THE MAZE

Chapter Ten: Eleanor Rizby

Before I can even move a muscle, the polka-dotted pant leg disappears around the corner in a flash.

"Who's there?" I call out, my voice trembling.

But of course, there is no reply.

There is only one thing that I can do; chase them down.

I swallow hard then begin to walk forward as quickly as I can, my heels wobbling on the earthy ground. My heart continues to pound, it's beats reverberating in the base of my throat. I round the corner.

The small figure is running away, but this time I catch a better glimpse of him. Or her? Or it?

It is small and round, but running surprisingly fast for its physique. And although only from the back, I can see that along with the polka dot pants it is wearing a matching polka dotted blouse and a sort of jester hat.

"Hey, stop!" I cry out breathlessly.

But it doesn't stop. It continues running forward then veers left around another corner, disappearing yet again.

I begin to run as fast as my legs can carry me and race around the corner. Naturally, the figure is still running, its short legs a blur of colorful polka dots. I begin to slow down, starting to give up on catching it when it suddenly turns around and tosses something back at me. Then, as quick as a wink it is gone, vanishing around yet another corner.

I jog up to the object, seeing upon closer observation that it is a rolled scroll of paper tied up with a black ribbon. I bend down and pick it up, quickly untying the ribbon and unrolling the sheet of yellowed paper.

The five words scribbled on it are enough to make my heart skip a beat.

You are in danger Eleanor.

"Danger, what danger?" I call out, even though the person is far gone by this point.

I don't know what danger I am in, and frankly, I don't really want to know. I only know one thing for sure; I want to get the hell out of this damn hedge maze.

After quickly recollecting my thoughts, I determine that it should be simple to get out. All I have to do is retrace my steps, and I don't think that I have made it very far at all into it at all. Just a few simple turns and I should be out in no time, right?

I turn around and begin to walk back the way I came, making the appropriate twists and turns. But after a few minutes, I am confused to find that the entrance I originally went through is nowhere in sight.

Trying my best to keep calm, I turn another corner and am dismayed to find that I arrive in a part of the hedge maze I have never seen before. This corridor is much wider, and there is a large, golden statue in the middle. Feeling confused and slightly defeated, I walk up to the base of it. It is a statue of a beautiful goddess, with shimmering locks of golden hair and a beautiful, bejeweled dress. However, the most interesting aspect of the statue is just how realistic it looks. Her head is angled upward, her eyes looking up directly at the blazing sun.

I turn around, looking both left and right, but everything looks exactly the same. I am utterly and hopelessly lost inside of a hedge maze. There goes any chance of winning one million dollars.

I sigh and turn back around, facing the statue again. But something is wrong with it. Something is horribly and terribly off.

Instead of looking up at the sun like before, the statue is now staring directly at me.