I launch myself up against a tree stump and gaze across to a sunrise across the water.

Well, not quite. It seems between sunrise and midday.

A beach stared back at me from the bottom of the hill I find myself upon.

"Now that you're awake," the voice in my head returns. "I need you to keep moving."

I barely have the will to twitch my finger.

"I granted your wish," she continues. "I did what you asked. You don't have to worry anymore."

I remember my wish. I feel like shit.

"Now, I hope you remember what you offered in return."

Yeah.

I feel comfortable enough just sitting against this stump.

"You're right," I think back to her.

"Good."

I let out a sigh.

"Whenever we trade positions, you will always make some distance when you regain control. When you're conscious."

"Yes," I reply.

"That's the only way it'll work," she tells me.

I understand.

I reach for a branch nearby and push an end to the ground to force myself up.

I look to the settling water and turn myself to head up the hill.

The mound takes a very steep slope downward, and I trip at its peak. I fall downward upon rocks, bushes and trees.

I come to a stop face-down in a ditch.

I barely had the strength to move a minute ago.

I sigh.

"Here," a child reaches down to me and I feel her hand hovering just ahead.

I push against the ground and give my body enough room to move my head.'

A girl with a kind of toxic turtle walking by.

"Come on, then," he calls back.

"Be right there," she shakes her hand, continuing to offer me up.

Keeping to his hind legs, the viscous tortoise carries on in a direction.

I move myself to take her hand.

Younger than me, I bow to show my appreciation.

"I wish he'd wait," the Girl scouts to locate her friend. "Hey."

I drop to my knee.

"Ah," she stumbles to catch me. "Um... I gotcha, just..." She throws off her bag and searches for an item. "Hold yourself up."

Confused, I do my best to stay still - but I have to drop back and cross my legs.

She equips herself with a bandage and drops to my level.

My eye is covered as she wraps the right side of my face with the top of my head. "You'll be okay," she assures me.

"Thanks," I thank her.

She pulls away and rises. The girl takes a few steps away and turns back to wave me off. "I'll see ya." She tosses me an item before fading between the trees.

I catch it. A coconut.

Alone again.

I look behind me, and up the slope I've just fallen from.

I look at the sky and notice the sky's a little darker. Maybe it'll rain. Either that or I was unconscious. It must've been a good 8 hours if so.

Lucky.

I reach for my branch from a nearby puddle and pull myself up. I'll use this to help me walk for a while.

I head around the base of the mountain and come to a path.

I yawn.

Following me is the sound of an animal. A heavy-sounding creature.

I look behind me to see the blinding sight of a horse.

Lucky.

It strides and keeps its head down, likely looking for food.

Its gentle neighs and noises provide me with comfort.

I hold out my hand and turn around. I drop my stick for the second I take to bash my coconut against a rock. I do it twice more to separate the fruit.

I hold the pieces with a hand, use my other to wield my stick and allow the horse to come closer.

I place the seeds on the ground and sit back.

The horse approaches and takes half of my offering. He pushes the other half toward me with his nose.

I accept and enjoy the remainder of my gift.

The horse helps me up and I turn to grab my branch. It pushes against my back so I turn and pet him once more. It lowers its head and offers me a ride.

I mount the steed and ride it for minutes before we come to a signpost.

Tired.

I try to direct the horse to continue on our current road. It disobeys my suggestion and heads down leftward. It seems to know where it's going. To a river most likely. Hopefully a village.

I'm hungry.

My ride slows itself to a stop aside an arch of stone. I throw myself atop the rock to the left of us and turn back to the stallion.

"Good boy," I rub his neck.

The horse rears its head and neighs before stretching and jogging to a nearby well for a sip.

As he drinks, a sort of goblin hobbles from within the hill ahead of us.

I stumble backwards and prepare to fight.

"He-llow!" He calls as he rolls closer.

I turn to the horse, who remains unphased, and exchange glances with the person.

He bounces up from a ball and lands on all fours. Arms and legs but his form resembles a gorilla or bear.

"Hello," I stand guard.

