To begin the story let me clearly tell you, Isha loved advanture. She was a sensible ten year old daughter of Mr. and Ms. Gill, who along with their two children got relocated to Europe during the 50’s. Her new house was located almost two miles away from the forest and there were lot’s of girls of her own age around. She picked out four special girls, who were as adventurous souls as herself, to become her very best mates for life. The 5 girl gang included naive Riya, cute Rihana, talkative Sameera, strong Iris and herself. They would gather near Isha’s house and plan for advanture, treasure hunts and misterious facts mostly by sharing books and visiting libraries on weekoffs, while they would gather on the same spot to study togather on the school-days.

Things were going fine untill one day Riya heard a whistling sound coming from the other side of the thin waterway which separated their homes from the forest region. Although they were not allowed to cross the lake and enter the forest mainland, Riya still wanted to go and enquire. Isha being the most intelligent girl out of them all denied but majority was in favour of Riya’s claims. So everyone prepared their own bags with essentials and entered the forest.

Riya being the most innocent and naive girl took along food, water and her teddy. Riyana was pretty and all she could think for the adventure trip was makeup and chocolates. Other three carried essential things like a compass, rope, blankets, a lighter and water. As they carefully crossed the low flowing river. They saw a shadow walking past some thick wild cherry bushes. They couldn’t see much except for a golden ball attached to a conical corner of a green velvety hat that she was wearing. They knew it was not an animal. As they walked near the creature, it sliped further into the forest. All of the girls went deep into the forest chasing the creature wearing the golden ball on it’s hat. Isha again tried to convince others to turn back but noone wanted to leave without finding out about the noises.

Then suddenly in the deepest part of the forest errupted a lot of hustle and bustle. It was as if there was a secret market at the heart of the forest. Walking almost 10 steps further, at a little distace they witnessed lamp lights and many more little people wearing the similar green hats. As they went near the bazaar noices began to harshen making it very unpleasant to stay there much longer.

But as the other girls still kept on panting to proceed to the market, Isha reminded everyone how it was not safe to enter an unknown crowd specially when it was not an ordinary crowd. Girls for the last time ignored her warnings, so Isha too went along instead of unsuccessfully trying to stop them. Also her own adventurous nature compelled her to go. But she was smart enough to plan their safe escape.

Every girl in the group was well aware about these creatures because Sameera use to tell folklores about them, as she was the only native European among them. From Sameera’s stories they already knew goblins are almost always small and grotesque , mischievous or outright evil, and greedy creatures, especially for gold and jewelry. So they planned they will keep on moving untill they cross all the shops without buying anything. They covered themselves in blankets and merged into the goblin crowd. Everyone was scared but proceeded through the market to walk away without being caught by the vicious goblins.

They passed first few shops only by looking at them but the goblin bazaar wasn’t simply any other market, it was full of exotic objects and variety of magic. There were such serems that can make hair change colour, charms that bring love, money or happiness, dream catchers that contained 10 to 100 most desirable dreams, and so on. The shopkeepers were very assertive and flexible about payments.

In the end only Isha made it out of the market and all her friends were lured by the glitters of the market. But not realising her friends’ fates, she kept on rushing her steps away from the dissonance. When the voices dimmed as she went far from the market she turned back to talk to her friends but realised too late that all her friends were tricked by goblins into buying some or the other thing. Isha hid at a distance behind the thick mapple trees to help her friends if needed. She saw Iris buying a mason jar, which enables the drinker to have super strength for a few minutes and Sameera purchased a mike that makes the holders voice very euphonic. Riya and rihana brought invaluable but attractive charm bracelets which give luck and love respectively. The goblin market stood there till 7 and then it disappeared into thin air. As the girls stood there alone, Isha made her way to the girls and hugged them. Then everyone went home happily but amazed. They made fun of Isha for not buying anything while they purchased so much magic for free. Isha found this shocking to know, because in folklores goblins are famed to be cunning traders and it is said that “there is no such thing as free lunch with, the goblins” .

