***

Did this gypsy person really ask him a question about time? Did she realize to whom she was talking to? If there was anyone on this planet that knew a thing or two about time, it would be him. He knew how powerful time was, how volatile and unpredictable. He understood its existence, understood its fragility as well as its incredible power. He would have absolutely lost his mind if he didn’t know the answer to a simple question as this.

“Time teaches us that, if anything, life is brief, but because of the existence of time it makes life eternal. Even if we die, there was once a time that recollected our presence on this earth, proof that we existed, even if it wasn’t for too long. Even if we die, time doesn’t stop along with us, it goes on, it flows on for the people we’ve left behind and will always continue, up to the point when there’s no one around to remember us, and even then, time will never stop,” he spoke passionately, seeing the smug grin on the gypsy’s face fading a bit. “Does that answer your question?”

Maybe it wasn’t really a good idea to get cocky at this point, but there was something satisfying about seeing the creepy gypsy realize that she couldn’t fool him. Tao felt a little proud of himself that he had bested her.

“I gave you the right answer, didn’t I? Now, tell me where I can find Jae-noona,” he requested, the gypsy looking less than pleased.

“Before I do that, don’t you wish to get your other prices as the winner of this game?” the gypsy provoked as Tao frowned at her, slowly becoming fed up with her.

“Other prices? What other prices?”

“Our deal was that if you won, you’d win it all. Fair is fair, so allow me to give you your price,” she snapped her bony fingers and Tao saw how the doll was manipulated by her to float towards their way. The poor thing was tangled in a heap of mess, the mouth still gagged while it stared helplessly at Tao.

“What are you doing?” he asked the gypsy, “Why are you showing me this thing?”

“For shame, Huang Zitao, don’t you even recognize your own brother?” the gypsy spoke as he startled, looking at the doll that was placed on the table now.

The gypsy snapped her fingers once more and Baekhyun inhaled for breath when he turned back into a doll. “Oh, thank God, I was worried you’d give the wrong answer like I did. Sheesh, I could hardly breathe being stuck like that, ahh…” Baekhyun chattered as Tao gaped at his brother, touching his shoulder.

“Baekhyun-hyung, is it really you?” he asked as Baekhyun managed to grin and embrace him.

“In the flesh, thankfully,” he managed to joke, only to squeal like a girl when he caught sight of the gypsy. “Stay away from me! You can’t change me back into a doll, my brother gave you the correct answer!” he exclaimed loudly, hiding behind Tao.

The gypsy woman clacked her tongue in derision before she rose to her feet and moved away from the chair. “You were much more agreeable when I had you gagged as a doll,” she hissed at a terrified Baekhyun. “Despicable creature of light. Couldn’t even answer a simple question,” she mocked.

“You tricked me!” Baekhyun accused.

“You were too stupid, that is no fault of mine,” the gypsy said derisively.

“Hold on, hold on!” Tao interrupted. “I’m happy that you’re here, Baek-hyung, but you, you promised me more than this,” he reminded the gypsy who looked to want to sneak out of the room before he would notice.

“Where is Jae-noona? You must tell me, I did what you asked.”

“Yeah! Tell us where she is!” Baekhyun repeated, hiding again when the gypsy hissed at him.

“I should have burned you to a crisp when you were a doll,” she scolded, looking mostly sour that she lost the wager. “You won’t like what I have to say about your precious noona,” she then started, looking around the room as if she was afraid that something else might be listening along with them.

“Your time is running out,” the gypsy spoke, but she spoke quietly, and discretely now. “Come the end of this All Hallows’ Eve and you have not successfully found your noona, you’ll never escape from this place again. The doctor is very precise and meticulous in his schedule and he won’t appreciate anyone interfering with his plans.”

“I don’t care about all of that, I just want to find Jae-noona and get out of here with everyone! Now, tell me where she is!” Tao spewed, Baekhyun fervently nodding his head at the gypsy for emphasis.

