Chapter three of my new book

Chapter three

I forgot to tell you, but I have a dog named MilkChip. She’s an Arctic Wolf with solid white fur and light violet eyes. She’s as big as I am, and twice as sweet, though she can’t talk like some animals in our universe. She is my second best friend, and when I woke up this morning she was sleeping beside me in bed, slowly nudging me further and further to the edge of the bed so she could have the middle. I gave her a quick shove to push her back onto her side, but she was too heavy for my weak arms to move. She just lifted her head and gave me a confused look, then lifted my nose, leaving saliva in my nostrils.

“Ewww! Stop that!” I shouted and leaned back away from her tongue, which was a mistake because I fell off the bed and hit the floor with a thud. MilkChip crawled to the edge of the bed and looked down at me with her head sideways and her ears straight up, almost like she wanted to laugh at me. “Fine, have the bed, I’m awake now anyway.”

I slowly dressed up in a light pink shirt and brown trousers. The pink shirt was MilkChip’s idea. She dragged it out of my closet and held it up to me, leaving a mouthful of slobber on the right arm sleeve. “Pink? Really?” I asked skeptically. MilkChip gave an enthusiastic nod and what appeared to be a smile. “Alright, whatever you say.” I put on the shirt, and of course the arms were too long again so I rolled them up to my elbows. Most of my clothes were from other children in Craz-Tow and some are even my Dads from when he was young, so most don’t fit me.

MilkChip gave a pleased bark and then headed into the kitchen. I followed once I pulled on my sandals. Mom and Dad were both sitting down at the table eating eggs and toast with a glass of Ule milk. Mom was sitting on an extra tall chair so she could see over the table that had to be big enough for Dad.

“Morning son, how did you sleep?” My Dad asked as he finished his cup of milk.

“Morning Dad, I slept well.” I said and sat down in front of a plate full of eggs and two pieces of toast. MilkChip sat beside me. She was almost tall enough to see over the table. I held out one of the pieces of toast to her and she devoured it.

“Eat up. You had a long day yesterday.” My Mom said gesturing to my food.

“He had a long night too, and with that pretty Elf Sarah.” My Dad said with a smile and then nudged me with his elbow. My Dad had the weird notion that Sarah and I were the perfect match for each other. He thought that we spent all of our time together kissing and talking about our feelings for each other, instead of what we actually did which is just have fun and be kids.

“Dad!” I said disgusted. “I’ve told you a million times; Sarah and I are just friends!”

“Alright, whatever you say.” Dad said with a wink. “Well, I have to go. I have a long day ahead of me.” He said and gave my Mom a quick kiss on the cheek. “Have a good day Damian.” He said and gave MilkChip a pat on her head before heading out the front door.

I quickly ate down all of my eggs and toast, and then drank my milk. Mom gave MilkChip a bowl of food and then began working on the dishes. “What do you have planned for today honey?” She asked.

“Nothing, why?” I asked.

“Well, I could use some things from the store. You could get them for me if you want.” She asked.

“Yeah sure, why not.”

“Oh good, the list of things I need and some onyx sleets are on the counter. Hurry back.” I picked up the list and scanned over it. It was full of pretty basic house items for my Mom like soaps and cleaners and some fruits and vegetables, and then there were some items for my Dad like hardened Ule leather and heat resistance leather gloves. Items he used for his job, and couldn’t go without.

I slid the list in my pocket and then grabbed a small leather sack of onyx sleets. Onyx sleets are our form of money. There thin stone grey pieces of shiny rock from the Clarafade Mountain. My Dad earns about thirty onyx sleets a week, which is pretty good in Craz-Tow.

“Alright, I’ll be back soon.” I said and whistled to MilkChip to follow me outside. It was another beautiful day in Craz-Tow, and MilkChip and I were feeling good. The Floppy Flat market wasn’t far. I always enjoyed shopping there. The Floppy Flat is run by Sherri Gutto, who is an Elemental. An Elemental is basically a human covered in brown bark and the occasional patch of green moss. Instead of hair she has leaves on her head and her eyes are golden. She looks like a tree.

