"Girl is awake now, Guru boy."
"Yes, yes, Garu."
"Girl, you lucky we find you. It bad to sleep in desert."
"Yes, yes, desert eat you."
"Come up now, girl. Garu and Guru boy will take you to safe spot."
"Yes, yes, we give water, too."
"Girl very lucky we find you. If not for full moon, we never see you."
"Yes, yes, moon shine down and Guru say, 'Garu, what is that?' and we find you."
The two goblins walked on both sides of Mel. They went slowly and even held her hands to keep her from falling over.
"Just over this, and you are in safe spot, girl."
Mel crawled to the top. A small patch of green stood proudly in the middle of the brown wasteland, and a pool of clear water could be seen past the trees.
The goblins led Mel forward, and she trudged alongside them. Her feet barely lifted off the sand, causing her to fall over, sliding the rest of the way down the dune. Sand trailed after her, and Garu and Guru ran to her, helping her up once more.
"Almost there, girl."
"Yes, yes."
Little green people poked their heads out of small tents as Mel and the two goblins arrived at the oasis.
They helped Mel to the water's edge, and she dipped her entire head into the liquid and began to gulp it down. Gasping as she raised her head out of the water, she sputtered and coughed, only to stick her head under once more.
The water was cold, and Mel could feel herself being revived with each mouthful she swallowed.
"Girl, how you get this far into desert?" Garu asked.
"Yes, yes, how desert not eat you?" Guru patted Mel's back as she choked.
Tears poured from her eyes and she took a deep breath. "Eat me?"
"Desert eat people's life force, girl."
"Life force? Like magic?"
"Yes, yes, magic too."
"That would explain why I felt like I was losing power."
"Yes, yes, but it eat souls."
"What!"
"Don't be a drama-tic, Guru boy. You scare girl. It don't eat souls. It eat life force."
Mel giggled. "But how do you know all this? Have you lost goblins to the desert or something?"
"Girl, the sacred plaques tell us. They tell how live in desert."
"What plaques?"
"Yes, yes, the plaques in every safe zone. They tell different stories of desert and safe zones."
"The plaques show how desert work and who made desert, girl."
"Someone made this desert? Why would they do that?"
"Yes, yes, magician make. Plaques say he wish to protect."
"Then he die, girl. After, his magic become curse."
"Yes, yes, eat everything. It eat magician's people, too."
"If it eats everything, then why do the plaques and oases exist?"
"A Force of Nature, girl."
"Yes, yes."
"He come to desert and give people safe zones. Force of Nature write plaques and many survive, girl."
"Yes, yes, without plaques, ancestors all die. No chance for them."
"Okay, Guru, let girl rest now."
"Wait, I still want to know more." Mel protested as she was led into a tent.
"Sleep first, girl. Tell more in morning."
"Yes, yes, goodnight, girl." The two goblins tucked Mel in with a tiny blanket. Mel pulled her knees into her chest and tried to cover herself with it.
"Goodnight, Garu and Guru. Thank you for saving me."
"You're welcome, girl."
"You can call me Mel."
"Goodnight, Mel girl."
"Yes, yes, goodnight."