The Locker

The Locker
Chapter 1
“Mom, I can’t believe you’re making me go!” whined Koa.
Koa had just moved to the city of Izzlebaum, with her mother, father, and two brothers. Today was her first day of school, and her first day of 8th grade. It was also her 13th birthday. Her mom was driving her to school in her new BMW convertible.
“Where is the main office?” Koa asked the first person she saw in the hall.
“It’s down this hallway and to the left,” the girl said, pointing down a connecting hallway.
Koa was very nervous when she entered the main office. Since it was her first day, she didn’t know anyone. She saw a large, greasy woman sitting at the desk who looked like she hadn’t showered for a week, eating a twinkie. Koa assumed she could help her.
“Hi, I’m new this year. My name is Koa Rekcol and I am starting in the 8th grade. I don’t have a locker yet, so I was wondering if I could be assigned one,” Koa asked shyly.
“Sure. I could find one for you. Let me go get the keys,” responded the secretary. “Oh, sorry. My name is Ms. Ylems. You can just call my Ms. Y.”
As they walked down a series of hallways, Koa saw many kids, boys and girls, short and tall, fat and skinny. She was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, because she had previously gone to an all girls school. She was not used to the diversity.
“Here we are,” said Ms. Y, as they approached an old, blue colored locker. “I think this will be fine.”
“Yes. Thank you,” replied Koa, a bit uneasly. “I was also wondering where I could get my schedule.”
“After you put all of your books away, you can come by the office and it will be on my desk,” Ms. Y replied.
Chapter 2
As she opened the locker, Koa saw a flash of light. This is weird. It seems like there is no backside to this locker, Koa thought to herself. She decided to find out what was going on, so she reached in side the locker. It seemed to have no back, so she kept on going to the back of the locker. It never seems to…...what?!? All of a sudden Koa was in a strange place. As she looked back from where she came, she could see a faint light, and could hear the faint sounds of a group of girls giggling loudly.
“Hi! Welcome to Ogacihc!” said a short, stout boy, probably the age of 17. It appeared as if he was an Umpaloompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. “My name is Nimajneb, what's yours?”
“Um, my name is Koa…..what is this place?” asked Koa in a terrified voice.
“This is the island of Sbuc. Here let me show you on the map,” Nimajneb said, pulling out an old map. It looked as if the island was miles and miles away from land. Koa was scared of the boy. He seemed different, and didn’t look very nice. He was dirty, as if he had rolled around in mud all day.
As she started to inch away, he said, “I can get you off of the island. I have to go into town anyway to buy some food. You can come if you want.”
“Okay. As long as I get to town as soon as possible. Thank you,” Koa replied, unsure if she really wanted to go with the stranger.
After what felt like hours of walking through the forest, Koa and Nimajneb finally reached a small hut made out of wood.
“This here is my house,” Nimajneb said proudly. “I built it with my own three hands.”
After he said this, Koa realized that he did have three hands, but only two arms. This is very strange. I don’t know if I want to go to town anymore. He just looks so weird!
Interrupting her thoughts, Nimajneb asked, “Do you want to keep going?”
“Sure. I just don’t know if it would be faster to go myself,” Koa said, trying to get out of traveling any farther with him. “Even though I don’t know the way, I could probably figure it out.”
“Well you might need someone that knows the island, like I do,” Nimajneb replied.
Koa thought about this, looking at Nimajneb’s appearance. He is weird, three arms, orange hair, and green skin. After a couple of minutes, Koa decided to keep traveling with Nimajneb.
Chapter 3
It was starting to get dark out, and Koa was tired and hungry. They had already reached the rocky shore of the island, which Koa had trouble climbing up.
“What is this place? Are you sure this is the right way?” Koa asked, unsure of the place.
“This is the right place, trust me. This is just the shore on the lake. Now all we have to do is cross the lake. This is very tricky, you see. We have to wait for the right moment to go across, or the Drow will mistake us for trespassers and eat us,” Nimajneb said in a shaky voice. “We have to wait until the moon starts turning a shade of light yellow, so that we can see our way across. At this time, the lake also turns solid ice, but it is not slippery. We only have until the moon starts turning light green, then the ice melts back to water.”
“Are you sure this is safe? I’m scared of running across ice in the middle of the night,” Koa asked nervously.
“It’s okay, you can hold one of my hand. It would be easier that way,” Nimajneb said.
