Even though I knew I wouldn’t be seen, I still held my breath as the security guard passed by. The slightest mistake would get me killed, so despite being invisible, I wasn’t willing to take that risk.

I quietly hurried down the hallway. The rain was getting louder by the minute, so I couldn’t wait much longer. I needed to break the chains soon.

After what felt like an eternity, I came across the library. Slowly opening the door, I caught a glimpse of a large man. Bushy beard, narrow eyes, and a golden chalice on his coat. This was definitely the Watchmaker.

”Mr Watchmaker?”

He looked up from his book. “Huh? Who’s there.”

”It’s Sally- oh, wait. You can’t see me.”

The Watchmaker let out a chuckle. “Well what do ya know, you really are invisible. What do ya need?”

I took a deep, steady breath. “I need to break my chains.”

There was a moment of silence.

”It’s not an easy task.” He said gruffly. “After all, only sorcerers can chain someone.”

I knew what I was getting into when I got here. Pissing off a sorcerer was my own doing, so I would have to face the consequences of breaking the chains.

”How do I break them?”

”Hmm, you see that door over there?” He motioned towards a large detailed door. “All I know is that you’ve gotta find your locker. Apparently, it’s much harder than it looks.”

I didn’t have time to worry about that. If the rain turned red- which would be any minute now- the chains would seal themselves. Two years of invisibility would become permanent.

I pushed open the door and was faced with a set of lockers, as though it were a post office. They each looked identical, with no markings whatsoever.

“Great…” I muttered.

As I inspected the lockers, I noticed that the only way to open them was by using a key. So perhaps I wasn’t looking for my locker, but my key.

I walked around them room, looking for a key. I came across a secret pathway near the back wall, and I reached in. My hand grazed something cold and metal. I gripped it and yanked it out.

This was a key, alright.

The rain was even louder now. I was running out of time. Hastily putting the key in the first locker I saw, it twisted and the door opened. The second the key had unlocked it, the rain stopped abruptly.

It worked. I was free.

Inside the locker was a necklace and a folded piece of paper. I grabbed both of them and put the necklace on. Instantly, my body came into view. For the first time in two years, I could see my skin. My arms.

I headed out and was greeted by a very surprised looking Watchmaker.

”Well would ya look at that! It worked!”

I grinned and thanked him. As I walked outside, all I could think about was how shocked my family was going to be. But as I opened the door to the outside, it was still nighttime. The streets were still wet. The moon was still red.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. The rain stopped, everything was supposed to go back to normal.

I looked down at my hand to see the folded piece of paper. I opened it up to see just one sentence written in red ink.

THE CHAINS ARE BROKEN, BUT ARE YOU TRULY FREE?

Short answer?

Eccentric and detailed.

Long answer?

My writing is a worded painting, explaining to my viewer what crosses my mind. My writing is a descriptive of the film I see in my mind's eye, detailing what simple pictures could never capture. My writing may seem eccentric to some people, it may come across as scattered and abstract, but once you take a closer look at it you can see the hidden details. You can read between the lines. You too can see the story laid out in front of you, creating vivid images in your mind of what you see happening. Nothing is on accident, nothing is a mistake. I carefully review my words and rearrange as needed to create the exact masterpiece I worked through in my mind. My writing is a painting created with a pen and paper.

There were two men I knew

Both were very talented

And handsome

But the two of them were opposites

And as fate would have it

Opposites attract

Man number one

A ruthless business man

With connections

In every company you could name

And as fate would have it

The richest man on Earth

Man number two

A retired war veteran

With skills

Far beyond any god or angel

And as fate would have it

The most dangerous man alive

One day, the business man

Heard about something

An opportunity

To move ahead much farther

And as fate would have it

He signed up

But this rich business man

Did not expect this

A war veteran

Being considered for the opportunity

And as fate would have it

He was very well liked

And thus began a petty fight

Between the entreprenuer

And the god

Polar opposites attracted

And as fate would have it

They went to war

What amount of talents

From confidence and delegation

Building bridges

Could possibly land this man ahead

As fate would have it

This man could go no further

What amount of talents

From wisdom and strength

Dependability

Could possibly keep this man ahead

As fate would have it

This man could go no further

An immovable object

And an unstoppable force

Collided

Both blinded by their egotistical talents

And as fate would have it

Talent alone gets them nowhere

The Leaves are a beautiful species that many overlook. The Leaves live in the trees, watching the world change before their very eyes. The Leaves are social creatures, and loved to mimic nature. Their soft skin allows them to absorb the colors of their surroundings.

In the spring, they would take on the bright yellows and oranges of the rising sun. In the summer, they would become the shades of green from the thriving plants. In the autumn, they would turn into the browns of the resting trees.

But in winter, they would freeze. Such fragile beauty could not handle the harsh snow, and so they allowed themselves to fall from the trees and start anew.

I cannot even begin to describe the many reasons why you should not follow me. But I will do so anyway. You see, I am full of ideas, and I'm always coming up with new ways to convey them! Do you really want to follow someone who has ideas? Didn't think so. Secondly, I'm constantly learning! I know what you're thinking. Learning? What is this, school? What kind of total loser wants to learn? Exactly. This is why you definitely shouldn't (wink wink) follow me! You'd totally hate it.

I can't remember where I was supposed to go.

A map would have been nice, if such a map existed.

Maybe I'll be lost here, forever searching for an exit that doesn't exist.

Many people have disappeared before, but not like this.

I'm not even sure anyone would ever understand my experience.

Sometimes I consider no longer searching for an imaginary exit.

So I go to the one place that keeps me safe in this void.

I call it the Risk, and to most people it may sound dangerous.

Names can be deceiving, however.

Good thing that Risk leads to reward, and eventually, I will make an exit.

"You know, most people like the county fair."

I glanced up from the map to see a clown sitting next to me. I couldn't remember how many clowns were left, but there was clearly at least one. Which was strange, because I was pretty certain I had gotten them all. But after all that had happened so far, I decided not to question it.

"It's not bad, I guess," I muttered. "We've just been here too long."

"Too long, huh?" The clown chuckled. "A few hours too long for you?"

"Tch, yeah, sure." I looked back down at the map, which had now shifted.

I wish it was a few hours. It should have been a few hours. I did expect it would be a few minutes over, considering how excited my sisters get, but not this long. My parents promised me we would only stay three hours.

It's been ten weeks.

My name is Alex, and I love to write.

But lately, it's all been boring.

Should I switch the scene from day to night?

Change the windows or the flooring?

Perhaps I need some sudden deaths,

Yes, that will do the trick!

When characters take their last breaths,

The reader is shocked real quick.

Katie and Sarah should be in a car crash.

Matthew will drown in a swim.

Pierre's set on fire and burned straight to ash,

No firefighter could save him.

Melissa should fall off a three-story roof,

With Simon caught below it.

This recipe is completely foolproof,

I'll get awards before I know it!

Autobiographies aren't very frequent,

But I'll get some money for the time I've spent.

I have a friend and her name is Scarlet.

Scarlet knows what is fake and what is true.

To me, she's a goddess and a starlet,

I do what she tells me to do.

When doctors pretend that I am unwell,

I go to Scarlet for comfort and safety.

Together we fight the demon's spell,

Trying to convince me that I am crazy.

Scarlet and I will walk in circles for hours,

Speaking to each other inside of my mind.

Scarlet and I have these magical powers,

That allow us to see things when others are blind.

And then I take meds for my brain,

And Scarlet leaves me once again.