the unshakeable tenacity of the black goblin

Gideon ran as far as he could from the moonlit cave. He could hear the scampering of the Black Goblin behind him, hear his calls.

"You... you cannot es-s-s-cape me, ch-ch-ch-child! Come back, boy! C-c-come hither!"

Gideon knew better, and ran all the way to town. He found safety in the home of a lovely girl, whom he had befriended. He stayed there for a long time.

One night however, years later, Gideon awoke to hear a familiar, slimy voice. He walked downstairs, to see the girl inviting the Black Goblin into his home!

"Th-th-th-thank you for your hos-s-s-spitality... girl. You're t-t-too... too kind. Oh, hello, Gideon."

"Gideon, do you know him? He's awful kind. Why didn't you tell me you were acquaintances?"

Gideon didn't know what to do. He knew what the goblin was here for. He wanted to torment the poor girl, and then him. Gideon remembered back, back to the night he ran...

"How did you es-s-s-scape your... your cage?!"

"It was rather difficult, but I had the proper motivation."

"I will retur-r-r-r-rn you... at, at once. It isn't safe outside y-y-y-your cage..."

"NO!"

Gideon grabbed the nearest object, a jagged stone, and thrust it into the leg of the goblin, and ran. Ran out of the cave and to the home of the lovely stranger.

Gideon walked back downstairs and found that the girl was getting along rather well with the goblin. And there, around his neck, was the stone. And he thought to himself, what if I can't escape? Am I running for nothing? What if I can enjoy the company of the goblin? What if he's tenacious for a reason? Why else would he have come back?

Gideon stood in the doorway, too uncertain to move. He listened to the conversation from a distance. He didn't enter, but he didn't dare leave. Just waited, waited for one side or another to take sway over him.