We could hear Heave's thunderous footsteps behind us.
Switch arrived a few moments after Hack.
I was crestfallen. I wanted to save some cheese for poor Switch, and some for my own grumbling stomach. But I was too afraid of getting between Hack and his meal. The crazed look in his eye when he launched himself at the cheese made me reconsider allying with him.
Heave's shadow came around the corner.
Hack hadn't finished; he grabbed a fistful of cheese and extended one claw towards us.
"Eat!" he snarled. "Or Heave eats it!"
I couldn't believe it. Hack hated Heave so much that he wanted us to eat the cheese instead.
I took it and broke it in half, handing the other piece to Switch. They were huge chunks of cheese. I started to nibble.
"No time!" growled Hack. "Next one! Hurry!"
I stuffed the chunk of cheese into my mouth and ran towards the next one. Hack and Switch trailed behind.
Right, left, left, right, right, left, forward, right, forward, left, left, forward...
But this time Heave's footsteps weren't following us. They sounded like they were getting farther and farther away. Something was wrong.
Hack tore into the third cheese key. I waited patiently.
Switch didn't show up. I ducked back down the corridor. He had been right behind me!
"Switch?" I shouted.
But of course, my mindspeech didn't work that way. I couldn't shout at Switch if I couldn't see him.
Hack looked over his shoulder. "What's wrong?"
"Switch. He's gone."
Hack stuffed more cheese in his maw. "The other rat?"
"Yes."
"Good. He was too slow."
"Too slow because you nearly mauled him to death!" I snapped back, forgetting my fear.
Hack's eyes narrowed as he glared at me. He would have looked much more sinister if his face wasn't smeared with cheese.
"I only need you."
"Well I need Switch!"
Hack rolled his eyes. "Fine. After next cheese station."
"This is not right," I said, pacing again. "Heave should be here by now."
"So? He is fat and slow."
"No, no. He still hasn't shown up. He went to the fourth cheese chamber."
Hack finished slurping down the cheese. "Where is it?"
I took off at a run without a word. Hack ran after me, although he seemed to be getting slower the more he filled his stomach.
Right, forward, left, left, forward, right, right, left, forward. And we were there. The room was empty.
As I suspected, Heave had given up trying to eat the food in a pattern and just skipped to the last cheese chamber. He was much more clever than I gave him credit for.
Hack wailed. "Gone! Gone! He took it!"
"Aren't you full yet?" I said. "You ate a lot of cheese."
"Goblins never full," said Hack morosely. "Always hungry. ALWAYS."
"Sorry to hear that." Without Switch, I didn't feel quite as brave.
"You will find cheese for Hack next time," the goblin said with authority.
I took a deep breath. "No."
Hack's head slowly screwed around to fix on me. "No?"
"No! I want to find Switch!"
Hack advanced on me. "Hack get hungry enough, he just eat you instead."
I rose up on my hind legs. "Good! Then you can starve to death. Because I'm the only one who can help you find the cheese before Heave does. And if you want my help, you'd better help me get Switch back."
Hack's mouth opened in menace, then it clamped shut. With a sigh, he clumped down on his rear, big floppy clawed feet sticking up in the air. "What rat have in mind?"
I sniffed the ground. I could smell Switch's scent. Fear.
I walked around the perimeter of the room until I found some fur, where Switch's scent was strongest.
"Heave has him."
"Then rat is eaten," said Hack nonchalantly.
"No!" There was no blood in the room. I didn't smell it in the Maze. "If Heave's as smart as I think he is, he wants his own pet rat."
Hack stood up. "Black rat can find cheese like brown rat?"
"Yes," I lied. "And that means he'll get to the cheese before us."
Hack's nostrils flared. "Then Hack get rat back from Heave." After finding cheese, Hack's seething hatred for Heave seemed to be his only other reason for living. I relaxed slightly until he added, "or Hack just kill him."
I didn't know if he meant Switch or Heave. Or both.
* * *
I left Hack behind for some stealthy reconnaissance near Heave's lair.
