The Tinkerbell Problem
by Alex Shvartsman
Herbert woke up shivering. His mouth was dry, and he had an epic headache, but mostly, he was freezing. Stubbornly refusing to open his eyes and face the new day, Herbert felt around for his blanket. Instead, his palm touched cold stone.
Herbert sat upright, which sent a minor nuclear apocalypse through his skull. He was totally naked, sitting on the ground inside of an elaborate pentagram.
A large five-pointed star was drawn on the floor in a gooey red substance which Herbert dearly hoped wasn’t blood. A wider circle was drawn around the star. A variety of symbols were sprinkled along the circumference of the circle. Herbert recognized a peace sign, a stop sign, a smiley face, and a Pepsi logo in the mix.
Herbert gaped at the unfamiliar surroundings. The floor and walls were made from large rough-hewn stones. There were no windows and only a single door. The unfurnished space was lit by a chandelier filled with dozens of candles, hanging so high up, it barely illuminated the ground.
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