No. 222

“When was the last time we went on a quest?” Growl asked the creature hunched beside him.

“We’re goblins, you fool. We’re the bad guys. We don’t go on quests,” replied Shiver.

“I guess. It’d still be nice sometime, you know?”

“Yeah, I know. But our job is to sit around the fire waiting for the heroes to come through our territory and then go running up to them while we scream and wave our swords around. Maybe we take down a couple B-listers in their party.”

The two misshapen beings pondered their existence for a time.

“What if we kill the next group that traipses past and complete whatever quest they’re on?” suggested Growl.

“I like it,” said Shiver. “I like it a lot!”

He stood and stretched his gnarly arms to work out the kinks. Then he sat back down and made himself comfortable.

“We just have to wait until they come by,” he told Growl.

There was a short silence as both monsters pictured their glorious adventures in their minds’ eyes.

“When do you think they’re going to come by?” asked Growl, impatiently.

Shiver looked at him with a scowl. “Listen, if you keep bothering me, I might kill you as well, and go on the quest by myself.”