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A sudden voice boomed from a loudspeaker, interrupting our observations. We turned our attention towards the source and spotted a rotund alien with bulbous eyes and arms that ended in tentacles. He stood on his porch, dressed in a knee-length dinner jacket, white pants, and black ankle boots. A large hedge blocked our path, seemingly deliberately placed to create a barrier. I observed him pointing to a connecting set of hedges near us and realized the big picture.
"He wants us to enter the maze?" I exclaimed, disbelief coloring my voice. The thought of navigating through a labyrinth was both intriguing and daunting. It seemed like a whimsical but unnecessarily complex way to make a delivery.
Klinn let out a resigned sigh beside me. "I'm afraid so. He's Bartie."
I stared at the entrance to the maze. "If you don’t charge him extra for this, I will."
"It wasn’t here last time. If you have any skills to navigate this, they’d be appreciated."
I took in our surroundings again, ignoring Bartie’s gestures for us to hurry and enter the maze. I tried to rise on my toes to view the layout. No luck with it being seven feet high in some places. Where was Zorbluk when we needed him? "I think I have an idea. Stick by me."
"I don’t have to be told twice."
I walked to the maze entrance and stepped forward. "We need to find our way out by following a methodical approach. Right hand rule."
"Right hand what?"
Utilizing the knowledge I gathered, I guided him through the twists and turns of the labyrinth. Drawing upon the concept of the right-hand rule, I made a series of decisions, always keeping my hand in contact with the wall on my right side. I didn’t stop long enough to think about the anxiety-inducing dead ends that were part of this thing. I hoped not to come across them.
Slowly but surely, I navigated through the passages, avoiding dead ends. I had to retrace my steps once when I felt the maze wrapping around towards the beginning.
My eagerness to get out of this situation intensified as a distant dog's barks reverberated through the air. "Not another dog."
"Sounds like it’s on the porch with Bartie. Let’s just keep going." Klinn was right on my heels.
The foliage closed in around us, the sound of rustling leaves and the intoxicating scent of blooming flowers filled the air. The twists and turns challenged my sense of direction, and at times, it felt as though I was wandering aimlessly, leading Klinn along with me to get trapped in Bartie's elaborate game.
Yet, with each step, we pushed forward. Our hands occasionally brushed each other’s against the greenery. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we emerged into a small clearing. There stood our client on his porch, grinning, as if he had orchestrated this spectacle solely for his amusement.
"You made it, Klinn, and you brought a friend with you." He nodded to me.
"Bartie, this is my assistant Estelle." Klinn gave him my barhopping name.
"Is she human or Javorian? I can never tell between the two."
"Human. If it wasn’t for her, I'd still be scratching my head at the front of the maze."
"She's quite the clever one. Hydra and I bid you welcome." Bartie had a tentacled hand on the head of a medium-sized grey dog. The dog’s solid build and droopy eyes reminded me of a bloodhound. "Come, let's see what you've brought me."
