The Ones Interrupting

The view that unfolded before Daniel and the others couldn't be any more different than the sunny forest path they had just left. There was no chirping of birds and insects, animals swinging on vines or crawling in the under bush, or rustle of leaves. No rocks poking at their soles, nor sunshine warming their skin.

They were now standing on the level metallic floor of a long corridor, with two rows of white marble columns lining the sides. Banners hung in between opposite pillars, each portraying a golden lion's head on a gray canvas. Three rows of ceiling-mounted light bulbs flooded the corridor in soft downlighting. By each end of the corridor was a large double door, one metallic with no visible handles, and one made of dark ebony wood, with refined handles of pure gold.