Despite his best efforts to keep his hand connected to jayden cross ’s, and remain alongside both him and paxton concordas , at some point Fern found himself untethered. Maybe the path had deviated. Had the halls split into others? He didn’t remember bolting through one of the side doors along the long corridor. Only that he’d kept running and running as the ghoulish woman gained ground behind him.[break][break]

Veering away to a different course implied that she’d been fixed with a choice—follow him, or someone else, but he hadn’t paused to glance back again. All he’d done was run from that dark, foreboding energy that seemed determined to creep behind him. His heart pounded in his chest, and his lungs burned. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d run for so long in one go, and his legs begged him to stop, to breathe, to reassess. But he finally chanced that glance. Risked slowing just a few paces to see if he was even still being pursued.[break][break]

Another howl ripped from her throat as she saw him looking, surely in a show of victory because he’d eased his speed in order to see. “What! Why me??” But another spike of adrenaline kicked in, and Fern doubled down on his pace—desperate to get away so that he could catch his breath. Or, you know, find his companions. But at least they probably weren’t being hounded anymore.

[break][break]
hqvb9UOX
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[attr="class","ooc"] + fern is open to be interacted with as u please :3c[break]
+ run run run run run!![break][break]
+ resolve tally: -0 + 10 = 30/50

Though they don’t remember when they let go of jayden cross ’s hand, Fern distinctly regrets doing so. At some point, the sense of impending doom waned, and when he looks back over his shoulder again it is to find that the ghoul lady has simply…vanished. It makes him wonder if she was ever actually there to begin with. Fern doesn’t linger on the thought for long, because it finally starts to sink in that they are well and truly alone.[break][break]

They swear that they can hear the lingering banshee howls of the woman in their ears as they stand in the dimly lit hall. The lights continue to flicker, and every little noise seems amplified because of how empty the space is. Maybe…maybe they can still find Jayden though. Or even paxton concordas would be fine at this rate. They’ve never done well with the concept of ‘total isolation.’ Moving forward, they reach the door at the end, and for once, it doesn’t yield another hall like they’d hoped. One with their companion just out of reach.[break][break]

There is only heavy, consuming pitch dark. The kind of void black that looks tangible if he were to reach out and touch it. He considers stepping through, and then— wailing.[break][break]

Any thought of traversing that dark and being swallowed up by it is squashed the minute the echoing sobs start. Instead, Fern glances around. Different doors remain as they have throughout each hall, most are locked. But one to his left gives when he turns the knob. It’s not even a question— he takes it.
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nL2DWIZ5
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[attr="class","ooc"] + fern is NOT going in there. takes a door to his left.[break]
+ pls don’t backfire on me…[break][break]
+ resolve tally: 30 - 10 = 20/50

Surely this door would offer some sort of reprieve from the chaos of the last several minutes. Their breathing is still uneven as they try to regain control after running for so long. They cast one more sidelong glance toward the open door at the end with its unyielding darkness, and the crying he can still hear faintly.[break][break]

The door Fern chose swings open on creaky hinges. But inside he does not find his companion. Nor does he find some kind of sign indication that he is nearing the exit. Instead, he sees a room full of unfamiliar people. Mouldering food lines a snack table, and as they beckon him in, Fern notices that each and every person looks as though they’re falling to bits—crumbling just as the halls he's been wandering have. Their grins are just a bit too toothy, and their hands reach to usher him in.[break][break]

Quickly, he grabs the handle as his heart jumps to his throat, and then slams the door shut with a BANG. Warily, he looks back toward the door at the end of the hall. Now what is he supposed to do?
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k_59WtJs
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] + fern is NOT going in the party room either. slams the door and deliberates what to do.[break]
+ def using my ghoul bonus this round[break][break]
+ resolve tally: 30 + 10 = 30/50

As thrilling and riveting as this whole experience has been, Fern decides he's quite ready for it to be over. He hovers outside the door he had just slammed shut and continues to deliberate his choices. The door directly across the hall yields another of the thousands of halls that he's already passed through. But at this point, he'll take it over the ghouls and the chases.[break][break]

There is one noticeable difference, though: the brightly lit EXIT sign at the far end.[break][break]

He's found it! He could weep with relief, he's sure. Once he was through that door, he could laugh at himself again and all of this would be a passing thing. It was just a matter of making it down the hall. The door he passes through clicks shut, and he's no more than a few steps in before it feels like the floor is beginning to rumble underneath him. He pauses, frowning, and makes the same mistake that he's already made several times now -- he looks back over his shoulder.[break][break]

The wide, carpet-y mouth yawns back at him then clicks its teeth together. The shriek he lets out is unflattering, but Fern doesn't think about composing himself as he scrambles. A long, throw rug tongue looks to catch him, and this is not how he wants to go. Eaten by a house mouth?? No thanks.[break][break]

He's not in enough shape for this, he manages to think as he bolts for the exit sign again, hand outstretched toward the doorknob. But if he gets there in time, he'll commit to a more rigorous training routine. He promises.
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OBUSE9rX
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[attr="class","ooc"] + hahaha.... roll total = 171 [break]
+ resolve tally: 30 + 10 = 30/50