When MilkChip and I arrived at the Floppy Flat market, there were four of five people walking around taking things off the shelves. Sherri greeted us as with a friendly smile and a doggy treat for MilkChip.

“Welcome to the Floppy Flat market Damian and MilkChip.” She said with another smile. “What are you looking for today?”

“Just some stuff for my Mom and Dad.” I said.

“Oh, well if you need any help just ask.” I nodded and started my hunt through the store with MilkChip. I started with the food on the list, Quak, Troppy, and Potatoes. Yeah, we have potatoes too. Once I scratched off all of the food on the list I moved on to the cleaners my Mom needed. Just simple things like brushes and bath soap. O, and a perfume my Mom likes to wear when my Dad takes her out on dates. It smells like warm apple pie, my Dad loves it! After twenty minutes of shopping there were only two items left on the list, my Dads hardened leather and gloves. I found them at the back of the store and piled them up in my arms with everything else.

“Did you find everything that you needed?” Sherri asked as I approached the checkout counter.

“Yes I did. I’ll take all of this.” I replied and piled everything onto the counter. SQUEAK! MilkChip jumped her two front legs up onto the counter and dropped a drool covered squeak toy next to everything else. “And that toy.” I said patting MilkChip on the head.

Sherri scanned over all of the items, and then piled them into a large paper bag. “That will be sixteen onyx sleets Damian.” I opened the leather sack and counted out sixteen sleets and handed them over. “Thank you Damian. You business is much appreciated.” Sherri said with a smile and handed over the bag.

MilkChip immediately started barking, she wanted her toy. I reached into the bag and shuffled through the items and pulled out her squeak toy. Her tail wagged excitedly. For the next five minutes, all I heard was SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK! The toy was completely covered in drool.

Everyone in town was out and doing their usual routines all except one. It was someone I had never seen before, someone new. He was huge! He had to be at least nine feet tall, and three feet wide. He was wearing evil looking black armor and a black helmet over his head. The armor had spikes and odd symbols and weird lines all through it. On his back, there was a big broad sword in a leather sheath. It looked very dangerous, and he looked pretty much as evil as it comes.

No one seemed to notice the man, they were all too busy to stop and say hello. So MilkChip and I walked over to greet him. “Hi, I’m Damian and this is MilkChip. I’m guessing you’re new around here, right?” The man silently looked at me and MilkChip. “What’s your name?” He didn’t answer. “You do have a name, don’t you?” He still didn’t answer. He just continued to stare at me. “Alright, well, I’ll just call you Bob. I think it suites you.”

Bob looked around, like he was confused and in a dream he couldn’t wake up and get out of. “I know this is all a little confusing, but you’ve just been sucked up out of your universe and brought here to ours. You can never go back to where you’re from, but you can live here with us. This is our town, Craz-Tow. If you want, I can bring you to Mead, he’ll give you a room to stay in and some food until you get a job and can support yourself.” Bob looked at me with a sideways head, like he couldn’t understand a word of what I had just said, or he thought I was some crazy boy his dream had conjured up to annoy him.

“Well…” I said once I was sure he wasn’t going to respond. “Just follow me. I have to drop off this stuff at my house, but my house is on the way to the Fourth Leg.” MilkChip squeaked her toy a few times before turning and following me to the house. At first Bob didn’t move. He looked at me confused, then at all of the strange things around him. I think he decided he would take his chances with me over the Goblins, Ogres, and Garroth, who were all starring at him now.

Bob ran to my side and seemed rather nervous for a person of his size and strength. He could easily take down anyone in Craz-Tow. Well all except for Garroth, but even he would have some trouble with Bob, especially with the sword he carried around. MilkChip seemed to like him though. She repeatedly tried to get him to take her toy and throw it. She would squeak it three or four times and then drop it in front of him. Bob always walked right past it though, so I picked it up and threw it for her.

When we arrived back at my house, my Mom was sitting at the kitchen table knitting a scarf. It was three colors, red, green, and blue. She mixed the colors in strips and circles. She was just finishing it when we arrived.

