Little Man

Joe was finally ready to begin his journey, but to where? Empire City? He had never even heard of such a place! He thought that having companions along would be of some help, but neither Rosa nor Sammy knew anything about Empire City. One day, Joe, Rosa, and Sammy were on their way to discuss how to find the mysterious owner of the key over a bite to eat, when Rosa stopped in her tracks. Joe turned around. “What’s the matter?” asked Joe, “why’d you stop?” Rosa raised her hand to point towards the middle of the road. Joe and Sammy turned to look in time to watch as an incredibly small, but chubby man pulling himself out of a manhole. After a good while of squeezing his round body through the hole, he was finally out, dusting off his long coat. Without a moment to spare, he walked over to Joe and ushered him to bend his head towards his. The short man whispered into his ear, “take the yellow line, and you will find Empire City.” With that, he waddled down an alley, turned a corner, and was gone. Before the three friends realized what they had just witnessed, each turned to see Ebling, marching down the sidewalk, in their direction.