The house at the centre of the multiverse

Chapter 7

Deep in the jungle, in a crater millions of years old filled with trees but devoid of animal life Kane awoke. The world didn't immediately make sense as the trees seemed to be growing upwards into the ground. It took him a few moments to realise it was because he was hanging upside down. The vine that had wrapped around his body was now just wrapped around his ankles and had suspended him from a branch a few feet off the ground. On the floor beneath him was the key he had been sent to retrieve. He stretched out his hand but only the tips of his thick fingers brushed against it slightly. He was reaching for it again when he noticed something. Looking to his left he realised he wasn't the only one there, a few trees away was the body of a small monkey hung up like he was , looking to his right a few more away, a man. He had olive skin pained with blue and red stripes, his long black braided hair had small feathers and flowers woven into it. He was awake and he was panting heavily, his eyes wide in fear. He was muttering quickly in a language that Kane had never heard before.

The vine that was holding the man suspended lowered him slowly to the ground and the man started screaming, using his hands he desperately started tugging at the vines securing his ankles with no avail. The vine started to drag the screaming man out of sight. He tried to dig his fingers into the dirt but it didn't help. The man started repeating a word over and over again, Kane may not have spoken the language but he was sure the word meant 'no'.

There was a bone chilling scream from behind him followed by the sound of rustling, the vine around his ankles vibrated excitedly. Rocking his body he used the momentum to slowly turn to see what was happening.

The trees formed a large circular vine covered clearing; a lot of them had animals suspended from them. In the centre, surrounded by bones and in a nest of dark green leaves sat a large red flower. Its flesh like petals seemed to be made of thick leather on the outside and wet meat on the inside, they were in the process of closing back up with a squelching sound. Inside the flower that now resembled a veiny red cocoon and now pressed up against one of the petals was the outline of the man. His mouth was still open in what was now a silent scream.

It was than Kane realised he was suspended in a pantry and he was the next course. He couldn't get eaten by a plant, his boss would kill him.