As they stepped into the glowing green tunnel, the noise hit them like a tidal wave. Roars and bellows, screeches and screams. The whole place vibrated with sound, blasting into them and through them and around them. The din was everywhere, feral and full of fury.
‘We’ll destroy our eardrums if we keep going forward in this,’ shouted Vaughn.
He pulled a sketchpad from one of his front pockets and swiftly sketched several sets of earplugs, which rolled from the sketchpad one pair at a time. Em caught hers and pushed them into her ears as far as she could. They helped – but only a little.
Zach’s shocked expression caught Em’s attention.
Can you hear the beasts screaming, Zach?
His response was hesitant. I felt the same thing, the first time I saw your painting. I hope the beasts responsible are in cages.
There was a curve in the tunnel up ahead. Rounding it, Em saw a bright line pulsing in the distance like a horizon at sunset.
The closer they got to the light, the wider and higher it became. When at last they reached it, it stood as wide as a door and as tall as Vaughn.
Zach’s face was a picture of disgust. It smells like a bear’s den and the bear has died.
It smells like boys’ dirty laundry, you mean, Em replied.
Without thinking, she put her fingers against the curtain of light.
‘Don’t!’ said Vaughn sharply, but he was too late.
As Em’s fingertips touched the wall of light, she lit up like a Christmas tree.
She was absorbed into the glowing curtain like water, disappearing in an instant.