; Dungeon of Dread - Page 27
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'"Help Caric! Help! Ouch! Ow! Ooh!" cries the halfling. "They're
$biting me!"
'Kicking your way through the nasty, snicking creatures, you reach
$the weeping halfling's side. Throwing him over your shoulder, you
$quickly dash down the side corridor.
'After escaping the ants, you set Laurus on his feet and ask,
$"Halfling, are you injured?"
'"Oh, I'm fine," Laurus mutters, wiping his eyes with the back of his
$hand.
'"I don't like those nasty bugs." he continues, "Maybe they're paying
$me back for all the times I squashed them when I was young."
'"Maybe," you say, "But come now. They aren't following us, and we
$must go on."
'"You know, Caric," he says, "You don't really need me. Maybe I
$should just leave. I don't like all these creatures and bugs and I'm
$not much help. Wouldn't you be better off without me? You could move
$much faster without me."
'You turn and look down at the halfling, who chews on a piece of
$beard vervously and avoids your eyes.
'"If you really want to leave, Laurus, I won't stop you. I'll be
$disappointed, though. I thought you were a companion I could count on.
$Was I wrong? Have you run from danger so often that you can't do
$anything else? I won't force you to do anything. If it is not your
$choice to accompany me, you are free to go, but I shall miss you."
'"It's not that I want to leave," Laurus says uncertainly. "It's
$just that I'm so scared and I don't like all those bugs chewing on me.
$You're so big. think how I felt down there almost looking eyeball to
$eyeball with them, and watching them lick their nasty chops over me.
$It was scary! It's like staring at a giant! you can see that, can't
$you?"
'"Yes, I guess I can," you say, "I'm sorry if I spoke harshly, but I
$need to know that I can depend on you. we're partners now, and a
$partnership has to be built on trust and respect."
'Laurus sighs deeply and says, "You can depend on me. I'm not going
$anywhere except where we both decide to go. I'll still be scared, mind
$you. But nobody has needed or wanted me before. I've never been
$anybody's partner before. As long as you need me, I'll stay. but I
$don't like bugs!"
'Your laughter breaks the heavy mood. "All right Laurus, I promise
$I'll never ask you to like a bug. Now! Let's be on our way."
'You clap the halfling on the shoulder and turn your attention to the
$new tunnel. You feel your way along in the darkness until at last you
$see a light glimmering in the distance. Cautiously, the two of you
$move toward it.
'As you near the lighted room you hear drip, plop, splat - sounds of
$slowly dripping water.
'You move slowly, even though your every wish is to leave the dark,
$scary corridor behind you. Your fingers encounter the opening of
$another corridor. Dim light filters down this corridor. Although you
$would like to know more about this dimly lit corridor, you decide to
$explore it later.
'Moving carefully ahead to the opening of the room, you peek around
$the edge of the doorway. What you see is so amazing you wonder if you
$have lost your senses!
'In the torchlight, you see a gigantic toad sitting on a rock in the
$middle of a stream. It is large enough to swallow a man in a single
$gulp, and it is obvious it has done so in the past. Many bones, both
$large and small, lie scattered on the sand on eigher side of the
$stream.
'You have never seen a giant toad before, but you have heard of them.
$this toad wears the tattered remains of a beautiful purple cloak draped
$over its back.
'"Crickets!" whispers Laurus. "That frog is big enough to swallow a
$horse."
/1. If you wish to enter the room and fight the toad.
/2. If you decide that a giant toad waring a cloak is
2still a giant toad (and too dangerous to attack),
2you may explore the dimly lit passage.
.ask 2
.file 1,49
.file 2,23
.chain
