a weak argument, and Frisk knew it. But in the face of something so bewildering, Frisk decided to try and figure it all out after the fact.
Using the light of her phone to guide her, Frisk slowly commenced making her way along the path once more. She walked for another couple minutes before the pit in her stomach got deeper. 'Something is wrong, something is very wrong'. The trail should have let out on the other side by now, but instead is seemed to continue unendingly.
Drawing in a ragged breath, Frisk began to run. Anxiety was flooding her body like cold slime and claustrophobia was starting to set in. In her haste, she tripped, phone flying from her hand and landing in front of her with a thud. She cursed as she fell on her knees, her left one scraping against a particularly jagged rock. She winced as she gingerly stood up and touched the torn skin on her leg. Her phone faintly glowed on the ground, and Frisk cautiously made her way towards it.
She had just reached the phone and bent down to retrieve it when the floor fell away beneath her feet and she was falling into the mountain.