Well, look at this, map of this crazy maze of rooms and passageways.  Muffin, you will be getting a big bonus for all your help on this.  Meow, meow?=New bed I wanted?  Yes, and new play structure too.  Meow!!=Wheehee!!  What is that crazy cat meowing about now, demanded Sophia!  Maybe you should stick your head in that sewer hole over there, suggested Rossana.  Meow, meow!=That funny, giggle.  How did you learn to giggle like that?, I ask.  Meow=Practice.  Naturally.  You should be thanking Muffin Sophia, she just may have found a way out of this maze.  Then let’s leave, she said.  It’s not that easy, I need to figure out this map.  I get up and spread it on the table so we can all see it.  Muffin jumps up too.

Does that stupid cat need to be around all the time?, asks Sophia.  Meow, meow.=One bite, let me have one bite.  Not now Muffin.  Meow=Okay, later.  Hmm, I wonder.  I went over and pushed that one stone again.  Sure enough the air vents started working again so we had our fresh air back at least.  It’s a trap, if the wrong people got in here and found anything, they wouldn’t be getting back out.  You found the jewels, yelled Sophia as she started towards me.  Stop, I said, Muffin is ready.  She looks at Muffin who was all ready to use her slingshot.  I could really see Sophia’s hatred for Muffin at that moment.  She will definitely need to be watched closely from now on.  I decide to light the candles again since our fresh air has been restored.  At least it looks and feels better with the candlelight.

Oddly, this map seems to only show how to get to this room, not how to get out.  But there must be a way.  Hmm, there seems to be part of the map missing.  I ask Muffin to show me where she found it.  It had been stuck to the bottom of a low shelf.  That shelf is only about 2 feet (60cm) off the floor, kind of low, I wonder why?  I wish I had brought my phone, says Rossana.  I brought mine, but someone stole it, yelled Sophia.  Hmm, I wonder who that could have been?, I said.  Meow.=You told me.  Yes, I know I did.  And you tossed it down a sewer hole too, said Sophia angrily.  You should be nicer and up front about things and you wouldn’t have lost it, I said.  I have mine, but, the battery is dead.  Meow, meow.=Can’t help it, mouse game fun.

Hmm, what’s that marked on the map?  I start shining my flashlight around the room.  Could it be?  I hold Muffin up to the ceiling right at the wall.  Can you get it Muffin?  Meow.=Yep.  Sure enough, out popped a small iron rod about 2 feet long.  I noticed a small round hole on the wall under that low shelf before and I was right, the rod fit perfectly in that hole.  I push it all the way in and another large stone slid down.  I shine my flashlight in and it’s just a tunnel, only big enough to crawl in, and it seems to turn to the right a little ways in.  Ready to do some crawling everyone?  Anything to get out of here, said Sophia.  That’s so small and tight, said Rossana, I don’t know if I can do it.  You can do it, I said.  I’ll go first, you follow along with Muffin and Sophia goes last.  Hey, I don’t like that arrangement, yells Sophia!

Too bad, then stay here, I said, you’re lucky I’m willing to take you with us.  So off we go.  We had to basically slide along on our stomachs, while I pushed my backpack in front of me.  It’s definitely a tight fit in here.  Muffin starts purring and rubbing her head against Rossana’s head.  I guess Rossana is starting to feel the pressure.  Must admit, I don’t like it much either.  When we get to the spot where the tunnel turns, that stone behind us closed.  Guess we don’t turn back.  But as we turn there is a larger spot where we can sit and relax a bit before continuing.  Oddly the air is not too bad in here yet.  Once all of us are sitting in that spot suddenly iron grates slam shut before and behind us.  Trapped!

To be continued.

Steve and Muffin.

© 2020 Steve McLeod.