by Joffre White
They sat in silence. The time seemed endless until finally, with a shuffling sound, Frog appeared in the gap.
‘It’s just one passage all right,’ he announced. ‘And look what I found.’ He held out a short dagger. ‘It’s one of Logan’s.’
All sense of time had been lost during their journey into the Labyrinth, but after checking that Fixer was all right, they decided to press on.
The group tied themselves together again, but this time shortened the rope. It was felt that they would rather remain within arm’s length of each other than risk finding themselves hanging on the end of a long rope. None of them wanted to go through the experience that Frog had.
One by one they climbed into the passage: first Frog, then Sir Peacealot, Ginger, Fixer and lastly Lady Dawnstar. Once out of the initial shadow, the passage was bathed in the same eerie light, which again seemed to radiate from the stone around them. As they moved forward, they found that the passage floor sloped at a sharp angle downwards.
‘How much deeper can we go?’ questioned Fixer.
‘It’s going to be a heck of a climb back up,’ said Frog.
‘Thanks for pointing that out,’ said Ginger.
‘Shush!’ said Sir Peacealot, suddenly bringing the others to a halt. ‘What’s that noise?’
It was a low hum, a sort of whirring drone. Drum – Whoosh –Drum – Whoosh –Drum – Whoosh, it went.
‘What now?’ said Ginger.
‘Let’s go and see,’ said Frog. ‘We haven’t got anything else to do!’
As they slowly progressed downwards the sound became louder until the whole passage thrummed and droned around them.
‘It looks like there’s a room up ahead!’ shouted Frog. ‘The passage is widening out.’
The last few feet of the passage declined rapidly and they spilled out into a chamber. Clutching at each other to keep their footing they finally stood in a group surveying what they were confronted with.
The whole of the opposite wall was a turning, spinning wheel like a large millstone. It had four doorsized openings in it, each one, in turn, passing a raised stone step on the floor with a stone door frame set on it. The sound as it revolved clockwise was not as loud now that they were in the room and they only needed to raise their voices slightly to be heard. Set around the room were small piles of pebbles, bleached white and of all shapes and sizes.
They stood there, mesmerised by the revolving wheel, each one trying to think of the next steps to take.
‘You took your time,’ came a voice.
They turned as one. There, propped up against a wall to the right of them, was Logan, a bloodied cloth wrapped around his head.
Frog could not contain himself and rushed over to him.
‘Did you fall? Are you okay? Does it hurt?’ he asked in quick succession.
‘Yes. Yes and yes,’ Logan replied.
Lady Dawnstar was quick to unwrap the makeshift bandage and administer some of her leaves. In the process, Frog noticed that there was a long red gash across Logan’s forehead.
‘That’s gotta hurt,’ he declared to Ginger and Fixer, who were also watching with concern.
Logan confirmed that what had happened to him was just as Frog had guessed, except that he had deliberately released himself from the rope as the Labyrinth had turned, for fear of it becoming wrapped around his neck and turning into a noose. What he hadn’t bargained for was such a rapid descent. On the last turn of the Labyrinth, the force had catapulted him downwards on his back. When he was ejected into the room, he was travelling at such a pace that he hit the stone door frame and literally bounced back onto the floor. The last thing he remembered was the turning of the wheel and the spinning of his head.
‘It could have been worse,’ Logan added. ‘I might have been thrown straight into one of the wheel’s openings. I dread to think what would have happened to me after that.’
As they rested, Frog surveyed the scene. There were, in fact, two wheels, one behind the other with a stone platform between them. The rear wheel was turning anti-clockwise and also had doorways which revolved past the platform. Frog stood on the raised stone step and realised that the wheels weren’t really turning all that fast. The eerie light flickered and strobed, creating the illusion that the wheels turned quicker than they really did. He could see that if he timed it right, he could step through one of the passing openings and then onto the central platform without too much trouble, as long as he concentrated on what he was doing. He could then repeat the process to step through the second wheel. However, it wasn’t possible to see what he was stepping into; for all he knew there could be a sheer drop into oblivion waiting for him.
