Chapter 4 - Taking Things For Granted

Chapter Four: Taking Things For Granted




Stephanie remained still. Her mouth open in shock, looking around the new surroundings; thanks to her remark, she figured.

"Steph, snap out of it!" Chantal said shaking her friend. "We can't just stand here and do nothing. We have to keep going." Stephanie blinked. She then looked at her friend and slowly nodded.

"Okay, which way now?" Chantal asked. She unraveled the tail of her new pet from her neck, and then cradled the creature in her arms. "I wonder if this little guy can help us get out of here."

"It's worth a try," Stephanie said, snapping out of the shock.

"First we should give him a name. I don't want to go around calling him the creature thingy."

Stephanie giggled. "Hmm, what about Bob?"

Chantal started laughing. "I don't think it suits him." She eyed the dark purple fuzzy creature in her arms. "Serek." She decided.

"I like it," Stephanie told her friend.

Chantal let Serek crawl back up to her shoulder as she pulled off her small backpack. She opened the pack and rummaged around inside and pulled out a small bag of homemade chocolate chip cookies. "Hey Serek, would you like a cookie? If you help us get out of this maze I'll give you some." Chantal told the purple dragon thing. She broke a piece off the cookie to give Serek a taste. Serek chirped in delight. He launched from Chantal shoulder and flew above the two girls. "Show us the way out Serek."

Serek chirped and flew off in search of the correct path, Stephanie and Chantal followed beneath him. Suddenly Serek batted his wings harder and sped up, Stephanie broke into a run to try to keep up, she didn't want to lose sight of their guide.

"Hey! Slow down! Tell Bob to slow down a bit." she was ahead of Chantal so she was the first to turn the next corner and ran right into someone. "Uh!" Stephanie landed on her stomach. The impact was softer than she had anticipated. She opened her eyes one at a time.

She was staring into a handsome thin face with high cheekbones. Greenish-blue eyes stared up at her from under dark elegant eyebrows that arched a bit at the outer ends. Stephanie blinked, gasped and pushed herself up to her feet and stood next to Chantal. She realized that she had been staring into the face of the Goblin King.

The Goblin King had blond hair, it was around shoulder length, and the style was strange, almost wild looking. Spiky, was the word Stephanie thought of. Without saying a word, he got up and started to brush the sand from his sleeves of his long black coat. He was tall, fairly taller than Chantal, and he was wearing dark clothes, there was barely any distinction where one shade ended and another began, he was particularly dark today. Finally satisfied with his sleeves, he crossed his arms and stared at the two girls. The Goblin King then approached the two girls, looking first at Chantal then at Stephanie.

Chantal blinked as she saw Serek on his shoulder. Chantal looked up at the Goblin king. "Hello?" she dared to speak up. The Goblin King looked at Chantal with a raised eyebrow. "Umm...can you help us? We kinda got lost," Chantal asked hopefully. Stephanie turned to Chantal, her eyes wide.

Chantal turned to Stephanie "What?"

Stephanie eyeing the Goblin King, replied, "He's the Goblin King." At this, he tilted his head to one side and smiled, revealing curiously sharp canines.

Chantal turned back to the Goblin King. "Oh!" She glanced at Serek who remained on his shoulder. "Does he belong to you?"

Finally, the Goblin King replied. "No. I do not control where it wants to land."

Chantal pulled the bag of cookies from her pocket and held them up for Serek to see. The little creature launched from the Goblin King's shoulder and glided over to Chantal's. Stephanie continued to stare at the Goblin King.

He stepped forward to closer inspect the girls. ‘More wishers like Sarah, he wondered. He turned to Stephanie. This one seemed to know who he was, surely she must have knowledge about the rules and consequences. "I suppose you already know the rules?" he asked.

"Rules? What rules?" Chantal asked, confused.

The question brought a smile to his thin lips. "Your friend here knows that you have thirteen hours to solve my Labyrinth." Stephanie nodded, her gaze never left the Goblin King, when Chantal glanced at her. "Well," He stepped aside for them to pass. "You should continue, shouldn't you?"

"You aren't going to help us? That is just like kings with mazes!" Chantal mumbled.

The smile disappeared. Chantal turned to leave, Stephanie narrowed her eyes at him, wondering what he was thinking of conjuring at that moment. "And just to warn you," The smile returned. "I don't play fair."

"They never do!" Chantal said, letting the last comment slide.

Stephanie stared at Chantal. Chantal turned to walk away. "Come on Steph. It's very clear that he doesn't want to help us." Stephanie passed the Goblin King, looking back over her shoulder. His arms were again crossed and he was now leaning against one of the walls, a smile on his lips.

"I'm surprised that he didn't throw you in the Bog of Eternal Stench." Stephanie said as they were out of sight and hopefully, hearing of the Goblin King, lest he get ideas.

"Oh? I'm surprised he didn't. I'm sure it would have amused him." Chantal commented.

Chantal turned to Stephanie. "What will happen if we don't get out of here before the thirteen hours are up?" Stephanie stared at Chantal. She continued walking past her, obviously hiding something.

"What? Is something wrong?" Chantal asked trying to catch up.

Stephanie bit her lower lip. "We--"

Silence. "--turn into goblins."

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