Chapter 10: Follow the Yellow Dragon Scale Path

Bob looked out passed the grass fields that surounded the town wall, the houses and the fences of the farms, to the forest that waited them in the horizon. The sun blazed high in the sky.

  He looked ahead to see Jazz in the lead. Jazz was whistling a tune while stomping through the tall, wild grass. He was the one who knew the way to the great teacher that the four of them hoped would teach them something about the door that the wizard had asked them to fetch.

  This thought lead Bob's brain to wander. Wasn't this mission to discover the mysery of the sandwiches. Why are we looking for a door?

  But that thought disolved as thoughts that pass through one's mind often do, and now Bob was looking behind him. Lefty walked behind him, smiling, looking at the puppet on his hand. Maybe he is imagining new insults and violence that made his shows popular. Why do people like that? Why do people like such hurt and pain? There is so much to this world I just can't explain.

  Mute Mike held a stick. He was hitting Lefty on the cheek. Lefty screamed out, "Stop that Mike! That hurts! I am not the bad boy. You are!"

  Juan was laughing. Soon, he was laughing so hard, tears began to appear in his eyes. "You the best, Lefty! That is the funniest thing I've seen in years!"

  Bob thought, why? Then, he thought say what?

  A flash of gold appeared in the sky.

  Jazz cried out, "Whoa!"

  Soon gold scales started falling from the sky. Each scale seemed to fall into place, each fitting perfectly next to each other, as if they were placed "brick by brick" until a perfect shining gold road extended into the horizon to the woods.

  Lefty moved pass Bob. Bob could see his head shaking back and forth. "I just dont believe it."

  "Is that what I think it is," said Juan.

  "Yeah," said Lefty, "it is another pathway of gold dragon scales."

  "This is SO weird!" said Bob.

  "Yeah," said Jazz, now shaking his head, "why does this keep happening to us?"

  "I don't know," said Lefty, "but I think it is important to figure it out."

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  "Yeah," said Jazz, "it seems to be the case, isn't it?"

  "Is someone trying to lead us somewhere?" asked Juan.

  Jazz had his hands on his hips and shaking his head as he stared at the gold scales. "But it is the path we want to take. I don't think he..."

  "Or she -" said Bob

  "Or it," said Jazz, "is trying to lead us somewhere. It is more like helping us get where we need to go."

  Bob found himself staring at the gold scales. He could feel the heat that seemed to eminate from them as if they were buring coals. His eyes gazed at the pulsating motions as the scales seemed to squirm against each other. The whole pathway seemed to move.

  Juan walked up to Bob. "You know you aren't supposed to touch it."

  "I remember," said Bob, "don't worry. I get it. But, thanks for your concern."

  "Concern?" said Juan. His eyes now large. His face now flushed. "I ain't concerned about no man. I just know we need each other if we are going to survive out here."

  Bob's face fell.

  Jazz stepped between them. "Regardless, we have to be careful - everyone! We have to follow the gold scales, as it is the pathway to the teacher. Just keep your distance. Don't forget what happened to those Orcs that we pushed into it."

  "They went up in smoke," laughed Lefty with a big smile on his face.

  "They sure did!" exclaimed Juan.

  Bob looked down and shook his head.

  "What's up with you, Bob?" asked Lefty. "You look tough. Your huge. I wish I had that kind of body...that muscle. Why do you care about a bunch of stupid Orcs? You know they wouldn't think twice about killing you."

  "You know, Lefty, I don't know. I used to be tough. Nothing ever bothered me. I was a soldier. I've killed Orcs. I've even killed humans. Then, I went on this mission. I saw my friends die because of a sandwhich. I just can't..."

  "Oh," said Lefty, "maybe Mute Mike can help you."

  "...I just can't," said Bob lookng at the ground. "Yeah?" Bob stretched out his body, towering over Lefty. Then, he bent down and looked at the puppet. "Do you think you can help me? "Do you have some wise words for me?"

  Mute Mike's mouth opened and closed.

  Jazz shook his head.

  "What did he say?" asked Bob.

  And like that, Mute Mike formed himself into a fist and punched Bob in the nose again. A slight bit of blood started to pool and crust over under Bob's left nostril.

  "Criminey," said Bob.

  "He said get over it you wuss. Life sucks. You don't think my life was hard? You don't see me crying. But, I'll tell you one thing..."

  Bob was tilting his head back and now applying direct pressure with a rag to his nose.

  "If I ever get a boon from the wizard or make some money, I am going to step out of the shadows and become a legitimate businessman. Dwarf cologne here I come! And, I don't care how many Orcs I have to kill. That is the difference between you and me. I ain't big. I ain't got no advantages like that. But, I will never stop fighting! I ain't ever going to stop trying!"

  Bob held the now blood soaked rag to his nose while he talked. "You don't think I want to fight? Sometimes it is not so simple. And, I really do question why we have such antipathy toward Orcs. Seriously, there are so many things we should fight over but do we really need an economy based on killing Orcs?"

  "Bob, I don't care what the economy is based on. I would kill anyone. I got a chip on my shoulder, you see, and no one is going to knock it off. No Orc. Not you. You hear!"

  Jazz again stood between Bob and Lefty. "Comeon everyone. We've still got a long way to go. Come on and follow the yellow dragon scale path to the teacher. "