“Take that!” screamed Alfie as he gathered up the slugs and tossed them into the bucket. Once the slugs were in the bucket Alfie said, “There we are Mr. Rupert all gone!” standing with his hands on his hips wiping the slug slime on his shorts. “Bye!” Alfie said before he sprinted home, hopping across the bridge suspended above a ravine to the large stump he called home. He tipped his bag out, looking for his pay. While he was tipping it out, there was a light knock on his door. It was Chives’ his eyes down, staring at his feet, “What’s up?!” said Alfie, startling Chives, “Are you ready for the lantern festival?” Alfie had forgotten about it. He panicked in his head. He responded with an abrupt “Yep.” and slammed the door.

After he shut the door, he ran around searching for everything he required, “Gotta grab everything!” Alfie repeated to himself. After a brief recount, he had everything except his lantern and fireflies, “Dang! I’m all out of fireflies.” He thought to himself. He snatched his net and ran outside, slapping Ms. Rupert in the face, “Alfie! I was going to give you your payment.” Said Ms. Rupert, rubbing his nose, Alfie took the three dollars and went to the bookstore. He was saving up for a recent novel, ‘Missions Of The Underground.’ When he arrived, he tossed his money to the store owner and hurried home to read. He wrapped himself in a blanket and flicked on his reading light. While he was reading, the time struck 8pm. He had set an alarm for this time and with the loud clanging his clock made his home shake. With his furniture strewn about, he fixed up his house, picked up his bag and raced to town.

With lanterns floating in the air, jazz music and bright colours flooded out the town square, Alfie noticed his lack of colour and light, “The fireflies!” He shrieked, he whipped out his net and ran to the swamp. He flung his body about, catching fireflies. Alfie was not the best at it, he got the job done. He had captured seven, he needed two more, and hovering above the bridge was the largest firefly he had ever seen. He vaulted himself across to it. He missed the firefly and threw himself into the gaping mouth of the abyss...

Alfie fell for ages, his limbs tumbling over one another, banging against the rocks jutting out from the walls. After he landed, he lay there in the dark unconscious. As he woke, he felt someone watching him and shrugged it off. After deciding he has regained his strength, he clambered up a wall, finding small crevices to place his foot in. He bumped rock above and can’t; he climbs back down and wanders around. He remembers he has his bag; looking for a light, and grabs out a firefly jar, shaking it until the fireflies wake up and emit a gloomy green glow. With his surroundings lit up he ventures forward with courage, walking through the caves he pulls himself back as he almost stepped into a large hole.

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After he calms himself down at the thought of dying, he feels a light breeze on his shoulder. The breeze smells of smoke and death, realising it was not the breeze he freezes. Looking over his shoulder, he gets a glimpse of beady yellow eyes and runs around the hole. The quick movement startles the creature, screeching and hissing it barrels towards Alfie. It thrashes itself against the wall, stalactites fall from above. Stepping to the side, the beast barrels past Alfie. He sneaks towards a crack in the walls. He steps on rubble; it clatters under his foot. Alerting the beast it slithers towards Alfie, towering above Alfie it slaps him to his knees. Alfie crawls into a hole in the wall, hiding from the beast, as he waits for it to leave. After the beast has left, Alfie hops out of his hole and continues to walk through the cave, getting tired as he sits down to regain his strength. With the green glow Alfie hears heavy footsteps behind him, “What are you doing in my cavern!?” exclaims a deep voice, Alfie petrified after his previous encounter sits quietly, “Spit it out, chum!” Alfie feeling less threatened turns to the voice. To his surprise, it was a pudgy rat with a makeshift crown. “I fell down here.” explains Alfie, confused the rat asks, “You fell down? There’s stuff above us?!” Alfie nods at the rat. The rat shares his name ‘The Rat King.’ and hands Alfie a dagger after seeing the marks on his body, thanking the Rat King as he continues his journey.

With his dagger at the ready, Alfie continued forward with caution in his step, reaching a bridge like the one back home, he rested on a bench nearby, realising what he sat on his heart filled with joy, he knew that meant civilisation was nearby, after resting he heard a familiar hissing and ran across the long, rickety bridge the beast following behind, the weight was too much for the old bridge. With the bridge creaking, Alfie leapt to the end…