The Great Escape

I have to get out of here!

I was bobbing my head to the ending theme song of The Little Witch's Grand Adventure when Amy walked back in. I froze instantly. I'd been so excited I'd almost started dancing. I peeked at her, worried she might have caught me, but she just waved a black plastic bag in her hand.

"I bought coffee milk."

Coffee milk, assorted candies, and cookies tumbled out of the black bag Amy set down. Shine and I immediately clung to the table, wiggling with excitement.

"I want this one," Shine said, reaching out first to grab a massive lollipop. I wondered how she even planned on eating something bigger than her own palm. I reached out and grabbed the coffee milk and a handful of small cookies—about ten of them.

"You already brushed your teeth, right? Don't forget you'll have to brush them again if you eat more," Amy warned.

Her words plunged me into deep, agonizing conflict. A few cookies wouldn't instantly give me cavities. But if I ate them and didn't brush my teeth, Amy would definitely be angry. I hated brushing my teeth, but I really wanted the cookies.

As my two conflicting desires clashed, Shine tore open her lollipop wrapper without a single moment's hesitation. With a soft rustle, the sweet scent of candy began to drift through the air. When I looked at her with trembling eyes, she deliberately licked the lollipop right in front of me.

"Is it good...?"

"Mm-hmm."

Staring blankly at Shine, I ended up ripping open my cookie wrapper too. I can just brush them again.

Once our delicious snack time was over, Amy led us to the bathroom. The three of us stood side by side, brushing our teeth. It was a chore, but a necessary one. Having experienced the sheer agony of cavities before, I brushed thoroughly.

Coming back out, I changed into my pajamas and immediately threw myself onto the bed. The fluffy blanket wrapped around me in a cozy embrace. Shine climbed up onto the bed as well, slipping under the covers beside me. I poked just my head out of the blanket and looked at Amy. She was sitting at the table, organizing some documents.

"Amy, aren't you going to sleep?"

"I'll sleep in a bit."

This isn't good, I thought, squirming under the covers. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Amy had to fall asleep quickly so I could drink the coffee I'd hidden. But right now, she was staying up to work on her paperwork.

"Come here, quick," I said, throwing off the blanket and patting the mattress with my small arm.

Watching me, Amy let out a soft chuckle. "Go to sleep first. I'll be there soon."

But Amy was stubborn. It didn't look like I could bend her will. I let out a tiny sigh and crawled back under the covers.

I began to bide my time under the blanket. My plan was to slip out while Amy was distracted by her paperwork, find my hidden coffee, and sneak into the bathroom to drink it. I slowly began to wriggle my way out of the covers.

"Jeff?"

"Ah..."

I quickly spun around. Shine, buried in the blanket with only her head poking out, was staring at me.

"Shine, you're not asleep?"

"You aren't either, Jeff."

"Uh, yeah..."

Shine's glittering eyes were locked onto me. She didn't look like she would fall asleep anytime soon. Left with no other choice, I crawled back under the covers. The plush texture of the blanket and the warm heat enveloping my body made me feel incredibly drowsy. My eyelids felt heavy, drooping shut. But I couldn't fall asleep. I bit down hard on my lip. The slight sting of pain helped chase away the sleepiness, if only a little.

In the quiet room, the scratching of Amy's pen finally stopped after what felt like an eternity. I peeked out from the blanket to look at her. She stood up and stretched, loosening her stiff muscles.

"Are you all done?"

"You were still awake?" I asked Amy with half-closed eyes. She looked surprised to see me still up.

"I wasn't sleeping either."

The blanket next to me squirmed, and Shine's face popped out. She hadn't been sleeping either.

"It's really late." Amy rubbed her tired eyes and climbed onto the bed with us. Our usual sleeping arrangement was formed: me, Shine, and then Amy.

I desperately fought to keep my eyelids open. I can't fall asleep.

Once Amy's irregular breathing smoothed out into a steady rhythm, Shine also fell quiet, seemingly asleep. I sat up slightly and gently poked Shine's cheek. It was soft and squishy, but she didn't open her eyes. I let out a sigh of relief and slipped out of the blanket. The rustle of my clothes against the fabric sounded incredibly loud in the silence.