Sure enough, Switch was still alive. I could smell his scent. It was filled with overwhelming fear, but he was alive.
When I peeked inside Heave's lair, I couldn't see him. Only Heave, his eyelids lowered in concentration as he worked some rat fur through his two claws, twisting and turning. There was no sign of Switch.
Something poked on the side of Heave's cheek. I struggled to keep myself from crying out. Had Heave eaten Switch after all?
Heave finished with his twining of the rat hair. With a BLEARGH he opened his mouth and Switch slipped out, wet and in shock.
Delicately, like a man putting a leash on a dog, Heave looped the rat-hair rope around poor Switch's arms and legs. It was no mere leash—it had four loops, one for each of Switch's limbs. There was no way Switch could wriggle out of it.
I couldn't believe my eyes. Heave really was treating Switch like a pet!
It was only a matter of time before the goblins figured out that Switch wasn't as adept at finding cheese as I was. Which was ironic, given that poor Switch dedicated every ounce of his mental resources to finding the next cheese chamber. He was on a never-ending quest that was only as rewarding as his next meal. Because Hack and Heave were such messy eaters, he could have lived indefinitely, half-starving, on cheese leftovers. But then I showed up.
There wasn't enough cheese to go around for everybody. The goblins had to either eat the cheese or eat the rats. The balance couldn't last.
In a way I was relieved. Heave wouldn't eat Switch unless he figured out the rat was useless to him. He had invested a considerable amount of time and energy in fashioning the rat-hair rope. He wouldn't throw away such a valuable resource. Heave was nothing if not resourceful.
I returned to Hack. "Switch is still alive. Heave has him in his lair."
Hack seemed disappointed. "Not eaten?"
"No. He's keeping him on a tight leash." I meant that literally.
"Must rest before rescue." Hack sat down with a huff.
Unlike Heave, Hack didn't have a lair; instead, he wandered around until he found a four-way intersection and then fell asleep by sitting down, head bowed in front of his chest.
"Don't you prefer to sleep at a dead end?" I asked.
Hack snorted. "Four-ways out means four ways to run."
It made sense. Heave was his only real enemy, and this way Hack would never be caught off guard.
"Does Heave ever come after you?"
Hack clicked his jaw, the goblin equivalent of a swear. "Goblins fight much early. But now Heave too slow. He no need to fight to survive."
"But you used to be allies?"
The goblin's lids lowered at a distant memory. "Brothers," he said softly.
"What changed?"
"Heave figure out maze. He not share with Hack," as he spoke, Hack's features curled in rage. "One day, Hack wake up and Heave gone. Heave no talk to Hack. Heave just horde all food for sloblin self."
"Sorry to hear that." I tried to speak softly to Hack, as much as mindspeech could be considered soft. I didn't want him flying off in a rage. I changed the subject. "Why did you stop rhyming, anyway?"
Hack blinked. "Oh. Right. Hunger make poor Hack go crazy. Hungry goblins rhyme."
I thought it odd that Hack was able to make up rhymes but not figure out the secrets of the maze. Heave, on the other hand, was smarter about the maze,
but barely verbal.
But it was undeniable that the more Hack ate, the more reasonable he became. I vowed to keep him that way until I could figure a way out of the Maze. Goblin physiology was a strange thing.
"Don't you ever try to get out of here?"
Hack nodded. "Once." He pointed upwards. "Master laugh at Hack's rhymes, so Hack shout them louder. But..." he held up one claw. "Nothing."
"I think the way out of here is to keep taking the cheese," I said, hoping I wasn't revealing too much. "I think that's how we can escape."
Hack snorted. "Then why Heave not escape?"
It was a good question. Heave had found the cheese on numerous occasions. But he had gotten fat. There was something I was missing.
"Do you remember when you were first placed in the Maze?"
Hack squinted up at the mesh. "Long time ago."
I described, using left, rights, and forwards, the area where I had been deposited.
Hack nodded. It was the same place.
