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 Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 5:18 pm
Quote: Since the Winter Wonderland Carnival opened, there had been a section all the way in the back that remained blocked from view by wooden fences and blue tarps. Every now and then, sounds would be heard of an almost construction like nature but any questions were met with staff just telling passersby that it would be opening soon and to thank them for patience. What in the world had not been ready in time for the opening? Now, the fences are gone and the tarps removed allowing guests to see for the first time, the Winter Carnival’s pride and joy: An Ice Maze! Eight Foot ice walls shoot up into the sky marking the entrance before returning to a mere seven foot the rest of the way through. Scattered throughout the maze are iced carvings ranging from the abstract to animal and human figures. Yet at the center was the true treasure: the figure of a woman made of pure ice resides in the middle looking out at all those who enter her maze with wonder. She appears as if she could almost step off her pedestal and speak with the people around. Even the small fairy like creatures carved around her appear to have their wings flutter in the glow of the twinkle lights hung above the maze center. There is something strangely alluring about her, and once you find her you may find yourself so captivated by her appearance that the rest of the world seems to disappear around you and you lose track of time. Thankfully, there are enough people that someone is bound to shake you out of your stupor...eventually. Making it through the ice maze rewards you with a small little ice fairy sculpture, a souvenir and reminder for the evening. Each person is given one but if you ask nicely, they might just give you one or two more to take home as gifts. After all, who doesn’t want their own 12” tall dancing fairy made of crystal? After you exit the maze with your prize, you may find yourself dreaming of the beautiful icy woman in the center of the maze, watching you with her cool smile and cold eyes. Cynthia thought to herself as she stood in line to enter the maze. At least mazes were easier, at least they should be. She couldn't imagine that this type of maze had hidden doors and that paths would turn different ways like those in entertainment. One just had to go in one direction continually, usually the right, and eventually they would make it to the middle! Unless of course they had some walls that weren't connected to all the others... She pondered as she moved a bit ahead in line. She was starting to become concerned that she might have more trouble in the maze than she thought at first, and wondered if this was a good idea after all. But if one got lost for too long, the workers would go in and find them... right? She groaned. She was just making herself anxious for no reason! "Positive thoughts Cynthia!" She murmured to herself as she moved farther in line. Perhaps there was someone else there whom she could go through the maze with?
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 5:48 pm
Trinity had been curious about what the organizers had been hiding underneath the tarped and roped off area at the back of the Winter Extravaganza. Now as she glanced around at those eagerly awaiting the unveiling she felt a ripple of trepidation and what it might be underneath those innocuous wraps. As a bullhorn was produced and the tarps were dropped Trinity could swear that if a pin had been dropped ... nope, not even in the quiet awe that radiated from the crowd would it have been heard. Sighing Trinity looked around at the crowd before joining the queue to take part in going through the maze.
As she stood in line others in front of her chattered nonstop and she grimaced. It was one thing at times that the young woman couldn't stand - idle gossip. At least she didn't have to wait long for the gossipers to move into the maze proper. If she were being honest to herself Trinity would have to admit that she was allowing others to pass her position in the line-up. Soon there wouldn't be anyone left to allow in before her. It was as she was thinking this that Trinity felt herself being bumped by children running by and she stumbled into yet another teen waiting in line. "Why can't parents keep their kids in line," was her murmured words as she picked herself up from the ground and turned to offer an apology to the person she'd bumped into so rudely. "Hey sorry about that. Kids ya know?"
Trinity glanced at the maze entrance and rotated her shoulders, "looks like we're up next. Wanna work together?"
It was perhaps a spur of the moment decision but Trinity wouldn't mind the extra help in getting through the maze if there were riddles or anything to solve. If it was a straight up maze maybe it would be easily solved by using the right or left hand rule. Surely it wouldn't be that simple though.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 6:26 pm
Cynthia felt herself getting bumped into, and while a little annoyed at, didn't blame the person who had bumped into her. For some reason parents just let their kids run around doing whatever they wanted and pushing people around. Literally. She looked at the other girl. "I understand." She said, giving the other a smile. Hopefully someone would catch those kids before they really hurt someone. She looked at the maze and then at the girl next to her and nodded. "Yes! I mean yes please. I would love to not go in there myself." And she meant it too. At this point it was looking a bit more intimidating than something like a corn maze. "I'm Cynthia." She said, giving the other girl a nod and stepping forward as the attendant let both of them through. She cautiously took a step into the maze. "I hope the ground isn't made of ice too."
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 6:43 pm
At least this stranger was forgiving. Trinity glanced at the walls at the entrance before glancing at her partner for the maze. As Cynthia introduced herself Trinity memorized the name and gave the attendant a nod of thanks before glancing at the ground below their feet. "I don't think the organizers would like the possibility of people injuring themselves. I'd see a lot of potential lawsuits coming from something like that. It's nice to meet you Cynthia. Name's Trinity but I'll answer to Rin."
As she passed the entrance and gently placed her hand on the wall to her right she withdrew it rather quickly. So the walls really were ice in nature. She stuck her hands into her pocket and glanced at the paths that went to the left, right and center. "Which direction you want to explore first?"
The ground didn't seem to be made of ice and Trinity was certain that it wouldn't come down to that. However there could be other hidden dangers lurking for those partaking in the maze.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 6:51 pm
Cynthia couldn't help but laugh a little at Rin's comments of possible lawsuits. "True, true." She said, trying to stifle her laughter a bit. "It's nice to meet you too Rin." She decided not to follow the other girl's lead in testing the wall for coldness, and she put her hands in her pockets. "We could try right first? If you want to get out I've heard you're supposed to stick to one wall, but if this is a different kind of maze, then we'll just have to do our best." She hoped it was a regular one though, but they were ice walls. She started first, assuming the other girl would follow. "I hope nothing else is in there but these ice walls." She said. Surely if they didn't want anyone hurting themselves, they also wouldn't be putting in any hidden dangers?
