Myth's Treasure

By John Ulanich

This is the story of Saturday, a statue come to life in a strange garden. He leaves it to discover that life is different in other places. He finds a kingdom of flying toads, and then a labyrinth containing even more life. Saturday explores the maze and learns about the creatures that inhabit it. He finds out about art, music, and other important things. Then he finds out how big his adventure really is. Witness the story through his eyes, and let it become your experience as well. But a word of caution; this existential fairy tale is not for the weak of heart. Abandon all despair, all ye who find... Myths Treasure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 14, 2011
• ISBN: 9781469135892

John Ulanich

JOHN ÜLANICH was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He hung around and eventually went to school for special effects, earning an associate’s degree in making monsters. John likes animals and has two guinea pigs, Warhol and Truffl e. John also has a gargoyle named Lucretius Pu. John was inspired to write this, his fi rst novel, from a dream he remembered.

Book preview

Myth’s Treasure

John Ulanich

Copyright © 2012 by John Ulanich.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

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Contents

Book Two

Into the Outside

Post Script

"Oh hunter, snare me his shadow!

Oh nightingale, catch me his strain!

Else moonstruck with music and madness

I track him in vain!"

—In The Forest, Oscar Wilde

Suddenly my eyes were opened.

I heard the rustle of dry leaves across stone and fabric rippling in a wind. I looked around searching for the source. I saw the leaves, their brown crumbles skipping over a curving path of dark green stones above the black clover on the ground. I looked up and turned around, seeing that I was in an enclosed garden.

The garden was a long square with various statues set here and there. In the center was a golden sphere above a stone disc in the ground. Its light was faint, but it filled the room. I saw that it was actually a rather large cage and was hovering above the stone disc, gently spinning. I saw something glimmering within the sphere, but I was too far to see what. Then I noticed that each ring toward the center seemed to have a statue or ornament, spread out over the slightly hilly ground of the garden, and they all… wait.

There was another statue missing.

I stepped down from my short podium and heard a glassy tinkling below me. The ground around my foot had turned green and it was spreading. Then I looked again at my foot to discover that it was instead a cloven hoof! I was dismayed, to say the least.

I took another step, seeing how my touch brought life to the black clover, making it turn green with life. I saw the round leaves swaying, reflected in the black gloss of my toes, and I grinned.

My eyes traveled naturally up my torso, and my breath caught in my throat. I was in the nude. I felt my face get warm and I looked around again, making sure I was alone. There were others here, but all of them were stone.

I was walking toward the round cage in the center of the garden, and I heard a sigh of wind below me. I looked back at the ground I had walked upon and saw that the green had touched my ring of stone, making the dark green stones glow warmly and spreading out around the garden, setting off life as it touched more of the clover.

When I looked across the room, I saw an archway. I wondered where it went and if there were more archways, so I looked around at the walls. There were alcoves set into the marble brick walls, where vases of dead flowers stood. I turned and saw that the wall behind me also had an archway. I saw that there was something on the ground just inside, and so I stepped toward the arch.

I hesitated at the opening, peeking through to see if anyone was there. But all I found was a long, empty hallway made of white stone. I quickly reached in and grabbed the pile of cloth. I hastily stepped back and looked at what I had found.

I was holding a pair of short green pants, and I didn’t hesitate to slide them on. They felt silky against my hips, and there was a shine to the material.

Feeling a bit more confident, I walked back into the heart of the garden. I looked at the statues by the light coming from the golden globe. I saw two more orb-shaped figures: a brown one far to my left and a striped one to my right. There was a hill beyond the one on the right, and the stone paths rode over its surface in an interesting way. Then I walked between a statue of a man and a figure of a woman, and I approached the shining golden cage in the semi-center of the garden.

I saw that the shine was coming from yellow birds hovering inside it. They were made of stone, and each one was lit from within. They floated around inside the gold cage without touching each other, spinning in their orbits.

I raised my hand up and held it toward the cage. I could feel a slight heat coming from the metal, and gently touched it. It was warm, but felt rather nice. Looking in the cage, I realized that my hand could fit inside the gap. So I reached in for one of the birds.

As I touched one, its shine stopped and it fell out of orbit and out of the cage. It shattered on the stone disc under the sphere, and I cried out in shock. I clenched my hand guiltily, wondering if I could repair the damage. I sighed, turning around.

I jumped when I saw that the other statues were facing me. Or, rather, the center of the garden: the gold ball of light. I stood facing the woman and man and I paused, taking in their details. She was a pregnant, curving beauty wearing robes of flowing stone. Her hair was sculpted above her head in beautiful loops and swirls. He was also dressed in a robe, but it looked more rugged. He had a beard and two budding antlers on his forehead.

