Chapter 5: The Path to The Shovel

The cell was lit by two torches. Andrew was seated on what appeared to be a futon. He wondered how Justin had managed to get the futon into the cell in such good shape. Perhaps he had bought it off a prisoner who was leaving. But then how would that prisoner have gotten the futon? Or maybe Justin had reupholstered the seat. It was a quite a conundrum. He would've asked, but Justin was occupied assembling trivial objects on top of the throw rug. It took Justin twice as long because he only had one functioning hand. Andrew didn't want to break his concentration. 

"This stick is the north corridor. This button, is the pit. That spec of blood is the search light that monitors the lenders. You keep going, eventually, the shovel," Justin said, pointing with his stubby, gruesome, nub of an arm at the hole in the ground they called a toilet, "is here." 

Andrew walked to the hole and looked in it for a good, long time. 

"I hate to break it to you, Mr. Weissman, but there is no shovel in this feces hole." 

"The hole represents the stables," Justin said. Justin waited a minute. Andrew didn't get it. "Whatever. Just go that way for a while, get past the pit of terrible curse words, navigate the predatory lenders, and defeat the labradoodles."

"All for a shovel?" Andrew asked. 

Justin's face grew red with fury.

"Did you unlock yourself from the forever hanging wall?! No! I set you free! You owe me, goddamnit!"Justin yelled. Flicks of saliva went on Andrew's face. "ALL I WANT IS ONE SHOVEL!"

Andrew sat up from the futon. Justin had a lot of pent up rage. Perhaps Justin had stolen the futon! Yes. That must be the answer.

"Now get! And don't come back without my shovel!" Justin yelled.

Andrew walked out of the cell and down the corridor. What had Justin said about some kind of pit? And predators? Oh well, Andrew thought to himself. If this is what I must do to see Eliza and recoup my charge-off, then so be it. 

He looked behind him. A drizzle of light still radiated from Justin's torches.  

He took a step forward and the darkness consumed him. There was no turning back.

NEXT TIME ON... MEDIEVAL LENDER: The Pit of Terrible Curse Words!