Labyrinth : Hidden Legacy

Chapter 16 Becoming A Goblin Boy

"I'm starving!" Toby's stomach was growling very loudly.

Toby decided that he was near the goblin city; He could hear sounds of chattering, cackling, hollering and more. A busy place with lots of people...or goblins to be precise.

Toby could smell food wafting over the walls of the labyrinth. He just needed to find the right way to enter the goblin city!

It took Toby quite a bit of time finding his way out of the labyrinth. Hitting dead ends or finding himself getting further from the sounds he seeked, turning around and trying again. Then, with relief, Toby found the Goblin City!

With a dirt ground and pale colored houses which clearly had not been taken care of by the owners... It was not an impressive sight. However, there were semi colorful flags hanging on houses and windows.

Toby was very curious about the creatures that lived there.

Quickly he realized that he "stuck out" in a crowd of goblins and beasts. So he looked around and grabbed the first large piece of cloth he saw. An old blanket which been hanging on a clothes line. He snatched a pin and fasted the blanket around himself like a cloak. Hoping to hide his human face from view.

"How do I get something to eat?" Toby wondered. He needed to feed himself and stop the growls from his midsection.

He remembered the jewel in his pocket. Should he trade the piece for some food? He couldn't carry the amount of food that jewel could buy. No, he decided to save the necklace.

"What would a goblin without any money do for food in the city?" Toby wondered. He thought about Buddle and his mischievous nature. "Buddle would steal it."

Toby did not know how to steal. It couldn't be too difficult though.

He approached a hot soups counter..."no." He walked by a bread stand where the baker eyed him like a hawk. So Toby crept up to a table that had a sign which read "slightly moldy breads." They did not look so appetizing but perhaps they would be easier to steal? Toby reached for a piece of bread, trying to be quick and slick. A small goblin hand stopped his own hand! He was caught!

The goblin glared at Toby! Then something pulled Toby away by his arm. Toby turned around to see it was...Buddle! "Run" Buddle said.

The two boys ran together, dodging goblins and creatures until Buddle hopped down a chute. Toby stopped. It appeared to be a slide down a hole on the side of a shop wall. But where would it take him?

"Hey!" the angry slightly moldy breads goblin was nearing! So, Toby climbed in and down he went.

Toby landed on a rough stone floor. Buddle was there. He quickly led Toby underneath a table.

They were in, what appeared to be, a workshop full of metal machinery and tools. Two goblins in greasy aprons walked into the room and began working.

Toby's stomach growled. Buddle pulled a bag of food out of his jacket. "Eat something before your stomach tells them we're here!"

Toby was so grateful. He scarfed down some pastries. "You steal the good stuff, huh?" Toby asked in a whisper.

Buddle nodded with a wicked gleam in his eye. "You need a better disguise" Buddle said quietly. "You don't look like a goblin!"

Upon the table were metal gadgets, tools, oil and grease. Buddle reached out and snatched a can of grease. He painted Toby's face and his hands with dark smudges. "Doesn't smell good!" Toby frowned.

"Goblins don't smell 'good'!" Buddle exclaimed. Then he placed his own hat upon Toby's head.

"What is this place?" Toby asked.