They waited until the moon started changing to a shade of yellow, and started across, in a fast pace. It seemed magical to Koa, how the water was completely frozen, and how she just glided across like a fairy princess floating on a cloud.
They were 15 feet away from the main land, when Koa and Nimajneb could feel the ice melting beneath their feet.
“Lets get off the ice! Before Drow comes to eat us!” Koa screamed into the night. “I can see him coming!”
“It’s okay! We have enough time to get over!” responded Nimajneb.
They had started to swim in the ice-cold water when they could see Drow coming up behind them.
“Faster! Swim faster!” Nimajneb said, for Koa had started to drop behind him.
Koa and Nimajneb had just reached the shore when Drow would have caught them. Drow swam around near the shore until Koa and Nimajneb had enough energy to keep going.
“Thank you so much!” Koa said, giving Nmajneb a hug.
“It’s no problem. Are you okay?” Nimajneb asked, flushing.
“I’m fine. Now lets get to town!” Koa said happily.
Chapter 4
Koa and Nimajneb were soon in town. The road had led them to the city hall, which was where Koa wanted to go.
“Thank you very much. I really appreciate it,” Koa said truthfully. She started walking into the big, pink city hall when Nimajneb called out to her.
“Wait! Are you going to need any help?” he said.
“I might,” Koa replied, while continuing to her way up the steps. Soon she was inside, and she was awestruck by the building’s beauty. She was so distracted that she did not see the queer man who had come and stood next to her, now raising his head to the ceiling.
“Do you need any help?” he said in a high-pitched voiced.
“Well, I am trying to get back to the real world,” Koa said distractedly.
“My dear, this is the real world,” he replied.
“Oh, I mean the earth. Like were people like me live,” Koa said.
“Yes, now I see what you are saying. Yes, I can help you,” he responded, pulling out a map. “Yes, yes, I see. This is where you have to go. See this house?”
“Yes, but how do I get there?” Koa said.
“You have to cross this bridge here, then all you have to do is pass the riddle keeper to get to the house,” he said, giving her a map.
Without saying thank you, she ran off as fast as she could. I have to get there! I can’t stand it here, with all of these weird people. It bothers me! She thought to herself. After a few minutes, she ran into Nimajneb, who started to run next to her.
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“I need to get out of here!” Koa said breathlessly.
They kept on running until they reached a bridge, were a strange figure stood.
“Excuse me! I have to get through!” Koa said, trying to push the creature out of the way.
“No one touches the Retsbew!” the creature roared.
The creature, which appeared to be Retsbew, made a quick swipe and picked up Koa. Koa, trying to loosen Retsbews grip, was very mad.
“No monster is going to touch me!” Koa screamed. She struggled for a while in Retsbew’s grasp. She did not notice that Nimajneb had taken off, soon returning with a large sword.
“Can you catch the sword if I throw it to you?” Nimajneb asked Koa.
“I think I can!” Koa replied, once again trying to escape Retsbew’s hand.
“Okay! Here goes!” Nimajneb tossed the sword in the air, hoping that Koa would be able to catch it. As it was in the middle of the air, waiting to drop, Koa took the handle and started to hit Retsbew. The sword made large gashes in Retbew’s arm, which finally was too weak to hold Koa, and let her go.
“I was so scared!” said Koa, safely on the ground. “Thank you so much for getting the sword! It saved my life!”
“It isn’t that big of a deal, as long as you’re safe,” Nimajneb said.
“Well that was sure a nice 13th birthday surprise!” Koa said exaggerating.
“It’s your 13th birthday today? You’re a teenager now!” Nimajneb said excitedly.
“Yup. It’s my birthday and my mom still made me go to my first day of my new school,” Koa said. “How old are you?”
“Well, I’m only 14 years old,” Nimajneb replied.
Wow, I thought he was older! That’s weird…he looked older before. Huh. He is also looking more human…is his third hand smaller? Koa thought.
“Well let’s keep going. Where do we have to go?” Koa asked.
“I think it says that we have to cross the rest of the bridge, then pass the riddle keeper,” Nimajneb said, looking at the map. They were soon on the other side of the bridge when Koa realized that Nimajneb was in fact turning more into a human. Nevertheless, Koa kept walking along the dirt road with Nimajneb.
“So how did you end up here anyway?” Nimajneb asked Koa.
