I wrote a short story for the ZX81 Community celebrating one of our best loved games. Hope you like it!

				3D Monster Maze

It’s cold and it’s dark, very dark. I realise my eyes are closed but when I open them I still only see blackness. But its a wall I am looking at; an ebony black metallic wall. And a high wall at that.
I look around and see that I am lying on the floor in a corridor with other passageways leading off to the left and right. Pure black walls with white floor and ceiling. There are no lights but there’s enough light to easily see by. It’s eerily quiet. 
I get myself up; feel a bit groggy but shake it off. I start walking down the corridor touching the wall as I go. Its very cold and definitely has a metallic feel.

The quiet is deafening…. And I struggle to remember how I got here. All I remember was a grey mist descending over me….then waking up here.

I reach the first passageway. I peer around the corner and see much the same – a long corridor with other passageways ( or are they corridors? They are the same thing aren’t they? ) leading off both sides. And nobody around.
I walk past this passageway to the next. There are 2 opposite each other here so I peer down the right hand one and again, I see another corridor with more corridors leading off. Same on the left. 
The walls and ceilings and floor are all plain. There are no features on each – they are just perfectly smooth.
I walk down the left hand corridor to the next set of passageways. Look down each warily and see nothing but more passageways. I walk past them to the next which is a right hand passage only. Peer round and again I just see more passageways….and again no one around. 

I walk to the next passage: Nothing again but more corridors and passageways.
Then, it suddenly dawns on me: I am clearly in a Maze! Its obvious now since I have played many a maze game when I was younger! But there’s usually a way out and I just have to find it!

I try something. I walk to the next left hand passage and take a left down there then take the next left then the the next left and then I stop. I am back where I was before. I just walked around a small block.
So I am in a maze and need to make a map, but I cant as I have no paper or pen to write anything down or mark the floor – I cant write on a black wall even if I could! I will just have to do it mentally then!
I casually walk down the corridor I am in, looking left and right for the elusive exit – there must be one as a maze always has one.

Then I freeze. The hairs on the back of my neck prick up and my heart skips a beat. Did I just hear something?
I felt a slight vibration under foot. Or did I? There it is again, a slight vibration under foot but this time I HEARD it too. SH*T! Someone is in here with me. My heart beats that little bit faster and I get a bit of an adrenaline rush. I push my back flat against the wall, listening hard. Maybe they know a way out and can help? Actually, no, are they friendly or are they after me? How the hell do I know???. Another vibration and a noise again.

I move to the end of the wall adjacent to the next passageway and hear another footstep. Yes, that’s what it is, footsteps, bloody big footsteps mind, it must be a big bloke! What do I do? I hear another, then another. They are getting louder and louder, it’s coming my way whatever it is and I don’t think it’s a man now – those footsteps are just too heavy! My heart starts to pump more adrenaline around my body and I will admit it, I am getting a bit frightened now!!! 

I can hear those FOOTSTEPS APROACHING! I look around the corner: nothing there. I run to the left side of the wall to the next passage and look down there: nothing. I look up the passage to the right:nothing. SH*T, SH*T, SH*T. What do I do?

I run. I run as fast as I can straight in front of me away from the footsteps until I hit the end of the corridor then turn left and press myself against the wall. My chest is heaving, my body is pumped full of adrenaline and heart pounding. I hold my breath and listen hard for those dull, thumping, heavy footsteps. I hear nothing and slowly breath out. 

I go back to the end of the wall on my right and peer down the corridor. To my horror I can see this beast walking up the passageway. I can’t hear it but I can see it as it’s slowly getting bigger and bigger as it walks up the passageway. And then I can feel it: the floor is beginning to vibrate as its feet plod down in front of the beast, gradually getting larger in my view. Then I hear them too, those footsteps slapping the floor. And then the full horror of the beast within the maze makes itself know to me. The beast is a Tyrannosaurus Rex! I cant believe it. My heart is pounding, my legs are jelly. But they are dead, died out millions of years ago didn’t they! What the hell is it doing here with me? No time to think about that now, it knows I am here. HE’S SEEN ME, his mouth is opening :- oh my god look at those TEETH….. HE’S RIGHT BESIDE ME...

I turn around and run as fast as I possibly can, all the way to the end of the corridor passing all the passageways to my left: there are none on the right, its just a long wall. I look behind me and he’s still there following me, smelling me, salivating, can I get away? Yes, yes I can, I can outrun him. I am faster and more nimble that that huge hulking brute! He’s slow, much slower than me, thank god! 

