Labyrinth of Love and Deception

2. Finding oneself through liquor.

Upon entering the first labyrinth, the girl was met with a sudden gust of wind that knocked her unconscious.

A completely vulnerable body lied motionless beneath the gates of the great labyrinth, luckily untouched, though it's not as if anyone else was nearby.

She came to, unaware of how long she was unconscious. Well-rested yet unable to think straight. Forced on her knees, her body weighed down with the heaviness of a hundred burdens.

She took her time and eventually mustered enough energy to spring back on her feet, her legs trembled with every step. She was shrouded with an overwhelming fear towards the labyrinth's presence. Fear, intimidation, a sense of psychological impediment. The girl felt as though she does not belong in this place and must leave immediately.

The gate has sealed shut with the sound of crags. The only way was forward through the narrow alley; a worn, limestone path bordered by grass walls. Seems like a maze, so far it does not appear to divert paths just yet. As the path beyond was clouded by a white mist that blocked what lies ahead.

"Why am I here again?" she looks around, both confused and in awe by the intricacy of the labyrinth's design. She had the impression that she was in the yard of an expensive manor.

In silence, without a companion. The sound of barefoot tapping against limestone was the only thing she hears for hours.

Eventually, she had entered a large open area. A circular field with several diverging paths that ties to nowhere and a seemingly-innocent water fountain at the middle.

It was a long and boring path up ahead, she had doubts moving forward and went in circles instead. She was afraid of taking the wrong path, so she stayed.

"I'm so full of questions right now.." She mutters as her eyes wandered, "What am I even doing in a surreal place like this?"

The field had blind corners scattered around, some paths held an immediate dead-end while others were barricaded by inconspicuous grass walls bearing a lighter shade than others.

To her surprise from searching around, she had discovered a building that protruded from one of the walls to her left, barely visible from the direction that she had entered. It resembled a vintage European façade with lightly-tinted windows, it appears to be a coffee shop from the signage located above with a text written in French.

She carefully peered through one of the windows, a bar room with the bartender working by his lonesome and a person who seems to have passed out drunk at the countertop was barely visible from the outside.

"Should I enter?" she muttered to herself, in an unexpected turn of events;

Looking up, the space between the walls were a misty sky peppered with heavy clouds. A storm was approaching, the only logical option for her was to seek refuge before it was too late.

She approached the door and gently held the knob before turning. Upon entering, a chalky wedge creaked as the door opened accompanied by a tiny bell. The smell of grass and dust had suddenly shifted into a strong aroma of coffee beans and caramel whisky.

"Welcome." the bartender greets her across the room in a deep and raspy voice,

The girl approached the server, sitting next to the faded person. Unsure, she could not tell if it was a man or a woman as it had long hair yet a muscular physique much of an average male in his thirties wearing casual pants and a flannel shirt.

"Hello, can I ask some questions?" she asked,

"Order." the bartender gazed into her eyes while sliding a glass of cold water across the table.