The Articulum Part 9 By: Lance Holloway The rooman that Wilm took to the hospital had recovered quickly. The doctors had stabilized him in a matter of minutes. Mostly he was in shock. Peten, Turlon, and Vulla were waiting in the lobby of the hospital. They had just come from talking with the injured rooman. He had described the attackers. Peten had never heard of creatures like that before. If only Arna were here. She might know. Wilm and Rarguf had gone with the police to investigate the generator building. Why someone would attack the generator building and capture all the roomen there was beyond Peten. Maybe the roomen were doing something other than developing those "auto" carts. "I sure hope nothing bad is happening to the others," Turlon said breaking the silence. "I just know they were looking for me." "And why do you say that? Because you are the Norrom?" Peten asked. "Turlon, you have to stop blaming yourself. Those creatures might have just been attacking because it was the generator building." "Peten, you know as well as I that everything that has happened to us is because of me. I'm the reason for this journey," Turlon said standing from his chair. He hopped outside. Vulla followed him. Peten sat there. He didn't know what to say to Turlon. Just then Rarguf hopped in. "Peten, we think we know where they were taken." "You do? Where?" Peten jumped up. "Trullums. There were signs of trullums," Rarguf said. "The rooman we brought here said they were attacked by huge gray things with horns and tusks," Peten said. "Sounds like a trullum to me," Wilm said hopping in the door. "We best be getting off to rescue them." "But where?" Peten asked. "There's only one place trullums live," Rarguf stated. "That is Voginum. The land that Sorrora rules." The five roomen headed off toward Wilm's boat after gathering supplies. Just before they left town, Laufmer stopped them with several of his guards. "I must insist that you take some of my guards," the Room mayor said. "If they are willing," Rarguf said. "We need all the help we can get." "Only three are willing," Laufmer said. "I'm am sorry I could not get you more, but on this short notice and all." "I understand," Rarguf said. "If they would follow us. We are in a hurry." He bounded off. The others followed. The guards stayed put. Peten looked back at the roomen. "Come on now. We have to go," he said to the guards. Laufmer motioned for the guards to go and three of them hopped after the group. Upon reaching the boat, Rarguf had stopped. He hopped over to Peten. "What about our real forms?" he whispered. "Arna didn't want these roomen to know." "This is an emergency," Peten said. "We have to go." He hopped to the boarding plank. He looked back at the others. With a deep breath the hopped on the plank. A strange feeling rushed through him. He hopped farther up the plank and realized that hopping was awkward. He looked down at himself and saw that he DID change back to his human self. There was a scream. "What are you?" yelled one of the rooman guards. "Don't worry," Rarguf said. "We are not roomen or enemies. When we landed, the island changed us into roomen." "We are the same people that need your help to rescue our friends and yours," Peten yelled from on deck. "Okay. Fine. I'll go with you. But, only because fellow roomen were captured also," one guard said. The others replied similarly. "Good. Now, let's be going then," Wilm said hopping on the plank. Peten saw his kangarooish body melt back into the strange creature Wilm had become. His legs were still human, but he had the upper body of a seal. This was going to be a hard voyage. The last time, Arna was here to translate Wilm's commands. Now, Peten didn't know how he was going to steer the sail boat. Turlon was next to get his old human body back. He hurried aboard helping Wilm with the sails. Vulla followed. She hopped up and instantly fell to all fours. The horse carefully walked up the plank and went down in the horse room. "You three go next," Rarguf said to the guards. "My form is too big to be on the boat, and I want to rest as long as I can. I see a lot of flying ahead of me." The roomen looked confused and hopped aboard. They didn't change. Peten wondered if they were born roomen or that they live on the island so long that their true form was forgotten. The three helped raise the plank. Rarguf stayed on the bank and untied the boat from the rock. The boat slowly backed away from the bank. Peten steered the boat out into the sea. Wilm was barking and gesturing with the flippers. Peten did the best he could with understanding the captain. When the boat was out a good distance, Peten saw Rarguf