As she stared beyond the bluff of the bedside down to the floor far down the girl first reevaluated her position as well as her plan for escape and then immediately looked to her left and saw the gentle slope of red blanket descending from the bottom of the bed to the white carpet below so she moved toward it through the unstable terrain of the mattress, dotted with dust and hair from Jade's body and when she reached the blanket it seemed to rise toward the very apex of her vision but despite this she reached out and rubbed it then immediately began a climb to the top with the intent of sliding down the entire blanket to the floor where she could continue her escape and when she reached it this new vantage point provided one of the single most alienating landscapes she could have set her eyes upon.
Through the darkness the girl could see Jade's discarded clothes and other debris upon the floor. The blanket she would slide upon would take her to the foot of the dresser which was one in the direct center of the room meaning it would be a long walk to the door, where a line of light erupted from the space between it and the carpet. She would have to walk around the clothing and trash to reach the door. She began her slide down the blanket and reached the bottom quickly. After moving away from the blanket the smell of the sweat and filth collected across the room hit the girl. It was sour and thick. The girl looked past the tears in her eyes and moved toward a wall of fabric to her left, the direction of the door. She met it and immediately retracted at the scent. They were a massive pair of gym shorts with a pair of dirty panties still lining the interior. She walked on past the clothes to escape the powerful stench but as she moved deeper into the labyrinth of clothing the smells only mixed and blended into one homogeneous horror.
She walked on further through the bedroom. As the light of the window receded from her vision she was consumed by darkness. Avoiding walking into the embrace of discarded clothes became impossible. She tripped over the lines of panties, face planting into the soiled crotches. She walked on. Occasionally the tendrils of hairs left buried in the carpets lashed and wrapped around her limbs leaving her tethered to the floor until she could untangle herself from its grasp. The light had completely left her vision and she stood starkly abandoned of her senses other than the thick and overwhelming smells around her. When she walked circles around the obstacles she was turned in every direction, becoming only further entwined in the massive maze of filth. She walked on until she came in contact with a discarded sock. She tripped into its depths and was immediately overcome with the sickening smell. On her body she felt the grime of a foot knead into her. Coughing and spasming, she pulled out of the sock and fell onto her butt. Eyes watering, she stood and walked on. Eventually she came to one article of clothing, a bra unbeknownst to her, and as she crashed into and slid into its interior she felt she would have to give up or take a break.
Above her was the squeaking of the fan. She listened to it carefully and with each squeal from its joints she felt more hopeless until there was a breakthrough in her mind. Using the sound of the fan she could estimate her position from the bed and move closer to the door. This thought sent her climbing and grasping at the walls of the cup of the bra to exit but she found it was nearly impossible. Only now did she come to realize the nature of her prison and she felt very aware. In one motion she ran and slammed into the wall and the cup tilted and emptied her out onto the floor. She tumbled in a ball and her body gradually unraveled until she was flat on her back. After her dizziness subsided she stood and began moving away from the sounds of the fan. She walked on. She felt herself growing closer to the door as the sound of the fan moved away and with this she felt hopeful.
It did not take long for her to walk into a wall. As her foot slammed against it her head flew forward and brought her nose directly in contact with the wall and although there wasn't a crack she gasped and reached to her nose as she fell onto her butt. She shouted loudly until the pain was gone and she stood again. She had been turned around and had moved away from the fan in the direction opposite of the door. This put her as far away from her escape as she could possibly be. She turned around and walked on. Her head spiraled in dizziness and when she put her hand up to feel at her nose there was warm blood spilling from it. In reaction she moved her head backward and let the blood fall into her throat. She sat down and waited for it to stop and sometimes moved her head forward with her hand under her nose to see if it was still bleeding. By the time it stopped she noticed she could see the window again and now there was light coming from it. She had been stuck in the room all night.
Now capable of seeing her surroundings, she walked on. It did not take long for her to find the door and squeeze under it, arriving in the hallway, free from the choking smell of the bedroom. She moved from the door to the main area of the hallway and walked on. The light above her quietly buzzed. At the exit of the hallway she had come into the loft. The room was decorated with sparse furniture and the walls were painted turquoise with small frames containing art hanging along them. On the ceiling hung another fan that spun gently. At the furthest end of the loft near the entrance to the kitchen was a window where early morning light came into the room. The lack of light gave the entire room a blue tint. There was still the scent of the banh xeo cooked yesterday coming from the kitchen.
The girl walked on to the center of the loft where there was a table surrounded by couches. She walked on beneath the table into the darkness where dust had collected as well as several small toys that the girl supposed Jade's little sister played with. When it came time for her to walk back into the light of the loft the door to Jade's dad's room opened and the man himself stepped out. The girl froze in fear and stood completely silent despite the dust drifting into her eyes and nose. He walked from the door to the kitchen and the girl could no longer see him. She moved to the posterior of the table and went into the loft at the foot of a couch and she could see into the kitchen from there. Jade's dad stood at their coffee maker preparing coffee for the morning. The girl watched until he seemed done and walked back into the loft and in reaction she ran back under the table quickly and she tripped and fell into a dust bunny. She could no longer open her eyes and watch Jade's dad but soon she heard the sound of his door opening and closing and immediately she began to spit dust from her mouth and pull herself away from the dust bunny, opening her eyes and coughing. She angrily kicked at the dust bunny and her foot became tangled in it and she pulled it out and brushed the dust from her foot.
She walked on from under the table and toward the door to exit the house. She reached it on foot and was exhausted with walking by the end. The door stood massively and towered over her. Unlike the door from Jade's bedroom there was a rubber blocker keeping things from entering or exiting the house from under the door. The girl pulled and tugged at this blocker in an effort to move under it but it would not budge. She shouted in frustration and moved away from the door to a corner near it. She brushed away the webs and dust and sat down with the intent to wait until the door opened and she could leave. A clock toward the center of the living room read 8.45. The girl waited.
The girl slept for a while until the sound of the door woke her up. It was opening and in entered Jade. The girl ignored this and ran to the exit but she had not anticipated the danger of the feet of the person entering and she ran back to the corner when it appeared too dangerous. Jade closed the door and walked away toward her room. The girl was left alone again.
She stood groggily and walked on to the center of the loft again. While she explored Jade's dad came from his room again and got a cup of coffee from the kitchen then left for work. The girl had missed another opportunity. She moved to the rightmost couch and walked under it. She explored more and walked on. After exiting from the back of the couch back into the loft she saw Jade walk from the hallway and into the loft and Jade called out, "I know you're in here, come on, come out to me."