My jaw dropped, and I felt my own face. I felt that I also had cranial protrusions—horns; two of them. I sighed, dropping my head. I wondered what other strange features I had but was afraid to find out at the moment. I turned away, walking around the floating orb. I looked to see what other statues were here with me.

I saw that in the closest ring to the center was a statue of a dog. It was seated, smiling, and seemed to be burning with pleasure at being closest to the cage. Then I looked again at the rings on the ground, noticing that the woman was on the second and the man was on the third. Looking beyond, I saw that it was the fourth ring that held the other empty stand. Then I looked around, finding the fifth ring held the striped sphere, and the sixth was the ring I had somehow activated when I awoke. The seventh ring held the barren, brown ball, and the eighth seemed to have an oddly shaped sculpture that looked like a strange stone flower on a standing stone dish. But the ninth ring in the garden was weird, the stones were removed to expose the bare soil below. I looked around but saw no corresponding statue.

I realized that I had crossed the garden and was closer to the other archway. I glanced inside and saw an empty room containing a staircase. I looked up the stairs and saw a man standing at the top, wearing a hooded blue robe over white clothing. His head was bare, not even a single hair visible. He winked at me, smiling before walking forward away from the stairs and out of sight.

I tried to call out, but a choked bleat exited my lips. I slapped a hand to my mouth and gulped, feeling a painful click in my throat. I coughed and climbed up the stairs to meet the mysterious man.

At the top of the stairs was a semicircular platform, enclosed by a railing. There was a pearl bench with a round wooden end table next to it. The table was low, flat, and bare. The floor was a simple grey circular-brick stone floor. But above all of that was a sky—a horrible, wonderful sky. It hurt my eyes and mind to look at; it was divided and swirling. I thought my brain would snap.

The horizons were close, as if the sky was dome-shaped. To my left and above me was a flowing nimbus of white and yellow, a ceiling of rich, pure light. Clouded mountains of pearl and gold flowed through half of the sky. I closed my eyes and bathed in its magnificence. I thought I could feel good energy radiating from it, shedding its love on me. I shuddered with joy and gasped with a sweet sadness. A sadness as it made me know the terrible events that could take place if the dark took over. So it kept chasing it in the sky as the dark followed the light in its turn. I knew it had happened, because I could feel its shade cross my face as it passed above. My brain reeled in understanding; it was chaos and would refuse to be understood. I felt its energy crawl over me, and my throat clogged like a vomit-filled drain. I felt the energies’ thoughts, how it wanted to rip me apart, particle by particle, and burn me up or recreate me. It burned at me, as if it would not allow me to look at it. My knees felt weak, but I refused to be forced to kneel or bow to it. I felt anger then, angry at the fearsome sky, and I turned my face toward it, opening my eyes defiantly. I almost wished that I hadn’t.

It roared when it saw me looking at it. The heat and hate, the fear and rage, and the confusion made it boil obscenely. It was fleshy and burning. Black root shapes scored its pulsing surface, growing like instant cancer trees, bearing lightning leaves and tumor fruit. Then the form would suddenly be swallowed back into the flesh it grew upon. Screaming faces and pustules burst forth with black smoke. I could take no more of its existence. I shivered and turned away to look at things closer to hand: the enclosed patio with the table and bench.

I shuddered and took a deep breath before turning to the round table.

I saw that there was a piece of parchment on it. Surprised, I walked to it. That paper wasn’t there before; I would have remembered! I hurried to it, seeing scrawled figures upon it that I could not quite make out. I turned the paper in different angles, but it was unreadable by my eye. I shrugged and tucked it into the waistband of my shorts to look at later.

I noticed a little hole on the top of the table and bent to look closer. There was a rectangular cut in the wood around the hole. I wondered if there was something inside, so I decided to try sticking a finger in to see if one would fit. I soon found that my tiniest finger was the perfect size. The door lifted free from the table and I set it aside. There was a hidden hollow!

Inside the hollow cubicle was a dark blue-black pouch spotted here and there with tiny sparkling jewels. I reached into the table and brought it out, then put the door back into place. I turned the jeweled pouch over in my hands, admiring its colors. I felt something inside it, something strangely bulky but with curves. I found a tied drawstring decorated with little silver bells, and they jingled lightly as they turned in the air. I untied the strings and widened the pouch’s opening and let the object slide onto the tabletop.

It clattered as it tumbled loose from the bag, rocking gently on the table. It looked like a strange dead insect, and it was mostly green in color. There were two-wide flat wings stretched from its short grey body along with two long hooked legs crossed down over its back. I stared at it.

When it didn’t move, I touched it. It briefly rocked on its back for a moment but stopped again. Huh.