wade out into the sea. When he must have gotten far away enough from the influence of the island, a huge dragon's body exploded from the rooman. The dragon took to the air and flew to the boat. "I'll go keep a lookout for the trullums' boat," Rarguf shouted from above and few off to the west. ----------------- The journey across the sea and land passed faster than Jamk would have thought. Perhaps being knocked unconscious had something to do with it. Or it might have been the fact that he was tied up in a huge sack. He could hear the others around him. Their muffled noises suggested that their muzzles were tied shut like his own. "We got them," said a gruff voice. "Good," a female voice said. Her voice sang. "Throw them in the dungeon." He was being dragged again. How far he couldn't tell. Eventually he was slung around. The sack was cut open. A huge gray hand reached in and yanked him out. It was one of those creatures that attacked them. The thing shoved Jamk against the wall. He landed beside other roomen. The creatures were standing behind bars. One closed the gate, and they walked away. Jamk slowly sat up. He looked around him. The others were here too. Arna, Ketta, Dabb, and Metty. There were other roomen also. One looked like Mulmer. They were all looking around at their surroundings. "We must be still on the island," Jamk said to Arna. "We are still roomen." "No, we left the island," Arna said. "There was magic protecting the trullums from changing into roomen. The same magic must have protected us from returning to our true forms." "You mean were stuck as kangaroos?" Dabb yelled. "Just great!" "No, we are not stuck as kangaroos. There has to be a way to change us back," Arna said. "But, you don't know how," Dabb said and started studying the walls. "Trullums? What are trullums?" Metty asked. "Those creatures that captured us are trullums," Arna said. "And as far as I know, only one place has trullums. And that is Sorrora's land." "Voginum?" Ketta asked. Arna nodded. "I've heard about that place. Sorrora is an evil witch." "'Wizard,' little kangaroo," said the singing voice that Jamk heard earlier. "I prefer to be called a 'wizard.' 'Witch' or 'sorceress' just doesn't do anything for me." "Sorrora! Why are you doing this?" Arna yelled. "That voice sounds familiar," Sorrora said pacing back and forth in front of the cell thinking. "I don't think I know any kangaroos though." "'Roomen!'" Mulmer said. Peten recognized his voice. "We prefer to be called 'roomen.' 'Kangaroos' just doesn't do anything for us." "Don't mock me, KANGAROO," Sorrora said. "Back to business. I know one of you is the Norrom. Now, which one of you is it?" "What are you talking about? The Norrom? Here?" Arna said. "That voice. Where have I heard it?" the wizard said. "Never mind. I want...." "Mistress," one of the trullums bellowed from down the corridor. "Come quickly." Sorrora glared at the trullum and then back at the roomen. "I'll be back. And when I return, I expect to learn who the Norrom is." She stormed down the corridor. ------------- Peten was amazed that he could navigate the boat. Wilm's barking was kind of helpful, even though Peten had no idea what the sailor was trying to say. Rarguf had spotted the boat off on the distant shore. So, Peten just went where Rarguf said. "I say, you are a mighty good sailor, Peten," Julmer, one of the roomen, said walking in the cabin. "But, if I might ask. What is that thing?" He pointed to the back of the boat. Wilm looked at where the guard pointed and parked like crazy. Peten turned to look. It was another of those waves. The strange wave that transformed Wilm into his current state. "Everybody below deck!" Peten yelled. Arna wasn't here to help them this time. So, the best thing to do was to not let the wave get them at all. The three rushed out of the cabin. Wilm and Peten hurriedly climbed down the ladder. Julmer just jumped. They grabbed Turlon and the other two roomen and ran to the door that led to the chambers below deck. Vulla was already there in her horse stall. "You are afraid of that wave?" Julmer said as the wave drew closer. "It's just water." The others were already below. Peten was at the door. "No. It's not just water. It's...." But, his warning was too late. The wave had reached out a tentacle and grabbed the rooman. Julmer screamed as his body swelled with the pulses of the tentacle. This time, the tentacle lifted its victim in the air. Peten could only watch as the helpless rooman swelled. The brown fur of Julmer disappeared to reveal gray skin. The shinny gray ball that was once a kangaroo molded itself into a hammerhead shark. The shark dove in the water