Gregor and the Bloodbath of Regalia

Chapter 4

Hazard and Boots were happily chatting away when Gregor returned. At some point, Lizzie had woken up and was reading the book Gregor had placed in front of her.

"Dinner's on!" Gregor heard Harold shout.

"Would you like some?" Gregor asked Hazard, motioning towards the kitchen.

"Actually, I have something else I need to take care of first," Hazard said. "I'll be back." He ran for the front door.

"C'mon, Liz. We've got your favorite navel oranges--we had a fresh crop this morning," he said.

"The kind with the thick skin?" she asked excitedly. She loved those.

"The kind with the thick skin," Harold confirmed, poking his head in the room. "But I'll eat 'em all if you kids don't get in here, quick!" He smiled and slid back into the kitchen.

Gregor poked absently at his food, trying to be considerate of his mother's work but at the same time not being very hungry.

"Everything all right, Gregor?" his father asked.

"Yeah," he said halfheartedly.

***

Gregor tossed and turned on his bed. 

Even though it was the middle of September, the farm on Virginia didn't seem to notice. It was roasting in Gregor's cramped room. Even with only a set of thin basketball shorts on, the heat was too intense for him to sleep.

Gregor got up. He'd go get a cool washcloth for his pillow.

Crash!

Someone was thrown through his window and into Gregor.

Gregor cried out, stumbling backwards into the wall.

"Oh. Sorry about that." Hazard got off Gregor, turning to face him. He shook the glass fragments from his hair.

Gregor placed a hand over his eyes to protect himself from the onslaught of glass shards.

"Gregor!" Harold came bursting into the room, wearing nothing but a robe and sweatpants. 

"Dad--Dad, I'm fine," Gregor sputtered, regaining his surroundings. "It's Hazard."

Gregor heard his father's sigh of relief, and saw the tension drain out of his shoulders. "What are you doing so late in the night?"

"Fetching the Overlander," Hazard said bluntly.

"What?"

"Dear, what's going on?" Gregor's mother walked into the room, rubbing an eye.

"Everything's fine, Grace," he said, putting an arm around her. "There was an accident. It's nothing. Go back to bed," he said gently.

She yawned. "Fine," she said deliriously, walking off. Harold walked completely into the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

"What do you mean, 'Fetching the Overlander?'" 

"I mean what I said," Hazard said. "The Underland is once more in turmoil, and requires the Warrior's help."

"What for?"

Hazard looked at Gregor. 

"It's fine, Hazard," he said. "Tell Dad what you told me."

"There happens to be a civil war taking place," he stated.

"Oh, then my answer's simple," Harold said. "No."

"Wait--" Hazard began.

"No, Dad," Gregor interrupted. "I'm going to help them.  And you can't stop me."