Part 32

Morning came early. He rose grumpily, washed his face in the wash basin, and carried it out the door to throw away the water.

He paused to look up at the stars, still brilliant in a dark sky. Orion was low in the sky, and seemed to be pointing toward the ocean's shore.

Perhaps it is an omen, he thought. I shall trek to the ocean. After all, the minotaur may have plans to leave our land for one more to his - it's - liking.

Demo tossed the water out into the darkness, heard it splash, then a sudden sputtering and words not fit for ears of a young man.

"Watch what you are about. If Pluto weren't so concerned I'd just quit this foolishness." The fox imp was leaping up and down, shaking itself to shed the water. "This is the second bath I've had this year. Enough is enough! Going to catch a minotaur, eh? At this rate I'm going to catch a cold!" He sneezed loudly.

"You'll be lucky to catch a mouse!"

Suddenly the imp was silent. He frowned, turned cautiously.

With a deep growl Rough pounced.

The imp squealed, rolled sideways, and dashed madly to the closest tree. Clambering up the oak, the imp glared down at Rough in anger. "I shall certainly sic Cerberus on you! What a thrashing you will get! Call off your dog, boy. Quickly, now, or I will send him where he would not go."

The threat seemed real. "Come here, Rough. You'd not care for the taste of carrion."

"Carrion? Carrion, is it! The seasons pass, my boy. And you near your destiny. I merely hope to be there when you meet that destined fate. Yes, indeed! Then there'll be no talk of carrion!"

He looked carefully at Rough, who stood tense and ready at Demo's side. When the imp thought the time propitious he leaped from the tree limb, danced a jig beneath the branches. All the while watching Rough carefully. Demo held the dog tightly. Finally the imp rushed angrily into the orchard, growling in a high-pitched voice while glancing anxiously over its shoulder for the approach of Rough. "Minotaur, indeed! Wait 'til I get on the phone to Pluto!"

"Mother, I'm off to Minos. I want to see where the minotaur lived."

"Well, for goodness sake, don't go inside. People just keep popping in, and Theseus is the only one to pop out again. Must be awfully crowded in there. If you pass by your Aunt Matilda's place, tell her I'll see her next week."

He picked up his bike, kicked the tires, and started pedaling. The phrase 'Minos or bust' came to mind, he didn't know why. Probably some historical significance, he thought.

Naturally he had a flat before reaching midway on his trip. "And no gas station within miles," he muttered aloud.

Never trusted these contraptions anyway. I guess I shouldn't complain. It did save me a few hours. I'll drop it off at Aunt Matilda's, and pick it up later.

"Oh, Demo, how tall you have grown. My, my! And so handsome. I must introduce you to my neighbor's daughter. You'd make such a perfect couple!" Aunt Matilda was plainly glad to see him.

"I really can't eat another bite. You are such a good cook, Aunt Matilda. Oh, mother said she'll be over next week. I think she wants to borrow a pattern from you. She's always sewing. Wished she'd learn to darn. Look at the holes in these socks!"

It took some time to extricate himself from the enthusiastic welcome of his Aunt. Eventually he left the bike in the garage next to the chariot, bade her a fond farewell, and hurried on his way. He'd be lucky to reach the maze by nightfall.

But he did. He crossed over the bridge, followed the winding path over the ridge. And there it was.

The maze, from the outside at least, was rather impressive. Huge massive walls of at least a man and a half in height. And they seemed to extend indefinitely, eventually disappearing into a wooded ravine. The keepers sat at the gate, talking together, and glancing nervously around.

"I hear the minotaur has escaped?" Demo questioned.

"That it has. We were distracted. This lady was going by and she . . . " He seemed to think better of his comment. "Anyway, we were distracted. It snuck out, quiet like. Amazing, for a bull. More like a tiger, stealthy quiet. It's sad, really. Never trust a minotaur. They'll turn on you. And to think how many years I've watched and guarded the creature. And my father before me, and his before him. Minotaurs lack dependability. I'll take a cat every time, myself. Don't eat nearly as much. Nice pets. Catch mice, too. Of course, for all I know, so do minotaurs. Nah, they couldn't be that spry!"

"How many stand guard here?"

"There are twelve of us. But what's to guard! He's gone, all right. Didn't touch his food last night. Of course, I really don't blame him. The ladies of the Minotaur Monitor Group required that we feed him half hay, half fish or poultry. I think he stuck at the hay. So he is half bull. Of course, that's not the eating half. Anyway, the ladies had their way - and now look how it's all turned out. Of course, I slipped him a glass of wine at times, and he was appreciative of that, I want you to know."

"I'd like to go inside, glance around if I may."

"Oh, no! Zeus forbid! The going in is easy - it's the coming out that comes hard. None who went in have come out in my time. Nor in my father's time. Before that, there are those who claim Theseus went in, killed the minotaur, and came out. Well, I'll have you know, if he went in it wasn't far in - and he snuck out in a hurry. Cause the minotaur is alive and well, and wandering around I don't know where on this damp night. I surely hope he doesn't catch a cold. No, no, sir! You don't want to go in there."