Mary Andrea enters the mirror labyrinth

Mary Andrea discovered the signpost pointing the way to the mirror labyrinth. She clapped her hands enthusiastically. Since she was a child, she had loved playing in mazes. They gave her the feeling of entering a fairytale realm and losing herself in it.

Of course, no one in their right mind could really get lost in a maze. The rules for finding the exit were very simple. Even if you didn't have a thread of Ariadne with you. Just put your right hand on the wall and keep walking.

"The Cabinet of Doctor Trapp" was written in large letters above the entrance to a bright blue-painted wooden building. In front of it, the short man in the colorful three-piece suit and the tall top hat on his head stood on a platform so that he could look over the passers-by.

How had he gotten here so quickly from the entrance portal? Oh, it didn't really matter. He probably knew a shortcut. Or he had a doppelganger and was having fun confusing the guests by appearing in different places at the same time.

As soon as he spotted Mary Andrea in the crowd, he laughed out loud and waved her over invitingly.

"What a pleasure, what an honor! Come in, come in! Doctor Trapp's cabinet of mirrors awaits you. Free admission exclusively for you!"

He bowed so low that his hat almost fell off his head and he had to grab it hastily to secure it. Smiling, the nun walked by, full of anticipation for the fun adventure.

As soon as she stepped through the door, which quietly clicked shut behind her, she felt as if she had entered another world.

She wasn't worried about getting lost. After all, she knew how such facilities were structured: In contrast to simple mazes, a mirror maze tries to mislead visitors by appearing to have paths that don't exist. On the other hand, the layout of these installations is comparatively simple and their footprint rather small. Large mirrors are cleverly arranged to create the illusion of endless corridors and at the same time form barriers that prevent easy passage. The mirrors are usually positioned at regular angles to each other, which multiplies the reflections and creates confusing illusions. Columns, implied vaulted ceilings and lamps that appear kaleidoscopically multiplied reinforce the false impression of being in a huge labyrinthine building.

Mary Andrea resisted the childish temptation to simply run along and surrender to the illusion of the labyrinth. No, she was a nun now, a representative of the convent and had to maintain a certain dignity.

Determined to abide by the rules and walk the labyrinth calmly and with a clear mind, she stretched out her right hand.

Oops, she reached into the void. I see, then there was a passageway that she didn't recognize with her naked eyes. She grinned mischievously. Perhaps this fairground attraction was more ingenious and cleverly constructed than she had thought. An interesting challenge. Determined, she turned to the right and took the first step.