Entry 6: Inside the Tree – Replica Harrington Museum – August 19th, 2023 – 5:47 PM
When the light returned, the ladder was gone. My lungs felt like all the air had suddenly been sucked out of them, like that feeling you get right before the drop on a roller-coaster. I looked at Maisel and Murlocke and knew how they were feeling before they spoke. Murlocke gets quiet when he’s freaked out. For him, you have to look for the little things; if he’s fidgeting, he’s nervous; if his eyes are wide and he’s glancing around, he’s scared; and if his mouth is open, just a sliver, he’s terrified. Maisel, however, is much easier to read; The louder and more dramatic she gets, the more frightened she is.
Okay, this isn’t as bad as it seems!
Maisel waved her arms wildly, as if trying to scare a small animal.
The ladder is gone! Maybe that’s because I touched the gold. Maybe it’s some random coincidence. Who knows? All we need to do is—
It’s obviously because you touched the gold.
I was trying, but likely failing, to mask my own fear.
Regardless of whose fault this is, let’s just look for a way out!
That’s when we noticed gold veins running along the ground, similar to the ones we saw on the ladder. Perhaps we had missed them before, but they seemed to run along the museum floor towards… A pitch-black hallway that wasn’t there before.
Ta-da! A door closes, and a window opens!
Maisel motioned towards the hallway.
Murlocke and I exchanged uncertain glances. His eyes were wide with uncertainty.
I don’t see a lot of other options.
They both looked over at me, waiting for my input.
I suppose we have no choice now except to see what’s down that hallway.
Dinner starts in seven minutes; my mom is going to kill me…
– Sasheen
Entry 7: Inside the Tree – “Hallways” – August 19th, 2023 – 6:00 PM
We soon found ourselves in a network of branching hallways. However, “hallway” seems like the wrong word to describe them. They were too random, like a tree’s roots. They weaved, curved, dipped, and rose with no sense of reason behind them. Unfortunately, we had no choice but to explore them.
Maisel was leading the group, but she was getting increasingly frustrated.1
| 1. |
| 2. Please strike the previous note. It is safe to say that I was frustrated. – Maisel |
Maisel came to a stop at a section where the hallway split into two. One path led to the right and the other to the left.
All of these hallways look the same. We’ve been wandering down here for hours.
We wouldn’t be stuck down here if you took one minute to think before touching that gold nugget.
The words came out harsher than I intended.
How was I supposed to know that that would happen?
Typical Maisel— As if her actions and consequences are two totally unrelated events.
You could have asked Murlocke or me.
Well, I also—
If you’re both going to team up on me, I’ll figure this out alone.
Maisel had already decided how this fight would end.
How’s that? By running down whichever hallway ‘feels,’ right?
That’s exactly what I’m going to do! You took the words right out of my mouth.
I don’t think—
Well, good luck with that, Maisel! Murlocke and I will do the sensible thing and think about our next steps instead of just charging forward.
Maisel cupped her ear dramatically as if trying to hear a faint whisper.
Do you hear that? That’s the sound of the tree laughing at your excellent plan.
I think it’s actually laughing at you…
But Maisel had already bolted down the hallway away from us. She always runs when she feels like the world is against her.
I don’t think she heard that, Sasheen.
We never should have come down here…
– Sasheen
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