PLATO'S STEP-DAUGHTER I FLYNN CARSEN

A Thorn In My Side

A Thorn In My Side

"Wait up," Clara said, spying something in the shadows, "what's that?"

Following the path of her pointed finger, Jacob stooped down, picking up a name-badge bent in half. "Uh, it says Henry Birch," he said uneasily, making Clara's face fall.

"Where's the rest of him?" Archie said, glancing around him.

"Here," Cassandra answered from around the corner.

"Don't wander off, Cass!" Jacob admonished, tearing after her, only to skid to a halt at the sight in front of him. Cassandra was half slumped against a wall, a pile of bones lying at her feet, along with the remains of what once been a pinstriped suit. "Oh," he said, tugging at his shirt collar.

"I - I can't do this," Cassandra said, sliding to the floor, wrapping her arms around her head, "there's too many dimensions for me to deal with." The others looked at each other, at a loss what to do next. Without Cassandra, they were marooned here. She had been leading them through the Labyrinth, shouting into the shadows, hoping a human voice would answer, making their mission worthwhile. But silence was the only answer they'd received, and now Cassandra was collapsing on them, before they'd even reached the heart of the maze.

"You can, Cassie," Jacob said, kneeling down beside her.

"I can't!" Cassandra wailed, "I just can't!"

"Yes, you bloody can!" Clara said, startling them all. "So get to it, girl!"

"You don't trust me," Cassandra said quietly, blue eyes brimming with tears, "and you can't. I let you down once, and I've been doing it ever since - I'm doing it right now, Clara!"

"You... you did me over, Cassie," Clara said, her voice cracking, "but you didn't let me down. I'm only here because of you."

Cassandra looked at Clara for a long moment. "I - I can't hold it," she said quietly, mouth trembling, "it's - it's too much."

"Close your eyes," Jacob instructed, taking her hands in his, "and focus on your other senses."

"Me and my other senses don't get along so well," Cassandra said, smiling weakly.

"I'll be your senses if you'll be my sat-nav," Jacob almost teased.

Cassandra nodded, biting her lip.

"So just close your eyes," Jacob repeated, "and see the map inside your head."

She shut her eyes, wrinkling her retroussé nose.

"I'll lead you through," Jacob said gently, "so follow me..."

~*~

"Hold your horns, what was that?" Archie said, skidding to a stop.

"What was what?" Cassandra asked nervously, opening her eyes, only for Jacob to cover them with his hand.

"That," Archie said, jabbing his hoof in the direction of a distant scream. They all looked at each other, before taking off, following the sound like Ariadne's ball of thread, only to collide with Flynn and Jenny from earlier.

"Fancy meeting you lot down here," Flynn said, straightening his cuffs, "and off we go again!"

"Minotaur?" Clara yelled as they ran.

"How did you know?" Flynn yelled back.

"A wild guess," Clara countered.

"Who's the broad?" Jacob bellowed, glancing at the girl.