Nine; Bocco The Big Blue Bear

Old Red unlocked the door and I was pushed inside. I wasn't sure what scared me most, being stabbed to death by angry leprechauns or the giant blue bear they were trying to lock me up with.

Eventually they got me inside. It didn't take long really, one quick sharp lunge and I was pretty much inside. I heard them lock the door, but I just stood there staring at the bear, and it just sat quietly staring into space.

I'm not sure how much time passed before I moved, but when I did it was very slowly. I still wasn't sure if the bear had actually seen me, perhaps it had been tranquilised. Anyway, I eventually made my way over to the opposite end of the bench and sat down.

The bear turned his eyes on me.

I froze.

It looked at me for long seconds then simply turned away to stare into space again.

It almost had to be tranqed.

Silence.

I sat there for a while, wondering if any of this was actually happening, or if I was just losing my mind, but eventually I tired of trying to figure it out so I spoke to the bear.

"What are you in for?" I've seen far too many movies where people speak like this.

The bear slowly turned its massive blue head towards me, it stared at me for a moment and it occurred to me that perhaps this bear couldn't speak, but then it said, "Dunno."

"Dunno," I repeated dumbly. "Me either."

I waited a moment to see if the bear would say anything else, but it didn't.

"I don’t even know where I am. I just appeared here."

"Me too," said the bear.

Encourage I continued, "Where is here anyway?"

"Dunno."

"Have they told you anything?"

"No."

"You don't say much do you?" I asked the bear and then realised a second too late that I might offend it.

It looked at me again, "No."

"No, well," I continued quickly, "My name is Jimmy Sparrow."

"Bocco," said the bear.

"Bocco," I nodded, "Nice to meet you Bocco."

Bocco didn’t say anything.

"So, where are you from Bocco?"

"Somewhere else."

I was beginning to detect a little reluctance on the part of Bocco the bear to enter into conversation, but if I'm honest, when I get nervous I like to talk, and I was very nervous.

"Are you here for the crystals?"

I was so surprise to hear Bocco speak in a sentence comprised of more than two words it took me a full minute to answer. "The crystals?"

Bocco stared at me. "The fire crystals?"

I shook my head, "No, but there's bound to be a pot of gold around here somewhere, what with all these leprechauns."

Bocco continued to stare at me.

Getting nervous I asked, "Are you here for the crystals?"

"No," said Bocco. He got up from his bench and ambled towards me.

Suddenly I was very scared.

Chapter Ten