Danny and Johanna
waited, neither knowing what might happen next, neither knowing what
might lie on the other side of the Maze. Light flooded in on them,
particles of dust floating a gentle dance, riding on crystal beams of
sun light like silverwinged horses riding an invisible plain.
“Danny, hold onto me. Hold me tight and close your eyes. This is it.”
He did as she suggested, pulling himself in close, feeling her neat
form, warm and comforting against his. The ground beneath their feet
began to move, turning gentle under them. A wind whipped up, violent and
angry, twisting and twirling, cutting about them. He held her firmly,
too afraid to reopen his eyes, too afraid even to move. Suddenly the
earth was gone, slipping away into the depths of nothingness. Down they
fell, plummeting through their own inner most fears. The wind raged,
whistled past their ears. Their mouths were forced open under sheer
pressure, a silent scream struggling to escape Danny’s out stretched
lips. Down, down, down...
Down through the
thousand faces of the Maze, they tumbled. Gradually, their descent eased
and they found themselves back on solid ground as if they had never been
away from it. Gradually, they opened their eyes, nervously scanning
their surroundings.
“Johanna,” he faltered. “Where the...” Nerves crunched, crawled
inhumanely deep down inside in fear. Not just fear, but an intense pain,
angels rejoicing the beauty, come-horror of this place. He felt afraid,
yes, he felt afraid. Afraid and terrified, yet he felt happy, felt
certain all the time. All about them lay space. No sky, no earth, no
walls, no trees, no life. Nothing but space and a feeling from inside
him. A feeling, a strange feeling, a feeling of life and of death. A
feeling of pure evil. A feeling of darkness and a feeling of light, a
feeling unknown and yet known. Just a feeling.
“Shit, this is weird. Where are we?”