“Finally,” exclaimed the young man in equal parts exasperation and annoyance.
“A sign that I can read!”
That was only half truth – he could read exactly one of the characters on the sign. It was, however, the largest one and the one which by itself probably gave the most information of the entire text. It was a skull and crossbones.
“There's probably something dangerous in there” thought the young man and immediately hit the large, greenish button on the side of the door. He had learned that this opened most doors in the labyrinth, most often to reveal another stretch of haunting metal corridor. Again, the button delivered.
Why did the young man enter the room on the other side of the door? Very simple – because he had indication from the skull and crossbones that the room might contain something. Most rooms in the labyrinth didn't. They were all mostly empty, and he was getting sick of it.. This room, however, was as different as the skull and crossbones had promised. Glass tubes half-filled with semi-clear liquids lined the walls, and a pale turquoise light bathed glass bunks that stuck out from the walls. In the center of the far wall stood a statue. A horrifying statue. A metal death's head with slightly diffused features and no mouth crowned a muscular body, where all the muscles seemed to be made from black metal wire. It was about six and a half feet tall, and adorned with chrome claws and knee-spikes. It was anthropomorphic murder. The mouth of the young man hung open in awe. It was the single most terrifying thing that he could remember seeing in all his life, all four hours or so of it, and he was very sure that it was going to move at any time and start killing him. Swiftly, but very painfully.
“That thing”, he said to himself, “is going to start moving any time now."
He took a few steps into the room. The air was crisp and cool.
"And kill me.”
Ever closer he crept, sneaking surprisingly silently in his heavy boots.
“Swiftly. And very...”
He arrived at the statue.
“...painf”
The eyes of the statue started glowing softly, and it uttered a sound that several human minds had poured hours of sweat, hard work and imagination into making as terrifying as they possibly could. They had succeeded admirably, and the young man bolted screaming for the door. This did not bode well for the future, thought the young man. All four seconds or so of it.