The hobgoblin seems confused. "Safe," it announces.

"Safe?" I ask him.

"This is safe," he replies. He smiles and points to his horse. "Cheval."

"Cheval," I repeat. "That's his name?"

The goblin gets excited and jumps, clapping his hands together.

I feel a sense of safety and allow myself to smile. "Cheval," I repeat louder. "And your name?" I press a finger to his chest.

His expression fades and he waves my hand away.

"Bug," he tells me. "I Bug." He smiles again and rolls back to his cave.

"Bug."

I head over to the horse to pet him once more. Cheval finishes his drink and returns to whence we came.

Okay.

Bug rolls back with a pair of torches. "You," he places one carefully in the grip of my hand.

Bug takes my hand and leads me forward.

"Oh."

"Mm," he smiles and looks up at me.

As we draw closer to the cave in the hill, a growing heat gives off from its tight corridor.

Bug leads me through its walls and to an open area.

A massive fire sits in the centre, with logs stacked almost vertically. The loose ones on the edges press against the stone overhead.

"Fire," he releases me and bounces around his bonfire in the middle of the room.

Fires almost hurt for me to watch. My head begins to pound.

I turn away and find the sharp incline of a rock. Atop it sits an animal skin. I assume that's his bed. It's not too homely but it'll have to do.

I sit against the wall as far away from the heat as I can. "Thanks."

"Eheheh," our hunching helper giggles. "Thanks," he laughs in a disgruntled tone.

In the corner of the residence, I eye a shimmering light that tempts me to investigate.

"Trea-son," Bug tells me.

I sleuth over to the shine and am greeted by a stack of treasures. "Treasure," I correct him.

"There's enough to attract a... an Alison-or-whatever," I add. "Bird."

"An Alicanto?" my thought corrects me.

"Back. Come back!" Bug orders as he rushes over to guard his riches.

I back into a wall.

"I'm not going to steal it. I promise," I promise.

Bug responds with a snarl and nudges me back toward the fire.

He does his best to comfort me, almost putting an ease to my worries. "Don't worry," I feel MAlanna assure me. "We're strong."

We three perch over logs near the flame as my eyes weigh heavy.

Bug notices me dozing off.

Very quickly, he moves my shoulders and offers me a spot in his bed.

Generally, hobgoblins are harmless but aren't very hospitable - so I'm thankful to be comfortable.

Bug heads back to his fire and falls unconscious near the flame.

My hunger disrupts my sleep.

I push my eyes open some.

Across the room, I see the flickering shadow of Bug against his treasure.

I hear the creature gnawing away, smacking his lips and munching on something with a crunch. Something wet.

I hear the voice of something. It must be some poor animal the thing had caught.

This is only natural so I stay out of it.

I begin to salivate.

I see the thing rise before slamming down and silencing the animal.

Bug continues to feast and throws bones back against his treasure.

I still hear the voice. Something failing to breathe properly.

I get up quietly and get closer.

I slowly turn my head to see Bug's back in a nearly pitch-black room, only illuminated by hieroglyphs on the walls. Those symbols give a light to reflect off the mound of treasure to my right.

Fortunately, the animal he's eating is not Cheval. Something bipedal. Another kind of goblin?

I feel sick.

I notice a chain linked to a massive spike. My eyes follow it to the other end where I only see a foot before it gets too dark. The foot of a person.

I lurch my head back around from my hiding spot. I cover my mouth and fall back against the wall. I hope that didn't make a sound.

Sitting in this cave, I stare at the bonfire.

I vomit what I have and it leaks through my hands and to my clothes.

I hold my hands out, disgusted.

Bug peeks around the corner and greets me with the widest bloodshot eyes that I've seen.

I can't help it but it scares me half to death.

| Author’s Notes |

~ Glossary ~
Alicanto: A mineshaft-dwelling bird with luminescent feathers, which feeds on gold or silver. It is pursued by miners in hopes to find treasure. (plural: Alicanto) [Chilean]

~ Characters ~
(Girl): abc.
(Toxic turtle): abc.
Cheval: abc.
Bug: abc.