It was almost dark so they decided to reach home as soon as possible. None of them uttered a single word about this incident at their homes. The next day all the girls met again on their regular place to discuss about the events of previous day. Although they brought so many things from goblin market none of them seemed excited that day. Isha was surprised to see this reaction. Now she was actually tensed for her only friends in the neighborhood. She knew something was wrong about the goblins.

They asked Isha if she is okey! which isha responded favourably. Then one of them said,” but I can’t get rid of the unbearable noises from the goblin market.” Others too nodded in assent. Isha questioned, “what did you buy their magic goods with?” no wonder they were answerless. Because they did not pay a dime to the goblins. At that point they found out even though they all knew goblins are not the kind of creatures who would allow bargains, they had fallen into their tricks. Riya finally broke down and sobbing she blabbled,” they rejected our money asking for gold, but we didn’t had any, so they gave us alternate choice.” Iris intruded in between saying,” goblins asked us to trade one out of three things, Age, family or peace. And we all choose peace. And since then we can not get rid of the strange noises.”

Isha knew goblins have already played their cards well. She decided to herself go to the same market and somehow find a remedy. The next day she packed her bag and walked into the woods but she was unable to find the goblin market again. For a week she went into the most wicked parts of the woods but kept on coming back empty handed. Her friends continued to live in distress. Seven days later Isha heard a familiar whistle. Knowing that goblins are back she picked up her bag and rushed to the inner side of the forest.

This time Isha was welcomed very warmly. Goblins greeted the girl as the “one who was left unattended last tym”. Isha didn’t wanted to buy anything but the goblins were very adamant for atleast one single purchase just by the reason of entering in to the market. Isha asked one goblin then the next and till the last in the market but noone gave her any solution. As it started getting dark and she hopelessly decided to leave, one goblin held her by arm and offered an apple. She denied but the goblins surrounded her and pushed the apple in to her mouth. She closed her mouth tightly. Outnumbered she could not evade them so she cried, “I will eat the apple but in return you have to tell me the solution of how my friends will find their peace back”. Goblins were ready to give a solution in exchange for eating an apple, so after her first bite one goblin told her, “if they need to rid the noices then tell them that they just have to eat lot of Cherries. Isha dropped the cursed apple on the ground and dodging the goblins she hastened towards her home to inform her friends. But accepting the apple from goblins bound her in their debt. The cunning goblins smiled at a distance as Isha ran away from the market. But she never managed to escape the misterious woods.

Next day Isha’s mother and father began inquiring from her friends about their daughter’s disappearance and police too was informed. her friends kept quite feeling guilty about the mishap. Later only Sameera told everyone about the goblin market though noone blieved her stories.

Another day passed looking for Isha with no success. So the remaining four girls went into the scary forest again. But this time they prayed god to avoid any sort of advanture for them. There right at the onset of the forest they saw someone standing. As they approached they found a statue right next to the cherry bush, but horrified at the sight of a statue just near the entrance of the forest they didn’t approach it immediately. While passing by its side the girls looked at the face of the nicely carved figure and cringed within, it was none other than Isha’s . Nobody could tell how Isha was metamorphised into hard rock. Rihana started crying in Riya’s arms. They tried to move the statue but it was too heavy. After an hour they were disheartened, helpless and tired. Then suddenly Iris noticed that Isha’s statue is in such a position as if she was about to pluck the cherries. They too plucked the cherries and while plucking they also ate a few of them. They were amazed how the unpleasant noices stopped. The girls were overjoyed to find the cure. Then they smashed some cherries and put them into the statue’s mouth but unfortunately nothing happened.

It was getting late, and the girls finally had to return to their homes. As they bid final Farwell to their beloved friend Isha’s statue closes her eyes and moved her hands to hug back. All of the girls shouted with joy. Their advanture was finally successful. All of the five friends returned to their respective homes. They decided to never disobey their parents and not look for any more adventure for sometime. In the end Iris, Riya, Rihana, Sameera and Isha realised that the most magical gift they posesss is their strong bond of friendship. So they discarding all the other magics which they brought from the goblins and lived happily ever after keeping the secret of Goblin market a secret for the rest of their lives.

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