I picked it up and looked closer at its wings, realizing they were semi-transparent. I brought the thing closer, realizing I could see through them. As I held it before my face, the motion gently unfolded its legs. It woke then, making a breeee? sound, and flew out of my grip. It fluttered before my face, looking at me with its tiny lilac-bulb eyes. I looked at its shape, the two toes on each leg making curious motions above it as it hovered there. It seemed to be as curious about me as I was of it, and flew closer. It gently pinched the tip of one of my horns, making inquiring noises, and then pinched my other horn. It was hanging from my forehead over my face, its wings hung just before my eyes, and giving me a new sight. The sky had changed!

What once was a monstrous turmoil of good and evil had turned into a bright rich blue. I looked up and around, seeing hazy white clouds floating in a circular pattern within the dome above me. They seemed to be circling directly above this balcony, and it made me wonder why. I brushed one of the creature’s wings aside for a moment and saw that the Battle raged on, but was hidden from my sight. I realized that this insect could help me see clearly. It helped me focus on where I was instead of what was above me, so I left the wings hang free.

I heard a sliding hiss and looked down to find that the parchment was being blown across the brickwork of the ground and toward the open base of the railing. I gasped and ran toward it, diving to catch it before it blew away. I clutched at it just as it was about to go between a stone gap and brought it back to me.

I unwrinkled it and found that I could now read it. It said:

"The other makes one dance

While one makes the other sleep."

Ponderous, I thought, what does this mean? I wanted to understand, so considered possibilities that might fit what the note was referring to. Did it mean the sky? Was it from that quiet man in the blue robe? These thoughts and more in my mind, I looked out through the railing. My mind froze in shock. I stood numbly, looking at the view.

I was merely on a balcony, which was built above a large stone chamber with three-visible entryways. Two of them were open arches, but the middle was a closed-wooden door. Beyond the forked paths lay their destinations. The left led up a zigzagged hall to an enormous circular maze. The right led down a twisted corridor to a room with a tree with a canopy of leaves that stretched over the entire roof. I saw that half of the center trunk stretched up tall, high enough to scrape the bottom of some of the clouds. The center path led nowhere; the door was just blocking a hallway that led to empty, bare land and a weird mist that obscured the landscape. The sky just seemed to end there.

I stepped back, my mind reeling in confusion, wondering, Where am I?

I collided with the bench and sat. I sighed, closing my eyes and laying my face in my hands. The creature struggled under my grip, making a high-pitched squeal. Startled, I took my hands away. I had forgotten it was there! I blinked as it fluttered its wings over my cheeks. Then it flew away from my face, sailing away and turning to look at me.

N-nn-nn-nn, I reached for it, stumbling forward under the terrible skylight. It dipped in the air, landing near the opposite railing. I followed it and gently held my hand to it, but then I paused. It had landed near a strand of shiny, tight thread. I followed its length with my eyes, seeing where it led.

I knelt down, seeing a bubble-shaped web at the foot of one of the railing supports. The web house was stretched between the support and the floor, caught in the angle there. I looked closer and the flying window-winged insect fluttered to the ground, looking at what was in the web house.

A pale furry shape was inside, it appeared to be asleep.

I seated myself on the ground and slowly reached out to touch the pale thing in the web. It shuddered and shifted, but then lied still once more. The flying insect fluttered forward, reaching out with one of its long toes to pluck at a strand of web. It seemed to be stuck fast for a moment but then shook free. Then the creature flew once again to my face, shocking me with a new vision of the web.

Each fiber of the rounded web was shimmering with prismatic iridescence. I reached out to touch a strand stretching up to the rail, and the whole web twitched in a colorful spectacle. How delightful!

Then the furry thing in the web woke, stretching out its many limbs and groaning. I moved back a little, looking at it. It was about the size of my fist and had sixteen arms and legs. It turned to peer up at me with its tiny, angular, four-eyed face.

Suddenly, I felt a wind blowing through my mind. Then I felt a pinpoint of slight pressure in the base of my skull as the pale creature finished its search of my thoughts. I had a guilty flash about the broken bird from the center cage of the garden, and the pale thing grinned at me.

The Sun Conure will be fine, it declared in a soft, strong voice.

Thoughts raced through my mind, I was frustrated because I couldn’t respond. The gossamer creature climbed up its webbing, closer to the rail. It smiled at me.

You’re confused, yes, I know, it said to me, catching my eyes with its four. But I know you can succeed. There are several, ah, ways out. Just be careful in the choices you make.

I stared at the creature, realizing that it never moved its mouth when it spoke.

It turned, looking out at the maze. Then it shook with unmistakable laughter. I heard its thoughts vaguely and felt the creature think that I was sure I would fail.

It Uhmm-ed, and turned to look at me again.

Don’t think that you know all that I’m thinking. it stated flatly. It glared up at me, saying I’m not just some creature, I am a Spider. And we know all.

I wondered where the others were, and the spider stared at me dangerously.