“You’ll find your noona in the library, if she’s still alive,” the gypsy finally answered, though she had started fading away to the rhythm of the pulsating green light.

When the light dimmed, she became more present, however when the light shone brightly she was the one who dimmed and seemed to fade just a bit.

“The library,” Tao repeated as he looked at Baekhyun. “Hyung, we can find noona!” he smiled.

“Can you really?” the gypsy suddenly question, her eyes looking menacingly their way. “Whenever was there a deal between us that said that I would actually let you leave this room?” The doors slammed shut, all the objects that had been moving in the room before becoming more erratic.

“Yah! What’s going on? This wasn’t part of the deal! You said that you would help me if I gave you the right answer, and that’s what I did!” Tao argued.

“And I did help you, Huang Zitao. I told you where your noona is, but I never promised to let you leave this room, now did I?”

“Hey, you evil witch! Our friend is in trouble, we have to help her!” Baekhyun shouted at the gypsy.

“And what concern is that of mine? I will never let you leave again,” the gypsy threatened as she smiled her crooked smile. “And I fear that there’s nothing you can do about it, either.”

Tao grunted as he gazed around the room, looking for another exit, but not being able to find one. “Let us go!” he yelled, but his words fell on deaf ears.

“No,” the gypsy said coolly before laughing.

“Hyung, what can we do?” Tao asked helplessly, when he saw Baekhyun staring at the crystal ball before he responded.

“She disappears when the light shines,” he noticed, pointing at it as he forced Tao to stare at it.

“Yeah, she’s probably a creepy ghost, hyung, so what?” Tao answered in agitation.

“That’s not my point, Tao-yah!” Baekhyun yelled in equal frustration. “I think I can get us out of here. Close your eyes a moment, okay?” he stated as the gypsy glared at him.

“What do you think you’re up to?” she hissed threateningly.

“We’re getting out of here,” Baekhyun stated. “Let’s see how you like it when magic is used against you!” He blasted a bright light inside of the chamber, the screams of the gypsy soon fading as the powerful light bathed the room in Baekhyun’s shine and when it did its work, Baekhyun ceased his attack and the gypsy was gone. The doors were unlocked and Baekhyun was grinning proudly as Tao looked at him in admiration.

“Hmph. Turn me into a doll again, I dare you,” Baekhyun commented as Tao managed to laugh–mostly out of relief for having survived another tight situation.

“Way to go, hyung!” he complimented, heading for the door. “Come on, let’s go find noona together!” Tao was already half way out when he saw that Baekhyun hadn’t moved from his spot. “Uh, hyung? Are you okay? You did hear that we don’t have much time left, right? Noona is in real danger!”

“I know, Tao, but the thing is, Chanyeol and I separated earlier. He went through the door underneath the staircase and I went here. I know that you can find noona, but I have to make sure Chanyeol is all right,” he said, as Tao understood.

“I mean, you know how scared that big guy can get, right? I can’t leave him alone,” Baekhyun tried, to hide his own fear, but Tao didn’t need him to explain. Were it under different circumstances, he would have definitely taken the opportunity to make fun of his hyung for once, but seeing how afraid Baekhyun was to have to go find Chanyeol on his own and was still willing to do it, he could only admire his hyung for it.

“Go find Chanyeol-hyung, Baek-hyung,” Tao nodded. “But, try not to leave all your spit on the floor, okay? It’s unsanitary enough here,” he teased, Baekhyun managing to laugh and patting his taller brother on the shoulder.

“You’ll find Jae-noona, right? You’ve come so far I’m sure you’ll find her, and when you do, make sure to tell her about how I was the one who saved you from the creepy gypsy woman, all right?”

Tao chuckled and nodded, hugging his hyung tightly before heading to the door. “Good luck, hyung. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“You too, Taozi, and you bet!”

Tao nodded and quickly went on his way. He was getting closer to finding Jae-noona, it wouldn’t be long now or they could all leave this creepy place behind.

>>> CONTINUE HERE <<<