Templeton Chapter 3
"A Way to Escape"
(A mysterious forest near Greenhill)
The richest man of Greenhill, Maxim von Dicht was very strange: he
sent a young servant in the night to offer me a work. His house was
really huge, with a fountain in the hall, a lot of light fittings, and
lace curtains for each window.
Sir Maxim von Dicht was really pleased to meet me, he smiled and offered
me some deliciouses candies and a box of chocolates with soft centres.
While I was tasting a candy, Maxim started to talk:
" So you're Templeton, the famous map maker! Sincerely I would never
have thought that you were only a kid!"
" Are there any problems?"
" How old are you?"
" I'm fourteen, sir."
" Your maps are very detailed, congratulation, you're a great talent!
You know, I'm a dogged map collector. I've all the maps of every countries
in this world: Tinto, Highland, the City State...,with the exception of
a little place near Greenhill...."
" Maybe a little wood?"
" Yes, exactly that type of spot! It's a cursed wood, so nobody has
mapped it. I'm ready to pay you a lot of money if you give me the map of..."
" Yes! I've understood!"
Maxim fixed me in a very strange way, maybe he was thinking I were
refusing.
" You're right, young boy, it's very dangerous..."
" Don't worry! I accept the offer! It's only an insignificant wood:
no monsters, no witches, no bad sprites; I'll return with the map in no
time!"
I took my worktools, my notebook and, naturally, my compass.
I entered in the wood: my steps were like a thunder in a peaceful day,
the air was absolutely still and all the nature seemed died or fallen into
a sound sleep.
But I wasn't upset.
I arrived in front of a oak and a pound.
" What a wonderful place!" I thought.
I sat on a rock and I began mapping; while I was working, a marvellous
butterfly settled on my fountain pen; his colours were indescribable. I
was feeling a strange, but pleasant sensation in me, like if something
was growing in my soul: a strenght, a power, a spring. Mother Earth Rune
shined on me with a celestial light.
Then.....silence.
I got up and turned right: a spot with a stream.
I took my notebook:
" Lesse...mmmm..east, stream!"
I continued my "adventure" checking all the places I could visit: bridges,
paths, ravines and forks. All the tracks ended in a place with a misterious
temple: a maiden's voice was coming from it, but unfortunately, what
she was saying wasn't as much wonderful.
" You discovered us. You'll never find the way to escape from here!"
For an istance, I got frightened, then I replied:
" You're a mug! I've mapped all the place!"
I began to go the opposite way.
" Well, then, now it would be the pond and the oak."
I looked in front of me, but there wasn't any pond and oak.
" How can be possible?! I was sure that..that..."
I couldn't have completely lost my bearings, but the truth was obvious:
I was in the wrong place; I nerved myself, then I said:
" Okkay, I must stay calm. Most probably I got mixed up... let's return
to the temple checking all the places!"
I followed my map but I didn't arrive to that temple. I was in front
of bridge and a willow that I haven't noticed before.
" It's a nightmare! Damn!"
I got very angry losing my patience.
" If I head for east I'll find the exit, I'm sure of it!"
I began to run but all I could see was an old oak, and, this time,
a waterfall.
" No...No!! NO!! It's impossible! A map maker can't lose his bearings
in this stupid way!"
A strange wind was blowing and I was here, completely lonely, lonely
with my presumptuousness and my self confidence.
"...And now?"
That sentence rumbled among the trees and returned like an arrow in
my mind. I began to wander.
" I must escape from here! I must find Marian, save her life! I can't
die here!....I CAN'T!"
I ran, ran as fast as I could. I saw the sun shining far, far
away; I saw the glan, the sky, the freedom.
The danger.
A gorge was waiting for me with his death message; the shadows of the
hell wrapped myself up.
" No!! Please!! Don't do it!"
" Leave him in peace!"
~Thanks Marian, you've ever protect me!~
" You, little sissy ! UAH! UAH! UAH!"
~Memories from my past~
" Let me see your wound...oh! It's getting better; soon you'll be completely
recovered. Aren't you happy?"
" Mum! I hate her! It's all her fault!"
" It's not rue Temply!"
~Memories, a lot of memories~
" Oh my God, save him!"
" He has a very high temperature!"
" My dear...I'm so worried!"
I woke up in a field.
I was confused; the only sound I could hear was the noise of a carriage,
a strange carriage with a barricat for each window, maybe there were some
prisoners in it.
I couldn't move, but I was still able to talk.
" Please! Help me!"
Highland soldiers came up to me, thinking I was a cartographer of the
Agares' kingdom.
I was finally safe.
|
