Alex loved T.H.E Author. The many worlds of his books had allowed him to escape into exotic locales and find adventure in the many, increasingly imaginative pages of Author's novels. His favorite series was far and away the Centuria Chronicle, particularly the action packed The Horn of the Minotaur. The books took the reader to a world of Greek myths, beautifully described and packed with tantalizing lore and mystery. The misty forests, towering castles and endless labyrinths of Centuria hook his imagination and he often enjoyed spending hours discussing and debating the brilliantly conceived world through online fan forums. As a writing major he even published a few fan fics, stories which received praise from the small online community that read them.
It is this fascination that led Alex to the Author's Estate. It was midnight, well past operating hours and his headlights glinted off the well maintained windows of the towering Victorian. A jolt of excitement passed through him as he laid eyes on the manor he'd only ever seen in photos.
"Dude, this place is fucking freaky" Came a moan from behind him.
Alex rolled his eyes. Since he didn't have a car of his own, Alex was forced to invite his roommate Jeff so he could get access to Jeff's car. The sell was not hard, all Alex had to pitch was the thrill of sneaking into an old, potentially haunted, manor and Jeff agreed immediately.
Jeff and Alex couldn't be more different. Alex stood at a shorter hight of 5'10", sported short brown hair, and enjoyed spending his time writing and reading. Jeff on the other hand was more of an extrovert. Standing at 6 foot 4, packed with muscle and popular with the ladies, Jeff generally fit the archetype of the college 'bro.' While something of a jock, Jeff was on the more 'preppy' side of jock-hood, preferring to wear polos and sneaking success both on the football field and in the classroom. A realist, Jeff was not swayed by Alex's claim of mystery, disappearances, and potential Ghosts, but was more interested in the expensive antiques they might find.
Tagging along, was Jeff's best friend Matt. Unlike Jeff, Matt was all brawn no brains. The 'heavy hitter' on the college football team, he relish using his brawn to bowel over the coopetition and push the football team to success. Matt too was intrigued by the idea of this midnight adventure. He loved breaking the rules and was excited to see what this place was all about.
As the car finally pulled up to the manor the trio stepped out, looking up at the tall, gothic spires of the estate.
"Fucking awesome" said Matt as he eyed the building.
"Yea, I bet there's some expensive shit inside" Jeff added, his mind racing with the possibilities.
"Guys, just please be careful inside. Don't break anything....this place is like....a pilgrimage site for me." Alex said with concern as he looked at the two. He hated that he had to bring his roommate, especially because they rarely got along, and hoped desperately Jeff and Matt wouldn't trash the place.
Alex was not one to break the rules, but his fascination with T.H.E Author's books was strong enough to override any doubts. Alex had called weeks ago to inquire about the officially sanctioned tours and was dismayed that all tours seemed to completely bypass most of the houses' famed attractions. Specifically, the hedge maze. An exact replica of the labyrinth described in The Horn of the Minotaur, fan communities frequently cited it as the only slice of 'Centuria on earth.' As soon as Alex learned it was off limits, he began planning to break in and see it for himself. He had devoted hours of his life to these books and this fandom and there was no chance he was going to miss out on seeing a piece of the lore in real life.
Okay guys, looks like the entrance to the maze is just over there" Alex said, gesturing to an ornate wooden gate that guarded the maze. "I'm going to explore that, if you guys want to check it out I'd be happy to have some company, otherwise, do....whatever you guys want to do."