As I stood there dumbfounded, my flooding thoughts halted.
"Hello again..."
A voice rang out. I looked around, trying to find the source.
"You've been asleep quite a while."
The childlike voice continued, seemingly from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"W-who are you?" I asked, confused yet relieved I wasn't alone.
"I don't know... who I am.
But neither do you. That's the curse of this place."
The voice giggled.
"And—what exactly are... you?"
I pressed, frustration leaking into my words as the pain in my arm sharpened from a dull throb into stabbing pricks.
"I'm right here. Above you."
Another giggle.
I tilted my head upward quickly—my eyes met a pair of glowing, translucent orbs staring back.
I stumbled back, startled. Hanging in the air was a shape like a massive droplet of water. A blob—that was the only word my mind could conjure. Inside, countless string-like structures twisted and shifted, glowing faintly as they throbbed, like strange heartbeats.
"A... blob?"
The word slipped out before I could stop it. The orbs narrowed at once, the blob clearly displeased.
"Well that's rude! I'm not a blob, for your information!"
It huffed, lowering itself until it floated eye-level with me.
I couldn't help staring. Its form shifted constantly, the strings within pulsing with light, each thrum resonating through the air. Too immersed, I barely registered its words.
"Hello?... Hello... HELLO! ANYBODY HOME?"
The blob's voice grew louder as bubbles formed within it, like a boiling kettle about to burst.
I thought it was angry.
Snapping out of my trance, I tried to act nonchalant.
"You were saying?"
Its narrowed eyes blazed brighter with irritation.
"Sorry... heh. Never seen a... a... you before."
I waved vaguely at its whole body, trying to explain myself. Silence stretched between us, filled only by the chittering of rodents, dripping water, and random cracks from unseen corners of the corridor.
A bubble rose within the blob and popped with a soft plip. I took it as a sigh.
"Hmph... whatever."
It turned, floating away down the corridor to the left, its thrumming growing fainter.
I hesitated, watching it drift farther. Then I jolted, clutching my injured arm as I scrambled after it.
"W-wait... wait!"
The blob ignored me, leaving a faint trail of slime as it glided forward.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, okay?"
The words spilled out desperately, echoing through the damp hall. This blob—whether I liked it or not—was my only lead.
The blob stopped abruptly, slime dripping onto the floor as it slowly turned back.
"Sigh, fine... what do you want?"
Its glowing orbs for eyes widened, uninterested.
"Uhh... how did I get here?"
I asked, dusting off my pants, which were moments away from falling apart, torn and ragged.
"Like I said, I don't remember either. You would've already known this if you PAID ATTENTION WHILE I WAS TALKING!"
It bubbled in anger.
Our conversation was interrupted by a heavy footstep echoing down the corridor.
Thud...
The blob's eyes darted toward the sound, then back to me.
"I suggest you hide," it said with a chuckle, stuffing itself into a nearby metal bucket.
The thuds grew louder.
"I don't think the blob was lying," I thought, panic building in my chest, my heart pounding faster.
I ran into an open cell—just like mine—and frantically searched for a place to hide.
There were none.
I crouched in the darkest corner as the booms drew near.
Slosh... Thud... Slosh... Thud...
The torches cast a growing shadow as whatever was coming grew closer.