Joseph emerges from the third door sweaty, bloody, and mad as hell. Purple and red blood runs down his face, arms and chest. Most of his shirt has been literally ripped from his body and his jeans are nothing more than tattered denim. A sword is gripped in Joseph's right hand, purple blood covering it from the handle to tip of the blade. A fierce battle has been fought and won.

  Stepping out of the cursed room, Joseph slams the door shut and shoots a bird. He leans the sword up against the closed third door, and wipes at the blood sheeting his face. He curses loudly over and over.

  "What the hell is really going on? We've got giant freaking krakens and swords stuck in stones. What is this? King Arthur meets Davy Jones? Damn!"

  Joseph finishes his angry rant and tiredly collapses on the floor. He rolls onto his back, looking up at the dungeon's cobblestone ceiling. Pressing his right hand to his opposite bicep, Joseph lets out a low groan.

  "Jeezus! That hurt! That damn beak! Ha. Swords in rocks! Whatever! This world is wack. And that purple cane-waving diva is even more wack. Why did I ever loan Carrie the car? We would have never ended up in this damn mess."

  Joseph musters all of his strength and turns over onto his stomach, gradually raising up to a kneeling position. No more time to sit here feeling sorry for himself. If what the purple lady said is true, some guy is romancing Mia. Can't have that. Things are finally getting warm between them again. With a little more time, and without any bothersome meddling, they might be able to rekindle an old flame.

  Joseph stands and walks toward the middle door. He stares at the metal door for a brief moment, and then extends a finger toward the first door.

  "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe....," Joseph says, pointing at the first and middle doors respectively.

  Joseph's finger lands on the middle door as he completes the rhyme. He inhales a deep breath and picks up the bloody sword from its place against the third door. Time to get busy. Wrenching open the middle door, Joseph charges inside.

  Obscured by shadow, the ringmaster watches Joseph enter the second door. A smile is plastered to her face.

  =====================================

  Mia gazes at the strawberry in Percy's hand and chuckles. Percy wags the enchanted fruit in front of Mia's mouth, encouraging her to take a bite. Mia opens her mouth and bites down on the tip of the strawberry. Percy's heart leaps in his chest as he watches Mia chew the small bite of fruit. One more bite. If he can get her to take just one more bite.

  Mia finishes chewing the portion of enchanted strawberry in her mouth and peers up at Percy. With a knowing look, she takes another careful bite. And then, a third. A faint purple glow appears around the light brown of Mia's irises. The spell has done its job. At least for now, Mia is his.

  Percy's eyes brighten and he leans forward to kiss Mia's cheek. Mia playfully shakes her head and leans away. Percy's mouth ends up brushing her throat. Mia's body shivers and Percy places his free hand behind her head. With a sigh, Mia squeezes her eyes shut. This isn't happening.

  "Oh, Mr. Percy," Mia exclaims. "Why can't this be real? Why does this have to be a dream?"

  Percy kisses Mia deeply, and she melts into his kiss. How he wishes he knew where to find Alice's essence. And if he only knew the correct spell of transfer. Then, he could fuse Mia and Alice together. He could be so happy. They would be happy.

  Even without the spell, Mia had been drawn to him. With it, their love might be even stronger. It is stronger. The energy flowing from Mia makes Percy feel almost euphoric. While not as strong or forceful as the master's energy, Mia's energy flow is calm and steady. Their exchange is nearly uniform, neither of them taking more or less than the other. Is such a thing possible? What does it mean?

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  Percy guides Mia down to the blanket and returns to kissing her lips. The taste of sweet strawberry is still strong on her mouth. Percy can't help but smile. Mia separates and gives him a questioning look. There is a lot more purple infused into the color of her irises, the brown showing through in tiny specks.

  "What's so funny?" Mia chuckles.

  "You...And me...Lying here. It's been a long time since I have known anyone but the master."

  Percy strokes Mia's left cheek with a sad look. Mia's brow creases with confusion.

  "The master? Who are you talking about? The purple lady? The one with the cane and the big...Nevermind. You mean...her? The one who owns the inn?"

  "Yes," Percy confirms with a solemn head nod.

  He kisses Mia energetically. She enfolds his neck, desperate to keep him near. A tiny voice at the back of her mind cries for attention. Brian's voice. Blinking rapidly, Mia politely withdraws from Percy and peers around in sheer panic.

  Percy grows alarmed by Mia's sudden erratic behavior. As Mia sits up, prepared to leave, Percy grasps her face and forces her to look at him.

  "Mia...You can't," Percy exclaims.

  Mia meets Percy's worried gaze. Her voice becomes strained, tears threatening to choke the words from her mouth.

  "I can't do what? My son...How could I have forgotten my son. I have to wake up. I can't stay here!"

  "You have to!" Percy replies. "She doesn't just own the inn. She owns us too now! You and me. Your husband did not make it in time...And you..."

  Percy refrains from admitting the part he has had in Mia's fate. He watches her face with fearful eyes.

  "What do you mean...My husband didn't make it in time? Where is Joseph?"

  As soon as the words are out of Mia's mouth, the field of purple sunflowers begins to dissolve into thin air. Percy releases a sigh and draws Mia to his chest. He strokes her hair with a shaking hand.

  Several yards away, Joseph watches as Percy lifts Mia's head and kisses her sweetly. Joseph considers challenging the man in the purple suit, as he did the kraken monster behind the third door. He takes an angry step forward. That is the only step he takes. The ground crumbles beneath Joseph's feet.

  The last Joseph sees of Mia, she is snuggly in Percy's arms--sharing one of the most passionate kisses he has ever seen.

  ====================================

  Joseph awakens to the sound of jackhammers and loud voices. He climbs unsteadily to his feet and looks around. Platt Street. The construction site. Was all of that a bad dream?

  Several workers eye Joseph suspiciously as he passes near the construction. The foreman waves a clipboard threateningly in Joseph's direction.

  "Hey, buddy! Read the signs. Stay clear one-hundred feet."

  "And put some damn clothes on, jerk!" says another loud masculine voice.

  Joseph finally looks down at himself and receives a great shock. His clothing is torn and tattered, his jeans ripped to shreds. Examining his aching left bicep, Joseph discovers it is still covered in bruises and lacerations from the kraken creature's tentacles and beak. Purple streaks run down both arms and legs. The kraken's blood. Oh damn! That crap was for real.

  Walking with his head down. Joseph hurries away from the sights and sounds of construction.

  =====================================

  Percy and Mia are still deep into their protestations of love when the change begins to occur. As Percy strokes Mia's hair, he notices subtle changes in its texture. Mia's hair goes from soft and bouncy, to coarse and almost spikey. Her full, moist lips are suddenly gone, replaced by a thin rubbery covering. Buck teeth start to draw down from her top lip.

  Percy withdraws, disbelief turning his blood cold. The ringmaster had lied. She never had any intention of allowing him and Mia to be together. It was never about finding a worthy vessel for Alice. All the master had wanted was yet another familiar.

  Percy drops his face to his hands and sobs. After a moment, he climbs from the blanket and runs away. Tearing the borrowed amulet from around his neck, Percy returns to his usual form. Only a clown would have fallen for such a trick anyway.

  The end of this story

  TRULY tested.