The Punishment of Compass

Compass’ Punishment (April 2024)

The rainforest was dark and scary, but for good reason. It was full of magic. Ordinary objects aren’t meant to tamper with magic, thus, it must be difficult to access. Igneous, however, was no ordinary object. He was chosen to be one of the Dancer’s messengers many years ago. He’d been in this forest many times over the years. He trudged through bushes and other plants, holding a map in his hands and carrying a backpack on his back.

He eventually heard the sound of a train. Most objects would be confused, and perhaps even disturbed by the loud, somewhat creepy sound of a train whistle. This was the middle of a forest, not a place where a train belongs. It might even fool some into thinking they aren’t as deep as they think they are. Igneous, however, knew what this sound was.

He walked toward a figure in the distance, which shone with the little light that came through the leaves above. They were a train whistle, who stopped sounding when Igneous came up.

“Welcome,” the being said. Their name was Whistle, but they liked going by “Choo-choo.”

“Hey, Choo-choo.. Just stopping by to visit a bit,” Igneous said with a polite smile.

“How lovely,” Choo-choo responded, “come over to my cabin, I’ll make you a meal!”

The two walked, Igneous following Choo-Choo to their nice little cabin, which seemed to glow warmly compared to the cold, dark forest surrounding it. Choo-choo opened the door, Igneous stepping in. There was a fireplace with a burning fire, and oil lanterns providing light around the home.

Igneous went and sat on the couch, setting his backpack on the floor and his map on the coffee table. He heard another door in the cabin open, and Compass entered the room, smiling faintly.

“Hey Lava!”

Igneous smiled. “Hello Sunshine..”

Compass snickered. “You really shouldn’t call me that anymore.. I’m no sun.. I’m..”

Compass was quiet for a moment, thinking.

“I guess I could be a dead star,” Compass mumbled.

Igneous shook his head. “That sounds kind of sad..”

“I guess so..”

Choo-choo came into the room, interrupting, “I assume our friend Locket is coming too?”

Locket, Igneous, and Compass were all former messengers for the Dancers. Choo-choo was not. Nobody was quite sure who Choo-choo was, and any attempt to figure it out had failed. Choo-choo insisted on inviting themself into their group. Besides their odd mannerisms, they didn’t mind too much.

“Yeah, how’d you know?” Igneous asked. Usually it was either him or Locket coming by, rather than both.

“Just had a feeling,” Choo-choo responded with a somewhat creepy grin. Nobody was quite sure what specific aspect of them made them creepy. Was it the voice? Was it the hollow eye and mouth? Was it the fact they’d randomly make loud train noises? Perhaps if they’d hung out with Choo-choo outside of this dark rainforest, it’d feel more normal. There was also the fact that Choo-choo seemed to be aware of random things, and would act suspiciously without explanation. However, Choo-choo was actually incredibly polite, and would always treat their guests hospitably. 

“Locket is coming too? It’s been a while since.. The three of us have hung out together,” Compass said, “Do you guys hang out much? Outside of this?”

“Eh, not really,” Igneous said, “I mean, maybe we’ll visit every few months or so. I just have a wife now, so.. You know.”

“Oh, right,” Compass said, looking down a bit, before looking back up with a smile, “When I get out of this forest, I hope to start a family too.. Maybe both our families could have a barbecue!”

Igneous went quiet, not seeming to know how to respond. Compass frowned again, before the door was knocked.

“Oh, how lovely, that must be Locket!” Choo-choo exclaimed, making their way to the door and opening it. It was, in fact, Locket. She smiled as Choo-choo welcomed her, and noticed the others sitting on the couch.

“Well look who it is,” she said with a smile. “My fellow messengers..”

Noticing Compass was a bit uncomfortable, Locket corrected herself, “No, no, we’re friends. Messenger nonsense is behind us now. So, what are you two up to?”

“I actually just got here not so long ago,” Igneous said, “I was thinking maybe we could stay the night.. Hang out a little longer..” Igneous turned to Compass, “If that’s fine with you and Choo-choo..”

Compass smiled, and Choo-choo said, “That’d be lovely!”

Compass enjoyed having others to hang out with besides the train whistle. This cabin got boring after a while. It couldn’t help feeling a bit embarrassed sometimes though, due to its unfortunate past.

“How have you been, Sunny?” Locket asked Compass. ‘Sunny’ is what it went by back in its messenger days.

“Oh, I.. I’ve been alright, I guess.. I went foraging with Choo-choo a few days ago, that was fun..”

