She walked the chaotic corridors thoughtfully. The marks she had left on the tiles were fortunately still there. It didn't take her long to find them.

Reaching the corridor with the rooms, she met Purple, quite by accident. He was a little surprised to see her.

"What are you doing cuddling my rabbit?"

"I caught him because he was running in the corridors." She made the move to hand it to him.

"Yes, he has a habit of running through the maze." He took him in his arms and stroked him. "But how did you get out?"

Madalen froze for a moment.

"I didn't go too deep and I remembered where I turned."

"I see... But you should know that sometimes the corridor changes."

"What do you mean?"

"Actually, the maze is not that big, it just changes position every time. But this does not apply to the corridor with the rooms."

"How is that possible?"

"I do not know. Jio knows. He is the only one who can cross the labyrinth without getting lost."

Strange.

"Thank you for finding my rabbit. I'll need him for my new trick."

Madalen paled.

"I hope you don't…kill it," she said.

Purple laughed and left without answering. She did not want to worry about the fate of the unfortunate rabbit. But since Purple had used it in his tricks for so long, she figured it wasn't in his plans to kill it. At least not soon...

    As Purple left and Madalen was thinking about how to get his chainsaw, she heard an irritated voice.

"Where were you?"

Madalen stepped back defensively, looking behind her.

"Jio! You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Not the first time, not the last," he scoffed. "Where were you?" he asked again in the same tone.

"Why? Were you worried about me leaving this awful place?"

"No, I'm not worried, I was just looking for you."

"Why?"

"We are preparing a show, and I would like you to do us the honor of participating in our rehearsals."

"What? No!"

She had turned pale as cloth.

"You don't have a choice," he smiled crookedly.

"I'm not going to come to any show, no rehearsal after the last one... I can't stand it."

"For your own sake, you will have to bear it."

"And why?"

"You are all questions and questions," he commented without giving an explanation.

"And you're having all the fun."

"Yes," he grinned defiantly. "If you tell me where you were, you might even skip the rehearsal."

So there he goes…

"You are threatening me?"

"No, I'm giving you a choice. And it's good to take it when I give it to you."

"I was in the maze."

His eyes narrowed.

"What were you doing in the maze?"

His voice trembled, and he seemed to grow angrier.

Madalen was embarrassed to see him like this. She was afraid to answer.

"I was chasing a rabbit." Her voice cracked.

"How stupid do you think I am?"

" For as stupid as you take me for too, but I was indeed chasing a rabbit. Ask Purple!" she steadied her voice forcefully.

"And how did you get out?"

"I didn't go very far."

"How far did you go?"

"What do you mean?"

"How far did you go through the maze?"

"I don't know, all corridors are the same, aren't they?"

"Yes and no."

"Why are you acting like this? What worries you?" she raised her voice.

"Are you telling me you didn't go far?"

"Yes, after all, as you said, it's chaotic, I wouldn't find my way back."

Jio looked relieved at her answer.

"You will not enter the labyrinth beyond the rooms again! It's the last warning! Am I understood?"

"And if I don't listen to you, what will you do? Will you kill me?"

His eyes clouded over, and he clenched his hand into a fist as if trying to control himself.

"No," he finally said, "I have other ways to keep you away."

"Yes, of course you have," she quipped with a hint of innuendo.

Jio didn't answer, he just looked at her with his most murderous look and then left in exasperation.

Madalen waited for a while, until the corridor was so deserted that only her breathing could be heard. She headed to Purple's room, hoping to find the chainsaw, but it was more likely that he had taken it with him to rehearsals. She opened the purple door and entered the room after making sure no one was inside. It was bright, simple, and austere. The sofa, wardrobes, and even the bed were in purple shades. Across the room in a corner, she saw an old, faded trunk. She ran to open it, but it was locked. Then she opened the wardrobes; the clothes were almost all solid colors—the chainsaw was nowhere.

"What are you doing here?" came a voice behind her. A mirror hung next to her on the wall, so she didn't have to look behind her to see who it was. Purple was standing in the doorway, holding a simple saw in one hand and the rabbit in the other.

She had to think of something fast.

"Sorry, I was just looking around the rooms," she said awkwardly.

"Haven't you been taught not to enter someone else's personal space without asking?"

"Speaking of which, I came here without anyone asking me, so I thought there would be no problem," she answered, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Don't be cynical with me," he said and came at her menacingly with the saw. "So what were you looking for?" He came so close to her that she stuck to the wall.

"Nothing. I was just bored and looking at the rooms."

"Nice excuse, but I don't believe you."

"I know it sounds dumb. But I didn't want to come to the rehearsal, and everywhere I go, I feel exposed. So I decided to take a walk around the rooms."

Purple raised his saw and brought it to her neck, cutting her slightly. A red line appeared on her white neck. A red drop rolled onto the saw. Purple licked the saw where the blood had fallen, looking intently at the horrified Madalen.

"Purple!" a voice suddenly sounded behind him.

"Yes?"

"Come on, Jio is looking for you."

It was Red.

"I'm coming now." Madalen was out of breath. "I'll let it go this time, but if you come into my room without permission again, then you can be sure my saw will go through your throat," he chuckled.

Madalen really didn't know if he was joking or not. And what was all that had just happened? She felt that she had another person in front of her. Did everyone suddenly change personalities like that? Perhaps each had a good and kind personality, which at any moment turned murderous. That would be crazy… Or wouldn't it?

   The day passed without Madalen being able to find Purple's chainsaw. When everyone went to bed, she stayed up. She could see Jio's room open with the light on. She looked as discreetly as she could into the room. Jio was reading a book. She was frantically thinking about how she was going to get Purple's chainsaw. Maybe if she asked him for it? But what would she say she wanted it for? She walked into Jio's room thinking about what to do.

"What do you want?" he asked without looking at her, continuing to read his book. Then Madalen noticed that he was reading Peter Pan.

"Well, I… I thought about it again. I want to come to rehearsals," she added, "As long as there are no people..."

"Okay," he said simply, continuing to read. Madalen headed to her room to sleep. Maybe tomorrow at the rehearsal she would manage to get the chainsaw.