Trouble.

Helen's back ached with a dull, persistent throb as she knelt among the flowers, the scorching sun beating down relentlessly like a malevolent entity. The air was heavy with the sweet, cloying scent of blooming flora, but even this pleasant aroma couldn't alleviate her growing discomfort.

She wiped the sweat from her brow, her eyes scanning the garden's vast expanse with a mixture of frustration and despair. The covered area, once a haven from the sun's fiery wrath, now seemed woefully inadequate, a paltry refuge from the heat.

With a deep, resigned sigh, Helen surrendered to her exhaustion, collapsing onto the dry and crawled under the shade, seeking refuge from the sun's merciless rays, which seemed to pierce her skin like a thousand tiny daggers.

As she caught her breath, her gaze wandered to the mysterious opening, hidden behind a tangle of weeds and overgrown vegetation. At first , she didn't take it as an issue but something about it urged her to know what lay at the other side of the wall. She crawled towards it and shoved aside the weeds, ignoring the stinging sensation in her nose as dust motes danced in the air.

A sneeze escaped her lips, a sudden, explosive sound that echoed through the stillness. Beyond the opening, a dimly lit hallway stretched out, lined with knights' armors, swords, and faded paintings, their colors muted and subdued. The darkness at the far end seemed to whisper secrets, its silence a palpable, living thing.

Helen's heart quickened as she hesitated, torn between exploring the mysterious passageway and returning to her duties. But the thrill of discovery proved too great, a siren's call that beckoned her deeper. She dropped her equipment, the tools clattering to the ground, and strode back to the hole, taking a few glances back to avoid any eyes on her.

With a deep breath, Helen stepped into the unknown, her eyes adjusting slowly to the dim light. The air was thick with dust and the scent of aged leather, a musty, earthy smell that filled her nostrils. As she landed painfully on her back, Helen groaned, the sound echoing off the stone walls, which seemed to close in around her like a vise. She lay there, dazed and disoriented, her mind reeling with the implications of her discovery.

She struggled back to her feet, her gaze falling upon the passageway which stretched out before her like a dark, serpentine tunnel. The walls were lined with cobwebs, their delicate, lace-like patterns shimmering in the faint light. The air was heavy with the scent of decay and neglect, a morbid, funereal aroma that filled her heart with foreboding. Yet, despite the sense of trepidation that gripped her, Helen felt an overwhelming urge to explore the passageway, to uncover the secrets that lay hidden within its depths. "Ahhh" , she shrieked and the echoes of her voice only made her excited.

Helen began to make her way down the passageway, her footsteps echoing off the stone walls. The air grew colder, the darkness seeming to press in around her like a physical force. Yet, despite the fear that threatened to overwhelm her, Helen pressed on, driven by a fierce determination to uncover something Incase it was her last time at the palace.

As she walked, the passageway began to narrow, the walls closing in around her like a vise. She stumbled, her foot catching on a loose stone, and fell, her palms scraping against the rough wall.

The pain crawled mercilessly through her veins she wanted to yell but then heard an unmistakable sound of a turning bolt, followed by the rhythmic footsteps of approaching guards.

Adrenaline surged through her veins like liquid fire, immediately setting her to her feet. Panic set in, as she frantically scanned her surroundings for a place to hide.

Breathless and lightheaded, she spotted a darker recess in the wall and squeezed her slender body into the narrow space just as the guards rounded the corner.

The flickering torches they carried cast eerie shadows on the walls, making Helen's hiding spot seem precarious. She held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest like a blacksmith's hammer, as the guards drew closer. She was almost on the verge of tears but held back.

Their torches alone cast a warm glow on the walls only making her hiding spot more fragile and vulnerable to discovery. But the guards, oblivious to her presence, marched past her hiding spot, their boots echoing off the stone floor.

Helen let out a silent sigh of relief, her tense muscles relaxing slightly as she dared not to move, fearing the guards might return or that she'd stumble into another danger. Little did she know, the guards had already discovered the open hole she'd used to enter the passageway.

"Something's not right here," one of the guards muttered, his voice low and suspicious. "We need to inform the captain about this."

With that, they quickly retreated, their torches casting long shadows as they disappeared into the darkness. Helen, still hiding, waited until their footsteps faded before attempting to extricate herself from the narrow space.

Helen then started to attempt her retreat from the space only to realize how stuck she was. This only added to the already unsolved issue of how she was to climb back to the garden.

This time, with all her might, she supported herself on the nearby knight statue and started to break loose . However , her hand slipped, and the statue toppled, its sharp sword slicing through her palm like a hot knife through butter. Helen gasped, her eyes widening in shock, as a searing pain shot through her hand, totally clueless of what she had just brought forth her way.

By the time it settled in, she was already too late to escape because the noise was loud enough to divert the guards attention back to where she was.

Tears welled up in Helen's eyes at the sight of the huge bloody cut and the little paddle of blood Infront of her. She heard loud footsteps approaching but the poor girl was just in too much pain to escape and probably clueless of another hiding spot , so she just sat up and only waited to face whatever was to come her way.

Just as expected, two strong figures appeared from the dark , the surrounding torches revealing furious frowned faces , which sent shivers along her spine .

The air around began to suffocate her as the walls closed in, leaving her with not only numerous thoughts but also an uncontrolled trembling.

" WHO ARE YOU" . one guard spat at her from a distance and Helen knew that this was going to be once than she had assumed....