I was eager to leave, and not just because I was cold and starving, but to get far from the courtyard and its nauseating stench.

From atop the wall I scanned the path I would be taking southward. Shadows lurked in the brown water creating ripples. Birds hopped from island to island without a care. Tall reeds shook, and went still. My hearing had improved dramatically because of how much bigger my ears were. Much like a cat, I could move them about like tiny satellite dishes to hone in any particular direction.

It looked, smelled, and sounded clear, but what other creatures could be lurking in those waters? Piranhas? Flesh eating plants? Train-sized serpents? I needed to hurry and get to the village before it turned cold and dark. Who knows what other nasty creatures would turn up?

Down on the ground, I collected baseball sized rocks, and filled my pockets. If I had to fight, I wouldn’t go down easy. That’s when I noticed a golden key on a cord around my neck. It looked particularly ornate, and old fashioned. With nothing in sight that the key could be used on, I decided to ignore it for the time being.

I set out south over soggy ground, but sneaky-like, cautious steps, scanning and listening, sniffing the air. I didn’t want to end up as a snack to a giant turtle, or whatever else lurked in these dark waters.

I didn’t make it far before the mermen caught sight of me. They came out of the water from behind. I turned and looked them directly in their wobbly eyes. The bastards froze, glanced from side to side as if trying to muster up the courage. None was found. I took out a single rock, and one by one they slipped right back between the reeds.

“Yeah, that’s right, get back in the water,” I told them.

Maybe I should have taken the opportunity to kill them for more experience, but didn’t want to attract the attention of the giant turtles by creating another buffet.

Once they ran off, I moved from ruins to ruins, zigzagging south. I’d stop and look for anything I could use inside the ruins, but it was nothing but rocks, rubble and snakes. None got close enough to bite me, but I had to veer around more than a few to get by.

I sloshed through knee deep water, peeled off leeches from my legs, swatted mosquitoes away. My large, clawed feet left footprints in the mud of an animal I wouldn’t want to mess with. Trekking through a swamp was tiresome, and I was getting thirsty. To make matters worse, fresh water was within easy reach, except it had to be filled with bacteria, and I would need to boil it first.

At least the smoke was getting closer. Another turn in the path and something other than rotting tree trunks, reeds and water came into view. I could see walls! The sight put a kick in my step.

Finally free of the wretched swamp, I stepped onto solid ground. The signs of early spring surrounded me. I followed a southern-bound road, cutting through empty fields prepared for planting.

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A worry nagged at me. What sort of people were in this village, and how are they going to react to seeing me, a monster?

Unfortunately, I had little choice in the matter. Though not yet freezing, with the sun dipping below the horizon, the looming threat of dying to the cold or encountering nastier creatures in the dark forced me to press on. As a fireman, I was taught how to put out fires, not start them. I vaguely recalled that it had something to do with a bow, or maybe lots of rubbing - I’d freeze to death before I could figure it out.

Past the barren fields, I walked up to an open palisade gate made out of weathered timbers. I couldn’t see or smell anyone nearby, and especially any guards. So, I peeked inside to look around, and saw a quaint village full of rustic charm.

Huts of wood and stone lined both sides of the muddy road that cut through the village all the way to the lake where nets were hung up for repair, and overturned boats laid on the shore. A chapel’s spire reached high over the huts.

Shops were centered around the village square, with colorful signs hanging over their doors to advertise their wares. The clanging sound of a hammer melded with barnyard sounds of chickens, geese and the occasional bleat of a goat.

Yet, nobody was in sight.

Where the hell was everyone, and why was the gate left open? Maybe they didn’t close it until it was night time? Smoke trailed up out the chimneys, which meant someone was here after all.

I stepped inside and waited. Nobody noticed me, though I wasn’t trying to hide, but quite the opposite. I was ready to bolt at any moment, and it was better to do that from the outskirts than right smack in the middle.

I waited, and waited some more, but nobody appeared. The aroma of freshly baked bread and roasting meat wafted from down the road. Starving, I was ready to kill and die for a bowl of food. How the hell was I so hungry?

I couldn’t wait any longer. I started walking down the middle of the dirt road, but just in case, I held a rock in each hand, and was ready to drop a steel trap and run for it at the first sign of trouble.

No trouble came. I managed to make it all the way to the village square and stopped before the ‘Roaring Hearth Inn.’ The exterior, weathered by countless seasons, exuded an inviting warmth despite its rustic appearance. The scent of burning hearthwood lingered in the air, intermingled with the fragrant aroma of roasting meats and baked bread. Laughter, cheers, hoots, murmur of patrons and the clink of tankards spilled out into the evening air, accompanied by the merry tunes of a lute.

The sun was dipping below the forest to the west, taking the last of its warmth and light with it. Goosebumps covered my skin as the cold wind gusted down the road. I could hardly feel my feet, sunk as they were in the cold mud.

I was as good as dead if I tried going back the way I came. Maybe I could talk my way out of the pitchfork and torches treatment? A warm prison was better than death. If anything, I could sell the golden key to buy food. I put it in the pocket of my pants to hide it out of sight only to discover there was something else in there. A single gold coin. I was thrilled about that, if only I could make use of it.

This was it.

I readied myself. I checked my surroundings and the escape path once more. If this wasn’t going to work, I didn’t know what I’d do. Die in the forest? I didn’t like my options.

Rocks in hand, I opened the door and walked through.