Ariadne's string

Chapter 4 Part 1

As I walked into the labyrinth, fear filled me. The stone beneath my feet was smooth and slippery. I walked, alone, in the eerie silence.

I felt so small in this labyrinth. I was just a girl, standing there, with a sword. I noticed I was shaking, and I rested the tip of my sword into the ground for support. Why am I here? I slowly walked through the dark corridors. The cold seeped through my clothes, and I shivered. The only source of light was my torch. I held it with my left hand while I kept my right hand on the wall. I could barely see a few meters in front of me. My sword was attached to my makeshift belt, alongside the fiery red yarn. I was terrified it would run out and I would be left stranded. But I trusted Theseus.

I was wearing a chiton without any of my armor, which had been taken from me when we first left for Crete. Theseus couldn't find any spare armour, so I was left in the thin robe. I liked the dress, but I couldn't run or fight in it. I stopped walking, positioning my torch against the wall so it wouldn't fall. I grabbed my sword, and in one swift movement, I cut through the soft silk at my feet, creating room for my legs. I could walk more freely now, even though I was trembling slightly.

The stone walls were rough, with bits of stone jutting out. My hand was full of cuts. It was stained grey and bleeding. Using my sword, I cut off some of the excess cloth I held and wrapped it around my hand. It burned, and I gritted my teeth. My sword was bothering me now, so I used the remainder of the fabric and tied it to my back. The metal was cold, and I shivered. I made sure the red wool was still unraveling properly and then resumed walking, the torch in my left hand, and my right hand on the wall.

Every so often, I would run into a skeleton, accidentally kicking it and making it clatter. It would scare me so much I would jump. The Minotaur made no sounds at all, and I had no idea if I was going the right way. There was complete silence, except for the crackling of the fire and my footsteps on the stone. I wondered how the kids of Athens would walk here, twelve children trying to hide from a monster that was actively hunting them. There was literally no escape, they would either starve or get eaten. I'm glad I at least saved those eleven kids, if everything goes according to plan.

Right now, it should be dark, and Phaedra should've reached the boat with the others. Theseus will have gathered a crew, and they will be preparing the ship for tomorrow. Theseus should be guarding the labyrinth door right now, making sure it's slightly open so I can slip in when I make it back. Then we would find the ship hiding in the shadows, and escape from Crete. If I make it back. I think of all the things that could go wrong, all the possible scenarios, until I force myself to stop because I'm crying. Even if I don't make it back, Phaedra and Theseus can still escape their horrible father and lead a happy life in Athena. The thought of Theseus marrying another woman made me sick, but I eliminated that thought. It would only distract me now.

I walked for what felt like forever, almost walking into walls on many occasions. I got more nervous as the time passed. My feet were numb; sandals weren't much protection in a freezing labyrinth. As I got closer to the centre, I could hear the periodic sounds of the Minotaur, trying to get to me. Little did he know I was trying to find him too.

I tried to calculate how big he was by looking at the walls, but it was hard to lift my torch now it was almost finished. I could walk back in the dark, but I don't know how I would fight him in the dark. I figured he was about twice my height, and who knows how strong. As I walked, I prayed to Athena and Ares again, hoping for blessings. I saw a strange glow coming from around the wall I was up against, like there was light...

Finally, I rounded a corner, finding myself in a circular room. There were torches hung on the wall, and I wondered how they didn't run out. There were multiple other entrances to the room. On the floor in a corner was a scattered pile of clothes. Human bones littered the floor, and the stench of rotting flesh was everywhere. But the Minotaur was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, there was a loud snort, a sound that would only come from a bull. I ran forward without thinking, throwing myself towards one of the other entryways. I threw my torch away, there was enough light here anyway. Once I was on my feet again, I turned around. I was greeted by a creature, half man, half bull. He had the build of a human, with a face, arms, and legs, but his face and torso were covered in fur instead of skin. He stood normally, but his behaviour was that of an animal. Huge horns stuck out from his head, ending in a sharp point that could kill me instantly. My breathing became very rapid as I stared at this monster I had to kill. I brandished my sword, ready to fight the bull, because what stood in front of me could never be called human.

***

From the moment I saw them, I knew that those red eyes would haunt me. They were the kind of flaming, burning red that everyone associated with rage. Infinite rage, torture, screaming. All captured in the colour of those two eyes. They were the red that was hungry. Hungry for power, for control, for destruction. As I stared into those eyes, I knew that the bull wouldn't stop until I was dead. In my mind, I already was. Part of me had already accepted fate. But the other part of me hadn't.