The Metaphorical Key Book I- Call of the Raven

Chapter II

Aiden's blood pumped through his veins and roared in his ears like a small, rapid heartbeat—or more accurately, representative of the fierce storm raging in his mind.

There were a million and one thoughts in his head, all clamouring to be heard and speaking over each other, but the loudest—or perchance just the simplest—the one Aiden picked out amongst the other, confusing ideas that he couldn't quite grasp, was this can't be real.

He wasn't sure if that thought was pessimistic—the idea that everything he was seeing, hearing, feeling, was just a figment of his overactive imagination and an (arrogant? Idealistic? One of the two) belief that he could shape the world like a potter presented with a kiln and clay was a sobering one. Maybe it was realistic, simply an ugly truth in the face of a gorgeous lie. Maybe it was optimistic—maybe he wanted to wake up in his bed and go downstairs and eat some pancakes with his family, maybe -

"Are you alright?"

Aiden snapped his head up, realising that Rico was ahead of him—he'd been so stuck in his own head that he hadn't even noticed the older man pull ahead—thank goodness he'd stopped.

"Y-yeah, I'm alright, I'm good. Thanks."

Very convincing, Aiden thought, shaking his head and cursing himself before quickening his pace to stand beside Rico.

Rico pursed his lips, his brows drawing together in obvious disbelief, but they kept walking.

A few minutes later, Rico nudged him.
"Straighten your shoulders," he whispered."Head up, walk like you have somewhere to be."

Aiden did as he was told, although with his heart pounding against his ribcage and his mind practically splintering like he was Atlas holding the world on his back, it wasn't easy and he looked far less convincing than Rico, who had convincingly melted away into an authoritative and imposing figure.

They stopped in front of a door—a white sign hung off it, teetering to the left as one of the strings holding it up had snapped—Rico muttered something under his breath about how he was meaning to fix that.

The text on it was in capital letters, bold font, vibrant red—EMPLOYEES ONLY.

Rico unlocked the door and swung it open. Aiden frowned, but followed him through the door.

It led into a dome shaped room, lit by fluorescent lights overhead. The room was empty, devoid of even windows or anywhere to exit aside from the now-locked door. Well—empty unless one was to count Aiden, Rico, and a red and gold mosaic in the centre of the room.

Rico kept walking towards the design on the floor. Aiden stared after him, rubbed his temple, blew his cheeks out, and followed, shaking his head as he walked.

"What's this?" Aiden asked, kneeling down and poking a large blue tile in the centre of the mosaic, visible now that he was close.

Rico didn't answer, just knelt down and pressed his hands against the tiles surrounding the blue one. He pushed once, hard, and Aiden gave him an incredulous look, raising an eyebrow and wrinkled his nose.

Aiden's jaw dropped and his eyes bugged out of his head when the tiles sunk into the ground with a sound like gears turning.

Rico pried the blue tile upwards now that the edges were visible—it was rather thick—and it swung open.

Had any other surprising things happened, Aiden would have had to unhinge his jaw like a snake to open his mouth any further.

"Make way!" Rico said, planting his hands on either side of the hole and shouting down. Below, Aiden swore he heard people murmuring and shuffling around. Perhaps he'd finally snapped.