The Inefficiency of Eli Nishimoto

As we went through the door, my main priority was making sure that Dee hadn’t gotten hurt.

We entered one after the other, the door slamming shut behind us and disappearing just like all of Dee’s other creations. With a grimace, my eyes never had the chance to adjust to the pitch dark before being assaulted with more light.

Yuu and I were now in the aisles of a dimly lit, yet larger-than-life theater. Rows upon rows of empty, ruby-red seats circled a pristine wooden stage bathed in a white spotlight. Small light bulbs surrounding paintings and other worn-down signs had either long since gone out, or flickered every once in a while, barely hanging onto whatever semblance of life they had left in them.

On the stage stood a lone child dressed in a white leotard. She was dancing on the tips of her toes. She seemed lighter than air itself. Despite her eyes being closed, her determination was clear as day. Her silk slippers squeaked against recently polished wood as she twirled around. With every carefully placed step in tune with the soft piano and graceful leap forward, each one higher than the last, the child’s short brown curls bounced and swayed.

Dee was farther down the aisle, standing as close to the stage as she could without interrupting. She simply watched as shadows danced across her face. No smile. Not even slightly. Judging from the stone-faced expression she was giving, I would have assumed that she wasn’t enjoying herself. But her eyes told me everything I needed to know. Much like the spotlight that followed the child’s every move, they shined brilliantly with admiration.

Dee was captivated by the performance.

We walked through the aisle as quietly as we could. Yuu looked underneath each seat on the way down in search of the necklace.

“Do Aya’s parents,” Yuu blinked rapidly as she stopped to look around for a second, “have a whole theater in their house?”

“Nope. Marine biologist money is pretty good but it’s not private theater good.” I lifted a seat. Nothing but oddly clean, gray, carpeted flooring. “I’d never let Aya-senpai live it down if it was.”

Once we made it down all the stairs, Dee gave us a quick side-eye before letting out a sigh.

“Took you long enough. Not that there were any complaints on my end, ” she said, turning her attention back to the stage. The child had found herself right in the middle as she began to pirouette. “I mean, when was the last time I saw her doing something like this? We were both so young. God, time really does fly.”

“Wait, when you were…both young?” I asked.

The child gained momentum. As she spun faster, she switched between two poses. One that extended both her arms and one of her legs outward while the other held her arms closer to her core with her leg back into its original position. I had never been into dancing all that much but even I could admit that it was impressive.

She came to an abrupt stop. Holding her arms out at her sides, she stumbled forward and barely caught herself. The music came to a screeching halt alongside her. Her upper lip trembled. At last, two beautiful golden eyes glistening underneath the spotlight finally met mine. Though, it was only for a moment. As quickly as she realized her mistake, she brushed it off and went right back to her performance despite the silence.

Brown curly hair and eyes similar to Aya's— even if it was just for a second, the resemblance was almost uncanny.

“Granny?” I moved closer to the stage. “Is it really her up there?”

“Another creation of the Labyrinth I’m afraid,” Yuu chimed in, twirling her hair around her finger as she continued to look around.

Dee nodded. “It was her. From the very moment she was able to take her first step, Eli Nishimoto wanted nothing more than to be a ballet dancer. And dance is just what she did. Even though she was just a kid, she aimed to perfect every movement or pose down to a tee. ”

“How dedicated.”

“Yeah, I thought so too. Her passion was really something else. You know, she used to wish that there were two of her so that she could see faster results. Too bad that we couldn’t figure out how to copy people at the time.”

“I’ve…never heard Granny talk about any of this,” I said, swallowing hard.

She glanced at me for a second before looking away. “Well, that’s because sometimes in life, not everything goes exactly as planned."

The spotlight flickered. An abrupt, low-pitched hum followed.

In the blink of an eye, the once pristine floorboards were now riddled with holes. What was once a barren stage transformed into a broken home. A nearby sink was filled to the brim with dirty dishes and murky water. How many days had passed since it had been cleaned out? Unclear by the grime and grease stuck to every plate or pot. The background changed, a wall with small cracks in various places its replacement. Discoloured rectangles stained its beige paint, the only memory of what was hanging on it beforehand being the broken wood and glass spread over the ground. A much more dower set for a lonely play.

In the middle of it all was a set of sliding doors. Two rusted chains ran diagonally across it, forming an X. No one was getting in or out.

