Page 69 of Possibly Texas

As my pupils dilated and adjusted to the inky blackness, I realized that being able to see well would make the maze less of a challenge. What was the point of a maze and the reward at the end if I didn’t have to work for it? Time was ticking by, and though I had no concept of how many seconds had passed as I simply waited near the entrance to the ductwork, I knew our time was finite.

If I didn’t move as quickly as possible, if I didn’t make good guesses about where to turn, I would never make it through to the silo in time. The worst that could happen was that I would run out of time and fail the maze. If that happened, and I couldn’t find my way out, Auggie would have a plan to save me. He traversed the maze on his own dozens of times and had gotten himself out. What did I actually have to worry about? Bumping my head?

With a grin, I urged myself forward, crawling on my hands and knees through the dark metal tunnel. As I made myself move from the entrance into the ductwork, I moved cautiously, unsure of what was ahead and unable to see it. However, after a few moments of nothing but empty space around me, and only brushing up against the side of the ductwork once or twice, I found my courage. I picked up my pace and began crawling like a baby after the distracted family cat.

When I plowed face first into a dead end, I cursed under my breath, rattled by the sudden stop.

I wanted to get mad at myself for letting my guard down, but a grin came to my face instead. The bump hadn’t hurt anything but my pride. The ductwork wasn’t solid steel or anything—and how fast can one go on their hands and knees anyway? I reached out to my left and found another barrier. When I reached to my right, I found empty space, and waved my hand around to make sure I wouldn’t turn and hit my head again. Becoming fairly confident that turning right would lead down another clear path, I shifted and pushed forward.

It seemed like I crawled for even longer after my turn…before I hit my head again. Another smile, and more groping in the dark, and I found my next turn. After a few minutes of twists and turns, I saw light up ahead and growled with frustration. Was I doubling back to the entrance? How much time had passed? Was the light ahead the inside of the silo? Did I need to keep following my path or look for another turn along the way?

I was becoming frustrated, but in an amused way. Auggie had done so much work to make an actual maze of the ductwork. He hadn’t made anything simple, which he easily could have done. Auggie could have taken the easy way out, but he wanted to make a real art installation—he put in the work. I paused again and took a deep breath. Listening carefully, I thought I could hear banging around in ductwork somewhere in the barn. Auggie was still finding his way to the silo.

Without a second thought, I began groping along the walls as I crawled, switching arms back and forth as I moved forward. When I found another turn on my left side, I took it without hesitation. Going forward had seemed like the wrong idea. Back into the darkness I went. Scurrying like my life depended on it, or there was a million dollars waiting in the silo for me, I made my way through the ducts. I didn’t pause again to listen for Auggie. I groped and crawled, took turns on instinct.

After what felt like forever—surely, the timer had run out?—I saw a faint light up ahead again. Frustrated, figuring I’d made my way back to the entrance once more, I wanted to give up. Something inside of me told me that the light wasn’t the entrance, however. So, I plowed ahead, scurrying faster as I crawled through the ductwork maze. Seconds later, I was popping out of the metal tube. I was coming out into a circular metal room, and I immediately knew I had figured out the maze.

Grinning triumphantly, I came to my feet and spun around happily, looking for Auggie. All I found was metal walls and another dark opening to the maze across the silo from me.

Auggie was still trying to find his way through the maze.

Immediately, I looked up, wondering how late we both were, but the skylight was still open and the lights were still on. I grinned widely, ecstatic that we were going to beat Auggie’s art installation and see the stars together. Once again, I spun on my heels, looking for the second lever. Once I located it nestled in a slot in the wall halfway between Auggie’s tunnel and mine, I raced over and grabbed it tightly. My eyes fixed on the opening to Auggie’s tunnel. As soon as he popped out, I’d yank the lever, and victory would be ours.

Seconds, maybe even minutes, ticked by as my fingers tightened on the lever and I waited for Auggie to appear. I could hear him moving in the ductwork somewhat—a hollow noise muffled by all the metal around me, but he didn’t seem to be getting closer. In fact, it seemed like he was moving away. I bounced on my heels and whined to myself, praying Auggie would find his way quickly and I could stop the timer by pulling the lever.

The metal room made up of the inside of the silo wasn’t as large as it had seemed from outside in the interior of the barn. About ten feet wide, it seemed almost claustrophobic. I wasn’t sure what the standard size for silos was—or what all sizes they came in—but this one was no bigger inside than an average teenager’s room in a typical house in America. Just big enough for a few people to lay on the ground and stare up at the stars. If they beat the timer.

I got so lost in my thoughts, I’d nearly forgotten about Auggie. So, when I heard metal clanging getting closer to the opening of Auggie’s tunnel, I jumped. Grinning widely, I stared at the opening, just waiting to see Auggie’s head pop out so I could finally pull the lever.

Just as the sounds of Auggie crawling along were so close I knew he’d pop out any second, a whirring sounded overhead. My head snapped back to find the skylight gliding shut, blocking out the sky inch by inch. Did Auggie have until the skylight was fully closed to get into the silo? Or was our time already up?

Had we failed?

Desperately, I looked back at the opening of Auggie’s tunnel, but still saw no sign of him. My fingers tightened on the lever. Should I pull it? Would Auggie want me to pull the lever since I had made my way through the maze, or would he want me to wait for him as we had agreed? Another glance up at the skylight, and it was inches from being completely shut.

I wanted to watch the stars with Auggie.

But we had made a deal. I wouldn’t break our deal. Even if it meant we wouldn’t get to look at the stars together.

With that, the skylight snapped shut. A loud “thump” sounded through the barn.

And Auggie popped out of his tunnel, panting and laughing.

“I got so turned around!” he exclaimed after a quick glance up at the closed skylight. “I’m so sorry.”

With a smile and a sigh, I loosened my fingers and let my hand fall from the lever.

It would be okay.

“Hey,” I said as I held up my right hand, the index finger and thumb pinched together, “we tried. You were this close.”

“But look at you,” he grunted as he stood and stretched his back, “you made it on your first try!”

“Luck.” I shrugged.

Both of us smiled and leaned back to look up at the now closed skylight. Our opportunity had passed. There would be no stars for us.

“You could have pulled the lever,” Auggie said, still looking up at the ceiling.