He cupped his hand to his ear, so I yelled louder. He heard, nodded, and tried walking back down again. But he was still gaining speed. He finally gave up and threw out his arms in despair.
We were accelerating, too. I looked at my feet. It was hard to tell whether we were sliding over the surface or being carried along by some mysterious movement of the surface itself, as if it were a conveyor belt. The ramp was seamless, featureless, and the shaft around us was dark. I finally decided that we were sliding-and I was almost sure that the soles of my boots weren't actually touching the ramp but riding a few millimeters above it.
It was a quick trip up. A disc of light grew at the top of the tube, and we rushed toward it. Our speed was hard to judge, but we were moving right along, and the sensation was exhilarating. The experience recapitulated my recent recurring dreams, my fantasies-plunging headlong through a dark tunnel toward a source of brilliant light. I'd read something somewhere about that image-about it being a recapitulation of the birth experience. I considered it. I'm not one to set much store by armchair psychology, but there was an undeniable feel of truth to the notion.
We suddenly decelerated. My sense of orientation did a double flip as the ramp leveled off, shot through an opening into a large green chamber, and became one with the floor. Darla and I slid to a gradual halt, took a few jogging steps, and walked off the end of ramp onto a polished black floor.
"Where's Carl?" Darla asked.
I looked around. We were in a large circular room. Arched openings were cut into the walls at regular intervals. Ramp ends came out of them, converging and terminating on the circular black area where we stood.
"Darned if I know," I said.
4
"Where's Carl?" was the first thing John Sukuma-Tayler asked as he stepped off the magic escalator.
"Good question," I said. "He seems to've misplaced himself."
John scowled and shook his head. "That damn fool. If he gets us into more trouble-"
"I'm more worried that something might have happened to him."
The scowl dissolving, John nodded dourly. "Oh, I suppose you're right. Any idea where he might have gone?"
"No. I didn't want to go looking until you'd all come up. How far behind you were the others?"
"Um… when I looked back, Susan seemed to be having the most trouble getting on the thing. I don't know what possessed me to go first after you two, but I did. I think-oh, here they are."
Out of the oval opening in the green wall came Lori, Yuri, Zoya, Ragna, and Oni. Following close behind was Sean, hand in hand with Winnie and George. There was a moderate delay before Liam and Roland came through, propping up between them a slightly gray-faced Susan.
Susan stumbled off the strip, moaned, and put a hand to her stomach. "Oh, my God."
"You okay, Suzie?" I said,
She heaved a sigh, then burped. "'Scuse me. Roller coasters always made me sick."
Roland laughed and slapped her on the back. "Oh, come on, Susan. It wasn't that bad."
Susan winced and rolled her eyes. "I don't believe we went straight up… straight up! It was the worst… ooh, I can't stand it." She belched again.
"Carl is missing," Darla told Sean, who had been glancing around the chamber.
"We lost sight of him on the way up," I said, "and he wasn't here when we arrived. I suggest we start looking."
"The boy's got the devil in 'im for sure," Sean said, "but he wouldn't run off like this. Something must have happened."
"Whatever happened," I said, "it was fast. We couldn't have been more than thirty seconds behind him."
"D'you think Prime had something to do with it?" Liam asked me.
"Could be."
"Odd thing," Sean said. "I thought Prime would be here to greet us."
"And I am. Welcome." The voice filled the domed chamber.
"Hello?" I said, whirling to find the source.
"Forgive me," Prime's voice said, "I am afraid that certain exigencies have prevented me from greeting you in person. I will be joining you shortly, however, and until then I've provided-"
"Where's Carl?" I shouted.
"I'm sorry?" A pause, then: "Oh, yes. It seems the young man has gotten himself lost. That is a very easy thing to accomplish in this place, I'm afraid. Please don't worry. He also will join you very soon. He's quite safe, I assure you."
"We're concerned," I told him.
"Of course you are, and I don't blame you in the slightest. You are in a strange place and have quite naturally assumed that there is potential danger here. I fully appreciate your prudent distrust of me. I could very well be an enemy. And I also realize that you must have grave reservations concerning any assurances I might give to the contrary. After all, you know very little about me. Now, what I ultimately want you to understand is that your fears about me are not justified. I bear you no ill will and mean you no harm. As time goes on, this will become apparent. Having said this, however, I want to warn you that your natural caution about this place is justified.
There is indeed potential danger here, both inside this structure and on this planet, though the perils outside these walls far outstrip those within. Let us deal with the proximate variety. There are in and about these rooms and towers numerous artifacts, which, if used improperly, may be a source of trouble. Also, the dangers of getting lost here are quite real. This structure has certain-shall we say-architectural peculiarities, which, until they are understood and taken into account, can cause accidents. In short, you would be wise to use discretion and be generally circumspect in your movements until you get used to your surroundings. I hope I have made myself clear."
I said, "You mentioned something about dangers outside."
"Of those you will learn more later. They would be difficult to describe without my giving you an extensive briefing on the situation here."
"Okay, but I take it you aren't alone on this planet: There are others. Correct?"
"You might say that."
I was suddenly annoyed. This guy had a knack for answering questions with an unambiguous maybe.
"Thanks for the info," I said. "You said something about lunch. Also something about straight answers to our questions."
There was an indulgent smile implied in the voice. "I understand your impatience. But perhaps you need time to think about your questions first." A chuckle, then: "You are very intelligent and resourceful creatures, of that I have no doubt. Intelligent enough, perhaps, to realize that what you face here is entirely strange and new to your experience. You will be exposed to ideas and concepts which may be difficult for you to grasp. Ultimately, the goal of complete understanding might lie beyond your capabilities. I very much doubt that, but that is one proposition which must be put to the test. In any case, the learning experience itself should prove rewarding. This is why I contend that you need time. Impatience is counterproductive at best. And here on this world-constructwhich I propose we call Microcosmos, for want of a better name-it could conceivably prove lethal."
I nodded. "Okay, fine. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say we're eager to learn. And you can bet we'll be careful.
But frankly, the suspense is already killing me. And I'm hungry."
Prime gave a gentle laugh. "No doubt. Just a moment." We waited maybe a quarter minute. Then, out of an archway to our right, came a glowing green sphere floating about two meters off the floor.
"What you see is rather hard to explain technically," Prime told us, "but its function is simple. It will guide you to the dining hall, where, if you are still amenable, we will have lunch. Please follow it there. I will join you shortly."
"I hate to keep pestering," I said, "but what about Carl?" No reply.
"What about Carl?" Lori shouted. "Answer us!"