This new festival brought excitement to Dala's eyes as she ran around, looking at all the attractions. Eventually she found herself a group of kids around her age to hang out while her parents were somewhere. The other kids were nice but she didn't feel a strong connection with them. It wasn't a surprise to her. The girls and boys her age never could keep up with her conversations or thought process. They knew nothing about fights, survival tips, or even mentioned a thing about what they planned to change about the world. Instead they just talked about toys or the fireworks or something else along those lines, things that lacked depth or helpful information. When they started up a debate, she pretended to care whether tag was better or worse than hide and seek. Not that she knew what those things were anyway.
Eventually the group she followed stopped in front of a normal door standing inside a single door frame. Signs decorated this mysterious door with hundreds of warnings about fears and bringing things to life. The door opened easily, revealing a portal behind it. They checked for any invisible walls or weird enchantments but the door was single and on its own. After reading the warnings and seeing the portal, the kids began daring each other to enter, but all were too cowardly to take a step near it. Finally, one kid dared Dala to enter, claiming that she'd be far too scared to enter.
"Is that a challenge butthead?" Dala asked.
"Oooooo she said a bad word." The kid who'd dared her said.
"Butt isn't a curse word….Whatever I'm just gonna head in." Dala was getting tired of the others.
Without a second of hesitation, she stepped into The Gallery of Horrors. The first thing thrown at her was the sound of a raging thunder. It made her jump but once she realized it was the sound, she gritted her teeth and continued wandering around this strange place. It was a plain wooden walled room at first but the dimension quickly shifted to the old cave where slaves used to work. One man stepped out into the room. A man she'd been hiding from for a very long time. Her heart still felt fear of him but that fear had dulled over the years. The knowledge that this was all probably part of the attraction also kept her will steady. The dimension sensing this, began shifting into a new scenario. She now was standing on a cliff, looking down at the world below. Suddenly she was falling and falling. The speed made her heart race as she sped towards the ground. Shutting her eyes, she waited for an impact that never came.
When Dala opened her eyes, she realized she was standing in her father's temple. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of home and all the comfort it brought. Perhaps this place wasn't as scary as everybody claimed? An illusion of Alairia and Raith suddenly appeared, looking down at her with cross expressions. Dala's smile faded as she realized they weren't happy. Confusion crossed her face when Ria began to speak.
"You really are just a pain, aren't you? Here I try to open my home to you and yet you constantly act like some wild animal!" The Alairia illusion spat.
"But-" The child barely got a word out before the illusions of her parents continued.
"You know we've been gracious enough. I think its about time you find some other place to live." Illusion Raith said with a disgusted look.
"Dad-"
"We don't want to be your parents Dala. You were cute at first but now we've got a real family to build." Illusion Alairia interrupted, "Go find someone else to bother."
"WAIT!" Dala desperately pleaded, "I'll do whatever you want me to. I'll be whatever you need me to be. I'll behave! Just please, don't leave me!"
The background of the temple faded away, leaving nothing but a white room. The only thing that remained were the two illusions of her parents, both with looks of hatred towards her. The child got on her knees and began to beg.
"I'LL DO ANYTHING!" Dala shouted, "I'll be the kid of your dreams just don't leave me alone!"
"We don't want a broken child." They both said in unison.
Dala felt stunned, like somebody had kicked her in the stomach. All she could do is weakly reach out for them as they began to walk off into the distance. She had been abandoned again, for the hundredth time. Yet this hurt more than the others. She genuinely believed they'd be there for her, always. They told her they loved her! The knowledge that this all was an event was far out of her mind. Dala pushed herself onto her feet and began running after them, but her parents were nowhere to be found. They were gone.
"Mom? Dad?" She called out in a quiet voice but no response came.
In all her years, Dala had kept strong. She'd faced adversities both large and small all while keeping herself somewhat composed. The child would let herself get angry, become excited, throw fits of fury, and show disgust but there was one thing she never allowed herself to do. Tears began forming in her eyes as her face began to grow red. A great sob escaped her as she covered her face with shaking hands. Her throat tightened, trying to keep in the noise and to be quiet but this was the final straw. Seven years worth of tears ran down her face as she couldn't hold it in any longer. The one thing she promised herself never to do.
Dala was crying.
