Finders Keepers by Annalisa Gulbrandsen Page A

when the last goblin prince died, so did the leadership, and with the leadership went our unity.   The electricity failed, about ten years ago and was never fixed.”
     
    Ellie followed Flora around the house as she did small household chores, fascinated by everything she was being told.   Flora seemed to enjoy the company and continued giving Ellie bits and pieces of her history.   They stood in front of a small fish tank as Flora dropped fish flakes into the water.   The zippy little tetris fish darted to the surface to gobble up the pieces.
     
      “Goblins are smart, but self-interested.   To fix the electricity problem, someone would have to actually find the problem.   That has never happened.   The trouble is, their interest in comfort is far outweighed by their laziness.”
     
    “You talk about ‘they’ as if you’re not one of them.”
     
    The sad look returned to Flora’s eyes.   “I’m not, dear.   I am one of the few left who still is holding out hope for a new existence.   ‘They’ are the ones who are content to die.”   The lid on the fish food snapped shut.   “I believe I am keeping you up very late.   Days and nights are switched for us here.   You’ll find I can keep going on and on and on.”
     
    “But,” Ellie said.   “I’m not tired and…I can’t stay.”
     
    The woman stretched out a lily white arm and laid it on Ellie’s shoulder.   “Let me show you something.”   She guided Ellie into the kitchen and over toward the kitchen sink.   Above the sink was a small window.   She pulled back the faded yellow curtain and handed Ellie a small red flashlight.   Ellie had to stand on tiptoe to see out.   She flipped the switch and pointed the beam out.   The light caught the eyes instantly and two golden orbs flashed back at her.   She yanked back from the window.
     
    “There’s another at the front.   Even if they weren’t there, I would warn you that the raiding has already started.   That means the streets will be unsafe until the sun rises again aboveground.   I don’t think you really have a choice.”
     
    Ellie returned to Sky’s room, but not to sleep.   It wasn’t as if she could just lie down and forget she’d been abducted, no matter what one, or to be technically correct two, kisses, may have done to her.   Being around Gibbs clouded her judgment.   Now that she was alone she could think clearly.   Hadn’t Flora told her goblins were self-interested?   After several minutes of debating with herself, she made a decision.   She couldn’t stay down here, and that was final.
     
    Probably the first thing she should have done, but hadn’t thought of until now was to try her phone.   Frankly, she didn’t have much hope.   She moved around the room holding it just above eye level.   The mattress sagged and creaked when she climbed onto it.   She held her phone up to the small window.   One bars.   Two bars.   “Unbelievable,” she said out loud and then jumped and down on the bed laughing.   Her phone beeped.   16 missed calls and 1 new text message.  
     
    A knock sounded on the door.   “Ellie?”
     
    Ellie bum-dropped onto the bed.  
     
    “Do you need anything?”
     
    She slid the phone under her thigh.   “Uh, no thanks.”
     
    “You remember what we talked about?”
     
    “Mm-hmm.”
     
    “Okay then, I am going to take some of the groceries to my neighbor.   Try and get some rest.”
     
    As soon as she could no longer hear Flora moving around, Ellie pulled herself up to the window again.   The speed of her actions increased.   Her thumb skipped over the voicemails and went straight to the message.   She didn’t recognize the number.
     
    Are you all right?   Where are you?   Sky
     
    Her fingers dialed back his number.   Please.   Please.   Please.
     
    “Ellie?”  
     
    Her breath came out all in a whoosh.   Then she punched her fist into the empty air.   Take that Verizon!   “Sky, what