I gulped, feeling a painful click in my throat. Then I watched the pale thing as it crawled along with many arms, stretching its limbs out further in its web. The spider was working its way to a shape wrapped in paper that I had not noticed earlier. The wrapped object was resting on the railing.

I stood up, facing the rail. Below me was a path next to a deep crevice. It was so deep that I could see no bottom, only darkness.

How do you unlock an atom?

I looked down at the spider. It was chewing something in its strange jaws, something that kept changing color. The gob of its mouth twitched in pleasure and I saw its short, whip-like tail swaying in delight. The spider looked at me while it nibbled.

As its eyes glowed a serene blue, it asked with its mind, Well?

"Huh-hnn-nn-nn? I bleated.

Try with your horns! It giggled through its meal, the sweet dissolving with bursts of bright yellow. I felt my forehead, running my fingers over my nubs. I heard the spider laughing as the window fly slipped, stroking its wings across my cheeks. It twitched antennae under my nose, making me sneeze.

Bless you, the spider thought.

Thanks, I thought back, Hey!

There you are, it smiled at me, then looked at the candy wrapper again with two of his eyes. It turned the paper over and I saw what looked like a night-time party in a garden, like the one in which I woke up. But when I moved closer I saw that I was mistaken, because the image was something else. Instead, I saw a juggler in yellow against a dark background with various balls in flight around him. Different sizes and colors surrounded his somersaulting form.

Well? the spider said, handing me the wrapper. The window fly adjusted its wings while I focused on the tiny words of the answerless riddle inscribed over a tiny map of a maze that completely filled the paper.

How Do You Unlock An Atom?

Blasted Kloogum, never gives you an answer and melts away just as the flavor starts getting good. the spider winked at me, adding, Avoid the stuff, it’s a dreadful habit. And with that, it spun a strand and repelled down the wall, its legs waving gently in the air. It landed near its web once more, turning to me.

By the way, I need you to do something.

I looked at the spider, curious. What?

It beckoned me and I knelt.

I need something for helping you. Ah, it eyed my hands, wringing its own, I, ah, well. Please do me a small favor. I, ah, forgot to do something, and I want you to.

What is it? I asked the creature.

Well, um, I need you to find the fountain. You’ll know it by its warm ice.

Warm ice?

Don’t interrupt! Now, when you find it, draw a circle around the center with your fingers. You’ll see how. Draw in both directions at once, that’s very important!

I nodded, it sounded fair to me. The creature smiled, humming happily. It crawled back into its web overlooking the maze, looking out at the puzzled paths, then back at me with a grin and away again.

Looking around, I realized it was time to get going. I looked up, seeing the drifting clouds circling above and some getting pulled away.

Aah, what’s she— I heard the spider say.

I heard a thunderous rumble above and looked up once more. Some of the clouds had split apart, floating away from the space over the balcony and spreading out above the circular maze. I saw a flash of light down at the end of the zigzag hallway and a bright flash of lightning above. The bolt had come from directly above the center of the maze, and there was a sudden rumble from the ground. Then I watched as the center of the puzzle path began to jut upwards. It pushed itself out of the ground, tugging a tangle of mineral veins up with it. The new rock mountain stood, a puzzle of its own, ridges like a maze growing up around it.

Oh, now what is—

Who did that? I asked the spider.

It stared at me, looking angered. Don’t worry about it. Then it turned away.

"Hey!" I thought a shout at it, but the spider ignored me. I sighed, looking out at the places around me. I scanned what I could see of the round maze, looking for a fountain like he was speaking of. I saw nothing holding any sort of water, so I looked to the right, only seeing the top of the tree stretching up into the clouds. Below was completely blocked by the tree’s greener area. I looked out beyond and the land held nothing. I sighed, confused.

I looked back at the round maze, noticing its new center again. I tilted my head in curiosity, wondering if perhaps the fountain was at the top of it. Wondering what it really looked like, I shifted a window fly wing aside for a moment. What an odd, puzzle-stick of a tower! It looked burned dark, almost black from the lightning strike, or whatever that was. I saw that the maze of minerals covered it all the way to the top, which itself was obscured by a low, grey cloud.

Tsk came from below me, then a sigh. I looked down at the spider.

You’re killing time, it said, glaring at me with all four of its eyes.

I backed away from it, seeing how it was hungrily wringing some of its claws, greedily flexing others, and fidgeting in its web. The spider’s tail was twitching and dripping something dark green like ink onto the floor.

Go, look for the fountain! he shouted at me. I could hear him wondering how long he’d been asleep as he peeked at me with one of his eyes. I turned away toward the staircase back down, halted as I saw the pattern of the room below.

The stairs divided a mosaic, which depicted the war above. I closed my eyes at the sights of pearls and rust. My hooves shook and slipped slightly at the top of the stairs. I turned back to look at the spider once more, but it was concealed inside its web.

