Questmyre

by HaaJar Johnson

  “Someone is keeping you prisoner here…” Robin said as anger built within her.

  “Yes.” Was Mirub’s simple reply.

  “Well we’ll just help you escape. I’ll take a look at the clasp and lock. I’m actually an expert pick-lock…” Robin stood up and moved towards her to do just that.

  “No.” Mirub inched away in fear.

  Seeing her odd reaction Robin slowly returned to her seat.

  “You see… even if you free me from the tower… He’ll still find me and just put me back here. There is no place in this world I can hide… not from him…” Mirub said with a dark cloud covering her expression. She sighed sadly.

  “Who?” Roami asked with concern etched on his face.

  “It doesn’t matter who. I don’t want to get you two in trouble. Staying in the Fitzian’s good graces is… a very timorous feat…believe me… They are very fickle people. One moment they will revere you and the next they will cut you to pieces without a thought… I should know this better than most.” She laughed as she got caught up in her own private thoughts. “Yes, I don’t want to end up like poor Mantu…poor guy.” She said with a sad shake of her head.

  “Mantu? We just met him. You know him?” Robin asked with excitement. It appeared they were finally getting somewhere with respect to secrets being uncovered.

  “Yes, of course. Everyone knows the ‘madman of Fitz’. He wasn’t always a wandering lunatic you know. He and I share an intimate connection… this Tower. This was his old home. As city deposer he was granted this tower to live and… work from.” Mirub bit her plump red bottom lip. She realized she may be giving away too much information. To keep the children safe she grew quiet then stood up to walk around them.

  When she stood at the window she stopped and sighed heavily from the weight of all the secrets she was burdened with. Mirub leaned on the green brick window sill and looked out at the beautiful city landscape.

  “What exactly does a Deposer do anyway?” Robin asked slyly hoping Mirub was still in a talkative mood.

  “You children are putting yourselves at risk with these questions. I will not help you dig your own graves… you seem like good people… I could not live with myself if my information brought you harm. Just live your days like the celebrities the city’s people have made you into. Be happy you are not the Mubbins, poor Mantu or myself…” She swallowed hard and wiped away a few errant tears.

  “You are very beautiful… why would you be hidden away like this?” Robin asked softly.

  Mirub laughed softly then spoke through her tear choked throat, “Beauty… it’s one of the worse curses ever made… My beauty made me stand out amongst my people… my beauty made me a rich man’s pet… my beauty stole away every chance I had to be a normal young girl who finds her partner, gets married, has little babies and dotes on them as they grow up… My beauty made me a possession to be had; a rich man’s trophy…a broken doll sitting in a tower hidden away from…. life…” She finally broke down and began to cry openly.

  Robin motioned for Roami to do something. He walked towards Mirub and patted her back soothingly. “It’s okay. We consider you a friend Mirub. Robin and I won’t let you remain a prisoner here. We are looking for a way out of Fitz and when we do we will get you out of here too. This is a promise.” Roami said with determination.

  Mirub’s crying died down into small hiccups. “I’ve had so many dreams destroyed and killed… I can’t dare to believe this promise will come true but whether it happens or not… Thank you for your kind words and intentions sky-ones…” She whispered.

  “Don’t worry… We will save you Mirub.” Robin added with conviction.

  “You two are not bad people so you can’t imagine the darkness that lies beneath the city of Fitz. Beneath the class system and obvious injustices…there is an even darker evil… I see the evil of men easily from my bird’s eye view…believe me…” She said cryptically. It became apparent she knew quite a bit but was still trying to protect them from the truth.

  “What evil? How can we help you without knowing everything?” Robin asked in exasperation.

  While Mirub wiped her tears away and Robin spoke to her, Roami moved towards the locked door at the other end of the room.

  “Where does this lead to?” He asked as he tested the lock only to find that it was only for show. Someone had already broke open the padlock. Removing it altogether, he opened the door and walked inside before Mirub could stop him.

