Might Be An End At the End Of This Tunnel

What did appear, wasn't being ornery. It wasn't just a mood or tantrum. It didn't slap him on the rump and turn him loose, now there was nothing else to say. What materialized was no uglier than he expected it would be. Didn't cut a wider swath in his peace of mind than thinking he might 've been wrong the whole time.

George was just a bit surprised that it only stood 14 inches tall.

It was crisp and cold as he entered the cave. He'd kind of expected it to be like walking into a basement. No gigantic changes in spatial perception or auditory feedback. Nothing like that.

Like a lot of things in his life, he was wrong. Not just a tad wrong. On this, where the mine shaft in the middle of the Pedros, and a teeny dude in white robes was concerned, he was way wrong.

That was the fact of it and George, as he disappeared into the yawning opening of the cavern, felt a whole lot like a slice of beef, grilled rare and being swallowed. He'd never really given it a thought before. Why would he? Not a whole lot of caves spotting the landscape on the Great Plains. He'd never stood anywhere like he was standing now, facing what he was. He cast a glance down at his new companion and got just a little tickled as he realized this little dude was probably not so unaccustom to this as he. At 14 inches tall he probably faced pretty much the same experience every time he walked near a fox den or a snake hole. He’d have to ask, just as soon as he had a second to stop and find out if the little feller could talk.

"What the hell?" George said but didn't get to listen for his diminutive partner's response.

The white cloud had already completely engulfed them both. Of the two of them, that tiny dude seemed most comfortable and familiar with this latest development, too. The little sage responded with appropriate behavior as he smiled and slowly slipped into unconsciousness. George struggled for what seemed a long as he could. He was out as soon as it arrived.