"And that's where the other rats enter it as well?"
Hack nodded, although it had apparently never occurred to him to wait for the rats so he could eat them. The scent of cheese was far too appealing. Goblins liked cheese a lot more than I would have thought.
"So what is plan?" The goblin was getting impatient.
"We can't catch Heave in his lair. He knows it too well. We need to break the pattern. What we do next will be very hard, but you must listen to me, do you understand?"
Hack looked skeptical, but he nodded.
"We need to move the cheese."
Hack cocked his head like a dog. "After eating?"
"No, before. You can't eat it."
Hack swallowed. "But Hack love cheese..." he whined.
"I know. Me too. But we must have bait. If Heave is using Switch to find cheese like you use me to find cheese, they will find our trap."
Hack crossed his arms. "Then what?"
"I will break the rope, you grab Switch, and we run. Then I will take you to the next three cheese stations."
Hack nodded. "Plan better work, or Hack eat you," he said before closing his eyes.
I settled myself down to sleep. I didn't plan to stick around long enough afterwards to find out if Hack was telling the truth.
* * *
By now I was accustomed to the sound of the door, or the grate, or whatever it was that Black moved when it was time to drop the cheese into the Maze. And if I heard it that meant Heave heard it.
I slapped Hack's foot with my tail. I was getting a lot more practiced in manipulating my rat body in innovative new ways. "Wake up!"
One of Hack's bulging eyes snapped open. "Time now?"
"Yes!" I started running down the hall. "Come on!"
Hack rolled backwards and then hopped to his feet. It was amazing he could even stand, given the huge size of his head and his maw. He was off and running behind me in no time.
Left, right, forward, forward, right, left. The sound and the smell led me to the cheese. I could only hope that we were moving fast enough...
"CHEEEEESSSEEE" came the sound from the cheese chamber ahead.
I skidded to a halt. Of course, Switch was better at finding cheese by scent than I was.
I was happy at least that Switch was proving useful to Heave. It meant he would survive that much longer.
Hack nearly collided into me. His flattened ears and frown told me he was annoyed.
"This way!" I mindspoke, whispering. Then I realized it didn't matter if I whispered or not.
Still, it kept Hack from blurting something out. He nodded and slinked away from the cheese chamber, his eyes focused on the opening it until we rounded a corner.
I broke into another run. Right, right, left, right, right, forward, forward, right, left.
We skidded into the next cheese chamber. Hack lunged for it.
"STOP!"
He flinched, freezing over the cheese key. A long string of drool hung from one of his many yellow teeth, mouth agape, claws spread wide to pounce on the cheese. One eyeball turned to focus on me.
"But..."
"It's the only way, Hack."
Hack growled and snapped his jaw shut. Then with a huff, he dug the cheese out of its container with one hand. Bits and pieces crumbled out of his fist. My stomach growled at the sight.
"Come on!"
We were running towards a very particular point I had in mind. Hack stumbled behind me, grumbling all the way.
"Switch can smell the cheese and he's leading Heave to it," I said over my shoulder. "So keep running!"
I caught sight of Switch rounding the corner.
It was my only chance... "Switch!" I telepathically shouted. "Remember when I lost that whisker?"
"Yes?"
"We're heading there!"
We rounded another corner. I couldn't slow down or Hack would be suspicious and Heave would catch up to us.
Switch came into view again for a second. "When I say jump, you jump forward. Understood?"
I didn't get to hear Switch's response because we rounded another wooden bend of maze wall. I could only hope that he understood what I was referring to. Running at the speed I was, it was difficult to make out distinct scents. Still, I thought I could smell the hint of metal and oil.
Black loved his little death traps more than he loved torturing his pets; he meticulously maintained his machines. Coming at the trap from the wrong side would be certain death.
"Right!" I shouted at Hack.
We veered off right, then turned left, left, and left again. Hack had gotten ahead of me.
If he took another step... "STOP!"
Hack skidded to a halt. The goblin turned his massive head to look at me. "Now what?"