Truth be told, the layout of the stage hadn't changed much at all. But maybe the seats had the space between them shrunk, or the stack of plates on either side of the doors had gotten too high. It could have even been all the garbage all over the place, something made the theater feel too cramped.

Worst of all, Granny was nowhere to be seen.

Yuu popped up from behind a seat she must have been investigating. "What are you doing? Stop that. How are we supposed to help you find anything if you keep changing the layout of the room?"

"I'm not. I haven't been able to use my powers since we fought, Yuu. I haven't been doing any of this."

“Then who else—” Her eyes widened. “You don’t suppose this is Aya’s Grandmother’s doing? With all this suppressing you’ve been doing, this could be something that slipped through the cracks.”

“I can’t say for sure. All that I know is that this isn’t something I’ve made. Even then, I've definitely been in that room up there before." Dee frowned. "It wasn't anything like this though. That's...what I thought I remembered. "

"So then, this was one of those two rooms you were going on about, right? The originals from the old house. It's lovely," I said, much to the confusion of the others if their faces were anything to go off of.

Dee repeated the word "lovely" under her breath. "I mean, I wouldn't necessarily call it that myself."

I shook my head.

"Look, my safe space always looks great, alright? By the time I met Aya-senpai and was allowed to visit, the renovations were already happening so I had no idea what things were like before. You two must have had a lot of fun together here though." I pulled the collar of my sweater over my mouth. Hopefully, no one caught wind of the smile that was forming. I couldn't afford to be made fun of right now. "It's... well loved. Just like I'm sure Granny was, right?"

"Y-yeah. More than anything." Dee closed her eyes as shaky breath left her lips. “Ballet classes were so damn expensive though, even back then. Her parents weren't the most well off but they still supported her as well as they could by letting her practice in their tiny home. That dedication, that passion that pushed Eli forward— I don’t think it would have been as strong if it wasn’t for their financial situation at the time."

"Full support all the way through, huh? Lucky. I’m sure that would only fuel the need to get them out of that rut.”

“Maybe but there are limits to everything. There should be. If I had noticed how hard she was pushing herself earlier then—” She stopped herself dead in her tracks and rubbed at her face. With a deep breath, Dee looked back at me with a self-defeated smile as she threw her hands up. “It wouldn’t have mattered, not one bit. Once her father passed, everything began to snowball and the household never recovered. How could it? ”

The younger Granny emerged from the left stage curtain, holding a bowl of plain white rice. Dee shrank in her boots the second she laid her eyes on her. Granny placed it at the foot of the heavily locked door before sitting cross-legged not too far away. Carding through her hair with her fingers and patting down the wrinkles on her school uniform, she took a deep breath and paused. Granny leaned forward, forehead against the door frame.

“Hey Mom, I’m back,” she said, not muffled enough to hide the quiver in her voice. “How did your day go? You’re always so exhausted lately so I hope it wasn’t anything too stressful.”

Silence was the only response she got back.

“That’s good. My day? It was fine. These girls wanted to see me do some ballet during our break. Don’t get me wrong, they were a nice audience and all but it wasn’t the same as when you and Dad watched. It’s…getting harder to bring myself to dance at all actually.” She glanced at the stack of plates that had begun to gather the attention of a few flies and winced, pressing her fingertips against the door. “Hey…that’s no fair. You didn’t touch your food again. I worked hard on that!”

She let her own words sit for a second. Any feigned anger had been replaced with a pensive faraway look. Granny closed her eyes but judging from how her lip trembled, it was just to stop the floodgates. Even just for a moment. Digging her nails into the hardwood, she slid down all at once before hunching over. Every gasp for air after that only became heavier until tears finally streamed down her cheeks. All she could do was cover her mouth to muffle her sobs.

My heart hurt just seeing her like that.

“Look, I’m… sorry…if I did something to upset you—if I was a bad daughter or something. I know I haven’t been working as hard as I could have, you don’t even have to tell me. Let me make it up to you, ok?” A sniffle turned into a shaky deep breath. Desperately wiping her face, she continued to plead. “I won’t ask for anything else. Please eat something. Please don’t leave me too—“

Please let me perform in front of you again.

The words didn’t have the chance to fully leave her mouth before she whipped her head around and locked eyes with Dee. She hurried over to us and reached a hand out. It didn’t get far. The second she tried to go past the edge of the stage, she found herself stuck in place as the makeshift barrier rippled in place.

