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MALTA TO INDIA
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Two weeks into the expedition, Magnificent Wintia and Gedly reached Malta. They met a cavekeeper who led them down the mysterious dark caverns where they came face to face with the ominous cave ghouls. Pleased with what he saw, Magnificent Wintia agreed to pay a handful of gold coins for one cave ghoul to the cavekeeper. But, just as he was about to hand over the gold coins, a grubby little man emerged from the shadow.
“I am Pablo. You are the famous Magnificent Wintia no? Perhaps I interest you in a better sideshow act than this mediocrity?”
“Mediocrity?” Said Magnificent Wintia. “Better than a cave ghoul for a sideshow act?”
“Mucho better,” said the grubby little man named Pablo.
“We shall see about that,” replied Magnificent Wintia. So the three men left Malta without a cave ghoul and set sail for India. What was in India?
Thirteen hours later they reached India and after walking another seven hours they finally reached the town. An old lady claimed to have caged a real werewolf. But what everyone saw clearly in the cage was just an ordinary man.
“What is this farce!” Cried Magnificent Wintia. “Utter disappointment!”
The old lady who caged the man replied: “Sir, you must wait until nightfall for the full moon, then you will witness my son become a werewolf.”
So the men waited impatiently until nightfall. Just as the full moon appeared the caged man began to shake and scream in agony. Magnificent Wintia wondered if it was some elaborate show until thick hair grew out of his skin and the ordinary man became a ferocious werewolf right before his very eyes.
“My goodness!” Magnificent Wintia howled. “Now that’s worthy of two handfuls of my gold!”
“Still not better than my finding,” claimed Pablo. “I will only take you to see it for modest five handfuls of your precious gold.”
“FIVE HANDFULS!?” screamed Magnificent Wintia. “You’re a crazy midget!”
But his curiosity got the better of him, so, Magnificent Wintia grudgingly agreed. And so, they left India without the man-eating werewolf and sailed to the Amazon Jungle. Ten hours by boat and five hours of hiking later they came to a hidden village known as The Haven of Children.
“I must warn you,” whispered Pablo, his voice and knees shaking. “Grown man is forbidden to enter village, you find jungle children and you find monster—a giant snake! But beware jungle children, they protect giant snake. The have eyes like hawks, ears like rabbits, and teeth—like piranhas!”