I reach the end of the corridor. I turn left, then right then along past some more passageways then right and a bit further, then left and hide in a small dead end. My chest heaving, heart pounding: I am knackered! I am not cut out for this! What am I doing here???

I calm down a bit then listen. Has he followed me? I cant hear anything. I hold my breath and listen again. Nothing, just my heart beating madly in my chest! I take some heavy gulps of air. 5 minutes and still nothing. I relax a bit and breath a bit more slowly. He’s either looking for me or waiting for me is Rex. Yes, that’s what I will call him. Rex!
REX LIES IN WAIT. He lies in wait for me. I have to be more careful. 

I am lost in a maze. Don’t know how I got here but there’s a T Rex in here with me and I am on the menu - Nice! 
There has to be a way out. There’s always a way out of a maze. But I’m lost. I have no idea how big the maze is and I have just run around like an oaf! Well. I didn’t get eaten I suppose.

OK, I have to think methodically. What did I do when I was a kid playing those computer game mazes? I remember, I always kept to the left wall, followed it round and didn’t veer off. Earlier I did that and ended back right where I was. So that won’t work here. This maze seems to have islands of wall you can walk around. OK, I will just have to keep walking up and down the corridors one at a time and keep looking left or right until I cover the maze and find that bloody exit. So I give it a try.
I peer round to the left from my hiding place – no monsters there, then to the right – no monsters and I can see what I think is an end wall of the maze. That will be my starting point so I head on over. I was right. Dead end to the left and a long corridor to the right, with passageways leading off to the right and a long dark wall to the left.

I walk along looking down each passageway for a doorway or exit of some kind, all the time listening and looking for Rex. But all is quiet, a good sign I tell myself and give myself a little smile.

One thing I notice: not all the passageways lead anywhere – some of them are small, dead ends. Could this be where the exit might reside? Hidden in a dead end?

I get to the end of this corridor and check Rex isn’t there and then walk to the first passageway on the right, look around and finding all is clear, start on down. I’m wary of my surroundings since I am now entering the maze proper again, still nervous I might encounter Rex again. Slowly, so as not to arouse Rex as to where I am, I walk down the corridor looking left and right as I cross between passageways. Nothing, no exits so far.

I reach the bottom, look left to check all is clear, slip round and get the the next passage, this time on my left. Again, all is clear so I start on up. At the first junction I look left and right and all is clear, however, the right passage is short and a dead end again. Also, no exit. I have a gut feel the exit is hidden in one of these dead ends. I hope I‘m right. 
I carry on to the next set of passageways, listening and looking tentatively each time. I just don’t want to find Rex suddenly breathing down my neck! Nothing to report. I’m beginning to feel quite relaxed now. Its quiet, there’s no footsteps, no Rex or tyrannosaurus poo (imagine the size of that lol!) or anyone else for that matter so I must be all alone. Just me and Rex: man against animal.

I reach the end of the second corridor with nothing to report and nothing in the end corridor again. Slow and methodical, that’s the key, patience. 

Boredom more like ha ha!!!

I start down corridor number 3. Same again, peer round the passageway looking for a way out and also if Rex is there, then carry on to the next. Half way down I see a passageway on the left goes down a little way then veers to the left. I think ‘what the hell, might as well take a look as it could be the way out’.  I start down the corridor, a little excitement tingling in me. Could this be it? I get to the end and peer round the left turn: nothing there as it simply turns to the right again, so I carry on round, tentatively.

It leads to another corridor with passages leading off left and right as usual, however, I can see something glinting right at the very end, barely visible. There it is again, flashing black and white, only just visible. Is it the way out? My heart misses a beat and I get a rush of excitement. Its GOT to be the way out!

I head towards the flashing lights, excitement growing inside me.  As I get closer it gets bigger, flashing more and more vividly. It’s the way out, gotta be!

Then I hear them, vibrating on the floor then plodding down hard. FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING, HE IS HUNTING FOR ME!. Oh God, no, not now, not when I’m so close. My heart is pounding, adrenalin suddenly coursing through my whole body, my heart pounding, then he steps straight into my path blocking the way to salvation. REX HAS SEEN ME! 

I stop dead in my tracks momentarily, my mind hyper aware of my surroundings and impending fate in the jaws of Rex. Left or right? Which way do I run? I have to make a decision and quick before Rex gets his meal! I step forward into the crossroads of 2 passageways, turn left and and start to run but REX IS BEHIND ME, chasing me, he has my scent again. Oh my god, don’t let him get me please. Then I remember: I can outrun him as long as I run fast, bloody fast.