Koa explained the entire story, beginning to end, to Nimajneb. After she finished the story, they kept on walking, in an awkward silence.
Breaking the silence, Nimajneb said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you were having such a bad day. I wish I could help.”
“It’s okay. All I want to do is go home,” Koa replied.



Chapter 5
As they kept on walking, they saw many strange people. Some had long noses; others had no nose at all. Other people, or should she say creatures, had pink, purple, green, blue, and turquoise skin. The people scared her, but Nimajneb didn’t seem to notice. Koa noticed again that Nimajneb looked like he had lost some of his weird, Umpaloompa-like characteristics.
“Do you know where the riddle keeper is?” Koa asked Nimajneb, whose orange skin was replaced by a light tan. She was very curious about what had happened to his skin, but decided not to ask him.
“I heard on the bridge that he is just along this other road here,” Nimajneb said, quickly pulling Koa onto another road. She was very tired of traveling, and when Nimajneb jerked her arm, she tripped on a root in the middle of the new road. As she lay on the ground, Nimajneb looked at her ankle, which was starting to swell up. He took a cloth from his pack and wrapped it around her ankle.
“Thank you,” Koa said, struggling to get up. “You’ve helped me so much, and I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. I always make sure my friends are okay,” Nimajneb responded. I guess he thinks we’re friends…I haven’t even talked to him that much, right? Koa thought to herself as they continued on the path. It seemed like they were never going to get there, until Nimajneb pointed out a small, old, wooden cabin in the middle of a clearing. There was a tall, scrubby looking man chopping wood on the left side of the house.
“Hello!” Nimajneb called to the man, who didn’t seem to notice. So, he called again, “Hello? Hello! Can you hear me?”
“Who goes there?” the man called, in a deep, roar-like voice.
“It is Nimajneb, from Ogacihc. My friend Koa, is from the “real” world, and she needs to get back to her home,” Nimajneb called, not aware that the giant seemed angry.
“I can help her get home, but she needs to pass the test, of course. She is not allowed to have any help,” the giant called, pulling Koa to him. As he led Koa into the cabin, Nimajneb took a seat on a newly chopped piece of wood. The giant had pulled the curtains, so Nimajneb couldn’t see inside. Now that he couldn’t see inside, Nimajneb got even more worried about Koa and what the giant was doing to her inside.
“So, what is your name?” the giant asked Koa, pushing her into a chair.
“My, my name is Koa,” she said, terrified of the giant.
“And where did you say you wanted to go?” the giant asked, taking a seat by the only door.
“Um, I want to go home, in Izzlebaum,” Koa responded, nervously looking around the cabin. The walls were bare, except for a few claw marks, perhaps made by a dog. There was a small old-fashioned stove, a wooden table, a mirror that hung about seven feet off the ground, and a small bed, with sheets on it. The inside of the cabin was huge; it had somehow magically expanded when the giant had entered.
“I see. You realize that I am not just going to send you back. Since I am the riddle keeper, I will give you a page of riddles that you will have to decipher. Understand?” the giant said. “Oh, and you can call me Yrneh.”
“Okay, I understand,” Koa said uneasily, since she had never been good with riddles or brain benders. As Yrneh tried to get the paper out from a folder, he knocked down the small wooden table.
Outside, Nimajneb heard the sound of the table and ran to the door of the cabin. “Let me in! What happened to Koa?” he shouted, banging on the door.
Inside, Koa could hear Nimajneb, but before she could do anything, Yrneh opened the door and threw a punch at Nimajneb. He fell to the ground and didn’t move.
“Wait! What did you do to him? Is he dead?” Koa asked, trying to get up. But Yrneh didn’t seem to hear her and he just pushed her back into the chair. “But, but is he still alive?”
“Good. Now that he is taken care of,” Yrneh said in an evil voice. “We can get started on your riddles.” Yrneh finally found the paper without any other disturbances.
“Here we go,” Yrneh said laying down the sheet. “There will be absolutely no help. You may start, now.”
I can do this. It can’t be that hard…let’s see. We are twins, almost exactly the same. We lie at the bottom of a hill, on opposite sides. We have never met each other and never plan to. What are we? I know the answer! It’s they’re ears! They are both at the bottom of a hill, which must be our head, and of course they’ve never met each other! Wow, I’m good at this!