  “Stop! No, don’t go in there!” She yelled but was so weighed down by the chain around her ankle, she could not reach him in time.

  Not wanting Roami to get hurt Robin grabbed the jewelry box from under the bed. In seconds she pulled out the metal pick and raced after him. By the time she caught up with Roami she found that the room behind the door was just as bare as the rest of the tower. It had the same wooden floorboards but these were painted black. On the far side of the room was another window. The only object in the entire room stood before that window; an old rusty metal telescope.

  “What the…” was all Robin could say as she and Roami stared at the telescope then at each other. Moving towards it, Roami looked through the foggy lens afraid of what he might see.

  He was shocked to find he saw exactly what he had seen at Thister’s penthouse; nothing. All that could be seen was the city and the water’s surface just above the tower. Nothing more.

  “Looks like another dead end…” Robin said with a sigh.

  “I’m not too sure about that… we’ll talk about this all later.” Roami said as he saw Mirub finally enter the room with a sigh.

  “I did not want you two to see this… It is the old Deposer’s workroom… Please… Please just leave. You will only bring trouble on yourselves…” she said as she motioned for them to leave the room. They did as she bid. Mirub closed the door behind them before placing the broken lock back on it.

  “He does not know that I broke the lock and have seen what hides behind that door.” She said more to herself than to the children.

  “Who?” Roami asked hoping she would let loose her biggest secret.

  Looking up Mirub realized she had spoken her thoughts aloud. “Please…just go…” She repeated the words pleadingly. “Who knows when he will come back to visit… you cannot be here or… he will make you pay. No one must know he visits me… it would destroy him.” She said a bit frantically.

  “Okay, okay, we will go.” Robin promised to appease her. She did not want to be the cause of the beautiful woman’s pain. It was apparent she had already lived through more pain than she let on. Robin knew, better than anyone, that just because someone did not appear wounded did not mean they had not been through a lifetime of emotional warfare.

  Before they turned to leave a thought stopped Robin in her tracks. “Wait. We’ll go now but first let us open your chain; the same way you broke the doors lock. It will still look like you’re chained but you will be able to leave once we give you a signal that we have found a way out of the city. Is that okay?” Robin looked Mirub straight in the eye praying she would agree to the plan.

  “Okay… I guess that could work.” Mirub said.

  Smiling Robin took the pick she still held and walked Mirub over to the chair. Robin motioned for her to place her foot on the chair then leaned down to pick the lock. When the metal fell from her ankle Mirub sighed with release. “Oh wow… that feels so much better…” She looked overjoyed as she rubbed at her tender ankle.

  “Right so when ‘he’ comes back just clasp it back on like this but without locking it and he’ll never know the difference. When we find a way out of here we will come back to get you, okay?” Robin showed her how to clasp the chain back on then handed her back the metal pick.

  “Robin we should be heading back to Thister’s now or he’ll begin to wonder.” Roami said.

  Nodding Robin smiled back at Mirub. They said their goodbyes and made their way out of the tower the same way they had entered it.

/>   Once back outside Roami closed the trap door and Robin quickly worked to cover it with sand. They took note as to where the trapdoor was located so they could easily find it again if necessary.

  Luck was once more on their side as they saw the Mubbin workers were just beginning to return to the forest to pick the Flobbin nuggets. As they walked past the forest in an effort to seem inconspicuous Robin stopped a pair of the light green workers and said, “Hi, we just noticed this tower and was wondering what it was for. There is no way to get in.” She said with a lost look on her face.

  “Ah, sky-ones!” The two Mobbins bowed quickly then one responded, “The tower is nothing more than an old relic. Some people even believe it is….well… haunted. It is best you two stay far away from it. Everyone else in the city does.” With that said they bowed to Robin and Roami once more than continued walking towards their work in the forest.

