You've taken enough risks. Fast forward to night

Stealing a peak at your little sister's underwear was plenty nerve-wracking enough. So, instead of chancing an uncomfortable encounter with Brooke, you decided to keep to yourself, do your homework, and spend the rest of your free time relaxing until nightfall.

Without more awkward dream shenanigans, the day went by rather quickly and smoothly. And once bedtime came, you were more than ready to do more testing in the Labyrinth.

Lying in your bed, you closed your eyes. You were so excited, it was almost difficult giving yourself to sleep. Thankfully, in your previous attempts to enter the Labyrinth, you'd gotten pretty used to putting yourself under.

When your eyes "opened," they were once more greeted with the endless corridor of doors.

"So each door is the entrance to someone's consciousness."

You turned to face a familiar, light-blue door.

"Okay, so that's Brooke's door."

There was a pause. You debated whether or not to see your sister again, but ultimately abstained. After the last time you visited her, you decided to change it up a bit and visit somebody else. Plus, you were still unsure what to make of the incestuous experience you ended up in before.

Instead, you looked to the next door over. This one was a deep green, with golden tree patterns running up the sides. There was a gold, grated window, though you couldn't actually see past it; like someone put up tinted glass behind it.

"Well, this door is as good as any." you rationalized.

At your touch, the door creaked open, granting access to the dreams of another.

Once more, you found yourself in a familiar space. It wasn't your sister's room this time. Instead, you were transported to a dream-recreation of your living room. The air felt cold and still. Weak, colorless daylight was filtered by the window shades. Sitting at the couch was your mother, looking at an old family scrapbook.

"Mom?" you spoke up. She looked distressed.

"Oh! Hi, honey." your mother said, shocked at your appearance. "I thought you were out at classes."

Apparently, the dream you was supposed to be at your community college right now. No wonder your mom was alone here.

"Professor got sick, so no class today." you improvised.

She nodded her head slowly. "Right. I suppose that would do it."

"Anyway, whatcha up to? That a scrap book?"

It was already clear you could affect the narrative of the dream with your presence, but by playing along you hoped to gain more information and test the extent of your dream powers.

"Oh, right. This old thing." your mother weakly laughed. "Just.... looking at old memories."

You took a seat next to her, flipping through the pages. Each photograph was a memory: your first birthday, Brooke's third grade talent show, the time you broke a window with a boomerang in middle school, it was all there. Hell, even your deadbeat father was in some of them.

But as you got to more recent pictures, something was amiss. Like your high school graduation; you were quite positive it was just you and the girls by then, yet a shadowy figure was center frame right with you guys. You saw it again at Brooke's 16th birthday, a looming shadow behind mom while Brooke was blowing out her candles.

"Mom? What's that?" you asked, pointing out the specter.

"What do you mean, sweety? It's the four of us, just like always. You, me, your sister, and your father." she answered so nonchalantly, as if nothing was wrong.

"But.... he left us, mom. Don't you remember?"

She looked down at the binder sadly. Wind and rain pounded at the windows.

"H-he.... he wouldn't.... he-" your mom broke down crying. Clearly, the loneliness and betrayal was eating her. How long had she been suffering like this.

You felt your own cheeks become wet with tears. Though not from loss or sadness, but watching someone you love hurt.

"Mom. Please stop crying. I don't like seeing you like this." you said, hugging her.

Holding her tight, you sent as much love that your heart could conjure. The rain subsided, and the sunlight outside took on a golden radiance. Not like a sunset, no. More like a sunrise, the dawn of something new.

"You need to let go. Every time you mull over him like this, you just let him hurt you more. Brooke and I love you, mom, and we aren't going anywhere." you reminded her.

You took her head in your hands and you gazed into her reddened eyes.

"Dad didn't know how lucky he was to have an amazing woman like you in his life, and it's his loss. He failed you when he cheated and hightailed it out of here. We don't need him, we never did. But we do need you, alright?"

Her sobbing subsided as she pulled you close, kissing you on the forehead.

"Thank you, baby." she whispered.

Then suddenly, without warning, she moved in for a kiss; one on the lips this time. Your eyes went wide with shock.

"Sorry." your mother giggled. "I don't know why I did that.... I should probably just go make some lunch now."

You were definitely happy to see her in a better mood, but what the fuck was that about? As your mother cheerfully strode into the kitchen, you looked back at the photo book. Now, the images looked as they should have been: just you, Brooke, and your mother. Whatever you did, you seemed to help your mom through some stuff. Maybe you'd even find out more in the morning.

More or less satisfied with yourself, you decided to leave the dream and return to the halls of the Labyrinth. As you entered the carpeted corridor, you took a good look at the doors around you. If you were lucky, you'd have time to enter one more dream before the night's end. But there were so many doors! Which one would you choose?