I hesitated a moment, trying to collect my thoughts. This movement of air, the first I had noticed since leaving the flower room, informed me that a stairway must lie within the darkness near at hand--stairs that would lead me to freedom. Yet I still hesitated, not liking the analogy my mind had suddenly grasped upon of likening this dark portal to the waiting, open mouth of some unseen, unknown beast which was waiting only for me to step inside and then the mouth would snap shut, trapping me within its maw to eventually devour me.

Shaking off those thoughts as being just barely unreasonable, I glanced back for a final look at the dim glow of light emanating from the central shaft area. Then, taking a deep breath, I moved forward into the waiting darkness.

Here, I moved with even more caution, as I certainly did not want to go tumbling blindly down the unseen stairs somewhere before me. Placing one foot in front of the other and feeling about with the toe of my shoe before moving forward again, I had crept across about six feet of floor when my foot struck a metal object. Exploring the item with my hands, I deduced that it was a wrought iron guard rail and by further examination with my feet, I soon found the first step leading down into the fathomless darkness. My heart fairly leaped at the thought that I had finally found a possible means of escape.

There was, however, yet another slight problem. I was absolutely certain that the stairs I had climbed earlier in the day had been surmounted by a wooden bannister, not one of wrought iron. I recalled this fact distinctly, as I had to clutch at the wooden railing rather desperately on several occasions during my ascent to the third floor, in order to steady myself.

Regardless of the fact that these stairs were not the ones I had expected to find, they did lead down, which was the direction I needed to go. So, I decided to descend them and worry about finding the main doors when I had reached the ground floor. Grasping the cold metal handrail tightly with both hands, I started down, moving slowly and carefully.

After descending only a few steps, I had the uneasy feeling that the stairs seemed to be curving back in on themselves. A few steps more confirmed my suspicion; I was on a circular staircase and I was positive I had not seen it previously. Nevertheless, I continued my way blindly downward, for I knew I had no other option open to me.