Just as Koa started the second riddle, Nimajneb burst open the door to the cabin.
“Wait!” Nimajneb yelled. “Yes, so I did come back! Ha! I recovered and got up. See I do have the courage to come fight you again!”
“BE QUIET!” Yrneh screamed as he picked up Nimajneb with no difficulty and threw him onto the dirt road. “You may continue working on that riddle. And I forgot to mention that you have to answer all three riddles correctly to get back home.”
“Okay,” Koa responded. Okay. So if neither Dash nor Sag can be the clown, which means that Iop is the clown…Koa thought to herself, not having to do any work. She had just written down the answer and was on the third when there was a knock on the door.
“Who is it?” called Yrneh.
“It is Mr. Smithers. May I come in?” said a small voice from the door. Yrneh go up and went to the door, opening it just a sliver. There stood a short, stout man, slightly resembling Nimajneb.
“Hello. I am here from the city of Ogacihc. I been notified that you, Yrneh Niffum, are holding hostage a girl named…Koa, is it?” said the strange man, who winked at Koa when he said this. Wait. If he just winked at me…it’s Nimajneb! Oh I hope he gets me out of here… Koa thought to herself nervously, pretending to solve her last riddle.
“I am not holding anyone hostage. You can search the house, but this little girl here is just trying to solve some little riddles for me,” Yrneh responded, walking towards the door. Koa had started on her riddles again, this time she wasn’t pretending.
It only took Koa a second to solve the third riddle when she shrieked with excitement, “Wait! Yrneh, I’m finished. Ha! Now you have to send me back!” She handed over the paper to Yrneh and went to wait by the door, incase she needed to make a quick escape.
“Okay. You deserve to go home. But my only question is, how did you solve those riddles so fast?” Yrneh asked Koa, looking over the sheet in amazement.
“I don’t know. The answer just came to me like that,” Koa responded, snapping her fingers.
“Wait!” Mr. Smithers said, making his presence clear. “I think you should send me back too. I am a human after all. It would only be fair. So all you have to do is give me the key or you could ask me a riddle.”
“Okay. I will ask you one riddle and one only. You must get the answer right the first time, or you get to stay here with me. Here it is,” Yrneh said, reading out the riddle. “What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?”
“Um. It must be a…human! It has to be a human!” Nimajneb finally screamed.
“Before you take the key. You must go into the back room, insert the key into the lock, turn it counter clockwise once, then turn it…,” Yrneh said.
“Turn it three times clockwise, then back again to where the key started. I know the drill,” Mr. Smithers said, interrupting Yrneh. He took hold on Koa’s hand and pulled her into the back room.
“Okay. Bottom line, yes I am Nimajneb. That’s all, we’re in a rush,” Nimajneb said, sticking the key in the lock and turning it. The porthole opened just in time for Koa and Nimajneb to get through, for Yrneh had already beaten down the door that Koa had locked. Yrneh had realized who Mr. Smithers really was.
“Nimajneb! You tricky little fool! You cheater! I will never let you go!” Yrneh screamed.
“Quick! Shut the door!” Nimajneb screamed to Koa.
“I can’t get it closed all the way!” Koa screamed back at Nimajneb, never letting go of the door handle. Yrneh, on the other side, was trying to pull the door open.
“I am not going to let you go back, Benjamin!” Yrneh screamed from the distance for the second time.
“Benjamin? Who’s that?” Koa asked curiously.
“Not now Koa! We have to get back before he…,” Nimajneb yelled, cut off by the sound of the door closing shut.
“Thank goodness!” Koa sighed letting go of the handle. “So, who is that Benjamin that Yrneh was talking about?”
“That’s me. You see, I was once a boy from the “real” world, and I got mysteriously sucked into this world. I had a hero that helped me on the journey, but when I got to Yrneh, I had troubles. I could only solve one riddle, and he wouldn’t let me go back. It was the riddle he just asked me that gave me trouble. But you see, I was a stubborn kid, and I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. So, I tried to fight back, but he turned me into that ugly creature. I could only find my way back by finding someone else that was in my position. So, Yrneh was disappointed that I was able to change back. He thought he had finally achieved his goal of making someone’s life miserable,” Benjamin explained with joy.
In a couple of minutes, they were back in Koa’s new school. She heard the same group of girls giggling, and she continued to her next class, wondering if her new school was really the “real” world she wanted to be back in.