“Dee-Dee and friends, you have to do something. Help her!”

“Granny! Here let me—“

Dee put an arm out and took a step forward. That was enough for me to bite my tongue and fall back.

“Eli. ” All it took was saying her name to change her whole demeanour. Through narrow slits wrinkled by squinting, glossy eyes peered up at her. “We’ve been over this…I just can’t. As an Apparition, you don’t get to choose how your Labyrinth forms. Even if you could decide everything, it wouldn’t affect your mom in real life. ”

“Just use your magic to undo the lock and—“

“I told you already. It’s all subconscious.”

“Then what’s the point of it all?! Apparitions, Labyrinths, all this dumb power, what’s all that even worth, huh? It’s a waste!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Are you really not going to do anything, Dee-Dee? After everything?” Granny dug her fingers firmly into the barrier. The rippling only intensified as the tip of her nails just barely began to poke through. She glared as she hissed through clenched teeth. “Fine then. This stupid place can rot for all I care. I hate you! ”

Dee closed her eyes as she flinched back.

An open palm zipped through the air and broke through the barrier, strong winds following in its wake. The target was painfully clear but it could never fully connect. The sound of flesh on flesh was cut off as the younger Granny burst into tiny orbs of light, scattering away. Three large, coloured ones replaced her.

“Just like with me?” I asked.

Yuu’s next words were much quieter. But to me, they were the loudest thing in that room. “What do you mean like you?”

I tried to explain. Really, I did. I wanted to say something about what had happened shortly before she had her fight with Dee, about what I had seen during it. Nothing would come out. It started right in the middle of my tongue, that smoldering feeling. It wasn’t long before the entire thing caught fire. Soon it singed the insides of my cheeks and spread down my throat. The very thought of the flames searing my mouth was enough to leave me wide-eyed and at a loss for words.

Yuu huffed and turned away.

It was all so stupid. All I could do was look at her dumbfounded until my desire to say anything fizzled away. The pain went along with it.

“What…was that,” I muttered, holding my throat.

I wouldn’t get an answer.

By the time the first yellow orb shot up into the air, all the lights came on again. The curtain closed on this tragic performance. It seemed that the stage wasn’t the only thing that was prettied up for the show.

The entire theater was in ruin. Maybe, it always was. Entire seats were uprooted from the audience, leaving behind a large square stain where they once were. Others had large slashes across them, yellow stuffing falling out onto the chairs. Paintings and all the lights that surrounded them were either painted over or smashed to bits. Not to mention with how large the holes were on it, the stage couldn’t be used even if someone wanted to.

The second red orb floated over to me. It popped and out came my pin, falling gently into my hands. I gripped it and held it close to my chest.

Finally, the green one zipped directly to Dee’s hand. Stretching and moulding like clay, it transformed itself into a silver key. Even as she grabbed it, tight enough that I swore she broke skin, Dee hadn’t moved an inch from when Granny was talking to her. Neck craned to meet a gaze that hadn’t lingered around for decades now. Eyes narrowed maybe to avoid that fact.

Yuu glanced at the key before letting out a sigh. She must have put too much strength when she placed a hand on her shoulder because Dee jumped at her touch.

“Was… that the last thing she said to you?”

She looked back at her before nodding. “Not too long after that, I had complete control of the Labyrinth and everything became about making sure that house didn’t get taken away from her too. All she wanted was to dance but…”

She trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

“That’s…cruel. I’m sorry that happened.”

“Guess it would make sense she would only blame herself, huh?” I asked. “She…still does that.”

“Yeah, it’s irritating. She acts like she needs to put in as much work as two or three people to be considered ‘worth it’ as a person. “ Dee put her head in her hand and groaned. “And the worst part is that I get it. So much time has passed since then but I still feel like I can do more for her, to maybe make it up to her. At this rate, I’ll never be fit to stand by her side—”

“It’s not too late. Not at all. “

“And what makes you so sure?”

Memories of our times together ebb and flow like water from a faucet. Its stream contained both the good and bad.

All the times she scolded me for doing something stupid and I pouted like an idiot. All the times she pushed me to follow my dreams. The ones I lied to her so damn much about. Not to mention all of what I learned today.

