fingers gently on the cool, metal
handle, I paused. Certainly there was an alarm. I scanned over the
dock.
There were no other doors or windows on this side of the building. This was my only choice. "Wait up, Rose!"
I turned and glared at Karl who was huffing as he trotted up the stairs. Holding my finger up to my lips, I tried to tell him to stay quiet.
"You and puppy just left me with my dingle waving in the breeze." Which, it seemed, the Goblin didn't understand. “Karl,” I whispered, “shut up." He paused, cocked his head slightly, and suddenly seemed to understand. I think I could almost see the light bulb blink on above his head. “Oh,” he breathed, “I get it!" "We need to get inside,” I informed him, “but I don't know if there's an alarm system. I was thinking..." I watched the green Goblin zip past me toward the door without listening to a word I said. Leaping straight up, he caught the door handle with his tiny hands. Planting his feet against the door for leverage, he twisted the knob.
"Karl.” I started toward him. “Don't do that!" Pushing off against the frame, I watched the door creak open. Karl let go and dropped to the ground. Pulling the door open, he motioned for me to enter. Circling around cautiously, I scanned inside the warehouse. “No alarm?" Karl shook his head.
I craned my head in and peeked around the dock. “How did you know?" He pointed to himself. “Goblin. I can sense these things." "Glad you're on our side,” I admitted.
Holding my pistol down, I moved carefully inside. The smell of sulfur was heavy in the darkness and I could hear the rhythmic thrum of machinery. Tasting the air, I could detect the scent of Vampires, various Demons, Werewolves, and something more that I couldn't quite identify. Wrapping my fingers around my necklace, I snapped the amulet off and quickly deposited it in my pocket, as the glow would easily give me away. Glancing back, I saw that Karl was sticking close to my heels, his beady eyes scanning the darkness warily.
The loading dock was roughly rectangular. Stretching off for some distance into the warehouse, boxes and crates were piled high to the ceiling. I could see an exit on the right wall, and an open arch to the rear. The amulet, still feeding me directions through a magical link, was pulling me toward the back. Weaving through the maze of boxes, I heard a couple of rats scamper into the darkness, their claws scraping against the smooth concrete floor. My pulse—if I had one—would probably be racing at this point. Making me feel a bit better, I could hear Karl's tiny heart hammering in his chest. Reaching the back of the loading dock, I spun and pressed my back to the unfinished wall. I could clearly hear voices beyond the doorway, but couldn't make out how many or what they were saying. I caught their scent on
There were no other doors or windows on this side of the building. This was my only choice. "Wait up, Rose!"
I turned and glared at Karl who was huffing as he trotted up the stairs. Holding my finger up to my lips, I tried to tell him to stay quiet.
"You and puppy just left me with my dingle waving in the breeze." Which, it seemed, the Goblin didn't understand. “Karl,” I whispered, “shut up." He paused, cocked his head slightly, and suddenly seemed to understand. I think I could almost see the light bulb blink on above his head. “Oh,” he breathed, “I get it!" "We need to get inside,” I informed him, “but I don't know if there's an alarm system. I was thinking..." I watched the green Goblin zip past me toward the door without listening to a word I said. Leaping straight up, he caught the door handle with his tiny hands. Planting his feet against the door for leverage, he twisted the knob.
"Karl.” I started toward him. “Don't do that!" Pushing off against the frame, I watched the door creak open. Karl let go and dropped to the ground. Pulling the door open, he motioned for me to enter. Circling around cautiously, I scanned inside the warehouse. “No alarm?" Karl shook his head.
I craned my head in and peeked around the dock. “How did you know?" He pointed to himself. “Goblin. I can sense these things." "Glad you're on our side,” I admitted.
Holding my pistol down, I moved carefully inside. The smell of sulfur was heavy in the darkness and I could hear the rhythmic thrum of machinery. Tasting the air, I could detect the scent of Vampires, various Demons, Werewolves, and something more that I couldn't quite identify. Wrapping my fingers around my necklace, I snapped the amulet off and quickly deposited it in my pocket, as the glow would easily give me away. Glancing back, I saw that Karl was sticking close to my heels, his beady eyes scanning the darkness warily.
The loading dock was roughly rectangular. Stretching off for some distance into the warehouse, boxes and crates were piled high to the ceiling. I could see an exit on the right wall, and an open arch to the rear. The amulet, still feeding me directions through a magical link, was pulling me toward the back. Weaving through the maze of boxes, I heard a couple of rats scamper into the darkness, their claws scraping against the smooth concrete floor. My pulse—if I had one—would probably be racing at this point. Making me feel a bit better, I could hear Karl's tiny heart hammering in his chest. Reaching the back of the loading dock, I spun and pressed my back to the unfinished wall. I could clearly hear voices beyond the doorway, but couldn't make out how many or what they were saying. I caught their scent on