Chapter 3
A Long Way From Home
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You consider your options. You could try the other door, but you decide you don't want to go barging into random rooms just yet.
That leaves the hallway and the stairs, and after a moment's indecision you decide to make your way up the stairs, your feet tapping softly on the marble steps.
At the top, the marble flooring gives way to carpet, and you find yourself standing in a short hallway with two doors on your left and a door on your right. Ahead is an open doorway, through which appears to be some sort of sitting room, a large window on the far side visible from where you're standing.
Walking forward, you try the doorknobs on the left side, but both doors are locked. You end up at the room at the end and see it's actually a reading room. There are two couches in the centre, as well as a few bookshelves lining the walls.
At the far end is a window that takes up almost the entire wall. Outside you see only the moon amongst the darkness.
Hmm, no, you see distant lights, actually. There are a lot of them.
You go up to the window and peer out.
Those aren't lights.
They're stars.
To your surprise, you realise you are looking out into space, and the moon you saw is actually an asteroid spinning lazily in the distance, its surface reflecting light from a star not visible from this part of the house... space station... spaceship?
The only thing certain is that you're a long way from home.
You find yourself sitting on a couch, your mind filled with questions.
You don't know how long you sat there, pondering just what exactly you have got yourself into.
Finally, with a resolve you weren't sure you had in you, you decided that if you're stuck here, you might as well find out more about this place.
You turn your attention to the bookshelves and check some of the books. None of them are in a language you understand. You even try pulling some more of the books in case there's a hidden door, but if there is one, you aren't lucky enough to stumble upon it.
That leaves the door you passed, then.
You head back to the hallway and stand before the last door. It's different from the others, thicker, and there's a symbol engraved on it: A square with a diagonal line from top right to bottom left.
You turn the doorknob, finding it unlocked, and gently push it open.
The incense from earlier assaults your nostrils, stronger than before. Beyond the door is a hallway.
You peek your head around the doorway to the left and see a large room with marble flooring and... the front door. It's the same foyer you just left.
Except, you should be on the other side of it... and up a level.
Looking to the right, you see the hallway continue down into darkness with several doors on each side.
One of the doors halfway down is open, and you can see soft flickering orange light spilling out into the corridor.
What do you want to do?
RE: https://fedi.topaz.id.au/notes/ajquc8fsmj3n0004