He turned his attention to the piles of pebbles. They looked as though they had been deliberately placed where they were, but why? They had not seen so much as a loose rock or stone so far, so why the pebbles? He picked one up. It was smooth and shiny and reminded him of the pebbles that he used to gather from the seaside back home. He used to collect the flat ones so that he could skim them out across the water, seeing how many times he could get one to skip over the surface. Then he would look for others that were nicely rounded and were good for target practice on an old piece of driftwood. Sometimes he would lob them into the potholes, high up in the cliffs, then wait and listen for the echoing clatter as they ricocheted off the walls, falling down into an unseen cave. The vision and memory filled his mind until he was aware of someone’s voice calling him back from his daydream.
‘Frog? Frog!’
He slowly roused himself, reluctant to let the images go.
‘Frog? Are you all right?’ asked Fixer, standing beside him.
‘Yeah, sure, just thinking, that’s all,’ he replied.
‘Thinking of home?’ she asked.
‘Something like that,’ he said.
‘If you get to feeling lonely and homesick, you can always talk to me,’ she said, putting a kind hand on his shoulder.
‘Thanks, Fixer,’ he replied.
‘What’s going on, you two?’ asked Ginger, joining them.
Frog looked at Fixer, who had suddenly gone red in the face. She quickly pulled her hand away as he too felt his cheeks going warm.
‘Oh, just a bit of puzzle-solving,’ he said, looking away.
Fixer picked up a pebble and Ginger followed suit.
‘What’s with the pebbles then?’ he asked.
‘That’s the puzzle,’ replied Frog as he walked up to the raised stone and studied the revolving wheel.
‘One, two, three, four. One two, three, four,’ he counted as the doorways passed him. He stuck his hand out into the passing gaps, pulling it back each time, just before it could become trapped by the stone block that followed and swished by.
‘That’s a dangerous game you’re playing,’ warned Logan from behind him. ‘I’ve been watching that wheel and there’s no doubt in my mind that if you got caught between the blocks, it would spin you around and crush you to death.’ He picked up a large pebble. ‘Watch this.’ He threw it at the wheel and it caught between the door frame and the revolving stone as the gap closed. There was a loud crack! as the pebble exploded into dust. The wheel didn’t even judder, it just continued turning .
‘Look, I’ve been timing it and I think that you can step through, as long as you focus,’ said Frog.
‘I’m all out of focus,’ complained Ginger.
‘But what’s on the other side?’ asked Sir Peacealot.
‘I’m not sure at the moment,’ replied Frog. ‘But I think that the pebbles may help us.’
He picked up four pebbles and walked to the raised area. Counting out loud, he waited until a gap opened and then threw a pebble in. It immediately struck the second stone wheel, bounced back and was crushed into a ball of dust, just like the previous one.
‘Don’t do that!’ complained Ginger.
‘Oh, do shut up Ginger, or I’ll throw you in,’ said Fixer.
‘What are you trying to do, F
rog?’ asked Lady Dawnstar.
‘If I can get a pebble through, we’ll find out if there’s a drop, or solid ground behind the second wheel,’ explained Frog as he threw another pebble which, much to Ginger’s dismay, met the same fate as the others.
‘I need to get onto the central platform,’ said Frog. ‘Then, all I’ve got to do is get a pebble through the next wheel to find out.’
‘You’re crazy!’ exclaimed Ginger.
‘Are you volunteering to do it, Ginger?’ asked Fixer, giving him a dig in the ribs.
‘I think we need to talk about this,’ said Logan.
‘What’s there to talk about?’ said Frog, picking up some more pebbles. ‘We can’t go back.’
‘You mean that we’ll all have to go through that thing?’ squawked Ginger.
‘Of course not,’ said Fixer, putting her arm around Ginger’s shoulders.
‘Oh, good,’ said Ginger, raising a smile.
‘We’ll just sit in this room and live happily ever after,’ she continued.
Ginger’s face dropped again.
Frog looked at Logan. ‘I’m doing this, one way or another,’ he said as he looked at the others. ‘Does anyone else want to go first?’
