Pumpkin Spice, стр. 21
“You sign, you keep it. We treat our family well ‘round here, Reuben. Sign those papers and you’re family.” Reuben did not waste another second; he dipped his pen in fresh ink and signed his life away. “Go home now, make love to your wife. You begin tomorrow, first light.”
Reuben couldn’t be sure which came first, the sunrise or the rooster, childhood lessons would suggest it was in fact the sunrise which woke the bird. However, on this particular morning it all seemed fuzzy to him. The coo of the bird woke him, but he was certain it was still dark outside when he came to.
The logistics of what came first did not matter. What mattered was his first day in his new position with the Barabbas boys. He looked over at his wife as she lay asleep in their bed, he kissed her on the forehead and went on his way. A nervous energy surrounded the man. He was anxious to get out of office work, but nervous at what he would be doing. He had heard stories of the Barabbas boys around town for some time. Stories only, never any facts, at least nothing concrete. Mostly just hearsay. Signing the NDA made him think more of these stories. He had to believe there was more than just fulfilling shipments through the woods. He would soon find out.
“We have two parcels for you today, Reuben. Parcel one is outside in a bag. Parcel two is outside in a wheelbarrow. What contents each parcel carry is none of your business, and none of mine.” Cassidy handed Reuben a piece of paper. “There you will find the addresses each parcel will need to be delivered to, and here’s a compass.” “What’s this for?”
“Kobold woods.”
“Kobold… woods? I can’t go in there… they say… the Goblin…” His voice trailed off, Cassidy smiled, “We’re all too familiar with the Goblin, Reuben. As you know my brother-in-law’s have been venturing out into them woods for quite some time. They say Barnabas has come face to face with the goblin. That compass, Reuben, will keep you safe. Follow its direction, travel north and you will make it to the other side. Any detours, stopping for a piss or what have you and I cannot guarantee your safety. Stay due north and you will stay safe.” Reuben was still nervous. He had heard far too many stories of the Goblin of the woods. He knew Barnabas made a career of transporting items through the there, but he didn’t think he’d be doing it. Not alone, and especially not on his first day.
Outside Bo waited for Reuben. In his left arm was his trusted Ax, in his right hand a lit cigarette. Bo offered the half-smoked cigarette to Reuben, who politely declined. “I’ll walk you to the entrance of the woods.” Bo stuck the cigarette back between his lips. To say the walk to the woods was awkward would be an understatement. On one hand you have Penelope’s husband, newest member of the Barabbas boys, and on the other hand, you had Bo, Penelope’s ex.
To Reuben’s surprise Bo didn’t say much. He rested his ax above his shoulder and smoked his cigarette. Reuben tried to make small talk, brought up the weather and a few other lame topics, but Bo seemed disinterested, he only wanted to bring Reuben to the woods. And he did just that.
As Bo walked up to Kobold woods, he found a birch tree, and nodded. “This is where you go. Straight in through there, check your compass, one direction only.”
“How do I get back?” Reuben understood if there were rules to get through the woods travelling north, the same had to have been true of going south. “Same, you’ll find the birch tree and travel south. No deviating. No marking up the wilderness neither. Nature, the goblin, they don’t like that. You stick with your compass and you’ll be good.” And with that Bo gave Reuben a solid smack on the back for luck and left him to carry out his deliveries. Reuben stared into the woods and began his journey. Now, you may believe I have killed all suspense by revealing the true Goblin of the woods to be Barnabas, this is only partially true. While Barnabas acted as the Goblin in the woods something did exist in them before the Barabbas boys moved to Hastings. The legend was based upon something else entirely, Barabbas simply stole the name. So, to think Reuben was safe in these woods would only be half true.
Reuben walked through the woods with a tense unease about him. He found it hard to swallow, he was sweating, his heart was racing faster and faster with each step he took. The trip through Kobold woods was six miles long. Not insurmountable, but still long enough. He had with him a pouch filled with water, his compass, and of course the wheelbarrow and the bag around his left shoulder. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Out of fear he did not look to his left or his right only straight ahead. He heard various sounds throughout the woods, many of them menacing. He didn’t know if it was his mind playing tricks on him, or if the evils of the woods were waking up with his presence? The further her ventured into the woods the more he could feel it, the cold wet breath of a being not of this earth. Reuben would