Nowhere

"Where are we, Master?" I asked the wizard. He stood behind me as I stared up at the sign.

"We are here," the wizard replied.

"So, in which direction shall we head?" I stared up at it for a long time, the word was as obscure as any word could be.

"What does the sign suggest?" the wizard asked.

Painted on the face of a solid looking piece of wood was the word 'Nowhere'. Arrows sprouted from both sides of the word, indicating it could be found in either direction.

"It does not suggest anything, Master," I turned to him. "It directs."

"Then which way does it direct us, my pupil?" He was smiling.

I looked off to the left, and saw nothing. For as far as the eye could see, there was nothing. Even the ground on which we stood was void of color. We were standing in a field of white and grey, a sea of nothingness, and the test had only just begun.

"It indicates that we may travel either right or left and still arrive at our destination."

The wizard raised an eyebrow, "Ahh."

"How can this be possible?"

"Perhaps we should follow the sign's enigmatic direction?" the wizard suggested.

I agreed and made to take a step, but could not decide in which direction to let my boot fall. I stared up at the sign in bewilderment, my foot raised in the air like a child playing hop-stones, scratching my dull witted head.

We were going Nowhere, fast.

"Perhaps I should decide in which direction our tread shall fall?" the wizard said after an eternity of my indecision. He wore a discontented expression, and I was suddenly embarrassed.

"Nay, Master, I shall decide, for what does it matter which direction I choose?"

The wizard's eyes came alight with pride and I heard whispers of approval from all around me; hushed, as though caught on a hint of a breeze.

We began our journey immediately, and I took the lead. The ground upon which we strode was solid feeling, though like no other ground I'd ever traversed. My perception was not as strong here, for this place was disorienting. Everywhere was nothing; nothing was everywhere. It began to weigh on me and my steps faltered.

"Why do you slow?" the wizard asked from behind.

I halted and spun, "I cannot tell if we are traveling in the right direction," I said. "My senses are off here for there is nothing to indicate where we are going or where we have been. I have tried to keep my feet falling in a straight line, but in this place, does 'straight' even have meaning?"

The wizard raised an eyebrow and the whispers of approval sounded around me again. Only after I heard them did I realize that by voicing the question, I'd discovered the answer.

I smiled back at the wizard, then turned around and continued the journey. After a while there was a speck ahead of us, a black dot on the white and grey horizon. As we approached, it became clear that it was another sign. Once I'd realized that, I was eager to see if we had come to our destination.

The word was there, in the same place it had been before.

<-Nowhere->

It seemed as far away as ever.

"What does this mean?"

"Do you seek an answer to that question?" the wizard asked, and the whispers became mutters of disapproval.