| After leaning the guards up against the wall, one on each side of the doorway, the two entered the queen’s bedroom. The first thing noticed was darkness. Next an odor. Faint at first, then growing stronger and stronger. A noise. Hissing becomes apparent. It is behind, then to one side, then the other. Finally the realization it has been in front all along as the hot breath of something, … someone, becomes noticeable above the hissing. In concert with it. Then a word becomes apparent. Then two. Definitely two words. “…eth … sh.” Then it becomes a little stronger. “…eath ..ish.” Finally the meaning becomes all too clear. “Death Wish.” The room was spinning. Whispers of footsteps. That sound, those words, keeping a pace, a promise? A threat?!!! “Death …. Wish…” Ozzy forced himself to regain his senses. He and his companion were in trouble. Perhaps serious trouble. “Buzzy wake up! Get ahold of yourself!” Then just as Ozzy felt they had made the worst of decisions to come to this dreadful place. The voice changed. It almost sounded friendly. Human. Perhaps even reasonable? Buzzy was still not responding. Ozzy felt completely out of control. He was functioning at about 50%. Suddenly both he and Buzzy were pushed out of the way by an unknown or at least unexpected entity. “Wait!” Ozzy exclaimed. “I have vital information for only your ears.” He paused, trying to sense what was near him in the darkness. The Dark Queen? Something more sinister? Ozzy continued to wait quietly for a reply. Finally he was rewarded. next page |  |