It seemed like all at once, that small stream had turned into a vast ocean before I could even open my mouth.

“Because the Granny that I know is so, so forgiving and full of love.“ I wiped my eyes. I wouldn’t dare cry, it wouldn’t be proper of me. “Even though I messed up her face, even though I was wasting her time with all that baking crap. If anything, she was too full of it. That’s why I know if you guys met face to face, you’d be able to make up again!”

“You know, you’re a pretty hopeful kid despite having such a dour appearance.”

“Hope has nothing to do with it. I…just understand what pressure can do to a kid. “ I pushed my bangs to the side but stopped myself just as my vision cleared. “Look, it won’t make what she said hurt any less and, don’t get me wrong, it’s up to her to apologize in the end. Whether you guys actually make up or not is fine too. Whatever happens, happens.“

Finally putting my pin back in its rightful spot, I let out a shaky breath and continued.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is don’t wait too long before actually having that conversation. If it becomes too late, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Always.”

Dee’s eyes became glossy as she narrowed them once more, unable to hide the wide smile that was forming.

“Thank you, Shiro. You better not regret anything you do from here on out either,” she said, much to my confusion. I think she could tell I wasn’t following because she exhaled through her nose before she started talking again. Whatever it was, it wasn’t funny. “So tell me, do you want to be a baker when you grow up?”

What was with that question today? I’ve heard enough of it already.

“God, of course not. I haven’t baked in so long and even when we were doing it here, it was never something I liked.”

Dee threw her head back and started cackling. This was the most Aya-like she had acted throughout the short time I knew her. Much like when Aya did it though, I simply stared her down until she stopped. I swore that this sort of thing ran in their blood.

“You’re kidding me! Your friend would talk about it with me from time to time, you really think it wasn’t obvious that your heart wasn’t in it from the start?”

“Ah…well.”

“When you bake, the process is supposed to be something you enjoy along with the result. The same could be said for a lot of things though.” Dee shook her head and stole a glance back at the stage broken beyond all repair before. “I’ve watched one person sacrifice their dreams for reasons she couldn’t control and I refuse to let that happen again for anyone else. It’s a bit different for you but follow the path that you think is right. In other words— Do what brings you the most joy.”

My heart skipped a beat. Mother. Father. Would they really be alright with that? My path had already been laid out, it was the reason I was even standing here today.

That disgusting burning smell invaded my senses again. It was stronger than ever as it seemingly emanated from the red door. Both Yuu and Dee also covered their noses. Did that mean they finally could smell it too? I felt like I was going insane all day.

I buried my mouth into the collar of my sweater. Mostly to escape the smell but also to hide the fact that I was probably blushing. It sure felt that way at least.

“L-Let’s just keep going ahead.”

Dee scoffed before taking us to another red door that materialized beside the stage stairs. The key went in with no issue. Once turned, it disappeared just like everything else that came from the younger Granny. In a flash of light, leaving small streaks to dissipate into thin air slowly.

It started with a low humming. Just quiet enough to be mistaken for ambiance.

The ground around the door shook as it opened and once it did, three large white bags rolled out from it. They came in hot. Yuu slid in front of us. Knocking them all away in one solid swipe, a disgusting thick green goop splattered over her hand.

She tensed up as she raised it to her face. “Gross, gross, gross. What is this?”

Only more bags fell out from the next room over, making a sickening squelch as they hit the ground and leaked all over. On the inside, it was completely covered in garbage from head to toe. Trash bags were messily thrown about— some half-opened and abandoned halfway through before being filled while others were tied up but bursting at the seams.

The whole thing was such a fire hazard that it made me sick.

Once we entered for the first time, the smell that the other two caught a whiff of hit me and overpowered the one that had been plaguing me for so long. It was like rotten milk was spilled on a heavily used gymnasium floor and left out for weeks.

In the center of that room, a lone chair sat among the large heaps of trash. Something—or as we got closer to them someone—was in it. A navy blue blanket with sewn-in sunflowers was lightly wrapped around their shoulders. Unease came over me. That was the same design on the pillows when I first met Dee.

I looked over to Yuu, who had long since wiped her hands clean and stared blankly ahead. She had been awfully quiet not only throughout the performance but during the conversation afterward as well, opting to look around for the necklace instead. When she did speak, it felt like it was because she had to or since it had something to do with checking up on me.