and swam away. The wave reached a tentacle toward Peten. Peten slammed the door before the wave could get a hold of him and turned to the others. "Julmer didn't make it," he said. "He turned into a shark." "A what? What is a shark?" Lewmer, one of the roomen, asked. "Don't worry about it," Peten said. "The wave got Julmer. We can't leave this cabin until it leaves." "And when will that be?" asked Mikmer, the other rooman. "I don't know," Peten said. ------------- "What are we going to do?" Ketta asked Arna. "We must not tell them of the Norrom," Arna said. Jamk figured that was what Arna was going to say. "I'm sure the others will come rescue us," he said. "They better not," Arna said jumping to her feet and hopping over to Jamk. "They should be completing the quest. We are not important. The Norrom is." Jamk met her gaze. "I don't think Turlon would let....." "He better," Arna cut in. "We are the perfect distraction. Sorrora would not be looking for the Norrom when she thinks she has him here. We are not to inform her of that." "But, you said you didn't know about the Norrom. Wouldn't she go looking for him again?" Metty asked. "No," Arna said. "I know Sorrora. When she thinks she is right, she doesn't change her mind. She thinks we are lying when we say we don't know about the Norrom. Thus, we are feeding her false hope." "I'm not sure it will work," Jamk said. "Trust ....." Arna began but was cut off by the sound of footsteps down the hall. Sorrora and one of the trullums walked up to the cell bars. "What were you just talking about?" she asked. "We were just discussing the beautiful accommodations you gave us," Arna said. "I know your voice from somewhere," the wizard said. "Anyway. I came down to see if you wanted to talk." "We aren't going to talk to you, witch!" Dabb shouted hopping to his feet. "My, my. You seem to have a little attitude, kangaroo," Sorrora said. "I think you know who the Norrom is. Don't you?" Dabb glared at her. His kangaroo muzzle was in a snarl. "Then, maybe not," Sorrora said. She flung her hand at Dabb. A small dart flew through the air and buried its point in Dabb's upper right arm. He screamed with pain. "Little kangaroo, you shouldn't get an attitude with a wizard," Sorrora said smiling. "I am not a kangaroo!" Dabb said grabbing the dart and pulled it out. "I am a...." He suddenly stopped. There was a loud whistling sound like air escaping from a balloon. Jamk stared in horror at Dabb when he realized where the air was coming from. Dabb was deflating. The rooman fell to the floor in a crumpled heap of empty skin never to be a horse again. Ketta and Metty hid their heads in disgust. Arna turned her attention from the empty fur that was Dabb to the wizard. "Sorrora, you are...." "What, kangaroo? I am what?" Sorrora interrupted. "You don't have the right to say anything, or this might happen to you. Or someone else. Now, are you going to tell me where the Norrom is?" Arna didn't say anything. She just glared at Sorrora. Sorrora ignored Arna and scanned the others. Jamk could feel the cold in her gaze as she passed over him. She stopped and looked at Mulmer. "You know, I don't think that the pile of skin should be in your cell. Do you?" she asked. Mulmer slowly nodded. "I thought not. Someone should take the skin to the taxidermist. I don't have a rooman in my collection. Why don't you do it?" she asked. Mulmer mindlessly hopped over to what was left of Dabb and handed it to Sorrora through the bars. Everyone just watched helplessly. "That's a good kangaroo," Sorrora said taking the skin and patting Mulmer on the head. "You are a good boy." Mulmer closed his eyes to enjoy the patting. "Why should a good boy like you be in a cell with the likes of them?" she said pointing to the other roomen. "You should be free. And since you minded so well, you should be my servant." Suddenly she grabbed the rooman and yanked him through the cell bars. Jamk would not have believed it if he didn't see it for himself. Those bars were so close that a snake would have a hard time going through them. Sorrora continued petting Mulmer. "Now that you are out of that cell, you can be one of my servants." When she said that Mulmer seemed to explode. Invisible hands were stretching and reshaping his rooman body into a large gray creature. The new trullum stood next to its master. "Now, go take this to the taxidermist," she handed Dabb's skin to the trullum. "Yes, Mistress," the trullum said and walked down the corridor. "I have some business to take care of," Sorrora said to her prisoners. "I hope you will consider telling me about the Norrom." With that she glided down the hall. To Be Continued....