Wormrose, A Goblin's Tale.

Wormrose, A Goblin's Tale: Chapter 1:A Rude Awakening

Chapter One- A Rude Awakening

 “Get up Worm! You lazy lout!” Goblinmother shouted as she brusquely pulled the coarse blanket off from the sleeping goblin girl’s body. Worm awoke with a start .In her confusion; she jumped up and hit her head against the shelf above her crude wooden bench in the kitchen that served as her bed.

“Yes Go’ma! Worm replied startled. “I am up!” Worm said rubbing the sore spot on her head. She examined her hand to see if there was any blood. She had hit her head hard, but was grateful to see that it was not bleeding. It would leave a scar though, and she could already feel it swelling.

“Get up, you lazy wretch and start the kitchen fire! It’s already 2 hours till dawn, and your brothers and them will be wakin’ up soon!”

“I going, I going Go’ma” Worm replied a bit too loudly. Before she could realise what was happening she felt a hard sting across her face, as Goblinmother slapped her.

“I don’t want to hear no back-talk form you!” she shouted “Every morning is the same thing, you lazy- good- for nothing wretch!” Goblin mother glared at her with her bulbous red eyes.

Goblinmother was short and fat and had abroad face, with bulbous red eyes, and a cruel mouth. She was balding and her hair grew in scattered tufts around her head, that she kept braided. Whenever she shouted, her braids whipped about her face, like threatening snakes.

Tears rolled down Worm’s face involuntarily, but she knew better than to say anything. It never helped for her to protest, as all it ever lead to was more pain. She pulled the rough kitchen apron from the shelf above her sleep bench and wrapped around her silently. She grabbed the bucket by the side of the stove and went out to shed at the back of the house to fetch firewood before Goblin mother found another reason to hit her.

It was still dark outside, but she found her way easily. She had been doing this every day since she was 5 years old. It was not an easy life being the only goblin girl in a nest with 6 horrible brothers. Worm had known her place as a very young child, that her life was worth nothing, and that she should be grateful that she had not been drowned in a canal when she was born- Goblinmother was sure to remind her that at least once a day.

 Every morning she would wake up before dawn to get the fire started and cook breakfast for her brothers. She would then have to sweep the house, scrub the kitchen floors, and wash up all the crockery, before she was allowed to have a morsel of breakfast. She was no more than a slave to her brothers, and not to mention their personal punching bag, as they all beat her if she made the slightest minor mistake, or if they felt like it, for they really didn’t need a reason to pick on Worm. She was small after all, and they were all bigger and older than her, and it was duty to know her place as the lowest life-form in the family hierarchy.

She made her way to the crude hut made from sticks and mud, where the firewood was kept, and filled her bucket. She then noiselessly made her way back to the kitchen and began to light the kitchen fire. Goblinmother was bustling about getting ingredients to make the morning breakfast. Worm did well to stay out of her way.

“You done lightin’ that fire yet?” Goblinmother shouted at her.

“Yes, Go’ma” Worm replied meekly. “It should be ready soon to bake the gobbobread”.

“Good then,” Goblin mother calmed down. “ Go and get some mornin’ dew from down by the pond and bring it back for me, you’ brothers and them will want Gobtea. And bring back a pail o’ water to scrub down them floors”

“Yes Go’ma” Worm replied. She picked up the earthen jug from on top of the small table near the stove and tied it on to her apron by the strings. She would use this to carefully collect the morning dew. She then picked up the wooden pail that was made from the shell of an acorn, and headed out to fetch the water.