  Robin and Roami made their way back towards Thister’s home. While thinking over what they had just been told Robin rolled her eyes and muttered, “Haunted my behind…”

  Roami just chuckled, happy to see that despite their potentially dangerous circumstances and depressing realizations Robin had still managed to hold on to her Robin-like sense of humor.

  He could only hope the events of the near future would not kill her spirit altogether…

  ***

  A short time later the two found themselves sitting across from Thister at his dinner table enjoying a superb meal of Rainbow Dust pie and Briggle-Brag Soup.

  When the meal had been brought in by a handful of servants, Robin had gaped in amazement. She had never seen such colorful food or mouth watering smells. Her stomach had growled in agreement and she nearly gushed with joy upon placing the first few spoonfuls to her lips. Apparently there was at least one reason to stay in Fitz if the riddle never presented itself. Robin wished she could take some spoonfuls of the Fitzian food in her pocket for keepsakes once they returned back to Source One. She chuckled slightly at her own incredibly silly thoughts.

  For the greater part of the meal Robin continually kicked at Roami under the table. He knew why she was being annoying but decided to ignore her nudging. During a private conversation the two had had earlier that day, Robin had asked him to ask Thister what the glass windows and telescopes on the top floor were used for. When her kicks became uncomfortably painful, Roami glared and grunted at Robin but she only smiled back in response.

  Thister was speaking enthusiastically about the next day’s birthing process when Robin finally got the gall to ask him. “So, Thister. I must tell you. We accidently pushed the “up” button in the elevator yesterday and found ourselves on the very top floor of your home. I know you asked that we not leave the main floor but it truly was an accident and for that we are sorry. While we were up there we noticed a few telescopes.. What are they for exactly?” She asked innocently. Thister appeared flustered by both the question and the topic.

  “I-I-I… That is… I thought I told you two not to go up there! Oh my, oh my… this could be a problem...” He looked as if he were thinking something over in his head before continuing, “But, well… I guess at this point you two are one of us now so it wouldn’t do to keep this from you. Especially not with a major birthing only hours away. Yes, I suppose it is time!” He said this all aloud and yet more to himself than his two visitors. When he had worked it all out in his head, Thister finally looked at his guests and continued, “I use the telescopes for Birthings. It is my job as city Disposer to conduct the Birthings and discard the garbage if necessary.” He said and began to fidget uncomfortably in his seat.

  “Um… garbage?” Robin prodded.

  “Yes, I must ensure garbage is discarded of properly and need a high vantage point to do so. I help discard the villager’s garbage, you see.” He smiled at her once more.

  “Oh… okay.” Robin said with a confused look on her face.

  “You discard the villager’s garbage. Right but… but what about the royals’ garbage. Who discards that?” Robin asked.

  Thister looked absolutely shocked by her question. “No one, of course! There is no need. The royals’ do not make garbage.” Thister replied with some level of agitation. “Yes, well I must bid you two goodnight as I have a busy day ahead of me.” Smiling at the two he bid them good evening and went to bed for the night.

  Robin and Roami just stared at one another in disbelief, “That is what he calls an answer? That is as much a riddle as this world is. Oh no Roami…we’re never going to get out of here!” Robin said and let her head fall against the table in exasperation.

  “Well, I guess we will just have to wait for tomorrow. This birthing event seems to be the answer to everything. I can just feel it. Look at how excited the people are about it. And don’t forget how vague they all are when we ask for details about the actual process.” Roami took Robin by the hand and led her out of the dining room.

  “I think we need to get our rest tonight and pay close attention to this event. It may hold some important clues.” Roami said as they made their way towards their rooms.

  The two found later that night that they could hardly sleep. When they did finally enter dreamland they each had strange visions of garbage cans, telescopes and crazy Mantu racing towards them while screaming at the top of his lungs.

  Robin woke up with the most disturbing image of all; a scary dump trunk with gnashing teeth chasing them across the city. Across the large green trunk written in angry black lettering was the word, “Disposer”.

