It was dark. But darkness was always my ally. In the cover of the night, I stealthy move, but not too slow. Speed is essential. I was there to do what I do best, collect the scattered treasure. I am a bounty hunter, an adventurer, a shadow in the darkness and connoisseur of wealth. Essentially I am Iron Man and Indiana Jones rolled into one, minus the good looks and charm.
I spot the first piece, a sparkling little trinket. According to legend, it is supposed to lead me on, and so it does. Further away was another, identical and valuable. I could not leave any one of them behind.
If the legend of the treasure is true, so must be the legend of the monsters guarding them. I feel a chill down my spine, like someone is watching, like the hunter waiting for its prey. But I couldn’t stop. I had to keep on moving.
The labyrinth undulated across many corners, but my eyes were fixed to the ground. Darkness seems to heighten the other senses, and there was something distinctly alien in the stillness of the maze, and it was gaining on me. I ran. I ran, I twisted, I turned and I ran. It was gaining on me. I could drop my treasure, but I was too greedy. If I was to be caught by this unknown being, so be it. I don’t fear consequences of failure, I fear the ignominy of giving up.
As I ran, my heart beating like a well oiled machine, but on the verge of exploding on stress, I remembered the missing piece. Where there is darkness, there is light. It’s the light that can protect me. I ran like there is no tomorrow, I ran like I was free, I ran because I had no other option. I turned and there was a wall standing ominously in front of me. I could feel the shadows on either side creeping up. I didn’t dare to look, lest my fear overcame me. But more importantly, I could see the light in front of me. Just as I reached out for it, I could feel the freezing cold and melting hot amalgamated into one final death blow encompassing me. And there was a flash…
It is bright now. I survived. Because I was born to survive. The treasure is mine. And the unknown remains trapped in the maze. I am fast. I am greedy. I am smart. I am PACMAN.