I tiptoed over to where I had hidden the coffee. Fortunately, the instant coffee mix was still there. Grabbing it, I headed into the bathroom and began filling the cup I used for brushing my teeth with hot water. Steam rose from the tap. I tore open the packet, poured the mix in, and began to stir. The fragrant aroma of coffee quickly filled the bathroom.

I stuck my tongue out slightly to take a lick. The piping hot coffee wasn't something I could easily gulp down. Holding the cup with both hands, I began to blow on it. *Phew, phew.*

Contrary to my desire for it to cool down quickly, drowsiness kept washing over me. My head bobbed. Finding it hard to support my swaying body, I slumped down onto the bathroom floor.

"Phew... Phew..."

Once the intense heat had dissipated, I began to drink. The sweetness melted on the tip of my tongue, followed by a lingering bitter aftertaste. It had been so long since I last tasted coffee. I emptied the cup in an instant. As the warm liquid settled in my stomach, the sleepiness grew even heavier. With blurry vision, I pinched my own cheeks, feeling their soft, squishy texture distort under my fingers. I took a deep breath and stood up.

The effects of the coffee kicked in almost immediately. My blurry vision cleared, and the heavy weight on my eyelids vanished. I stretched my stiff, sleepy body and stepped out of the bathroom. Everything was fine now.

I tiptoed once more and swiped Amy's credit card. The black card sitting on the table easily fell into my hands. I would need money once I got outside. With Amy's credit card, simple transportation expenses wouldn't be an issue.

I carefully opened the door and slipped out into the hallway. The corridor, which was usually brightly lit, had several sections where the lights were turned off. Staring into the dark spaces, an inexplicable shiver ran down my spine. I pulled up the map memorized in my head and began to walk. The sound of my slippers on my small feet echoed through the empty hallway. The crowds that usually filled the place were nowhere to be seen. If not for the occasional person walking by in casual clothes, dragging their slippers, I definitely wouldn't have had the courage to move.

I stopped at a dark section of the hallway and swallowed hard. It was pitch black. But it wasn't so dark that I couldn't see at all. I mustered all the strength in my legs and bolted. My footsteps echoed loudly in the empty corridor. I quickly zipped through the dark zone and arrived back in a brightly lit area. In the well-lit sections, I walked slowly. But whenever I hit a dark stretch, I ran with all my might. After repeating this cycle for a while, I finally arrived in front of the massive spiral staircase where I had first arrived with Amy.

"Hah..." I gasped, swallowing dryly. I had completely forgotten. To get out of here, I had to climb those incredibly high stairs. Just as Amy had said, there was no elevator, meaning I had to climb them entirely on my own.

I looked up at the stairs with eyes full of dread. The massive central pillar stretched upward as if it would never end. But I couldn't give up. I really wanted to see that movie. After a quick stretch, I began to climb the stairs with a grim, determined expression. My shortened legs could only manage one step at a time.

After working so hard, I stopped midway and looked back down. It felt like I had been climbing forever, but the height was barely any different from before. Panting for breath, I kept pushing upward. I passed the floor where Rabin's clinic was. Continuing on, I finally reached the floor with the model park.

I paused for a moment to look at it. The bright artificial sunlight had vanished, replaced by a soft, glowing moon. The sprawling night park exuded a strangely dreamlike atmosphere. A refreshing breeze blew gently, carrying a sweet scent that felt like the fragrance of the moon itself. It was beautiful, but I had to keep moving.

I climbed the stairs once more. The gazes of passersby fell upon me, but I didn't ask them for help. I was huffing and puffing, my chest heaving up and down. The pounding of my heart echoed in my ears. Exhausted, I slumped down onto a step. I peeked upward, but the top was still nowhere in sight. Crushed by the sheer, overwhelming height, I ended up lying down in the corner of the staircase.

"Ugh..." A wave of sorrow washed over me. Why did I have to suffer like this? My vision blurred, and the corners of my eyes grew hot. I raised my hands to cover my face. The hard stone of the stairs dug painfully into my back.

