The maze was glorious in the summer sunshine, only weeks ago a person could have stepped over the walls but now the maize towered over even the tallest of them. As always they gathered on the day before the harvest, a feast laid at the centre by that year's maze designer.
The light in the maze faded fast, like the end of the day in a wintry forest. Without it the walls felt all the colder and the smell of stagnant water dominated the senses. Ivan slid to his bottom, not caring about the water that wicked into his jeans. There were so many dark hours ahead and his feet were sore. Soon enough of his body heat had been taken for his muscles to begin shaking. The choice was clear - walk the maze by night or slip into hypothermia.
The maze had been built of stone, the walls following the specifications of the king. He delighted in knowing that there was no way out, that the prisoners could search forever and never find an exit. Not that any of them lasted long, his beasts were of course hungry and not inclined to refuse fresh meat.
Everywhere Ian turned he saw himself, distorted, panicked. He ran his hands over the mirrors as if just by touching something real he could keep his mind in the maze. With so many images, all of them of his own suffering, he couldn't keep track of his own direction. He felt like he'd been in there so long the sun should be setting already, but the light around him remained as bright as noon and beating down upon his head.
Every hedge was a uniform green, cut with a square top, and in the centre was a glorious oak tree. Sameen assumed the oak was there first and some person without enough to do and way too much money had a whim for a maze.
Patty took Riker's hand, tugging him between the tall steel walls. "We used to run this as kids, don't worry, just keep me in sight," and with that she ran taking turns with more confidence than a grand-prix driver.
Outside the maze was sunshine enough to see the towering walls of steel. The late evening was quiet enough to hear the moans of those who had tried before her and lost their minds. Jayne was chosen to brave the maze, once she had done it the spell would be broken for the entire planet, they would have a second chance to beat the demon ruler. That was the law and it was an ancient magic, one even the demon could not break. But in that maze she would have to face her own personal fears, every one of them and still proceed to the centre. She would hear taunting voices and see her worst fears brought to life. She would hear how she was unworthy. She would be goaded into committing betrayals against those she loved, because to betray love was to betray God. She would have a hundred ways to fail and only one way to succeed. She had to walk through every fear, face down her own demons and do no harm. She clenched her jaws together and set off into the maze with no torch, no guide, no map, but with her eyes wide open. Succeed and the whole world won a second chance to bring God back, the God who was Love, fail and the demon kept power in his relentless quest to turn God's planet into a hell.
When Jayne stumbled into the centre of the maze she didn't know what to expect. The demon voices had told her all through the tunnels that she was going to hell. They had whispered her sins to her, exaggerated them and persuaded her that God would never save a wretch like her. With each tort she bit down and told herself that this wasn't about saving herself, this was a rescue mission to save God and if she had to burn then so be it. But in the centre was only an old man in a rocking chair, his white beard tumbling onto his knees. At the sound of her footsteps he turned, heavy lids almost obscuring his brown eyes.
"Jayne," he said, "you dear, dear, wonderful girl, look around you." Jayne looked to see and there was no maze at all, no steel, no demons, nothing. Then she realized the old man wasn't moving his lips but speaking directly to her mind. "Now that you have faced down your fears I can speak to you."
"Why couldn't you before?"
"I haven't had a deputy on Earth since they murdered my Son. Now I have a Daughter. Jayne, the fears aren't real, but they can make you do bad things that are real. I am only Love, there is no hell other than what My Earth is being made into. I need My humans to be My hands and feet here, then we win together and Earth becomes Peace and Love. Love is worth facing down your inner demons for, and when you do, I am waiting. No-one needs to worship Me, or even believe in a God, they only need to believe in Love and let Love be their guide."
Jayne nodded. "So will I always hear you like this now? It feels kinda crazy."
"For now, yes. When you are most frightened, yes, I will talk you down if your logic starts to fail. Logic and Love are your friend, but Love will take you further. Mostly I will operate through you and it will feel like your own will because it is, you chose Me, you chose Love."
"What happens now?"
"Trust me, Jayne. I will protect you. But don't act too different from other people for now..."
In the maze there was the creeping cold as the sun surrendered the sky until dawn. The walls, too thick to allow an arm through, let alone my body, marched on either side. And to my feet, chilled long before the air or ground became so cold, came a sensation of damp I hadn't noticed in the light. It must have been there for days, for I cannot recall the last drop of rain nor cloud to pass this way. It has been empty skies in every way one can imagine, not a bird to sing nor airplane in the sky. If I am to escape, and that I must, it will come of my own effort, some creative ploy. Through is not the only option.