‘I think that I should do it,’ said Sir Peacealot.
‘Okay,’ said Frog. ‘How long does it take the first wheel to turn, how long does it take the second wheel to turn and when should you throw the pebble?’
‘I’ll work that out,’ said Sir Peacealot.
‘I’ve already worked it out,’ said Frog. ‘That’s why I’m the one who’s going to do it.’ He looked at Logan and after a few seconds the Ranger nodded in agreement.
‘Right,’ said Frog, ‘Let’s get this show on the road.’
He walked back up on to the raised stone and began counting. ‘One – two – three – four. One – two – three – four.’ On the second four he stepped through the gap and was momentarily out of view to the others as the stone section swished by. He stood on the central platform and saw that there was more room than he had first thought. The second wheel turned in front of him, but in the opposite direction. Even though he knew that he was not going to try and step through it on this occasion, it was still unnerving.
Steadying his thoughts, he watched the gaps in the wheel pass him and began to count again. ‘One – two – three – four.’ He went to throw a pebble but this time the gap was closed. He counted again. ‘One – two – three – aha!’ This wheel was slightly quicker. A gap appeared after three seconds, and he counted twice more just to make sure. When he was confident that he had the rhythm right, he counted again and on three, he dropped a pebble through the gap. It disappeared into the darkness without a sound. Nothing. The pebble had fallen into thin air and for all he knew it was still falling.
‘I don’t think I’ll share that with Ginger,’ he breathed to himself.
He counted again and dropped another pebble. This time there was a clatter as it landed on a stone floor and rolled to a stop. Three seconds later the gap was closed again by the turning wheel.
The next pebble disappeared as noiselessly as the first did. He threw a fourth and it also dropped without a sound.
‘So, on every fourth gap a floor appears. Let’s take a closer look,’he said to himself.
The strobing shadows impaired his vision so he waited for the next gap to pass him and crouched down for a better view. He leant forward as close as he dared to the revolving stone in front of him. He watched three gaps pass in succession and then, when the fourth gap appeared he saw a stone bridge slide out from his platform and connect with a passage on the opposite side. Then, as the wheel closed the gap he could just see the bridge slide back to reveal a black abyss.
‘Three seconds, we’re going to have to be quick,’ he said to himself.
He stood, turned, counted four and stepped back into the chamber where five relieved faces greeted him.
‘Well?’ asked Ginger. ‘What happened?’
‘The good news,’ said Frog, ‘is that we can get out of here.’
‘Brilliant!’ exclaimed Ginger.
‘The bad news is that it’s not going to be easy,’ he warned.
‘I just knew there would be a catch,’ said Ginger.
Frog explained what he had worked out in his mind; the second wheel had four gaps. Three just dropped you into a seemingly bottomless hole, the fourth allowed you to continue down the next passage. A stone bridge connected the exit passage to the central platform, but only when a particular opening in the wheel came around to line up with the platform. So, in effect, they had a one in four chance of getting it right.
‘Do you know which one it is?’ asked Lady Dawnstar.
‘Not yet,’ said Frog. ‘But I’m working on it.’
‘That’s not the right answer,’ said Ginger.
‘GINGER!’ they all shouted in unison.
Ginger got the message and was quiet for quite a while.
‘Fixer, can you light me one of those torches?’ asked Frog. ‘I’ve got an idea.’
Fixer pulled a torch from her pack and sparked it alight. Frog picked up a few more pebbles.
‘Back in a minute,’ he said, and before anyone could say anything he had stepped through the first wheel.
Five minutes later he was back, the torch no longer alight.
‘Just as I thought,’ he announced, looking pleased with himself. ‘As one of the gaps gets to the bottom of the wheel, a small stone bridge slides out so you can walk across. You do have to be quick though.’
‘How quick?’ asked Logan.
‘The count of three,’ replied Frog.
Ginger went very pale.
‘How do we know which gap to go through?’ asked Logan.
‘The one following a big black cross on the wheel,’ replied Frog, holding up a soot-blackened hand and grinning with satisfaction.
