Chapter Two: The Colors

Marcus is greeted by a land of colors and a group of tiny green men who enjoy his company.

Lore of Lethargy

Payton Smith

Chapter Two

 

            Marcus looked around himself, where was he now? It was dark that was the only thing he could tell. It seemed as if he was floating in mere nothing, just space and darkness. A rattling sound came from behind him and he spun to see a figure off in the distance. It had the posture of a man, but aside from that Marcus could tell nothing of this thing. It raised its arm and snapped its finger.

            Color rushed to the area, creating images of many things all around Marcus. Trees, plants, a river, mountains in the distance, clouds, and all were lit up brightly from the sun which was just over the mountains. It was not normal though to Marcus’ eyes, colors everywhere. Swirling shades of green and red flowed down with the water. The trees had pulsing vibrant blues, greens, and some yellow. Even the clouds had color, beyond just the regular white to dark shades. Some clouds held yellows, some oranges, and as the sun passed through them rainbow colors would flash through them.

            Marcus was close to the river, so he shuffled his way over to it. Cupping water in his hand he brought it close to his face and watched as the vibrant colors swam and danced in his hand. There came a splashing sound and Marcus lifted his head to see a school of strange looking fish jumping out of the water and at first what looked like a glide, flew with the wind. They never returned to the water instead they swam through the air, around the trees, and up through the clouds.

            Marcus felt someone tap his back and he turned to see a small, green looking creature. It wore a red hat, red overalls, and blue curved-toed boots. It had a curved nose, pointed ears, and every tooth it had was a different color from the previous. It held a flower, which was a glowing a purple color. It handed the flower to Marcus, made a little dance with its feet, turned, and ran into a bush all without saying a word.

            “Hey, get out of there,” Marcus said towards the bush, “can you talk? What are you?”

            The little green creature ran back out, but this time two more like his kind came out behind him. One was a fatter version and the other was a tad taller and skinner, but they all wore the same style and color arrangement of clothing. They stopped in front of Marcus, who had stood up and the small green creatures were to about his knees.

            “Come to our level,” the creature who had given him the flower said.

            “What?” Marcus asked.

            “Down here, come,” it replied back.

            Marcus laid down on his knees and watched as all three creatures clapped, made the small dance with their feet and looked back up to him. The one who had given him the flower pushed out his hand, as a proposal to shake. Marcus accepted and shook its small hand, its skin was very smooth.

            “Names Butcher, fat ones Clever, and this tall guy is Shaker,” the thing had said, “were goblins, and you’re lucky cause were the nice ones.”

            “Nice ones?” Marcus let slip from his breath.

            “Yes, our uhm… cousins if you will aren’t the nicest of little green machines,” Butcher said. “Introductions to the land are in order I am to presume. Well this is what we like to call The Colors, and we have a surprise for you.”

            Clever clapped his hands together and more small goblin came out from the bushes, out from behind trees, and some came from small holes in the ground. A lot of them were carrying baskets full of colorful food, which some of them were steaming for the food was freshly baked. They all sat around, a few of them sharing their food with Marcus, and had social conversations in their small groups. Butcher, Clever, Shaker, and Marcus all had discussions.

            A conversation was brought up about where they were, by Marcus, and the first to reply was the leader, Butcher, “well we just call it The Colors; it’s our home, our kitchen, our playground, and our place of slumber.”

            “Wouldn’t place of slumber be the same as your home?” Marcus asked.

            “What?” the goblin replied as if he hadn’t even listened to the question.

            “Never mind,” Marcus said and took a bite of still steaming French bread.

            “You see, our life is very simple here as long as we just live day to day keeping up our lives than the colors we’re all so in love with, stays around us,” the goblin said and pointed at a cloud glowing purple and green, “but if we get off track, stop doing our chores, or even go to bed at different times, The Grey comes to meet us. The Grey is very bad, to sad, and everyone just gets angry, moody, and violent. So, for us all to stay happy we just live the same life, as long as we get our color.”

            “Oh, I…see.” Marcus said and looked down and watched the color flow like a river of water, “do you not get bored of doing that sometimes? I mean I get bored when I do the same thing for too long.”

            “What is bored?” Shaker asked with his whinny voice.

            “Well it is when you don’t like what you’re doing,” Marcus explained, “when you find that things are getting old and you want something new.”

            “Oh no, no,” Butcher said, “for we can’t get tired of our lives or we get punished, which I explained before, The Grey. Now I have a question for you tall one. Why are you here, better yet how did you get here?”

            “Well, I was actually going to ask you the same thing,” Marcus replied, “but it seems like I’m a little lost. First, I was with my family and doing school work and then I was in a forest with talking trees. Now, I’m here.”

            “School work?” Clever questioned.

            “Well, never mind,” a sigh was let from Marcus’ lips, “looks like I’m going to have to find my way out of here on my own.”

            “But why would you want to leave?” asked Shaker as he tore into a fish. “Do you not like The Colors?”

            “I do, it’s lovely here,” Marcus looked to the sky and the colors above, “but this isn’t my home. I need to go back to my, place of slumber.”

            “Ironic!” Clever shouted and food flew onto Marcus’ face.

            “What is?” he asked after wiping the food from his face.

            “He means nothing,” Butcher smacked the goblin on the head, “keep your food in your mouth. Well, my new friend Marcus, it is almost our bed time. Now, I don’t know how to help you and the same goes for every gob here yet there might be someone who does, he goes by Wizard and he lives in those mountains right over there. It’s not too far of a walk and it would be plenty worth it to go visit him, for he knows all that is to know in The Planes.”

            “Thank you, my new found friend,” Marcus said, “for the food and hospitality.”

            “Your welcome!” every goblin shouted, then all scurried to pick up their remains and ran to their dwellings leaving Marcus alone once again.

            “Strange little creatures,” Marcus told himself as he began to walk in the direction that was advised.