Just as I had finished sweeping my room, Creakley came in bearing a tray of food. while he was setting it on the ground, Phil entered and stood regarding me with a look of curiosity and somewhat irritation. He stood thus until Creakley left, then advancing a step nearer to me he spoke.
"Mr. Newston, I suppose you are wondering why you were brought here."
"Yes sir."
"You may also be wondering what a group of Pamonions are doing in Meltolot."
"Yes sir."
"You might also want to know why we are holding Lan Leaffy here as well." I had no idea that Lan was there, but I made no illusion to the fact, instead I said, "Yes sir."
"Well," continued Phil, "I, er, we, have questions for you as well."
"I am as a locked safe, a barred door, and a closed, closed... clam!"
"Oh, well, you may keep your silence, we have other means of knowledge... That is if you want your friend to be melted in the great mixing pots of PAM!" I at this point knew that Coale wouldn't let himself be captured again, but I decided to play along with Phil.
"Have you got Coale? I had thought he escaped!"
"It was just off the bridge, and into the hands of Pam for him, and if you don't tell me what I want, it'll be out of the prison and into the melting pot!" I now feigned reluctant submission as I said, "Well, what exactly do you want to know?"
"What was Leaffy's mission?"
"I can't say."
"Remember, Melting POT!!!"
"Poor Coale, hopefully he has better luck in the after life." I could see Phil's temper rising so I egged him on, "Go ask Lan, maybe he knows, it was his mission after all." This remark was perhaps a little to much, for, instead of drawing more information from Phil, it threw him into a rage, and, picking up the bowl of watery soup that Creakley had brought, he threw it, contents and all at my head. It was lucky Phil's aim wasn't very good, because I know I wouldn't have been able to doge it. The bowl crashed against the exact middle of the tree, which emitted a remarkably strange sound. I did not pay attention to it though, instead I looked Phil in the face, and told him that he was a remarkably good shot. He turned and left, shaking his fist menacingly.
*** *** ***
Immediately after Phil had gone I went to inspect the tree more closely than I had done previously. I picked up the largest piece of the shattered bowl and tapped at the spot it had marked with an impressive dent. The sound reverberated through the the huge tree, "almost as if it is hollow" I thought. Finding that the hollow sound occurred only in a place of about two feet in diameter, I sat down to think. If the tree was really hollow, it might pose an option of escape, but without any sharp instrument to hack or saw my way through the thick bark to the hollow inside, the way would prove useless, also, as soon as my escape had been noticed, my perfect ignorance of the surrounding country would be an immense hindrance to my getting away.
My thoughts turned back to Lan Leaffy, he was the spy I was commissioned to find, so technically, could I escape, I could return to Calfmur and report to the King my find... But no, I must stay and see this business to its completion. No one who ran from Pam would be a true citizen of Meltolot. At least Coale was on my side, if only I could get some communication to him as to my whereabouts.
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