I looked back down, seeing the tiles arranged in faces on either side of the center stairs. I gasped and shut my eyes tightly. I couldn’t bear the sight of it… so I sat down on the top stair. Call me a coward, but I scooted down the steps one by one. My hooves clattered uselessly against each riser as I lowered myself to the last step, where I opened my eyes once more. The war on the floor didn’t look as realistic from this angle, but I still hurried outside.

I paused breathless in the doorway, looking into the garden. All the greenery was alive! Ivy grew over some parts of the wall, and the flowers in the vases had returned to life, brilliant purple lilies standing tall in their urns. The ground was a carpet of green, and I took a deep breath as I walked again to the center cage. When I inhaled, my chest rejoiced in the living flavor that filled it. My heart skipped a beat and my hoof tapped along. I felt like dancing in the light shining from the golden ball, the garden was alive!

I grinned and decided to run toward the center. As I did, I felt the wind flowing through my hair, and it felt great. I jumped through the air and landed near the orb.

I knelt down by its side, looking at the crumbled bird lying on the stone disc. I sighed, reaching for the pieces. I piled them together and wondered what I could put them in. I thought of the dark, jeweled bag, wondering where I had left it.

I heard a jingle behind me to my right, and I turned to see it sitting on the ground. Huh. I reached for it and opened it, looking inside—darkness. I gently picked up the broken bird and put its bits into the bag. I tied it closed and watched as it vanished in my hand. That taken care of (for now), I turned and looked around the garden for anything that resembled a fountain. I walked closer to the large striped ball, looking at its surface. Walking around it, I saw a large orange-red spot with a tiny circle in it. Then I walked past the empty plinth standing in the fourth ring from the center. There was an M carved on the front of it, and I wondered what it meant.

Then I saw the sculpted statue in the eighth ring from the center, the stone flower on its clear round platform. As I got closer, I saw into the surface and could see the pattern of the stones under the clear matter in the dish.

I realized that I was looking at a strange bath as I held my hand above it. It was warm. I looked closer at the starburst pattern under the ice, seeing a double ring of triangular tiles facing in both directions of the wheel. I had a feeling that this was the fountain the spider wanted me to somehow activate. I looked at my hands, and then at the awkward stone sculpture standing on the ice.

I couldn’t reach with the stone sculpture in the way. I reached for it, wondering if I could move it. It lifted free easily and I set it on the ground. When I did, I saw another of the wrapped sweets lying on the ground near the base of the fountain. I reached for it and held it in my hand as I stood tall, looking at the warm surface. There was a deep spot in the middle, the ice was darker there. I bent closer, seeing a small spiral-shaped shell floating within the frozen mass.

Hmm. I decided to look at the candy first, unwrapping the paper from the sweet. It was a white ball, the size of my eye. I turned it and it turned green, then orange. Then white again. How strange, I thought. I looked at its wrapper to read another riddle:

What Can Unlock The Universe?

I read the question, my mind a complete blank. I didn’t understand, what is a Universe? I crumpled the paper around the sweet again, wondering how to make my bell bag appear again. When I thought of it, I heard its jingle, and grinned. Well that’s one mystery solved, I thought. I slipped the candy into my bag and let it slip from my mind again. I turned back to the fountain, looking in.

I took a deep breath, reaching out with both hands. I touched the warm ice with both of my index fingers, sweeping my touch outwards in an arch. I watched as a strange liquid bubble formed around the shell down in the ice. When the spiral dipped and bobbed, I realized the water was cooling and thawing. As my hands passed together at the bottom of the double turn, the surface of the ice cracked. When my fingers were three quarters around, the surface broke and my digits completed their circuit along the bottom of the bath. I pulled my hands free and shook the liquid off them.

I noticed that droplets landed on the stone sculpture and were absorbed into it. The liquid seemed to change the surface, and I wondered what it could mean. So I picked the stone object up and placed it directly into the liquid of the bath.

A blush filled the stone from the bottom up. The sculpture’s form bulged upwards as liquid soaked into it, bringing it to life. Its eight top extremities turned a deep purple, and seams split down the thing’s sides. Then the top cluster split in half, then again, then once more, and the plant was fully visible. Hidden inside the plant of eight tentacle vines was its head, a large blue rose bud.

The delicate folds of its face pulsed gently as it took its first breath of air. Then it tenderly dipped its branches into the bath, reaching for the shell. The rose raised it above its bloom with four of its wet branches, letting water drip down upon itself from the shell.

Next, the rose blossomed to its fullest size. When it did, I heard a sighing from the glow at its heart. It was a bright white blue and the water poured into it.