"Now we wait."
Switch hesitated at the corridor entrance. He knew what was in here. He would normally never walk down it. I could only hope that Heave wasn't familiar with it.
Switch took a slow, hesitating step down the corridor towards us.
It was working! He'd gotten my message.
Heave's eyes narrowed to slits as he saw us. "Freeze," he growled in his deep baritone. "Give me cheese." I knew Heave was hungry because he was rhyming.
"No," snarled Hack. "Now Hack has cheese. Watch him eat it!"
He slowly, deliberately, brought a clump of cheese up to his maw.
Heave's eyes watched the crumbling cheese intently, taking step by deliberate step forward into the corridor. He had Switch, who looked terrified, on a leash.
"Switch, when I say go, you jump forward."
Switch didn't transmit anything back.
"Ready?"
They ambled forward, closer and closer to the slicing blade trap.
"Set..."
Switch was practically trembling. Heave didn't seem to notice.
"Mmm," said Hack, savoring every delicious moment of the cheese. "Yummmmeeeee."
With a roar, Heave charged forward.
"Now!"
Switch was being half-dragged towards the trap. At my word, he shifted into a run, galloping forward with a pace that matched Heave's.
I was afraid to look. If he was too slow...
Everything happened at once. Switch lunged forward just a second ahead of Heave. The blade snapped downwards, slicing through the rat hair rope. Heave, surprised by the sudden attack, struggled to stop his forward momentum. He windmilled towards Hack, his charge transforming from menacing to comical.
Hack, ready for a fight, was not prepared to be tackled. He took one step backwards.
I turned and ran. Hack and Heave collided with such bone-jarring force that I felt it in the floor.
Switch ran alongside me. Heave had apparently kept him well fed. "They will surely eat us now!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it. Follow me!" I veered off left.
There were howls of protest behind us as Hack and Heave settled their differences with claws and teeth. I somehow doubted they could do much damage to e
ach other. Goblins not only smelled like leather, they were about as tough as dried leather too.
"Where are we going?"
"To the next cheese chamber!" I increased my pace.
"No, wait—" said Switch.
I ducked as a whistling blade fired just over my head. It would have decapitated a goblin.
We kept on, straight for the cheese chamber. To my relief, it was still there.
"Now what?" asked Switch.
"Grab as much as you can in your mouth."
"Not eat it?" asked Switch questioningly. He looked ridiculous in his rat hair harness.
"Definitely don't eat it. Our survival depends on it!"
There was another roar.
"Rats betray us, but we'll catch," shouted Hack. "Goblins two more than a match!" shouted Heave.
"Oh great, they're working together now," I said. We took off.
"Where are we going?" asked Switch. "This is leading away from the last cheese chamber."
"We're not going there. We're leaving."
I galloped off down the hallway. Fortunately, we could talk via telepathy with our mouths full.
"Leaving? The Maze?" Switch slowed down. "Our home?"
"This is not home! This is a torture chamber!" I hopped forwards and backwards, anxious to get moving. "Now with both goblins working together we'll be eaten for sure."
"But what's outside?"
"Life!" I shrieked at the top of my mental lungs. "Now for the love of all that is holy, will you please start running before..."
Hack appeared down one corridor. With a roar, he charged towards us.
That was all Switch needed. We charged off down another corridor.
"CHEEEESE!" snarled Heave, lumbering into view.
Apparently Hack had given him some food. We turned another corner.
"This is all wrong," said Switch. "This is..."
I skidded to a halt. It was a dead end.
Switch was right. We were at a dead end. But I had a plan.
Hack and Heave appeared around the corner, nearly colliding as they reached it from different sides.
Heave, the larger of the two, shouldered his way past Hack.
"NOOOO MOOOOREEEE CHEEEEESSSEEEE," he snarled. Both goblins advanced on us with deadly intent.
"We're doomed!" wailed Switch.
I sat and waited.
CHOOM! A gate slammed down around Switch and I. The goblins looked upwards, cowering.
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