Did she even care? About Granny’s well-being and past, about Dee’s spilling her heart out to the both of us?

I hated assuming that. Considering she had been so compassionate and kind before we got here, how could I not? I just wasn’t getting the idea that she was interested in anything but getting out. Which I understood, obviously. But it was just like she told me, there were layers to this. More than anything, I just wanted to know what was going on in her mind.

What on earth had her so tense?

Once Yuu glanced back at me, I couldn't help but panic and look away. Next was Dee whether I liked it or not. Her arms folded over each other as she fidgeted and picked at her hands, she didn’t dare take a step inside.

And so I grabbed the backrest, digging my fingers into the soft foam as if that would stop my hands from shaking, and turned the chair over.

She... was curled up in a ball on her side. God, I’d never seen anything be so rigid. So still. Hugging her knees with arms so scrawny and bony that they would shatter at the slightest touch, staring directly back at us with sunken sockets of eyes that had long since lost their light, and dried up spit and bile coating the sides of her still agape mouth— what we found was nothing less than a corpse, holed up by herself and rotting.

Although I recognized the pose from earlier today, the same couldn’t be said for the person. But judging by the tragedy performed not too long ago, I already come to my own conclusion.

“I’m not supposed to be seeing this.” My mouth felt so dry, I could barely swallow.

Dee covered her mouth and closed her eyes. “How was she able to create a room without my knowledge? It’s hers but…I’m in control, aren’t I? Eli—“

“P-please,” Yuu interrupted. “Unfortunately, this is just what you sign up for when you’re in someone else’s Labyrinth. You’ll see things that you’d rather not.”

That guard she kept putting up all day must have been shielding her eyes too. I’m certain. Because despite what she said, she still had her hands clasped together in prayer as she muttered to herself.

“Tell me Granny didn’t find her like this. Please.”

“She didn’t. By the time she mustered up the courage to call help and they broke down the door, this was all that was left for them to save. she was at a neighbour’s house at the time but still saw certain parts.”

I couldn’t even imagine her reaction to it all. The thought was enough to make me sick to my stomach.

“God,” Dee said, rubbing at her face. “Guess my suppressing hasn’t been working as well as I wanted. Even after all this time, even if Eli rejects this part of herself, she’s an Apparition at the end of the day. A Labyrinth will always be—“

“Don’t you dare say it,” Yuu snarled. “Not in front of her, not after how hard I’ve been working today! ”

“ Quiet down. You’re monitoring her, aren’t you? It’s more dangerous for everyone if an Apparition doesn’t understand what’s going on.”

“Stop talking about it, end of discussion.”

“I’m telling you it’s not a safe mindset to have!”

“You know not if in the future…”

“Thousands of years have passed, and thousands of humans have passed too, I’m telling you this as someone who has been with an Apparition for decades: there’s no turning back.”

Obviously, I was curious after that outburst. “Know what? What are you guys talking about?”

“N-Nothing dear, it’s not anything too important.”

Resting on the hip of the corpse was our goal. Yuu swiped it and held it up high for everyone to see. The necklace was just lovely. Hanging off it was a golden sunflower with the disk flowers replaced with the most gorgeous sapphire in the middle. The whole thing was enveloped in this otherworldly white glow that allowed it to shine brightly despite the lack of light in the room.

“There!” she shook it around with ease. “Look dear, we can go home. Aya and her Grandmother must be worried sick.”

“Yuu.” I had to dig my feet into the ground on this. Otherwise, we’d never get anywhere. “You’ve been acting so weird all day, I don’t get it. Are you hiding something from me?”

“I’m not trying to do anything to hurt you. It’s for your own good, I promise!”

Yuu waved her hands out in front as Dee sneered. She tried to enter but stopped the second she tried to take her first step. It seemed she still didn’t have it in her. Shaking her head, she stared at me with a pitiful look in her eye.

“Shiro ‘dear’, I’m sure you were at least told this but you’re an Apparition and that means you can lay out your Labyrinth—”

“—Dee, I’m warning you. Not. Another. Word—”

“And it’s in your best interest to know that you will never be able to go back to what you once were. No matter what you think, your Labyrinth and all of its complexities will always be a part of you. This will be the case until the day that you die.”

