The Mirror Path – Judgment

George Frederic Watts [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The mystery of the maze will soon be uncovered…

Part 11 – Judgment

“Do you now?” said a voice.

There was a deep, snorting sound emanating from the new passageway and the slap of two hooves on stone. The twins clutched each other, getting ready to run as a large figure moved forward.

Into the light, curved horns emerged. A bull’s nose and mouth followed, before the heavy creature’s body appeared looming over them with intense massive arms too large compared to his narrow grey legs. Its eyes were pure black and narrow but they were not the empty eyes of a monster.

The girls screamed about to run but the Minotaur snorted at them and spoke again.

“Stop that! I’m not going to hurt you.” He lumbered forward, his bulky limbs sleek but slow. “And don’t bother running. I will catch you.”

The girls gaped at him. He was terrifying in presence, a beastly creature over eight feet tall yet he moved as if he was in pain, an ugly hybrid body capable of speed yet preferring steadiness.

He had chased Danni once already so she knew how fast he moved but she’d never once imagined him as more than a monster. Her twin, normally the cool-headed one was frozen with fear, gripping her sleeve wide-eyed and mute.

“They always react like you,” he said, not bothering to wait for them to talk. “They scream and run and stare. No one ever considers that I might be the key to helping them out of here. Of course no one ever expects to wind up in here.”

“Where is here?” asked Danni.

“Come with me,” he said turning his back on them. The Minotaur stooped over to avoid the tunnel roof and started walking down the passageway. Danni yanked Diana’s arm and nodded at her and then followed, leaving her twin no choice but to come along or to be left alone.