“Hey Mom I’m back, and I got all of the things on the list.” I said and placed the bag onto the table. MilkChip jumped up and let her toy roll out of her mouth and onto the table.

“And some things that weren’t on the list I see.” My Mom said with a laugh and picked up MilkChip’s drool covered toy and threw it. MilkChip chased after it. “And who is this?” She asked as Bob stepped into the kitchen. He had to hunch down and in order to fit through the doorway, which was odd to see because the doorway had been built to fit my Dad, who was one of the largest people in town.

“This is Bob, he’s new here. I’m bringing him to Mead, but I thought I would stop here first.”

“Oh, Well it’s nice to meat you Bob. I’m sorry you were taken from your universe, but I hope you come to like it here. Craz-Tow is a really nice place.” My Mom sat up from the table and handed him her scarf. “Here, take this. I want you to have it.” Bob looked at the scarf puzzled, like he was unsure of what to do. “Here, let me.” My Mom grabbed his hand and pulled him until he knelt down on one knee. He still towered over her by three feet, so I gave her a chair to stand on. She was just barely tall enough with the chair to be able to wrap the scarf around his neck.

“There, it looks great.” She said with a smile. “Do you like it?”

“He’s not much of a talker Mom. Actually, he hasn’t said a word since I met him.” I said and helped her down from the chair. Bob looked at the scarf in astonishment. He wasn’t sure what to do, but he kind of liked it.

“Oh, well that is to be expected. He’ll come around to it in his own time.” She said. “Well, have a nice day. Don’t worry, Mead is a wonderful person. You’ll like him.” She started unpacking the bag and putting things in drawers and shelves around the kitchen.

“Alright Mom, I’ll be back later.” I said looking at Bob. He wasn’t looking as fierce with the scarf around his neck.

“Okay honey, you have fun.” MilkChip came running to my side as we left the house, still chewing on her squeak toy. Bob was starring at the scarf, running into things as he did. He still seemed fixated on the scarf, like it was the only thing anyone had ever given him, or the first scarf he had ever seen.

When we arrived at the Fourth Leg, Mead was standing behind the counter filling up a mug with cool Sweet Goo, and his wife Heely was sweeping the floor. Mead looked at me as he handed the mug to someone sitting by the counter.

“Welcome Damian! MilkChip! And the newcomer!” Mead’s voice was deep and almost always loud. “Who is this Damian?” He as he studied Bob, not sure what to make of him.

“This is Bob. It’s his first day here.” I said sitting down on a stool by the counter. MilkChip jumped up on the stool beside me and dropped her toy on the counter. Bob stood in the doorway, studying the people in the room.

“Well, you’re an odd fellow, but all are welcome here at the Fourth Leg. All except Wood Nikks! Darned things ate straight through my floor. I’m still fixing the hole.” Mead grabbed two mugs and a bowl and filled them up with Sweet Goo. He handed me one and placed the bowl in front of MilkChip. Mead held out the second mug out to Bob, who slowly stepped into the room. Bob starred at the Sweet Goo and grabbed the mug. He brought the mug to his helmet like he was smelling it, then he poured it through slits over his mouth. He seemed to like it.

“So you have a room for him?” I asked taking large gulps of Sweet Goo.

“Of course I do, he can stay as long as he needs.” Mead said with a smile.

“Who is this honey?” Heely asked.

“His name is Bob, he’ll be staying here with us for a little while.” Mead said while whipping down the counter.

“Well isn’t that nice. I’m Heely. It’s nice to meet you.” Heely’s voice was soft and sweet.

“He’s not much of a talker.” I said.

“Well that’s fine. I’ll show him to his room.” Heely grabbed his hand and began walking him away.

“Bye Bob, I’ll see you around.” Bob turned and gave a small wave before disappearing out of sight. “Well Mead, I’ll see you around too.”

“You have a good day now.”

MilkChip grabbed her toy off the counter, jumped down off the stool and followed me outside.