People aren't always welcoming of late night visitors and you're close enough to find them in the morning. Besides, you don't think you could take another step when the piles of decomposing leaves on the forest floor look so inviting. You collapse to the ground and attempt to make a blanket from your apron. Arms covered, but nothing more, you drift off to sleep.

You're awakened by movement, yours in particular. Your head bounces of a rock and it's apparent you are being dragged. It's still dark and whatever has you is going at a fast enough pace that you can't get a good look at them. You must be getting closer to the fire as you can hear the crackle of burning wood, smell the smoke, and even see more of the greenery going by. But being dragged by your feet is no fun, especially when you find rocks the hard way, and are relieved when you are dumped unceremoniously at the fire. There was an argument going on during your arrival but it ceases and you twist until you can see the confused face of a three foot tall woman; not a girl as this one has clearly matured, and she's not out of proportion like a little person; and the broad, greenish tinged faces of two ogres. The woman says something to you but you don't recognize the language, eastern European maybe. An ogre yells back at her, spittle flying from his mouth and landing on you. Gross.

She yells right back, mumbles under her breath, flicks her wrist around, and sends a small fireball right at his head?! You contort to see his singed hair and furious expression. She says something to you again but you just shake your head. Her shoulders drop and she puts her hand yours, grasping tightly like a toddler. More mumbling and then she just stands there. After a moment she glares are you, then smiles.

"Merican," she says with a satisfied tone. Her hand releases you and you hear a serious of pops as she disappears from view. A blanket is laid out in front of you with such speed that it just appeared. "Roll," the woman commands. You obey without thinking about, surprised to find your hands free, and stop in the center of the blanket. She gathers the corners and mumbles again but nothing happens. The words are repeated, loudly this time, and they still sound like nonsense but your stomach lurches and the air is pulled from your lungs as a loud POP fills your ears. Gravity ceases to exist for a brief moment that feels like eternity and you land with a thump. You push the blanket away to find yourself on a cobblestone street in the middle of a half sized town. The woman smiles smugly and thrusts her tiny hand out to you.

"Tink!" she claims. "You live cuz.. me. Ogre kill Merican. Talls kill Merican. Fancies kill Merican. I help! Now you help!" Her words are heavily accented but you think you get the gist; you owe this tiny woman your life and she needs to reach the top shelf.

Congratulations, you survived the first twenty four hours!




This brings you to one of several endings for chapter one. Keep an eye out for Chapter 2-Kinder Village on my home page in which you find out the help needed is much more complicated than reaching high items. It will be some time before I write it. You weren't supposed survive going north but my writing got away from me. Lucky you. If you're impatient try some of the other ways to meet your demise.

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