To Regain What Was Lost

Chapter 5: Crime and Punishment

Looking around the dirt ground covered with a thick layer of pine leaves and branches, William's shoulders slumped. He had lost track of the goblin. Again. Why did that goblin have to be so fast? 

Deciding to make good use of his time, he decided that instead of searching fruitlessly for the goblin, like he did the last few times he lost track of the goblin, he should lean against one of the humongous pine trees, and rest under its shade, which he did immediately. Wiping off the sweat that had collected on his forehead, he closed his eyes, recollected his thoughts, and attempted to make sense of his situation. 

Ever since he was scouted by the Vicious Leaf goblin leader, Alevandajar the Third, he was led by him through small passages and a variety of rough terrains, supposedly to get to the abandoned house Alevandajar the Third had promised. He squeezed inside many small passages, crawled through many dirt passages, scrambled over rocky beaches, and raced to keep up with the swiftly walking, seemingly never tiring goblin who would often disappear out of sight, and then return, grumbling about how William couldn't keep up, and prodding him onwards with a stick picked up from the ground. 

Suddenly feeling a sharp pinch and his cheek being pulled on, William was snapped out of his thoughts. "Hurry up," Alevandajar the Third whined, annoyed, "you're so slow, and you get tired too easily. I know you can do much better. I believe in you. My wish power shall make my thoughts true. Now, hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!" 

He jumped off William, and hurried off again, William running behind. "When...will...we...get," William huffed. 

Suddenly, William couldn't find the goblin, yet again. Did he really lose track of that annoying green bundle of joy so quickly? That was actually something that he felt a bit embarrassed about. That goblin was loud and obnoxious. It wasn't really all that easy to lose track of him. Looking around in confusion, he heard the familiar squeak of Alevandajar the Third grandly announce, "We're here." 

Running towards the voice, he finally burst out of the forest, and immediately bent over, breathing hard as the goblin stared curiously from the large rock he was standing on. 

"Awe...some," William huffed. "I'm dying, I'm dying." 

"Stop exaggerating," Alevandajar the Third replied, annoyed. "Come on, let me show you how it looks inside." 

"I feel like someone took all my internal organs, and smashed them together in it's evil, green, clawed, scaly hand," William whined, "my brain hurts, and I can't feel my face anymore. Is it attached? Is it? I bet it actually disappeared, and I'm now a faceless person cursed to haunt the woods in search of people with faces, in which I'll attack out of jealousy." 

"Hurry up, and check out your awesome new house," Alevandajar the Third yelled from the house's door. 

Sniffling, William walked across the barren landscape, and into the decomposing house. "You could have at least pretended to listen..." he muttered sulkily. 

Pushing open the door, he closed it behind him, and leaned against it. "I don't see anything very special about this place," he announced grumpily, "other than how ugly and plain it looks." 

"You didn't just say that," Alevandajar the Third gasped, shocked. 

Grinning from the euphoria rush that came from seeing the distressed state of Alevandajar the Third, William flippantly replied, "I just did...and I could repeat it." 

"Be nice! I tried hard for you!" Alevandajar the Third yelled, tearing up. 

"Whatever," William replied flippantly. 

Swaggering to the bed, William casually fell down onto it, only to jump up milliseconds later. "I think I broke my spine," he gasped, rubbing his back. "This thing is as hard as rock!"