I reach the end of this corridor then turn right and continue running down. I’m thinking “the doorway was in front of me before I turned off so if I turn right again, the doorway must be on the left somewhere down there”. I quickly glance behind me before heading to one of the right hand passages but Rex is nowhere to be seen, nor can I hear him. I have outrun him for the moment.
My chest is heaving and I can barely breath my heart is pounding so fast but all I can think is “Oh SH*T! Where is he now?”. 
I push my back hard against the wall. Its cold on the back of my head. What do I do? Rex is around here, hunting me, and the way out is not far but so close.

I decide to make a run for it. If I can get there before Rex sees me I can escape this dreadful maze. I look around the corner to my right and see nothing. Right, this is it, “sh*t or bust” as they say!

I slip around the corner and run. At the first left passageway I see no exit. At the next I see a dead end and then dread fills my whole body as I feel a vibration on the floor. Rex IS HUNTING FOR ME, he must be close! My heart, already pounding, misses a beat. Oh my god he’s here, somewhere close!

I have got to find that damn doorway out of here. 

I run to the next passageway and see nothing. It’s got to be here, I was so close earlier! FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING! I can hear Rex coming after me but don’t know where he is. He could be anywhere but I am so close, I can feel it! But I also feel and hear those feet plodding on the ground vibrating the floor.

He’s so close. My heart is pounding so hard it wants to leap out of my chest.

There’s nothing for it but to give it my best shot. The exit is here somewhere. Maybe its in the next passage. Maybe it isn’t. I still hear those footsteps getting louder and louder. I have to move before he gets me.
I sprint to the next passageway and look down to the left. 

IT’S THERE!  THE EXIT IS THERE! Two walls down I see the most marvellous image before my eyes I will never forget.
The door, for it must be a door and therefore an exit, is a swirling kaleidoscope of shapes, letters and numbers, some inverted, some not, moving in the most extraordinary way.  I stare ,transfixed, as they start in the centre working their way out to the edge in the most marvellous animation I ever saw. All this I took in to my mind in the split second I saw it. 

My excitement almost overwhelms me when I am brought back to my senses by the sound of Rex. HE’S BESIDE ME! I look to my right and all I can see are a huge set of jaws with white, gleaming, razor sharp teeth heading towards my head, his tongue quivering and dripping with saliva. I can feel his breath on my face and a pungent smell like nothing I have ever encountered before. 
Then, the sudden adrenaline kick I receive from my body gives me that split second I need to survive and I dive head first into the corridor leading to the exit.

As I get up I look behind me and see Rex has overshot the pasageway entrance and can’t quite get around quick enough to follow me, but already he’s turning round and looking at me, his eye fixed upon me full of malice and rage.

In a moment I am off the floor and heading at full tilt for the exit. But already REX IS BEHIND ME! He’s following me only a few feet behind, so close I can feel his breath on the back of my neck and the pounding of his feet vibrating on the floor. My heart pounding, adrenalin coursing, chest heaving, drawing in huge gulps of air, I am now only feet away from the door, so close and so large now, flashing magnificently in front of me with its majestic moves.  

Then I pass through and am falling, engulfed in a grey swirling mist all around me but there is no sensation of wind. It’s as though I am weightless but I am moving. But it’s so grey, monotone, neither light nor dark…

Then, there is a huge blinding light and I have to shut my eyes and I feel a searing pain as I hit a solid surface on my right shoulder. I slowly open my eyes, adjusting to the light, and see a man, no, it’s a clown staring down at me.
“Well done my boy, well done!” he says. “Here, let me help you up.” and he reaches down and I take his hand as he pulls me to my feet.

“Where am I? What happened to me?” I ask whilst rubbing the pain from my shoulder. 
“You my boy, rose the to the challenge to take on the most fearsome beast the world has ever seen, right there in his lair. And you, my boy, YOU have succeeded where others have failed.”

“So, exactly what do I win for beating the monster and surviving that god-awful prehistoric monster?” I ask him.

“Well my boy, simply this: Your freedom or your incarceration back into the maze. There are 2 doors before you. 1 leads back to reality, one leads back to Rex.” 
  
“Choose wisely...”

© R Dodds 2018. Written for the ZX81 community in celebration of the best ZX81 game ever, 3D Monster Maze by Malcolm Evans. 

Free for non commercial use.