Usually when you seek the cafe, it's simply there. You decide it's time to go to that place between worlds, you get up and you start traveling. Way leads to way and a fog begins to descend. Then, no matter where you started from, once you've traveled far enough, you arrive.
This time is different. You find yourself in an endless series of winding allies, that turn one into the next. There is no sun that you can see, but the light is fading. Tattered cloth hangs between buildings with no doors, and now and then tin rattles on the ground, though what moved it you can never quite seem to spot.
You are mystified and first, curious. What is this place and why have you never ended up here before? Then you begin to hear the noises. Something snarling, just around the corner.
You run.
Whatever it is, you can hear it give chase, but you dare not look over your shoulder. Turn leads to turn, and the sounds get closer. But fortunately the fog descends once again. The snarling noise is a fading echo.
And once again you find yourself in front of the mysterious establishment known only as 'the cafe'. Unlike when you usually arrive, you must catch your breath for a moment.
The Manager, spotting you, runs out to see if you're okay.
"What's happened, Traveler?" he asks, patting you on the back. You tell him what happened and he is silent a while, rolling it around in his ancient mind.
"Forgotten ways," he said. "You're lucky you made it out of there. Few do. A maze of a nether dimension constructed by Dedalus himself. And in it hides the beast. Fortunate too that it didn't follow you out. You're just plain lucky," he says with a smile.
You certainly don't feel lucky.
"Come on inside. Get warm. Drink your usual. The best way to make sure you never end up back in a forgotten way is to simply forget you were ever there."
This was very well written! Great work ;)
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