We have come at a c+r+o+s+s+r+o+a+d+s

I looked at the sign, it wasn’t really much help. At this dirt road intersection, all that abounded was green. The signs and their post hadn’t been repaired in what must have been centuries, and they pointed everywhere that wasn’t a road.

I read the signs aloud, “Freedom,” probably not a good idea, those spiders like to lure people with happy clappy names like that, “The King’s Happy Realm,” that name was so stupid it had to be an interesting place. But I wasn’t looking for interesting, I already had enough of that back at Tigerville with their lockdown. The road I was on began subtly vibrating, here we go again. As soon as the shaking turned violent I leapt into the air and the road changed direction. I should really pick a town now, or the road will change back to Tigerville, and fuck that place.

One town name stuck out at me: Peter. Well, be among your own company I supposed. That was my name, but I wasn’t worried about this. I knew it was a city for me.

Before the road could start shaking I hopped on it, and the crossroads disappeared.

“It’s okay, you can come out now,” I said. A man of mud emerged from under my feet, lifting me beyond the clouds.

“Now how the hell did you know I was there?” he asked, spitting flecks of mud everywhere.

“Trust me, I know you too well. I know you don’t walk too well, want me to get the urn?” The slowly sinking mud man nodded his head in agreement and I fumbled around my knapsack for it. I had to pull out a cat, a mat, a sack, a table, and an able bodied wine before the urn reared its head. The mud man was sinking at a much faster rate now, and my life was almost taken by the ground. I scooped him up with the urn, freezing my freefall and slowly planted my feet on the dirt road.

I held the urn up to my eyes, “Onward and upward then?”

-----

I didn’t expect the road to wind quite that much. If I had been a religious man I would have thought that God was trying to stop us getting to the town. I don’t blame him, it is a bit worrisome to go to a city with your name. However, to avoid Tigerville, anything was worth it.

“Damn,” I thought, “I left the wine at home, now how can I barter with the many travellers I may encounter along my way.”