After checking on Logan’s wound, which the application of the leaves had reduced to a red line on his forehead, they packed up their kit and made ready for the dangerous ordeal.
Frog demonstrated what they needed to do, showing them how to count for the first and second wheels. He checked that they all understood what they had to do (especially Ginger). Then they agreed in what order they would go through. It was decided that Frog would go first, and would take a burning torch so that the others would have a steady light to show the way across the small stone bridge. Once he had gone, each one in turn would count to twenty before following the previous person. Ginger would follow Frog, then Sir Peacealot, Fixer, Logan and finally Lady Dawnstar.
‘Do not look down. Keep your eyes focused on the wheel in front of you and step forward on the right count,’ encouraged Frog. ‘Right?’
‘Right,’ they replied.
‘Right, Ginger?’ asked Frog.
‘Right,’ said Ginger, swallowing hard.
Once again Frog stepped up to the stone step and counted aloud. ‘One – two – three – four,’ and then he was gone.
He stood on the central platform and waited for the marked stone to appear. ‘One – two – three.’ He stepped out, his foot landed on solid stone and he took two steps forward and into the safety of the new passage. As he turned and looked back the gap in the wheel had gone and so had the stone bridge. A dense black chasm was all that remained between where he stood and the turning wheel. He propped the torch against the wall and watched as the gaps went past, then the stone bridge slid out, quickly and silently into the gap. To his surprise, already standing in the gap was Ginger, blinking in the flame light.
‘Now?’he asked. Half stepping forwards.
‘No!’ shouted Frog hastily. ‘Wait for the cross.’
It seemed to Frog that the wheel suddenly turned in slow motion. He counted the gaps as they passed, shouting at Ginger to stay still each time. Then the fourth gap appeared.
‘Now! Now! Now!’ shouted Frog.
Instead of stepping across, Ginger threw himself out
at Frog, his arms flailing, his feet leaving the ground with a leap. Frog had no time to sidestep Ginger who tumbled into his arms, tripping him up so that they both fell in a heap on the floor. Ginger finally came to a rest on top of Frog, their noses touching.
‘Thanks, mate,’ said Ginger.
‘No problem,’ breathed Frog. ‘Now will you do me a favour?’
‘What’s that?’ asked Ginger.
‘Gerroff!’ shouted Frog, and pushed Ginger to one side. He stood up, gathering his thoughts and instructing Ginger to stay where he was, ‘or else!’
No sooner had he taken up his position again when Sir Peacealot appeared in the passing gap. Frog readied himself to guide him across, but at the next opening and without hesitation, the knight stepped out quickly and with two steps was across the bridge and beside Frog.
‘You don’t hang about, do you?’ said Frog.
‘Not where there’s bottomless pits involved,’ he said, and, seeing Ginger he added, ‘Get up and stop mucking about Ginger, you make the place look untidy.’
The next to cross was Fixer, who took a while longer to appear on the platform.
‘Take it easy, Fixer!’ shouted Frog as the wheel rotated. ‘Remember to count when you see the black cross.’
Another gap appeared, Fixer stepped forwards, looked down and stepped back as it closed.
‘I can’t do it, there’s nothing there!’ she shouted to Frog through the next opening.
‘I told you not to look down,’ he replied. ‘You’ve got your timing wrong, but don’t worry, it’ll be all right, I’ll tell you when to move.’ He watched the wheel turn and as the bridge slid out he shouted, Now! Move it, Fixer. NOW!!’
Fixer hesitated a moment too long and then stepped on to the stone bridge as it began to slide back into the rock. The wheel turned behind her, caught her backpack and knocked her off balance. The momentum brought her out into the dark chasm and for a moment she seemed to hover in mid-air. Then she fell forwards, scrabbling for the ledge and Frog.
‘NOoooooooo!’ screamed Frog as he reached to grab her outstretched hands. He gripped her wrists, but her weight pulled him forwards onto his stomach and he felt himself sliding over the edge. The pain ripped into his arms as Fixer swung below him. The edge of the rock bit into his chest and squeezed the breath out of him. His head began to swim, he squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth as the pain brought a black shroud over his senses.