CH2:Slinko

Slinko Oh

   Sweat stuck my shirt to my body. I pulled on it to let the air cool me down. I've been sprinting for the past half-hour. When the message says urgent, then addressed to the king, I had to get it there fast. I rode my horse up to the palace gates, then I've been working my way through the giant maze called a castle. How could anyone live in this? Commoners were scattered around the common halls, doing their merry things. I had to take the messenger halls. Little lamps for lighting, and there was nothing on the walls but stains. It was bare, bland. Blank. it was also very dark, I ran into a wall whenever I wasn't paying close enough attention. Good thing I had a map of the halls. If I didn't, it would be very east to get lost down there. I had to stop by a lamp every now and then to check it. I noticed one dot was rounding the corner and saw Bill running through the intersection just ahead of me. I glanced back down to the map in my hands. The shaking of my constant sprint made the map hard to read. Especially in such dim light.

   Smack.

   I hit a wall again. I sat down slowly and let the dizziness fade away as I studied the map a bit more. My dot was a forest green color. It stood still while I took the break. Bill, a crimson dot, was running out through the kitchen exit. I counted six other dots on the map going about their business. As one drew close to me, I heard footsteps echo down the long hallway. The blue dot made a turn and the sound faded.

   My legs wobbled when I stood back up. I found the throne room on the map and saw it was just around the corner. I hurried up the spiral staircase then entered through the door. The stench of damp stone and sweat left my nose to be filled with the wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen. I glanced to the throne. Empty. The king's servent shuffled his tiny feet to stand before me.

   "I told you that you need to get your eyes checked, Slinko," he huffed,"You hit the walls again."

   I shrugged it off. "I need to deliever this to the king." I rolled up my map and stuck it in a pocket before pulling out a scroll, tied shut with magic that only the king can break.

   The short man snatched it. "Yes, yes, I will get this to Kind Edward as soon as possible." His legs moved as fast as a humming bird's wings while he walked away. Then he called back, "And go get your head checked, will you? As well as your eyes." The door shut behind him. The basic color of the room was red. I stood there for a minute pondering. Maybe I did need my eyes checked. I pulled out my map and walked back down to the messenger halls to find the exit.