the mere fact that this building , the greatest of lurien , had no door or gate , but stood as though accessible to anyone brave enough to penetrate the gloom awaiting on the other side of the arched ingress , was petrifying in itself and so for a moment , the longest of their young lives , gallan and raddia had been glancing at each other , trying to decide if they should proceed ( and possibly rue the day forever ) , or turn around and keep running till they were in the safety of their bedroom ( and afterwards regret this moment of cowardice , when they had come so close ! ) .