Then the plant sang. Tears sprung from my eyes as more water trickled quicker from the spiral shell and poured over the flower in a small rain. The song became louder as more water poured out upon it, and the plant began to play with the shell with its arms, letting the fresh water spill freely. Through my tears, I saw that fluid had filled the basin and was running over its notched edge and spilling noisily onto the pebbles around the fountains base. The rose continued its shower song as I heard a soft popping sound.

I looked at the stones of the ring upon which the bath was placed and saw that the waters’ touch had affected them. They were bursting as the fluid hit them, their water hitting the stones next to them, which also ruptured and spilled more liquid, setting off all the stones in the ring around the garden. I saw the new stream, circling widely around the cage of shining sun conure birds and a few statues and orbs, and felt pleased. I looked again at the flower in its bath; the plant gurgled and cooed under its little deluge, sated.

Hearing a louder trickle, I turned to see where it was coming from and found that the majority of the stream gathered at one part of the path in a rounding body of water. Then it found a valley through which to trickle away, making its wet way over the outermost ring and toward the far wall. Looking closer, I saw that there was a small ditch along the far wall. I saw that the liquid had found it and was flowing into a small barred hole in the wall and out of the room. I wondered where the water was going.

Having already tried one of the ways out of this room, I looked to the other exit. I felt a bit uneasy about the unknown path and where it led. Walking toward it, I looked one last time at the bathing bloom. I sighed as it danced. I envied it; I wished my existence was as simple as the flower’s, to be able to appreciate and live in each moment, satisfied eternally by something as simple as the touch of water. I paused.

I looked one last time around the garden. It wasn’t nearly as monochrome as when I woke up. There was greenery and the blue of the stream, and I felt uplifted by that, though there was still much that was still stone. After all, my only company was the insect hanging over my face. I turned again to the exit, looking through it and down the long bare hall. It looked cold but offered me a way out, which, quite honestly, I was grateful for at the moment. The garden was beautiful, but had nothing for me. I took a deep breath and stepped through the arch.

I looked down at the ground as I stepped through, seeing how some of the dirt from the garden was spilled over the stone of the hall. I looked again as I saw an impression in the dirt, an impression that I didn’t notice earlier when I was in a hurry to grab the green shorts.

I looked again at the mark, a double shape of two almost ovals, standing close together. I looked closer, then I kicked at part of the dirt with my hoof. I halted, noticing the shape of my two toes; then I stepped firmly into the soil beside the mark.

They were very similar. But the other mark was bigger than mine, and I turned back, considering the other empty statue’s plinth. I felt a moment of fear, wondering what sort of statue it was that had also awoken. I paused again in the entrance of the new hall, feeling very apprehensive, and I took another deep breath before proceeding.

Then I saw something on the ground ahead, and I hurried toward it, forgetting my fear in the delight of finding something familiar. There was another wrapped sweet in the corner, and I dashed for it.

Picking it up, I darted a glance at the hall to my right. It was empty and long. I turned back to the sweet and removed its paper.

What Unlocks Your Mind?

These riddles were intriguing for certain, but were also starting to annoy me. The papers held no answers, so I did my best to conjure a solution for them in my mind. But they were just too vague for me to comprehend. It would help if I had help, someone to bounce ideas off and discuss solutions. I sighed, thinking of my belled bag.

After putting the candy and wrapper away, I looked around. Before me, there was an empty corridor with another corner far ahead. Behind me, a small comfort. And I was getting hungry. So I collected my wits and held my head high as I began my walk down the hall.

About halfway down its path, I found a small fountain set into the wall. I grinned, hurrying toward it, seeing the water trickle from a stone face down into the half-bowl of stone in the wall. The thin stream hit the surface in the bowl, splashing quietly, and extra fluid had splashed down onto the floor below, faster than the bowl could drain. I looked down in it, seeing a round metal plug locked in place. I shrugged and reached in with both hands and cupped some liquid, bringing it up to my lips. I sipped, tasting it, and then slurped more greedily. It tasted so pure, clean, and fresh! I drank more, taking from the bowl again. I was losing some in my haste, splashing the tiles of the floor. I noticed a pattern emerging with my third double handful and then just turned my face to the fountain, collecting its drizzle with my mouth. I drank my fill and then looked again at the floor.

Interesting, the tiles seemed to resemble animals. I gulped and wiped the water from my smooth face, flicking my hands at the floor. Then I reached into the fountain and splashed more water on the floor.

The pattern of the floor tiles was of fish and birds, interlocking perfectly. I could see their outlines in the dark, wet grout between each light stone. Very interesting! I looked at the walls, wondering if there was a design, but they were just smooth rock.

I took a moment to splash some invigorating water on my chest and shoulders, then briefly scrubbed my face. I noticed some liquid had soaked into the fabric of my shorts and saw a fuzziness to the material close to my waist, where the water had collected. I felt at the fluff, realizing it was some kind of moss. It was growing from my shorts! Then, while looking down, I saw that the floor tiles were different just ahead, out of the splashes’ reach. I turned, walking further along, seeing that the stones were changed, carved in different animal shapes as the hall progressed.