“That’s great! Did you find anything good?” Locket asked.

“Well.. We mostly found plants. Well, and mushrooms.. Which aren’t really plants..”

“I’m glad you guys had fun!” Igneous commented, smiling.

Compass felt like the two were acting a bit strange. Ever since it’d been stuck in this cabin with the train whistle, everything had felt different. It knew why. The Dancers reversed its magic. Before becoming a messenger, Compass was good with directions as long as it had gone before. When Compass had been given more magic as a messenger, it could go anywhere it wanted. It just knew, somehow. It could walk anywhere and know where it was headed.

At some point Compass made the Dancers upset. To rid it of magic entirely would be to kill it, but the Dancers punishment was arguably worse. Compass struggled to find the way to its own bedroom now, always feeling lost after a few minutes. Forgetting where it is almost every time it wakes up. It didn’t know how to leave the forest and it was too scared to try, and that was its punishment.

Still, it clung onto the hope that one day it would get out. Every time Igneous or Locket visited, it would plead to come with every time they left, and ask if the Dancers had reconsidered yet. 

However, this time around, was different. Maybe it was just the fact the three of them had never been in the cabin together before.. Well, four counting Choo-choo.

“So,” Compass started, “what made you guys decide to both come this time? Usually only one of you comes..”

Locket glanced at Igneous, who smiled sheepishly.

“We just.. We thought it’d make the visit more special, you know?”

Compass smiled. “Thank you guys.. We should definitely do some fun stuff then!!”

The group played board games for hours, and then all sat on the couch with a blanket for a movie.

On one side was Choo-choo, then Compass, then Igneous, and then Locket on the other side.

Compass had seen the movie multiple times, but apparently Locket hadn’t seen it yet. 

Compass was getting tired, and briefly considered leaning on Igneous, before remembering he had a wife now. It didn’t want to risk upsetting Igneous.

Luckily, Choo-choo gently grabbed onto Compass, letting it lean on them instead. Compass gradually fell asleep.

The next day the group was getting ready for breakfast. Well, Choo-choo was. Everybody else was sitting at the table.

Choo-Choo set a plate of breakfast next to Locket, smiled. “Thanks Choo-choo! Looks delicious!”

Igneous smirked at Compass. “I don’t see why you’d wanna leave, I mean, this guy does everything for you!”

Compass furrowed its eyebrows. “They don’t do everything.. I mean.. It’s not like I can remember where everything is. They just..”

Igneous sighed. “Memory still weird?”

“I guess.. It’s part of the deal. I know what my room looks like, but I can’t tell which door leads to it without a stupid sign.. After a day or two I forget again. Signs help though.. At first uh..”

Compass got embarrassed, cutting itself off. Luckily, Choo-choo was able to finish.

“I’d help Compass remember which room was it’s, but eventually we made signs so now Compass could tell on its own!” 

Compass stared embarrassedly at the table.

“Aw,” Locket said, “it’s nice of you to help Compass!”

Compass rolled its eyes. “It isn’t really a big deal.”

“Compass is actually quite independent,” Choo-choo said, “it spends a lot of time in its room!”

“You are the only one I have to hang out with,” Compass grumbled, “not that I.. don’t like you or anything.. I just think I’d be less ‘independent’ if there were more people I could.. Uh.. consistently hang out with..”

The table got a bit awkward.

“This food is pretty good, seems nutritious too,” Igneous said, “good energy for the walk back..”

Locket nodded in agreement.

“I appreciate that,” Choo-choo responded.

“You’re going back?” Compass asked, though it knew the answer.

“We can’t hang around here forever, I mean.. As much fun as we’ve had, me and Igneous have lives to get back to!”

Compass was quiet.

“Yeah.. And, I’ve really got to get back to my wife soon.. The magic in our area has been hectic lately..”

Locket turned to Igneous. “Are you guys okay? Do you need help?”

“Ehh, it’s not looking good. We might have to move soon.”

“Move? Where?” Compass asked.

“We aren’t sure. We’ve been considering going to one of the islands, or maybe Bridgetown, or Aadshend. Not sure yet.”

“Those are.. Really far.. You’ll still come to visit right?” Compass asked.

Igneous was quiet. Locket stared at him, then back at Compass, who looked more heartbroken by the second. 

Compass spoke again. “Will you?”

Igneous let out a long sigh. “Listen, Compass.. From where I live now, coming all the way here to visit you is a lot of work already. If I move, I’m not even sure how I’d get here.. I’m sorry, but I’m not sure when I’ll be able to visit again.”

