The Elderine Stone by Alan Lawson

being lost in an unknown city in an unknown world. Having been told that there could be people (or things) watching him, he didn’t want to be alone for too long.
    He spun around, fighting panic. He frantically looked at all the shops and trying to find the whereabouts of his friends. This wasn’t happening to him already. People who had seemed friendly and innocent only a moment ago now seemed dangerous and sinister. Anyone of them could be an agent of the Dark Lady. Anyone of them could kill him in a thousand ways, and he had no one to protect him. Suddenly, he felt a light tap on his shoulder, and he stopped, frozen in time and space. At the thought of what might be behind him he started to shake, and soon he felt very light headed. Slowly turning around, he felt a cold flush engulf him. He was anxious to see who or what had touched him. He was hoping upon hope to see one of the townsfolk looking genuinely concerned, a guard, or someone that didn’t resemble the mental image he had drawn of these watchers. Fortunately for Jason, the tap didn’t come from anyone with any suspicious motives, but from a girl with a large grin on her face. Emily.
    “Are you going to stand around all day? Or can we make our way to the library, so we can at least find something out about the stone and what we are supposed to do.”
    Jason grinned and managed a nervous laugh.
    “ Yeah, I guess we should try and find the library.” he said, trying to keep the tremor from his voice as his heart rate found its normal rhythm. “Do you have any ideas where to look?”
    “ Nope not yet. But I intend to ask that guard over there” Emily pointed to a guard standing on the corner of a street. “I’m sure he will help.”
    Without Jason being able to get in a word, Emily spun round and ran over to the guard. Jason shrugged, and followed.
    “ Sir, excuse me” Emily said sounding meek and very polite “Would you happen to know, where the Great Library is?”
    The guard looked down at Emily . The helmet he was wearing was a few sizes too big for him. Every time he tipped his head the helmet slid forward causing the visor to crash down over the eye slot. He fixed it self consciously, and Jason smiled. It was quite reassuring to see that even in a perfect city a guard could have a helmet that was too big.
    The friends just looked at the guard realising they may have made a mistake in choosing this particular person for help.
    “Ah it looks like we have three very studious young folk” the guard said smugly, concealing his grin beneath the metal of his helmet.
    If Jason wasn’t mistaken the guard appeared to be one half less a shilling, perhaps there was a reason for him being on watch in the city rather than on the city wall or battlements. Though as the guard continued, (after he had regained his composure) he actually did seem more with it than was expected.
    “ Well” he said “i f you just look over there, see that big blue dome? That’s our Great Library. Just head towards that and you can’t go wrong. Just remember to keep heading towards it no matter what.” He smiled again and stood to attention, his helmet doing a little wobbly dance as he straightened up.
    “ Thanks!” Emily replied as she gave the guard a rather large smile and turned to Jason and Sherbit who were standing starring at her in astonishment.
    “Emily I didn’t know you had it in you… you know, being polite” Jason said jokingly.
    “ Oh, ha- ha. ” Emily replied scathingly. “At least we know where the library is, and that’s no thanks to you two.” With that she walked off, leaving Jason and Sherbit with their mouths hanging open.
    “ Touchy, isn’t she?” Jason said to Sherbit, who giggled, then ran off to catch up with her. Jason matched the little creature’s pace.
    They soon caught up with Emily, who was moving at a brisk pace down the road toward the blue dome of the Great Library. Jason felt a bit awkward, and thought that Emily may have been