Chapter 11

11

We tumbled through the portal, escaping the grasp of the giants, and I landed with a loud thud on my back in what appeared to be an upside-down world. Vibrant grass hung above us, and floating islands drifted lazily overhead. I gently placed Zara down on a ground that appeared to be made of glass with a wide-open sky under it. Kendra hopped off my back.

Zara's wounds healed within seconds. Meeting her gaze, I said, "Thank you."

To my surprise, any lingering animosity toward the young vampire had vanished. I'd held onto my anger from when she had attacked me and left me for dead. Back then Zara had been a baby vamp herself, untrained and scared. She saved mine and Kendra's life in the giant realm and for that, I was grateful.

Kendra gawked at our surroundings. "What the frick?"

We all stopped to stare, our heads spinning from the topsy-turvy landscape. Moving cautiously, we were hyperaware of the precariousness of every step. The glass under our feet felt paper thin, as though a good stomp would crack it and we'd be lost to the sky. Our paint-and-chocolate-covered hair floated above our heads, and soon the blood rushed to our faces.

"Come on, we need to keep moving," I said. "This place is awful." I'd rather have been back in the art gallery, though maybe not the giants' realm.

With a determined expression, Kendra tried one more time to open a portal. When it failed again, frustration clouded her face. "I don't understand why this isn't working."

"Maybe this place, these places, have some kind of anti-portal magic," I said. "On the bright side, at least we're not being chased by giants anymore."

"Hailey, the eternal optimist," Kendra said, but she couldn't help cracking a smile.

"Someone's got to keep our spirits up." I gave her a playful nudge.

We continued our journey through the disorienting world, doing our best not to lose our footing or our sanity. As we ventured deeper, I couldn't shake the feeling that time was running out, and we needed to find a way back to safety before something even worse found us first.

"Is it just me or do those trees have faces?" I asked, squinting at the foliage as we continued our trek.

"Uh, Hailey? Those aren't trees," Zara said. "They're…I think they're puppets."

Indeed, as I took another look, the 'trees' morphed before our very eyes into towering marionettes with limbs that dangled from invisible strings, their wooden expressions painted in an eerie semblance of glee and sorrow. The leaves we had mistaken for foliage were actually meticulously crafted garments fluttering in a non-existent breeze.

"Of course they are." Kendra snorted. "Why wouldn't we encounter whimsical puppets in a world where everything is upside down?"

With a collective shrug, we approached the puppet-dotted landscape with caution. They initially appeared friendly, their wooden faces carved into warm smiles and round, rosy cheeks.

As we drew nearer, one of them said, its painted eyes gleaming mischievously, "Greetings, travelers. Care to solve a riddle to advance on your journey?"

"Sure, why not?" I exchanged glances with my companions. "We're already in an upside-down world; might as well add some riddles to the mix."

"Excellent," the puppet said in a high-pitched and sing-song-like tone. "Here's your first riddle: What has keys but can't open locks?"

"Ah, that's an easy one." Zara grinned, her earlier irritation momentarily forgotten. "It's a piano!"

"Correct," The puppet clapped its tiny wooden hands together. "You may proceed…but tread carefully. This world has many surprises in store for you."

"Thanks for the warning." I walked as carefully as I could.

Zara and I seemed to fare all right despite the disorienting environment, but Kendra was another story. Her face had taken on a greenish hue, and she swayed slightly as we walked.

"Kendra, are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

"Ugh, yeah, just a little woozy," she admitted. "This upside-down stuff is messing with me."

I gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Now let's keep moving and find a way out of here, okay?"

"Agreed." Zara scanned the surrounding landscape for any signs of danger or clues to our next challenge.

With renewed determination, we continued our journey through the strange world, trusting in our wit, teamwork, and snarky sense of humor to see us through whatever lay ahead.

The upside-down landscape stretched before us like a twisted Dr. Seuss illustration, complete with floating islands and gravity-defying trees. Kendra's face was still a shade of green, but she soldiered on.

"All right, ladies, let's keep those brains in high gear," I said. "I have a feeling we're in for another riddle."

As if on cue, a group of puppets appeared, dangling from invisible strings. They wore wicked grins as they presented us with a folded piece of parchment. I unfolded it, revealing the second riddle:

"Two bodies have I,

Though both joined in one.

The more I stand still,

The faster I run."

"Okay, this one's trickier than the piano," I said. "Any ideas?"

"Maybe it's some kind of vehicle?" Zara said, clearly thinking out loud. "Like a bicycle or something?"

