"SOMEBODY HELP!!" Karla yelled with all her might, thrashing against the figure gripping her wrist tightly. The frantic flapping of wings broke the silence as startled crows took flight from nearby rooftops.
"Shut up, will you?" The figure hissed, visibly irritated, quickening its pace. It abruptly turned to face Karla, whose face was pale as paper, drained of all color.
Karla froze, her wide eyes staring in shock before a piercing scream escaped her lips. Slowing her steps, she stared at the person dragging her forward, disbelief flooding her expression. "Oh my gosh! Camille?!"
The figure paused. Karla leaned in closer, squinting to confirm.
"Camille!!! It's really you! I thought I was going to be… and—" Karla choked on her words, tears of relief streaming down her cheeks as she began sobbing uncontrollably. "I thought I was done for!"
Camille, however, seemed less concerned with Karla's outpouring of emotions. Her sharp eyes darted around their eerie surroundings, scanning for danger. But then her gaze landed on something peculiar—a mural.
It stood out starkly, its bright hues of orange and yellow radiating an almost unnatural glow amidst the decaying ruins of the district. Unlike everything else that bore the weight of time, the mural seemed untouched by age.
Camille's brow furrowed deeply. She couldn't look away. The mural captivated her, emanating a strange allure that seemed to quiet every voice in her head. Even Karla's emotional ranting faded into a distant hum as Camille's thoughts turned blank.
The more she stared, the brighter the mural seemed to glow. Her chest tightened, her heartbeat pounding as if something invisible was pulling her closer. Against her better judgment, she took slow, hesitant steps forward.
Her trembling hand reached out and brushed against the mural's surface. It was smooth, impossibly clean, devoid of dust or imperfections—completely out of place.
"This… this isn't right," Camille whispered to herself, trying to shake the spell that had overcome her. Yet a stronger voice at the back of her mind urged her to keep going. Her fingers slid along the surface until they bumped into something solid and unfamiliar.
She instinctively gripped the object tightly. It felt strange, its contours unnatural against her palm, but her curiosity only grew. Squinting, she tried to make sense of what she was holding, yet there was nothing visible.
"A switch?" Camille wondered, running her fingers along its edges. Tentatively, she tried flipping it, but it didn't budge. Just as she was about to dismiss it when another thought struck her. "Or maybe it's…"
Her hand twisted the object, and it moved effortlessly, as if it had been waiting for this very moment.
Suddenly, a deep rumble resonated through the air. The ground beneath her feet seemed to tremble as two massive doors slowly revealed themselves, splitting the mural apart.
Camille's breath hitched, her eyes widening in sheer disbelief. "This isn't real," she muttered, goosebumps erupting across her skin. Her legs felt like they had turned to stone, paralyzed by the overwhelming shock of her discovery.
Behind her, Karla's sobs had long quieted as she stared at Camille. Initially convinced her friend had completely lost her mind, her expression shifted to sheer terror when the doors fully materialized.
"CAMILLE?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Karla shrieked, her voice cracking in fear. She dropped everything she was holding and backed away, trembling uncontrollably as she stared at the now-open doorway.
Her terror was palpable, but Camille couldn't move—her gaze was locked on the dark abyss behind the doors, as if something was watching her from within.