The sun was blaring as Barry and I trudged through the destroyed city. A goblin follows closely behind us, a blanket hanging around his shoulders and over his head like a cloak.
Barry is the man I woke up chained to. We barely had enough time to properly introduce ourselves before they brought us out for the first day of work.
Any time I tried to talk to him I got whipped on the back with a wooden pole. I nearly crumpled to the ground after the first one, and quickly learned to not speak unless spoken to. Even then it was best to be choice with your words.
We led the goblin through the city, or more accurately Barry did. I didn't know the area to well, but luckily he had been frequenting this part of the city for a while. First request was a 'food place'.
Barry expertly leads us through the streets to what he stated was a convenience store. We always listening when the goblin says to duck into a nearby alley. Each time some sort of beast from a different mythology would walk past.
I try to keep mental note of them all but, without paper to record it, its completely impossible for me.
Eventually we reach a store called Emily&Kurts Komfurts. Barry and I pry the doors open at the goblins command.
The electricity seems to be shut off since no alarms sound, even as we step through into the store. The goblin points at the cart corral.
"Grab, fill with food. I wait here. Better haul better treatment. Or, more fun if run."
At this last statement, he pulls a portion of his blade out, grinning at us smugly. We both silently nod and each grab a cart. He almost looks disappointed as we meekly walk to the first aisle.
As we start filling the carts with packaged cookies and candy bars, I quietly ask Barry the question that's been bugging me since we left the subway.
"You said you saw a dragon? What color was it? What happened after?"
He shudders, but still looks like he's thinking about telling me.
"Tell me what happened with the phoenix first. Maybe it'll help me feel like you'll believe me."
So I tell him everything in a hushed tone, from when the phoenix screeched and started burning, up to the point when I meet Gobkun. He nods and cuts me off there.
"I can understand where you're coming from there. A gryfon just saved you, so why not this green creature that doesn't seem all to threatening at first?"
"Right? There were a couple red flags and inconsistency's, but he seemed to actually want to help me."
Barry looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
"Do you really think that? Hmm, I'd like to see if this story changes your mind."
He leads me to the back wall where the freezers are, which still seem to be cold since none of the doors were open. Maybe the electricity hadn't been out over here for as long as I thought it had been.
As we layer microwave meals and other frozen goods, Barry begins his tale in a hushed tone.
"I was on my way to do some maintenance on a McBonnards electric grid. The traffic was bad, as usual, but the cars in front of me had just started moving. There was wave of honking, then a huge bang. The sound of something landing and crushing a building, and the ground shook from the impact."
He glances at the goblin standing by the front door, then continued collecting food as he continued talking about the experience.
"I stepped out of my car to see what it was, and a roar louder than anything I've ever heard came from the same direction as the crash site. I couldn't believe my eyes when a black and red dragon jump into the sky and started flying! I can remember how bad I was shaking as it fly in my direction, and the relief I felt as it flew past me.
"Until it started spewing its fire. Flames flooded the streets. The screams and sound of metal burning, I don't think I'll ever forget them. There was also a smell, but I didn't pay attention for long. From the molten street, fire monsters and rock things clawed and ripped and flooded out. They started attacking people. Killing and eating them."
His voice dies away, face becoming ghost white sweaty. I give him some time as we quietly finish the freezers and move onto the coolers.
We have enough room left for the milk and a couple other things that will spoiil soon. Barry's voice chokes out as we start working again.
"As the sky turned red, I turned and ran. What good would my car have done? Somehow I got a few blocks away before I turned into an alley. The goblin that's escorting us today was waiting behind a dumpster, hit me on the back of the head, and you know the rest."
The rest of the time we're in the store we remain silent. There's a lot for me to think about and a lot for Barry to stop thinking on.
As we approach finish up the coolers and take the house back to the goblin, he looks at us with narrow eyes.
"Why he so pale?"
I frown, give Barry a look up and down, then shrug.
"I don't know, must be first day jitters or something."