  *****

  Robin was awakened by the sound of a shrill bell resounding throughout the city. It was so loud she hat woken with a jump and wondered if perhaps it was the signal for the apocalypse.

  “Get up Robin! Get up! They are beginning the birthing process for Boonie!” Roami rushed into Robin’s room while pulling on a dark green velvet shirt in haste. Seeing his bare muscular blue chest; Robin jumped out of bed, tripped over her slippers and crashed into a nearby wooden dresser.

  “Oh my goodness! Roami, please… for the love of all that is holy! Please don’t wake me up like that ever again!” She screeched as she picked herself up from the floor and ushered Roami back out of her room. “Let me get dress and I’ll be out in a sec.” She said while still rubbing at her eyes.

  Once he was gone and the door was shut she took a look at the silk outfit laid out on her bed. Today’s colors were green and purple. Her velvet shirt and woven pants were royal purple and her miniskirt was light green. She wore the same green sandals she had worn since their first day in Fitz. While she was rushed she could not help but fill her trouser pockets with a few Flob Nuggets and other important souvenirs. Robin could not fight the odd feeling that something epic would occur today.

  When Robin finished dressing moments later, Roami was waiting for her just outside her door with a frown on his face. He wore a green top and dark purple trousers. All of their garments were sprinkled with emerald crescents as today’s birthing was considered a huge event.

  “Did you say Boonie? It’s Boonies’ birthing? Oh my god how exciting! Oh no, it’s probably over by now. Come on quick, let’s go!” Grabbing his hand Robin raced out the door. She had a way of making it seem as if it were him and not her who had made them late.

  They did not take the waiting buggy but ran towards the city center as they were just a few blocks away. When they reached the spot where they could see a large crowd growing, they stopped. They were delighted to spot their good friend Boonie among the mob of strangers. He stood in the center of the semi-circle of Mubbins, Royals and average Fitzians and looked visibly nervous.

  The event was being held in a small park amidst a mini-mall. Several streets lined with shops ran in four separate directions from their current spot. The roads were all paved in red concrete. The small park was the only exception and was littered with young trees, as with all the trees in Fitz they had green trunks and purple leaves. Wooden benches for the casual shopper, ran around the border
of the small park area.

  In the very center was a circle of red sand which was piled up into a small hill. This pinnacle was where Boonie stood for all to see.

  Boonie’s tall lithe light green figure could easily be seen from some distance. When it seemed everyone of importance had arrived he sat cross-legged atop the small circular mound of deep red sand.

  While everyone wore their usual Fitzian garments Boonie wore an odd pitch black gown. It looked very much like a judges robes or a Muumuu to Robin. It had long, flaring sleeves and hung with no shape at all. He had it bunched up at his sides and the dark fabric fanned out around his seated figure. Boonie’s eyes closed. It appeared he was meditating or deep in thought.

  Robin and Roami pushed their way towards the front of the crowd and stood in front of their friend. They both beamed with happiness.

  “So, uh… how do we know when it’s going to begin?” Robin whispered impatiently after a few moments of silence. “I mean, his stomach isn’t even all that big. There can’t be anything in there bigger than a baseball.”

  “Shh…” Roami shushed her. Before Robin could hit Roami in response a murmur spread throughout the crowd.

  “It’s coming soon I know it! He has that look about him!” Someone in the crowd said aloud. Robin and Roami strained to see if they could see any signs of a baby.

  “He must have dropped the egg inside the sand already! It’ll show itself soon enough!” Someone else yelled.

  “There! It’s there! I see a finger I think!” Robin said as she pointed to the sand surrounding Boonie. Within seconds a small hand lifted from the red sand beneath Boonie. Boonie jumped up when he felt the baby’s hand. He got up instantly then stood nervously beside the circle of sand.

  “Ah!” a scream ripped from the crowd and was mimicked by several others. As they each saw the hand that stuck out of the sand; gasps of horror filled the air.