As I continued my tread, I found that the next animals to interlock were bears with turtles. Walking to the next corner, I discovered lions that seemed to be wrestling with tarantulas in the floor pattern, and I thought of the creature that had asked me to let loose the flood. Thinking of the water, I noticed I could hear it in the wall to my right.

I had reached the far corner and was dismayed to see that the floor ended before it met the wall. In fact there was a long, bottomless ravine to the left of the hall ahead. I gulped, looking down for a bottom, but there was none. I glanced ahead noticing a bow of water that arched over the deep ravine. It was spraying from a hole in the wall on my right and into a slightly large brass horn that was sticking from the wall beyond the ravine. I saw that not a drop of the water missed the horn, not even to splash the rock of the wall. It sounded like static music, like every particle sung. I walked toward the stream and under it. I reached up toward it but didn’t touch it. I could feel its coolness from the air around it.

I looked back at the hall ahead, seeing that it led down some stairs and under a roof. Above was another set of stairs, rising perpendicular to the semi-circular balcony. It was strange, but I thought I saw flickers of color along the railing and stone. And higher, the sparse clouds were spinning lightly in a small swirl.

A blur of grey motion alerted me to the creature on the balcony, which was racing over the edifice and laying down another line of shining red-blue shimmer. I wondered what the thing was doing, other than making the structure look nice.

Then I had to duck as I went under the low roof and down the stairs. I noticed a long scratch just below where the wall met the ceiling and wondered what had put it there. I steadied myself against the wall as I went down the uneven stairs, feeling a strange squirmy slither of movement under my hand after a short moment. I pulled my hand away, seeing moss growing in the shape of my handprint, like a green shooting star.

Reaching the bottom, I thought that I didn’t leave a bad mark of passage. If it was the other creature that had destroyed part of the wall, perhaps I had balanced it out by adding some life to it.

I turned left, following the hall, and saw stairs leading up again. I was confused; I didn’t see stairs as I walked along the hall, only a deep fissure along the far wall. It made my mind hurt, so I hurried quicker, closing my eyes as I reached the top.

Ahead of me was a rather large hole, surrounded by a thigh-high stone wall. Or at least, I thought it just a hole. But as I walked closer, I saw that water was steadily filling it at an amazing rate. I realized that it was a well, and was very deep.

I looked above the well and saw that it was directly under the balcony. Looking at the balcony, I saw that the brickwork was made in an empty cone shape, ending at a tiny hole at the top. I wondered if the well also narrowed into a cone shape, but, considering its size, I figured that would have to make it very deep indeed.

I looked across the empty air above the fountain, seeing again the three passageways I could choose from. I began to walk to the left, around the deep water. The water was spiraling upwards, moving quickly around the walls, filling it almost to the top. Then it began to slow, and I paused to look at its surface. It didn’t get any higher; it just spun gently, the water in a soft bowl shape.

Wet, isn’t it? a familiar voice thought above me.

As the waters slowed, I nodded and laughed. I turned to look up at the balcony from outside, and I could see the web that the spider had strung out all over its balcony. It crawled over the rail toward me and repelled down to hang above the rim of the well. Then it swung to and fro until it got closer to the stone cone under the balcony. It fastened its web to the brick and started running around the open end of the funnel, making an anchor loop. I heard the thing humming a tune in its mind, feeling carefree.

Then it stopped, turning to glare at me. I looked away, toward the two open paths, wondering which I should choose. I looked back at the spider, wondering if it—

I have an identity, stop calling me ‘it,’ okay? it asked me in an aggrieved manner. I stared at it, confused.

No, seriously, stop that. My name is Samson. Or Sam. Yeah, I’d prefer you to call me that, it said, then added, oh, and I’m a ‘he,’ not an ‘it’, so remember that for your memoirs.

"What are memoirs?" I thought. The spider shivered frustrated and rolled its four eyes, making me feel queasy.

Memoirs are told recollections. A journal, a diary, a story retold around a fire, a… um, just a moment.

Sam looked down in the well and then went back to his strand around the bottom of the hole above. He connected a web string to the hoop and then walked around the hole, carrying it. Then he tied it on the other side of the web, across from the start. He had split the hoop in half and was proceeding to tie another strand to repeat the process.

Hel-hello? Sam? I asked, walking around to follow him. What else?

He looked at me with a sigh. Then he turned to me and thought, "Okay . . ."

Each creature has existence. It is created, it lives, and eventually most things die. Some things can never die, such as the basic elements that make up a stone, or energy (which only gets transplaced), or a legend. Legends are the best; they can be passed onto future generations. A simple story of one man standing up in the face of unimaginable fear can turn into faith and hope for an entire… tribe of people. Sam told me.

