Miserablown

Chapter 2

Finally, we arrived at a big house that looked like it was about 3 stories high. Alestar dragged me into the house. He made me sit down on a couch in what I supposed was the living room. As I looked around I saw some pictures of random people that were smiling. Probably past rulers. I looked into the fireplace and noticed the flames were not usual. They were not blue or dark orange. They were black. The couch I was sitting on seemed rather normal, but the rocking chair to my left had been rocking by itself ever since he entered the room.

It's probably just electric, I thought, reassuring myself.

Alestar had left, saying he was going to make some soup. He came back holding a bowl of soup and some crackers on a tray. He handed me the tray and sat down on the rocking chair. He reached over the side and grabbed something, causing the chair to stop rocking. When he raised his hand, there was a little hamster in it. He set the pet (which was being used as a source of energy) on the ground, and it scurried away.

"So", he said, "since I want you to be prepared for the first task, I will tell you what it is. It isn't that hard. All you have to do is make at least 10 miserables smile."

That sounded easy enough. I just had to tickle a kid or help someone with their groceries. But Alestar seemed to think differently.

"It's harder than you think it is", he said "Some witch put a curse on them. We'll talk more about her for the second task..."

He gave me a worried look then looked away quickly.

"Anyways, as soon as you're ready, go on out and do the task." Alestar got up and headed towards what I supposed was his room.

A few minutes later, he came back holding a piece of parchment. He sat down on the rocking chair again and handed me the paper.

"It'll help you with your task," he said.

I unrolled it and saw a map. Little dots were moving on it labeled names like 'Miss Rose' or 'Mister Richard'. One dot was labeled 'Champion' right where I was, and another said 'Ruler Alestar' beside me, where Alestar sat.

"Thanks." I said.

He grinned his privileged grin.

"No worries. It will also say whether they have smiled in their lives or not. All of them right now must say they never have."

It was true. Under all the names, in fancy parentheses, were sad or straight faces. Under mine and Alestar's were smiling faces. 'Madame Bardot' was now coming towards Alestar's house.

Alestar, who had been looking over my shoulder, said "Here comes Bardot! Why don't you try to make her smile?"

It was a good idea. There was a knock on the door. I opened it. Bardot was definitely not expecting me to answer.

"Whare's Ales'ar?" she asked. Her voice was slurred.

From inside, Alestar said, "Bardot! Come in! I've found a champion!"

I could tell Bardot wanted to smile, but she just nodded at me and stepped in. She sat down beside Alestar.

" A champion eh?" She asked Alestar as I closed the door.

Alestar nodded. " Yes. The one we've all been waiting for. 27 knowls... only now does he arrive. "

Bardot looked at him. "He arrived? Who?"

Alestar grinned and pointed at me.

"HIM!?" exclaimed Bardot, standing up to see me.

As she took my hand, she did something I didn't expect at all. She smiled. She then let go of my hand and ran to the bathroom.

Next thing I knew, I was smiling and Alestar was laughing because Bardot was screaming from the bathroom, evidently looking at herself smile in the mirror.

"I'm smilin'! I'm smilin'!" She exclaimed, over and over.

It wasn't that hard, then, to make people smile. All I had to do was tell ten miserables that I was their champion. I took my map from the couch and ran outside, waving Alestar goodbye.

It took me about an hour to get 9 other miserables to smile with a lot of help from the map. It was getting late and most of the miserables had gone in. When I finished laughing with the last miserable, I went back to Alestar's house. He had been waiting for me to come back at the door.

"Did you make it?" he asked, when I got close enough to hear him, "did you get 10 miserables to not be so miserable?"

He looked wide awake, but I was very tired.

"Yeah..." I mumbled, handing him the map. "Can I go home now?"

Alestar looked surprised to hear this question.

"Not yet. There's still the last and hardest task", he said, "but I've set up a room for you to stay overnight. I will tell you about the second task tomorrow."

I entered his house and got into the bed that he had prepared for me. As I got on, a little hamster scurried from under it and made me jump, then chuckle a bit to myself.