“And what is it that you desire?” she asked, her stomach twisting.
“Ah…you shall know what I covet when I have succeeded in rescuing you.”
Higher she rose until she reached the well’s opening. There she was hanging in the air, feeling completely stupid. Her savior could decide to let go of her at any moment and what then? She’d fall to the ground yet again, except maybe this time she’d not survive.
“Grab hold of the well’s wall and pull yourself out,” he said.
“I can’t.”
“Come now. Are you really so spoiled?”
“I’m carrying a ball,” she said, instantly feeling ridiculous for the words she had just uttered.
“Oh, my, the princess cannot bear to leave her toy behind. Toss it! I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold you up much longer.”
“Promise you won’t take it from me.”
“Toss it now or fall back into the well.”
“First promise you won’t take it.”
Grumbling, the man said, “Stop being childish. I promise I won’t take your toy.”
Lela raised her arms and threw the ball. Thump, thump on the ground it went. She then reached for the well’s wall and dragged herself out. Once she was standing on firm ground again, she untied the rope from around her waist.
A torch sunken into the ground near the well shone light on her. Blinking rapidly, she tried to clear her vision so she could identify the man who had just rescued her. She saw no one. Coward. At least he left her his torch. She took it out of the earth and looked for the golden ball. Against a tree it rested as if it had been there all along. She paced toward it.
“I think I deserve gratitude.”
Lela turned around ready to shout at the man for hiding from her. But again, she saw no one. “Stop playing games,” she said. “Make yourself known or be on your way.”
“I’m down here,” the man said.
“Where?”
“Look down,” he said.
Lela lowered her stare. Gasping, she stepped back. Was she really seeing what she was seeing? Yes, down on the ground staring at her was…a frog.
“You assumed me to be a man,” the frog said, hopping to her.
“Get away from me!” Lela could not decide what she was more afraid of, the dark or a talking frog!
“Oh come now, I saved you. Where is your gratitude?”
“You’re a…frog.”
“And you’re a…princess. Now that we have established our existence, let’s get on with what I desire.”
Her heart was beating faster than it had when she was falling down the well. “How were you able to pull me out? How can you speak?” she asked, breathing heavily.
“No time to answer your questions. We need to find shelter. Quickly, follow me,” he said, jumping away from her.
She held back laughter. The very idea that this talking frog wanted her to follow him was absolutely, without reserve, completely laughable. Even so, she was alone in the dark in the forest far from the castle. Such a predicament convinced her to follow him.
“Don’t forget your golden ball,” he said, chuckling.
Ah…yes, the reason why all of this was now happening to her could not be left behind. Scooping it up, she said, “Where did you get this torch?”
“Magic, dear princess. The same way I was able to pull you out,” he said. “Are you scared?”
“I’m hoping this is a dream.”
“You should be scared,” he said. “If we don’t reach shelter soon, they will come after us.”
“Who will?” she asked, walking behind him, her head spinning.
“Don’t pretend not to know. They have roamed the forest since the beginning of time.”
Swallowing saliva, she said, “I’ve never been outside the castle after sunset.”
“Clearly your father has protected you from the truth. Why do you think people no longer call the forest their home?”
“If you mean to frighten me even more than I am, congratulations, you have succeeded.”
“Move faster. Up head is an abandoned house. We can spend the night there.”
When they reached the stone and decrepit house, the frog entered without hesitation. “Hurry,” he said. “I can sense them. If you linger outside for even a second more, they will find you. I won’t be able to stop them from taking you.”
She darted into the house and situated the ball on the cracked floor. Then she said, “Start speaking.”
“First, blow out the torch. Now!” he said.
“We’ll be left in complete darkness,” she said. Curse you, darkness, curse you.
“They’re near. Blow it out.”
She exhaled into the flame.
“Don’t move,” he whispered.
She thought her knees would give out. When she left the castle just hours earlier for one of her many travels through the forest, she never imagined she’d now be standing in an old dwelling with a talking frog and a golden ball hiding from someone or something that definitely did not want to befriend her.
The minutes passed and she remained still.
“They’ve moved on. We should be safe for the night,” the frog said.
“Who were they?” she asked, sweat coming down her face.
The frog jumped to her and settled at her feet. “They enjoy roaming the forest at night hoping they come across a poor lost person on whom they can feast. Their appetites are insatiable.”
“You tell lies,” she said.
“I may only be a frog, but I’m not a liar.”
“Tell me who they are.”
“You’ve read about them in storybooks.”
“I’ve read about a lot of creatures, make-believe creatures meant to scare children into obeying their parents.”
“Ah, yes, but these roaming night creatures are not make believe,” he said, launching himself onto the ball.
“Say what you mean, stupid frog.”
“Calling me stupid when I have saved your life twice is offensive, princess.”
“That I’m still standing here talking to you disappoints me. I’ll take my chances in the forest. Get off my ball,” she said, waving her hand in front of him.
“Very well, courageous princess, be on your way then.”
Holding the ball, she started to walk away, mumbling curses.
“Oh and princess, if you encounter a vampire, please don’t try to run.”
She stopped.
“Go on,” he said. “What are you waiting for?”
Turning, she asked, “Did you say vampires?”
“Indeed. Still feeling brave?”
She felt her lungs fall to her ankles. Storybook vampires were vicious, bloodthirsty creatures cursed to live soulless for all eternity. They weren’t real just like talking frogs weren’t…blessed Gods, vampires! Impossible.
Dropping the ball, she inhaled a long breath and tried to remain calm. If it wasn’t for the very real truth that she now found herself engaged in a conversation with a talking frog, she’d have dismissed his claim that vampires existed. A part of her wanted to run and not stop until she reached the castle but her instincts told her to remain with the frog. Whether or not vampires were real almost didn’t matter. She had never been outside after dark. Ever.