"Or maybe it's about time and space," Kendra said, her big brain kicking into high gear. "Like, the universe is constantly expanding, so the more it stands still?—"

"Wait," A puppet said. "I think you're all forgetting about the delightful world of confections, it's a cake!"

"Uh, really?" I said skeptically. Its mischievous grin told me it wasn't being entirely sincere.

"Of course not," another puppet giggled, sending the others into fits of laughter. "But it was worth a try, wasn't it?"

"All right, enough games," I said firmly, trying to refocus our efforts. "Let's think about this logically. Two bodies…standing still…the faster it runs…"

"An hourglass," Zara suddenly said. "Two bodies joined in one, and the more it stands still, the faster the sand runs through it!"

"Brilliant," I said, as the puppets' laughter died down and they begrudgingly nodded their approval. "Well done, Zara."

"Thank you, thank you," she said with a dramatic bow, soaking in the applause.

"All right, let's not get too happy," Kendra said, her no-nonsense attitude keeping us grounded. "We don't know what's waiting for us up ahead."

"Right." I swallowed hard. "Let's keep moving. And be on guard for any surprises."

"Agreed," Zara said. "This place is getting creepier by the minute."

"Hey." Kendra put her hand on my shoulder. "We've got this. We're the Bond Girls, remember? Nothing can stop us."

"Damn right." A fierce grin broke across my face. "Now let's show these puppets who's boss."

"Yes, yes, you're brilliant," a marionette puppet reluctantly admitted, its wooden limbs clattering together as it gave an awkward bow. "You may proceed."

"Finally," Kendra said. "I thought they'd never let us move on."

"Something tells me they're not done with us yet," I said. "But we don't have much choice. Let's go."

As we ventured deeper into the upside-down world, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. The light coming from above our feet cast eerie shadows on the floating islands below us, or were the sky below us and the islands above us? Bah, this place sucked.

"Maybe they just like riddles?" Zara asked.

"Or maybe they're just bored?" Kendra shrugged.

"Whatever their reasons, we can't afford to let our guard down." I led the way along the glass path. "Stay close, stay alert, and be prepared for anything."

"Words to live by," Zara said as we continued our treacherous journey through the upside-down world.

"Hey, Hailey?" Kendra leaned in close as we walked. "When we get out of here, remind me to never, ever come back."

"Deal," I whispered back, trying to ignore the unsettling sensation that we were being watched. "Now let's get out of this twisted funhouse before things get even weirder."

The upside-down world continued to have a nauseating effect on Kendra. Her face, pale and clammy, seemed to droop just like our surroundings. I couldn't blame her, the blood rushing to my head was even making me see stars.

"Kendra, you're looking worse." I gave her a concerned glance.

She grunted. "I'm taking a break from skips when we get out of here. No more strange dimensions for me."

"Deal, but let's focus on getting out of here first." I tried to maintain a brave front despite my mounting anxiety.

"Agreed," Zara said. "This place is truly unnerving."

Puppets watched us from glass perches, tracking our every movement like silent guardians. Something told me they held all the cards, and we were merely pawns in their twisted game.

"Maybe we can try reasoning with the puppets?" Yeah, I wasn't too confident in that plan.

"Ha, good luck with that." Kendra scoffed.

"Hey, you never know until you try," Zara said as she looked at the puppets. "Besides, they might be more cooperative now that we've proven ourselves worthy."

"Or they could decide to make us their playthings for all eternity," Kendra said, and we trudged onward.

"Such optimism from someone who's about to pass out." I nudged Kendra gently with my elbow.

"Har-har." She swayed slightly but stayed upright. "Just keep moving, and let's hope this glowing path takes us somewhere useful."

"Here's hoping." I prayed that our luck would hold and that we'd find a way out of this topsy-turvy world before it was too late.

Suddenly, one puppet swooped down in front of us, its mischievous grin even more unnerving up close. Kendra and Zara both tensed, ready for a fight if necessary.

"You've proven yourselves worthy so far," the puppet taunted, "but let's see how you handle this riddle: 'I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I?'"

Kendra's eyes widened as she instantly said, "A joke!"

The puppet's expression shifted from smug to stunned. "How did you—?" it stammered before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, you got it right. But it won't save you!"

With that, the glass beneath our feet shattered, sending the three of us plummeting through the air. The puppets cackled gleefully above us as we fell, their laughter echoig.

A swirling portal appeared beneath us. We tumbled through the magical gateway, leaving the chaotic realm of the upside-down world and the sinister puppets behind us.