As I lay whimpering in the corner of the stairs, people began to gather around me.

"Hey there, little girl. Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. I pushed myself up and sat on the step.

"Then why are you crying? Are you lost?"

"No... I have to go up the stairs."

"How far up are you going? Do you want me to help you?"

I wiped my tears and lowered my hands. Through my blurry vision, I saw a woman sitting down, her face filled with concern. She was wearing a white lab coat, sitting on the step to match my eye level. Staring blankly at the orange hair falling over her white coat, I managed to squeeze out some words.

"I'm going to see a movie."

"A movie?"

"So I have to go outside."

"Go outside?" She turned to look up at the towering central pillar. "Were you trying to climb all these stairs by yourself?"

"Yes..."

"That looks way too hard for you."

I nodded at her words. It really was too hard.

"I could easily help you get outside, but..." She trailed off, looking slightly hesitant. I quickly reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Please help me!"

"Hmm..." She reached out and scooped me into her arms. Her hold was firm and secure, yet surprisingly comfortable. "Alright. I'll help you."

"Thank you!" I thanked her, wiping away my tears. She was such a kind person.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Jeff."

"I'm Mary."

The woman, introducing herself as Mary, began to climb the stairs at a rapid pace. It was incomparably faster than the speed of my short legs.

We had been climbing for a while when, suddenly, everyone around us pulled out their phones at the exact same time. Notification sounds erupted from all directions. The quiet pings of incoming messages multiplied by the hundreds, merging into a massive, echoing wave of sound. Mary pulled out her phone as well.

"Hold on a second..." She checked her phone with a serious expression. Bewildered by the sudden commotion, I rolled my eyes around to scan the area. Everyone looking at their phones began to steal glances at me.

"Mary, people are acting weird."

"Hmm?"

"They're all staring at me."

Feeling uncomfortable under their heavy gazes, I lowered my head to avoid them and whispered softly in Mary's ear. Mary, still looking at her screen, spoke to me in a trembling voice.

"Jeff... did you sneak out by any chance?"

"What!?" I flinched, my body jolting. How did Mary know? How did she know I had snuck out of the room? I hadn't even been caught by Amy. Shine was definitely supposed to be asleep too. My plan should have been perfect.

"How did you know?"

With an awkward smile, Mary began to dial a number.

"Yes, Lady Amy? It's Mary."

"Amy?" I gasped, squirming in shock. Was Mary calling Amy? The faint voice coming through the phone was unmistakably Amy's. She was calmly asking for Mary's location.

I stood there, jaw dropped in utter shock. Having finished the call, Mary gave me an awkward smile.

"Sorry, Jeff. I don't think I can take you outside after all."

"No! No!" I began to thrash around with all my might, flailing my arms and kicking my legs. But Mary didn't let go. Instead, she held me even tighter, completely pinning me down.

"No! I have to go!"

After a long struggle, I spotted Amy walking up the stairs. She slowly climbed up and reached out her hands to Mary. Frozen in place, I was handed over into Amy's arms without a fight.

"Jeff, why did you go out?" Amy's voice was no different from usual. She asked as if she was genuinely just curious about my reason for leaving.

Expecting to get scolded severely, Amy's calm reaction made me speak up hesitantly.

"Um... I wanted to see the movie..."

"The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠movie?"

"Yes..."

"Which one?"

"The theatrical version of The Little Witch's Grand Adventure... I heard it was releasing now..."

"You wanted to see it that badly?"

"Yes..."

Amy chuckled softly at my answer and stroked my back. I buried my face in her shoulder.

"Can't I go outside?"

"It's difficult right now."

"But I really want to see it..."

"If it's that, I can show it to you."

"Huh?"

When I looked at her in confusion, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she only offered a mysterious smile.

Ultimately, my escape attempt came to an end. Carried back to our room in Amy's arms, I found Shine sitting on the bed with an incredibly angry expression.

"I'm back..."

I waved with an awkward smile, and Shine let out a massive sigh.