[quote]"Ask her ta turn us back?" The fox raised her head a little, curious at that novel thought. She looked up at the sky, her mouth closing slowly, imagining what it might be like to ask such a thing of the Gold Lady. She shook her head quickly. "No, no, no! I couldn't do that! She's the Gold Lady! The most important person in this whole world! What if I mess up? What'd everyone think of me? Oh, I don't think bein' human is worth that risk."[/quote]

The Fox had a point. Arthur had no idea what would happen if they were to mess it up, and he really did not want to mess up. He did not want to be turned into an animal or a monster though. He could not think of any other way than to just ask her to turn them back. Killing was just bad.

[quote]"I do," the mouse squeaked defiantly. Dooa wriggled his nose at Riley, and he pointed with a little paw over Riley's clasped hands at the open elevator that stood awkwardly at the edge of the top of the tower. Inside looked nearly identical to the little room that Riley had first arrived in, and had left behind at the horrors' restaurant. "That can take us to the library -- and the Gold Lady!"[/quote]

Arthur looked towards the tower. He remembered the monsters entering from below. Would he see one of them? Would they eat him? He swallowed hard. In order to get home there seemed to be only one way, and he did not enjoy the thought of going that way. Staying here was not an option he wanted to take either.

[quote]The fox looked far less pleased. "You'd barge in unprepared, then? The horrors'll be guarding her, an' there's no reasoning with them. Best have a friend and a bit o' glimmerdust, and a bite to eat just in case." She turned a dark eye to Arthur, and very subtly motioned toward the silent robot on the porch of the little house with the broken window and the closed door -- and the windmill that rose beside it, with the great mountain-crystal shining beyond it.[/quote]

Arthur's stomach growled at the mention of food causing him to blush embarrassed. He had been experiencing so much stress that he had not realized he was hungry. Would it really be okay to grab some food though? Even though the place looked abandoned he had no idea if someone lived in that house. What if they needed that food? Mommy always said there were "people in Kenya that are starving, so eat your food." He never really understood the connection between himself and starving people in Kenya, but what if the person living in that house was starving? The thought of stealing their meal felt exactly like the thought of killing the Gold Lady.

Arthur looked at the Fox with a quizzical expression. "What's glimmerdust? What does the big wind-up toy do?"

The robot looked like one of the wind-up toys in Arthur's toy collection, although it was bit more worn looking. Riley seemed to have come to her own decision, but Arthur still had questions and concerns. He did not want to move forward until they were all answered or resolved.