Monsters Beneath Our Beds

vii. The Tower

Five floors high, the tower protruded out from the canopy, dark and menacing. With the sun setting right behind it, I could not help but be reminded me of many a haunted castle that had appeared in the stories mum used to tell. Was this the lair of the evil Monster King? It sure seemed like it. With its scary red torches that lined the entrance and the guards, dressed all in white, standing outside.

Zipping around the perimeter were a collection of large beetle-like creatures. They looked incredibly menacing as the two globes atop their heads flashed alternately flashed red and blue.

The first question that sprung to mind as I watched from my lookout: how was I going to sneak inside? I wasn't as small as Mandy and I couldn't fly. And charging the front entrance was out of the question. I might have received a boost of confidence with the sword that Nina had given me, but I wasn't stupid. None of the knights from the stories my mum told me would have gone into a fight when the odds were so stacked against them. Even Link would never have taken out a hundred or so moblins by his own if he fought them all at the same time.

Down below, I watched as a pair of guards were replaced by another set of almost identical individuals. They barely talked to each other. Instead, there had been a cursory nod of acknowledgement as the new guards took up their post. Watching them, I was suddenly struck by inspiration.

Maybe if I could just find myself one of those uniforms...

"Over there, Evie!" Mandy all but yelled in my ear. I looked over to where she was pointing. A lone guard was heading towards the tree line. Were they going home? Or perhaps they had seen something? But they weren't holding a weapon at the ready.

It didn't matter. This was my chance!

Keeping to the shadows, I crept through the underbrush of the wood, my feet whisper quiet. One hand reached for the sword that was sheathed to my side. I would have to be quick. No mistakes. With the pommel, I could knock them out with one good strike. They wouldn't even know what hit them if I was lucky.

By the time I reached the lower ridge, the guard had all but disappeared from view. I could barely see in the gloom. Had it not been for Mandy and the soft light she emitted I would have missed the indented footsteps entirely.

It didn't take long before we reached a small but beautiful glade. A small creek burbled nearby. The guard had stopped and was kneeling beside the water, as if they were trying to refill a bottle or wash their hands. All that mattered to me, at least, was that their attention was elsewhere and not on me. It was almost too easy.

Within moments, the guard was snoring away and I was pulling on their uniform. It was a little too big for me, but it would have to do. Mandy slipped into a pocket that was stitched on the inside of the coat. It was the perfect hiding spot and she could jump out at a moment's notice.

The sword and the shield were much harder to hide. In the end, I slung the shield over my shoulder and kept my blade strapped to my belt. The length of the white coat was long enough to obscure it from anyone that wasn't looking too closely. I just prayed it was enough.

Ready, I retraced the guard's steps back to the entrance of the tower. It loomed over me. Any moment, I expected there to be the crash of thunder as lightning flashed overhead. None of that happened when I approached the huge doors. Keep it cool, I told myself as I marched past the sentries.

They barely gave me a glance as I walked into what appeared to be a battlefield. People and creatures of all manner were in the lobby. Many lying deathly still as green-gowned staff rushed around. At the desk sat an elf. She looked worn out and stressed as she talked into a crystal that was pressed tightly against her ear. Her hair was a warm auburn red and she wore a set of spectacles.

"No, we can't afford to let you go on a lunch break, Karen. We're swamped as it is and there's another load of patients coming through. What? Yes. Now. I know you're tired. We all are. Well, take it up with management. I'm just the messenger."

A few more angry words were exchanged before she slammed the crystal onto the table. It was then that she noticed me and plastered a tired smile to her face.

"I'm looking for two humans. They should have been brought here," I said.

The elf looked at me quizzically before turning towards the computer next to her. "Names?"

"I don't know. They're humans. The Monster King should have brought them in two nights ago. Maybe three."

She frowned but began typing rapidly. "You haven't given me a lot to go on, you know," she said to me as one hand kept tip tapping on the keyboard. "Are you family? Visiting hours are almost over but I could possibly squeeze you in."

It was like she was speaking another language. I couldn't understand a word she was saying. Nor did she seem to be listening to what I said. No matter how I replied, she would only hum in response, fingers dancing across the thin piece of black metal. Several minutes passed in this gruelling manner until the console before her pinged.

"Found them yet?"

"Top floor. They were just in surgery yesterday. Take the lift from the lobby. Then turn right when you come out of the elevator. Good luck."

I thanked her before I weaved my way through the mass of bodies to an ancient contraption on the far side of the room. It didn't look very safe. Was I really supposed to sit inside and let it take me up? What if it was a trap? There might be an ambush just waiting for me right at the top and I would be walking blindly into it. My left hand reached for the blade that was hidden by the coat. As I touched the hilt, I felt my courage return. Even if it was a trap, I wasn't defenceless. I still had the gifts Nina had given me. It would have to be enough.

Gingerly, I stepped into the creaking box. Already inside was the ugliest troll I had ever seen. He had a huge bulbous nose. It was the colour of swamp slime. Black straggly hair covered his face. Two beady yellow eyes looked up from the clipboard he had in his hands. He said barely a word as I slipped in. I looked at the buttons, ready to push the one for my floor but it was already shining a bright green colour. From a cursory glance, it appeared we would be riding the death trap together. It also meant I wouldn't be able to discuss strategies with Mandy.

In silence, I waited as the ancient contraption was slowly pulled ever higher. After what felt like an hour, it stopped on the third floor and several more guards in white coats came on. Some gave me a curt nod while others were too busy to glance in my direction. Not for the first time, I was glad for my disguise. The Monster King evidently employed quite a large number of people in his service. If I had to fight through all of them, I would have most likely been captured and thrown into a prison cell. Or worse, killed.

At last, the 'elevator' stopped at the highest floor. The other guards piled out, the troll following swiftly afterwards. By the time I stepped out of the death trap, the corridor was empty.

"All right, Evelyn. You can do this," I said quietly to myself, my hand once more reaching for the security of the blade at my side. "Come what may, I will save my parents."