Locket couldn’t help feeling a bit offended. She thought Igneous had invited her along because ‘the more the merrier,’ but now felt he must’ve just brought her to make up for him announcing this. He didn’t warn her that he’d drop news about being unable to visit Compass.

She looked over at Compass, who’s eyes seemed to dart around in thought. “But.. what if you guys moved in here?! I’m sure we could build an extra room for your family!”

“That sounds fun,” Choo-choo said lightheartedly.

“No,” Igneous said with a sigh, “I’m not moving my family here, I want my kid to have a future.. And a social life..”

Compass furrowed its eyebrows. “Then take me with you! You can’t just ditch me here.. Locket, will you stay?!”

“Uh,” Locket felt awkward. She honestly had no intention of coming back at all before Igneous invited her. She just hadn’t planned to say anything about it. She knew it would upset Compass.

“Please, you guys can’t just leave me to die here! I want to see the world again.. Please take me with you, I’ll be good this time, I promise!”

Locket sighed, “Compass.. I know.. You’re doing so good, okay? The Dancers have just been really stubborn about it.. They don’t want to risk anything.. It’s a safety precaution.”

“If I’m doing good they should know their ‘safety precautions’ are unneeded! I can’t even use my magic!! Every time I try it hurts me!”

Igneous perked up a bit. “You’ve been trying to use it???”

“Not for anything bad!! I was just.. I was trying to find my way out.. But I only got more lost..”

“You aren’t supposed to be using your magic, you know that. How do we know you aren’t being selfish about it again?”

Locket scoffed. “Igneous, be nicer to it! I’d go crazy if I was stuck here too!”

Igneous winced, not expecting Locket to snap at him.

Choo-choo simply stood next to Compass, putting a hand on its shoulder comfortingly.

“That’s why it’s a punishment. Compass got itself into this, and we shouldn’t be the ones paying for it.”

Igneous stood up, walking to the other room to get his stuff. Compass felt its heart race. “Lava.. Igneous, I’m sorry..”

Igneous went up to the door, looking through his backpack, taking out a bag of chips. “Almost forgot, I got you these. Remembered you used to like them.”

He went and set the bag on the table, before walking back to the door. “Goodbye Compass.. Choo-choo.. And Locket.. Maybe we can meet again one day.”

Compass stood up. “Do you promise you’ll come visit me again?”

Igneous opened the door, and stood back for a few seconds, before letting out an exasperated sigh. “No.”

He walked out, shutting the door, then walking off with the map.

“Well, that was rude,” Locket mumbled, before directing her attention back to Compass. “Anything else you’d like to do? I.. I have to leave soon too, but.. I’ve enjoyed spending time here, okay? And I do think you’ve changed.”

“Why won’t you guys let me come back?”

“I think.. The Dancers want you to stay here.. It would put us in danger if we let you leave.. And while I think Igneous could’ve been less sudden with it.. I think he is worried about his family. I think deep down he does want to keep visiting you.. Just.. priorities, you know?”

Compass sighed and nodded. “You’re right.. Do.. do you have a family?”

“I mean,” Locket started, “not like, a husband or anything, but I have my parents and siblings..”

“Hm..”

Locket looked at the bag of chips. “He remembered to bring the chips you like..”

“Can I have one?” Choo-choo asked, interrupting the conversation.

Compass sighed. “Yeah, you could have one Choo-choo.”

Locket watched as Choo-choo struggled to open the bag, and Compass helped open it.

“Why is Choo-choo here anyways?” Locket asked curiously.

Choo-choo smiled. “I live here!”

Compass sighed. “I don’t know. They’ve just.. Been here. I was kind of freaked out at first but.. They’re cool.. Just annoying.”

“What kind words,” Choo-choo responded.

Locket couldn’t help feeling the two were somehow meant for each other. Choo-choo’s calm, carefree manner seemed to greatly contrast with Compass’. They complimented one another well.

After a few more minutes, Locket let out a sigh. “Well, I should probably get going..”

Compass frowned, which Locket expected.

“I’ll come back to visit next month, okay? Maybe.. Maybe I could talk to the Dancers before then, yeah?”

Compass brightened up a bit. “Oh, uh.. Okay! That.. that would be cool.. Thank you..”

Locket smiled, gathering her stuff, and opening the door. “See you then!”

Compass smiled, and waved as Locket left, really hoping she’d come back and help him leave.

With that, she was gone. 

And, unfortunately for Compass, she did not come back to help him leave that month. She did not come back at all, for that matter. Months passed without any visitors.