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."
"Well, I thought about the coming out again. If you'll kindly hold the end of this rope I'll take the other end in with me. And when I'm ready to come out I'll just follow the rope right back to here. No way I can get lost if you'll just hold on to the trusty rope."
After some discussion the guards admitted Demo to the entranceway. The chief guard held the rope end in his own hands, and Demo proceeded to follow the maze. Every so often he pulled on the rope. The tension in the line gave him a feeling of confidence.
But circumstances outside the maze did not bode well for his escapade.