When he said those words to me, I was feeling various things. First, there was the knowledge that I was truly alive. I could now move around of my own free will, going wherever I chose. I also realized the purpose of Sam’s words, to let me know that others were around, or would be. The knowledge that I could affect life with my touch also occurred to me, but it was something that I would have to take care of in the future. I looked to the two open arches, realizing that I was still unsure. And his mention of tribes gave me trouble, and I looked at him, confused.

He laughed briefly, saying, You’ll see, before climbing back to the center of his new net-like web.

Then I heard a soft splashing behind me. I felt a jolt of fear pass up my spine, making the hairs on my neck tingle. As I looked down into the stone well, I saw chunks of its wall breaking away. Some of them were sinking deeper in a spiral, swimming up into the center in sudden schools of fish. Others were rolling and rising to the surface like bubbles, bursting as they hit the air, and releasing a flash of light and a bird. Each popping burst released a different colored bird, each singing as they took to the air. Sam grunted, hurrying with his net, crafting quicker on its cross-strings.

There was a gurgle of water and I saw a dark stone rising, larger than the other stones. It hit the air with a dusky shimmer, a dark silhouette against the waters’ surface. It floated for a moment and then spread its wings in preparation of flight.

Collar! Sam shrieked, expelling a strand of pure white from his maw. The luminescent word caught the black bird, then tangled around it. Then Sam started dragging it back to him. He hauled it up into the large round web net, binding it in his glowing tangles. Soon the darkness of the bird could not be seen, and Sam laughed before climbing back up onto his balcony.

I looked at how high above the water the web was and realized there was no way I could help the bird free. Then again, I suppose Sam had his reasons for binding the dark bird the way he had. I just wished I knew what they were.

I took a breath and looked again to the two open choices. I decided to try center door, just out of curiosity, but it was firmly locked. I wondered if Sam had the key. Hmm. I walked closer to the left passage, seeing a familiar scratch up on the stone of the entry. Looking down, I also found a large hoof print in the soil at the foot of the doorway. I deduced that the other woken statue was now inside the complicated round maze, and I decided that I didn’t think I was ready to meet it yet. But I looked down the hall, seeing that at the far end was a wall adorned with a painting of a kite. It seemed to be hanging slightly askew. I squinted my eyes and the window-fly fluttered its wings, making the scene appear closer. I could make out a passage to either side of the wall with the picture and again felt that I didn’t want to face that other statue, whatever it was.

So, I turned to the other open doorway.

But as I was passing the locked door in the middle, there was the musical noise of more surging water, followed by a loud splash. Then the grotto around the well was filled with brilliant gold light and a loud sonic tweet.

Startled, I turned to the well, water trickling along the ground between my hooves. Floating in the well was a mystery. It burned on the water briefly before uncurling, awakening from its stone cell. Its body was full of color. It had electric blue eyes, surrounded with a black teardrop shape, which itself was surrounded by a burst of brilliant yellow. Its head was orange with a red and yellow crest, and its long orange neck stretched to its body, a mellow orange and yellow torso. The birds red wings were folded over its back as it floated closer to the well’s edge. Then it looked at me, winked at me, and spread its wings wide to rise in a bonfire. Each wing was a terror of yellow, orange and red feathers, and thin black quills. The fiery bird landed on the wall using its blackened talons, looking as though it had previously danced on fire.

Go to the firebird, they can help if you know how to treat ‘em, Sam advised.

Fascinated, I stepped closer to the firebird as it mellowly gazed upon me.

Take some water in your hands, Sam instructed.

I looked down into the well, seeing a winding gyre of fish in the center, their colors circling the incredibly deep well. I cupped my hands and dipped down, getting a healthy quantity.

Hold your hands before the firebird.

I offered it a drink, but the bird didn’t seem to be thirsty.

Now insult it. Oh, you can’t talk. Well… Sam said, taking a breath.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU? the spider suddenly shouted at the bird, You know your purpose! Why can’t you just do a job when you’re given one? HUH? Why do I always have to shout until I’m blue in the face just to get you to do something?

The spider went on in a tirade, shocking me dumb, but stopped suddenly when the firebird started to cry. He suddenly dropped into sight between us, swinging to land on the wing of the firebird. It bent forward, its tears falling into the liquid I held. My hands felt a bit warmer for a moment as I stared at the glowing water.

Don’t make him suffer for naught, drink it. Quickly! He turned to the bird, its eyes closed, tear tracks steaming on its face.

I raised my hands, feeling guilty as I drank, and my throat began to tingle. Then it felt pleasantly warm, and I could feel something strange happening between my jaws. I felt the bottom of my tongue unlock