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2018 9:22 pm
Looking at the left and center paths Rin had to concede that it would probably just be as easy to take any path but since Cynthia had decided on the right path then she was game to follow. Keeping her hands in the pockets of her coat she marched gamely onwards. She had to wonder if there was something else that had to be done in the maze besides finding the way out. It was strange to go into something without much instruction. "I'm hoping that as well. Would hate to be jump scared in a place like this or have some other hidden surprises be lurking around corners."
She sighed and watched as her breath escaped in a little burst of visible vapor before following after Cynthia. "Is there any other objective besides getting through the maze, do you know?"
Maybe they should have asked the attendant before entering the maze.
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2018 8:12 am
Cynthia went around a corner and noticed one of the various ice sculptures within the maze. She looked back at her maze companion and shrugged. "I guess it's just to look at all of the sculptures and get out of here." Which was weird. For something that could trap people like this she was expecting a Negaverse surprise at any moment, but so far people had come back out with nothing wrong it seemed. But to just go in for ice sculptures too... well she supposed that other mazes weren't too amazing either. It was slightly disappointing though. She really wasn't into sculptures. She could appreciate that they took a lot of hard work to make, but that didn't mean she had to take a long time to stare at them. She continued down the current path, hoping that they might get to... whatever the objective was for this maze, soon.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 7:34 pm
If that was the only goal of the maze than Rin was disappointed. Although as they passed a carving she had to admit that the likeness in which the sculpture had been carved was very well done. Perhaps she should have thought about entering the maze before hand. Oh well she was here now and she just couldn't abandon Cynthia to find her way through the maze alone now. Blinking owlishly at the next statue that she came across Rin studied the carving and gently ran a gloved hand across the surface. These things looked so lifelike it was uncanny.
"Well if that is all that there is to this maze than I think the organizers need to jazz up the interior of the maze. One can only look at so many sculptures, even well crafted ones, before boredom sets in."
As she was talking Rin passed Cynthia in order to take the next corner. As predicted she came face to face with another sculpture and sighed. "Okay, this is getting annoying. I'd almost want to have one of those weird events happen now."
It was a nicely done maze but Rin wanted more than just pretty ice sculptures.
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Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2018 7:14 pm
Cynthia couldn't even take any pictures of the sculptures since they would only reflect the light, even if it didn't come from her camera. "Right? It's like going to a museum, but they at least museums have little plaques or whatever giving some information about the painting or sculpture that one would be looking at." And it wasn't just the same thing over and over, but made in a different way. These people had talent, but sometimes talent didn't make something boring, something amazing, unless it was a competition or something. It took a bit longer, and it seemed that they had finally reached the middle of the maze where the sculpture of a... woman was. It really was quite good. "Well, here's one that's actually interesting!" It at least looked like a scene or something with all of the other carvings around the woman and with the lights that were hung above. They seemed to have tried on this one! Cynthia looked at her for a while, wondering what it was that made her seem so different from the others, but eventually turned away to see if her maze friend was ready to go. "Wish I could take a picture. But I'm ready to go back, what about you?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2019 5:29 pm
So the sculptures along the route inside the maze were alright but Trinity was sorely disappointed in the lack of challenge that the maze offered those that walked its corridors. Couldn't have a little more effort be put into the maze path? The young woman guessed that perhaps it was more the point to admire the statues rather than try and make sure those that got lost in the depths of the maze.
As she and Cynthia moved into the middle of the maze she felt more than just a little awed at the sculpture of the woman that rested in the center of the clearing. She was a thing of beauty and detailed work. Thinking of her camera she heard Cynthia's words and placed her camera back to rest along her neck. It would have been nice to take a picture of the ice statue but a good point had been made. The shots probably wouldn't do the subjects in question any justice.
Feeling just a small amount of regret Trinity turned around and nodded. "I think we've seen all there is to see now."
Ah, what the heck. Trinity lifted her camera and spun around smartly to take a few shots of the ice statue in the clearing. If they didn't turn out, then no harm, no foul. But if just one made the grade Trinity would have a nice memento.
"Alright, I'm ready to head out."
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Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:06 pm
Cynthia looked at Trinity and nodded. "All right. I think the easiest way back would just be to go back the way we came. It shouldn't be too hard right?" She said, though there was some doubt in her voice. After all, she wasn't too sure if she had memorized the place correctly. But after a while, they finally managed to make it out of the maze, with Cynthia almost having gone the wrong way a couple of times. When they finally made it out one of the attendants "rewarded" them with a sculpture of the ice fairy. Cynthia made a face at it. "Yeah... something else I really don't need. You want another sculpture Trinity?" Cynthia asked, really not liking this entire thing. For some reason, it was really giving her the creeps. tefla Couple more posts and we can say it's finished!
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2022 1:38 am
Trinity had been keen to leave the center of the maze and dutifully started the trek back out into the winding path that would lead them back to the entrance/exit. The ice sculptures had been interesting to look at but all in all this had apparently been a waste of time. Good plan on paper but badly executed. Trinity hadn't expected to be rewarded with a mini statuette after she and Cynthia had left the maze but it was a nice touch she had to admit. The token of their time in the maze subtly got slipped into her coat pocket before she glanced at the identical statuette that Cynthia was trying to offer her.
Merely having one was enough for her. "I'm good. Maybe someone else will want it, so they don't have to go through the maze. Anyways, thanks for the company. It was, okay, not really fun, the maze that is, but having someone to take the journey was nice."
(fin)
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