ATN 3: THE JAR IN THE MAZE

ZAANSE SCHANS

Following the string is good. It let's you go wherever you want inside the Labyrinth. But when you are following it to undo something you did, the guilt inside you kinda hits you very badly. In my case, I felt like at anytime, this string would start to speak and say, "Why should I help you when you messed up so bad?"

The truth is, I had messed up. I didn't understand I did until I saw Viraj's ghost, all free, roaming in the living world. Mom warned me. I didn't listen. Yes, I got my brother back. But at what cost? Yeah, I know it seems all silly. Jay got his brother back, with which, he unleashed the dead. But those dead could do my friends harm in ways I can't imagine. So, I had to undo my mistake. Resurrection is always a mistake, no matter how close the person being resurrected is to you. My worst fear, I may have damned Abhro to a lifetime of people's curses and survivor's guilt.

Anyway, I faced no tricks and traps until I got out of the Labyrinth, and came under open sky. As soon as I did, the string stopped glowing and returned back to it's original size. I looked around, and saw that I was in some village. There was a wind mill that was rotating due to winds, and I couldn't figure out where I was. I moved forward trying to understand the place I was in. 

There were many wind mills around me, as I walked forward. Then, I finally understood. This was some village. The boards showed that I was not in Greece anymore. This was somewhere in Netherlands. I had reached Netherlands. Wow! I had reached the home country to one of my most favorite footballers who I had never seen play (Johan Cruyff). I would have felt very very happy had I not been chasing a way to end ghostly interventions in our war. But how did I get here? How did I travel from South of Europe to North in one hour? I just crossed Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany to get here. All in one hour. The Labyrinth moved a little too weirdly.

I moved around to see that this place was amazing. My missions had taken me to some fabulous places all across Europe, some places I never thought I would go to, like Tenerife, Delphi, some parts of Morocco, and now here. There was a river, which I figured was the Zaan river. This river water was clear, and the surroundings were beautiful. The boards here read the village's name 'Zaanse Schans'. There were little wooden bridges made across little streams of Zaan here and there. There were dairies, farms, cattle and dogs.

I held my head in my hands. I was in a place all alone. I didn't speak the language, didn't know any people, and had no idea where to go. I was just starting to lose it, when I remembered Dad's stories of how he coped when he first went to Buenos Aires. He was in a similar situation, and he did well. I was his son. I had to do well. "I'll find something." I said to myself, and moved on.

I came across a house, where the residents, a man and a woman, both younger than my Dad, were reporting something to a cop. Beside them stood their pet Beagle. I sensed some worries in his mind, and so, willed it to come to me (I have a way with doggies). The dog ran at me, as I knelt down and ran my hands through it's head. I love dogs.

The cop turned towards me, and asked the couple something, in Dutch. The couple looked super worried. They nodded their heads right and left. The cop came to me and asked me something in Dutch. Now, I speak Spanish, I speak two Indian languages, I understand Greek, I speak English. But no, Dutch is not in my radar. I said straightaway, "Sorry, officer. I don't speak Dutch. I am just visiting."

"Oh." He said, "You know these people?"

"No."

"How do the dog go to you?"

"I love dogs, and they like me. This happens everywhere I go."

"You traveller?"

"Yes."

"Too young for be a traveller. Anyway, where you staying?"

"My trip was sudden. I am trying to find a hotel."

"Okay. Go to Heerlijck. Good room."

"I will, officer."

I asked the family the reason for their worries. They said, "Our twin sons, disappeared. We very worried." The couple were so sweet, they even offered me to come in, and asked me if they could drive me to Heerlijck. I said no to all that. I was already consumed in my worries. But this disappearance of two kids kinda seemed weird. So, I bent down in front of the Beagle and asked him telepathically, "Did you see who took the kids?"

"I did. But I couldn't catch it." He said, inside my head.

"It is okay, honey. Tell me who took them?"

"It was a demon. Woman demon, with snake tail. She had fangs like me. She slithered fast."

"Did she have snake hair?"

"No, only tail. Help my family, please, nice human. I love the kids."

"I will, honey."

I got up, and left. I tried remembering what monster had snake tail and woman upper body. I could be reminded of none. So, I decided to search. But this was a big village. How could I possibly search for two lost kids when I didn't know what took them, and where it could take them. "Help me, Mom." I said.

"Could we help?" A familiar voice spoke behind me. I startled, and turned. What I saw left me shocked, and happy.

Three ghosts, of three old friends stood in front of me. Juan Marquez, Nadia Petrova, and Denis Sebastian. The three smiled at me warmly. Even at this time of distress, their presence made me smile.