Hero´s Manual: Chapter 15

[bending_sickle]

Chapter 15: Clothing Interlude

Quasi stared at the closed kitchen door through which the genie had been dragged moments earlier. Damn it, he thought, I’ll never get that slime off. The purple stains like anything. He looked about the kitchen for a rag and, wrapping it carefully about his hand, opened the door and walked down the hall, tiptoeing around puddles of slime.

“Master?” Quasi opened the door to Vicky’s bedroom. “Are you awake?”

The pile of blankets on the bed shifted and a hand reached out. It groped about then found the bedside table and managed to turn the lamp on. The blankets shuddered again as Vicky emerged from under them.

“Did you change your mind?” he said groggily.

Quasi grit his teeth for a moment then turned to the closet. “No, master,” he said as he looked through the closet for some suitable clothes.

“What is it then?”

“I think the Hero and Damsel have escaped,” said Quasi. “Do you ever wear this suit?”

Vicky sat up on the bed and squinted. “No, I hate that suit, it’s itchy. What do you mean escaped?”

“Here, wear this one.” Quasi picked out another suit and walked towards the bed. “I was accosted by a genie in the kitchen,” he began.

“Genie?” said Vicky as he pulled his pyjama shirt over his head.

“Yes,” said Quasi as he handed Vicky a shirt, “it finally turned up. Must’ve been in the dungeon all this time.” Vicky clucked his tongue at that. “The creature was begging me for tea and going on about carpets—”

“Did you make some?” said Vicky, standing up and pulling on his pants.

Quasi just sighed. “Here, put the vest on first,” he said, holding it out. “Anyway, he was going on about carpets and frogs – he seemed very angry – when he got pulled out through the hall.”

“Just like that?” said Vicky as he finished buttoning the vest.

“I figure he’d reached the end of his lamp-line. Genies can only be so far from their lamp, you know. Oh, look, you’ve done them up all wrong.” Quasi lay the jacket over a chair and helped Vicky with the buttons. “I followed its glow-trail,” continued Quasi, “before coming up here. It led down to the dungeon, as I’ve said. A window was open.” Quasi helped Vicky with the jacket. “Those two probably flew out on the carpet and took the genie’s lamp with them.”

“The carpet I told you to find?” Vicky sat and put his shoes on.

“Yes, master, but as I told you before, you bought very many carpets.”

“Right then,” said Vicky as the two made their way to the door. “Have you saddled Clyde yet?”

“He’s waiting at the gates, master.”

“Bright lad. Let’s chase after them, shall we? Before the slime looses its glow.”