A Short Story: Locked Away Long Ago?

CHAPTER EIGHT
Locked Away Long Ago

"She 's right you know. Then again, she always is," Seth smiled broadly and his eyes disappeared in the creases. "We thought the same thing, but we weren 't sure where to look for him," Cotton replied and I saw him bite down nervously on his lower lip. "So that 's your problem." "Yes." "Well, why 'd you wait until now to tell me? Why didn 't you say something before?" "Huh? I 'm confused," Emma said. He ignored her remark. "Well that 's neither here nor there now." "Do you know where he 's at?" I asked. "Sure I do," he said, staring at me so hard that his chin whiskers quivered. "Doesn 't everyone?" "No," Cotton shouted impatiently. "Everyone does not know. I mean there 's rumors, but no one knows for sure except you I guess." Seth nodded. "Well then if you know where he is

Already? You 've just begun," the wise old elf asked scratching his head. No I refuse to accept that. You can 't make me question or doubt the bravery of the young boy with the magical sword, the gnome that can find his way out of any fix, or the pretty girl with the amber locks and the great resolve in her eyes." "You 're right Seth," Cotton Shouted. "This little ah, let me see, let 's call it a setback, is nothing in comparison to our perils in the Enchanted Forest. Do you remember Aiden?" I nodded. "Of course you do. How could you possibly forget something that was so horrific ... horrible and oh so very awful," Cotton said and started dramatically prancing around the room like his pants were on fire. "That gruesome goblin with his putrid skin, I can 't even begin to describe to you Emma how unpleasant his stench was." He crinkled his tiny red nose. "It reminded me of a rotten egg. No more like a dozen rotten eggs." "Ewww ... yuck! That 's disgusting." "Tell me about it. Anyway Gordok ... oh just to speak his name causes me to shiver all over!" "I agree!" Seth said. "He 's pure