She was joking around. It wasn’t funny but anyone could tell that she was. Even someone like me. As dumb as it sounds, I was just like that old park that me and Aya used to visit. Some parts of me were new, like this whole Apparition business, but parts of me were definitely the same. Nothing was stopping those construction workers from stripping all that unfinished new crap away from our childhood park and keeping it the way it was before giving up. Nothing but their laziness.

It would take time and effort, but I could still make it work.

“Come on now,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “This is a different scenario with you and Granny but…I can be saved. Yuu said that. I can, right?”

I faced them both but only Dee could look me in the eye and give me a solid answer. “There is no ‘saving’ from your insecurities. Especially the ones you refuse to acknowledge.”

My eyes stung. If Dee has been with Granny for as long as she’s been alive, then could the same be true for me? That mimic creature, that entire hell World of Glass. It would live inside of me for as long as I drew breath. I couldn’t even bear to think about that. I…reject the reality that’s been handed to me.

Yeah, it wasn’t true.

Why on earth would she fill my head with lies as if when I found out I would throw a tantrum? I was sixteen, basically an adult. I could’ve handled it. Why agree when I said that someone like me could be a hero to Granny?

Someone who will always be a burden to the people in her life. All I ever do is make trouble for others.

I turned to Yuu, grabbing my collar. It was suffocating me at that point.

“So, you lied to me?! I’m just stuck like this then?”

“I’m sorry, dear. I just thought—”

Dee crashed into the room and fell face-first. The thumping of floorboards followed. A person cloaked in black came barreling into the room, one of Dee’s makeshift knives in hand.

They went after Yuu first. Diagonal swipe to the chest. It only caught fabric as she jumped back and landed on one of the trash heaps. Zipping forward, she was in front of the attacker in an instant. She went for an uppercut. As the cloaked person’s hood flowed up with their momentum, Yuu’s eyes went wide and stopped dead in her tracks.

“Y-You’re…here too?”

They yanked their hood all the way down before thrusting the knife at Yuu. The tip just began to poke her skin as Dee formed a fist in our general direction and the knife turned into a fine paste. With a click of the tongue, the attacker ripped the necklace out of Yuu’s hands.

Pivoting on their heel, they bolted toward me. The sudden movement was enough to drag that stupid hood off their head. Messy black hair flowed out and caught a glimpse of…her. Once again, it was a gross sight to behold. Only a single red eye glared at me, the other covered by her bangs. That disappointing, good-for-nothing girl had returned at last.

The person attacking us was none other than a younger me.

Before I knew it, she ran into me and dissolved into nothing, disappearing before our very eyes.

“Why didn’t you attack, Yuu! You had them,” Dee scolded.

“How could I ever hurt,” she trailed off before letting out a frustrated scream of her own. “Don’t you worry about that! I want to know why you didn’t grab her.”

“And what, let you get stabbed?”

“It would have never pierced my skin!” Yuu put her face in her hands and let out a sigh. “What is going on? I touched the necklace, grabbed it with my own two hands. That should have met the Condition and let us out. That constitutes as…”

She craned her neck up at Dee with a look of horror etched onto her.

“You—You forgot to add us to the Condition when we teamed up, didn’t you? It still assumed that you had to be in possession.”

Dee covered her mouth before waving one of her markers at us. A blue light enveloped our bodies and disappeared just as quickly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. There, I did it. We can find it again, it’ll be different this time. I’ll be extra careful.”

“Ugh, no, it’s my fault. You’re not experienced with this.“

I…was so tired. Tired of everything that moved. The ceiling fan caked in dark brown grime and dust looked like it was spinning. It wasn’t before. That stupid goddamn smell finally decided to grace me with its presence like it always does as I swore small little bubbles formed all over my skin.

Yuu turned her attention from Dee and looked at me funny. I didn’t really understand why but tears started forming in her eyes. “Shiro, no. You must stay calm, we’ve been over this remember?”

Stay calm. Don’t cause trouble. Don’t be a burden. These were simple instructions but god forbid I follow them. Even now, I was making things worse for Granny by taking that necklace. Dropping to my knees, I cradled my head as a lone red aura enveloped my entire being and an ever-familiar voice gave her booming final ultimatum.

So you’ve come to an impasse. Lay out your Labyrinth and become the hero you’ve always desired to be, or die wallowing in your mediocrity alongside those you hold dear.

From that second onward, I began to live the way I wanted to. No matter the cost.