Chapter 4

The next day, Ariadne got ready to go back to the village to talk to them and tell them about the ending the Lottery. Erinyes lit the torch again and showed her the way to the old door. After winding their way through the maze of the Labyrinth they reached the door. The Minotaur studied it for a couple minutes testing the chains that held it secure. Then he hooked on horn under a point in the chain and with a mighty twisting pull the chain broke! Then he repeated the same thing to the second. Then the third. Finally, all the old chains fell away. The only thing left was to break the deadbolt in the door itself. The Minotaur took a few steps back and making sure Ariadne was well out of the way, he charged the door smashing through it and breaking the deadbolt cleanly. The sturdy old door stayed in one piece, but swung open partially. The dirt and rubble that had built up on the outside kept it from opening fully, but Ariadne was able to squeeze through the opening easily enough.

Once outside the door, she turned back. Erinyes was looking at her through the opening. Unable to get out himself through the small opening, he looked very worried and afraid.

“Erinyes, my love. I WILL be back. I swear to you, I will be back and soon,” she said, kissing his outstretched hand. He wasn’t too sure, but he had no choice. He watched her walk away hoping against hope that she would return...

It was a long walk back to the village and as she got to the outskirts, she wondered how she was going to convince the village elders to stop the Lottery. It had been in place for longer than anyone knew and it was ordained by the gods of Mount Olympus themselves. But she had to try. She had to do what she could to save the other girls.

As she got into town, the news that she was alive and had returned had the whole village in an uproar. She made her way back to her old house followed by a throng of townspeople. Her father was more than a little shocked to see his daughter alive and it took several minutes for him to calm down enough for her to tell him about her adventures and her new love, the Minotaur.

He couldn’t believe at first what she was telling him – so many terrible tales had been told about the monster in the Labyrinth and so many young girls had been sacrificed. And telling him now that his daughter was in love with the creature was almost more than he could comprehend.

“It’s true father. I have met the Minotaur and he isn’t what everyone thinks. He is just a misunderstood creature that only wants to be loved, to feel like someone cares. And I do father. I love him. His name is Erinyes and I have promised him that after I have told the village about him and that the Lottery is no longer needed, I would return to him,” she said.

“Out of the question! Ariadne, I thought I had lost you once already. You can’t expect me to allow you to go back there again!” her father protested.

“Father I love you, you know that. And the last thing I want to do is to hurt you. But I made a promise to Erinyes that I would return. He trusted me enough to help me get out of the Labyrinth so I could come back here and stop the Lottery. I have to go back to him. I just want to make sure that the village knows they don’t have to have the Lottery anymore. No one else needs to lose their loved ones over this. No one else needs to be sacrificed,” she explained.

“You really love this ... Erinyes? You really want to go back and live in the Labyrinth with him? he asked.

“Yes, Father. I understand him. And he needs me. Father, the poor man has been alone for hundreds and hundreds of years. The reason he is so feared is because no one has taken the time to get to know him. All they see is the monster – they don’t know what a kind and caring soul he is inside. All he wants is some company. All he wants is love. It wasn’t his fault what happened to him, yet he has to suffer for it. The least I can do is keep him company and care for him as long as I can. Just give him some comfort while I am alive and make part of his life worthwhile. Like Mom did for you,” she said.