the unshakeable tenacity of the black goblin part II

Some time earlier...

Gideon had been trapped in the goblin's cave for months upon months. The goblin appeared from the darkness with a package.

"Here, b-b-b-b-boy. This, this-s-s-s is f-f-f-for yo-, you."

Gideon reached out and grabbed the package. Upon opening it, he found a key. Engraved upon it was, "Waarom, Schat, Waarom". Nervously, Gideon took the key and placed it in his pocket.

"Th-th-th-th-that key will, will open-n-n-n-n any, any one door in this cav-v-ve. Choo-oo-oo-oose carefully, boy."

Looking around, Gideon realized that he was in a different room of the cave than he usually inhabited. This room was filled with doors! Behind some, Gideon could hear strange noises. Behind others, he could have sworn he felt something pounding against them. There was one door under which a light shown out. Surely this was an exit!

"Sir goblin," began Gideon, "may I stay past the door forever? The door that I open that is."

"Why, cer-r-r-r-rtainly, boy. You, you may st-st-st-st-stay there as long as-s-s you wish."

Gideon raced to the door, slid the key in, turned it and flew through the door and right into the cave wall. He fell hard to the ground, and heard a wheezing cackle from behind him.

"Did... did you th-th-th-think that, that I.... that I.... would-d-d-d let you leave? Hahahaha!"

The Black Goblin left the room, and as he did, all the doors opened, each revealing a cave wall. Anything that was behind those doors vanished. Gideon lay there, trying to understand what had just happened. That night, he slept in that room, listening to the awful laughter of the goblin echoing through the cave.