“Whatcha think about this one, Gus?” Zort asked, looking ahead at Crete, Nebraska. A rat climbed out from his coat pocket and then sat upright on his shoulder, shaking its head.
“Yeah, you right. Prolly chase us right on out a here, too. But it’s the humans that have the money. Always the humans.” Zort took a long swig of his canteen. Bet the donkeys are thirsty too.
Zort drove a small wagon led by four stubborn yet stalwart donkeys. Painted in red on the wagon’s cover: ZORT’S ELIXIRS AND HEALTH DRAUGHTS.
When Zort rode into town, things progressed like the seasons. There was spring when he first arrived. Folks would buy small bits here and there. Then summer, when word got out that his potions actually worked. Potions would sell like they was gold laced. Then fall, when the requests would become crazy. Course, his “love potion” worked for an evenin’. But a “permanent infatuation potion” he could not do. But the rich humans don’t get it. They think “can’t” means “won’t” so they offer up enough golden eagles that poor ol’ Zort can’t refuse.
Winter: when the humans bring out their rifles on a Zort hunt. Thankfully enough, Zort’s usually gone by fall when the harvest of all the human coin is through and through.
And Crete, Nebraska was likely to follow the same procession. It wasn’t ideal but life could be worse for a goblin. He could be workin’ for some nasty hobs somewhere. Damn hobs. Damn all hobs to hell.
Zort’s mother slaved for hobs. Workin’ fields and the like. Seems her pay and punishment were ill treatment by hobs. Not a life for Zort. Thankfully, Gus came along and taught ol’ Zort The Way and Zort left the sadistic hobs with their throats gurgling red.
The Way is Zort’s means for a better life. It’s how he makes the potions that work—and don’t—and how he defends himself on the plains. The Way is how ol’ Zort goin’ be better than his ancestors. And it all starts right here in Crete, Nebraska for one last round of seasons.
“Let’s get ‘em, Gus,” Zort said. He stood up on the wagon’s jockeybox and loudly began his well-versed pitch. “Ladies and gentlemen! Do you suffer from aches and pains? Does your belly ache after a night on the whiskey slide? Does that special someone just not pay back your love? Well, I’ve got just the thing for ya’!”
