"Meet Lambis!" Floufli's booming voice announced.

The room was round and big, almost the size of a football field. In the middle of it, stood a huge machine. Sarah had to tilt her head all the way back to be able to see all of it.

Lambis, the machine, had no similarities to other machines she saw on documentaries on TV, far from it. Lambis was orange-pink, and square with round edges.It had two crazy, dizzy eyes up top and an enormous big and open mouth. In its mouth was what appeared to be a screen. And its tongue, it was sticking out with a keyboard on it.

Sarah was standing with her mouth dropped opened. She was so shocked at the mess in front of her, she couldn't make a sound.

Well, I wouldn't blame her to be honest. What would you do if you saw what she was currently faced with? Cables half eaten spilling out of the machine. Buttons and knobs missing from what looked like the remains of a keyboard. A thick viscous brown liquid was slowly dripping down the display screen. I, for one, would start to feel the hopelessness that would slowly crawl through my veins.

Sarah glided her palms on the sides of her face and sat cross-legged on the ground.

"Alrighty then, let's go take a look at the prophecy book," Floufli said, and moved closer to a yellow pedestal in front of the machine.

Sarah pushed herself off the floor. A loud bang made her jump. Her head snapped at the noise. Lucas was inside the machine pulling on something. "Lucas, what are you doing?"

"Me? Checking Lambis out," Lucas replied.

Sarah, with a grim expression plastered firmly on her face, walked behind Floufli. She took a peek at the prophecy book that was opened on the pedestal. "This is a manual."

"No, this is a prophecy book."

"No, this is a manual."

"Little human, this is a prophecy book."

"Shall we agree to disagree?" Sarah asked, frustrated with wasting precious minutes arguing.

"Yeah..." Floufli scratched his head embarrassed.

"What happened to the machine?"

"The machine? Oh, you mean Lambis. Well, the Crits got in here. They managed to eat part of the pipes and wires. Also, there might be some parts missing. I believe they might have taken them with them for a midnight snack. And I might have fallen asleep on my watch but please, pretty please, don't mention the last part in front of Lalapap, she will nag my ears off," Floufli pleaded and his ears started a frantic shake.

Sarah tried to hide the small twist that was forming on her lips. "Ahem," she coughed and placed her hand in front of her mouth. "I thought you said that Crits eat magic, happiness and sunshine. Why would they eat the pipes and the wires?"

"Magic, happiness and sunshine are all channeled through the pipes and wires of Lambis. They are, if you will, the essence of what makes Lambis work; the fuel."

"Oh, let's get to work then. We have a Lambis to fix."

She took a step towards the 'prophecy' book. She flipped the pages of the book and a loose page slipped out. Floufli snatched it before it fell on the glossy gray floor.

"Here," he said and handed it over to Sarah.

"What is it?"

"I don't know. I can only speak the human language, not read it," Floufli informed her.

Ra-ta-ta, pop, pop! Bang!

It seems like Lucas the Destroyer is at it once again. Startled, both Floufli and Sarah jumped and searched around them for the source of the noise. A heavy pink fog started to swirl around them, filling the room.

"Lucas!" Sarah yelled.

"Open. Windows," he yelled back.

She paced hastily across the room trying to find a window, any window to open. "Why Lucas, why? Floufli the windows. How do I get them to open?"

"You can't make an omelet if you don't break any eggs," Lucas shouted from inside the machine.

"Oh, just be quiet Lucas! Floufli the windows.."

"They are sealed dome windows, they don't open." Floufli said.

"What?" She shrieked and her eyes bulged out of their sockets. "We need to let the smoke out before it completely fills the room."

"I know, I know. I'll switch on the ventilator." Floufli's nasal voice was heard from a distance. Using two fingers he had squeezed his nose shut. He stared to run and opened a door on the far left behind Lambis.

The pink smoke was quickly sucked out of the room. "Oh my gosh," Sarah said as she fanned herself with the piece of paper that was still in her hand. "What is this?" She mumbled quietly and started reading.

💫Magic Finding Machine💫

100 beastly year guarantee bond

This is to certify that the Magic Finding Machine with serial No. 003 is guaranteed for a hundred beastly years of magical royal finding. Only the finest materials and only the best magic workers enter into the making of this superb machine.

Any part that is found defective and/or not working properly can be returned and replaced within one hundred years free of charge (transportation costs not included).

This guarantee is binding on all parts of the machine except: paint, light bulbs and flat belts.

Signed: ❌
The president of the Magical Machine Company, Inc
Teddy McMagick

Date: 28/01/1836

"Floufli, what's the date today?" Sarah asked.

"Oh my, I believe it is the second of February," he replied.

"Of what year?" She asked again.

"That would be one thousand nine hundred and thirty six."

"It expired last month. Nooooo," Sarah cried out.

"Please stop making that noise. It is rather annoying," Lalapap the Crankiest demanded as she massaged her temple. She is after all a cranky creature.

"Huh? Where did you come from?" Sarah asked.

"From the roof."

"The roof?" Sarah looked at the dome glass structure that was sealed confused, wondering how Lalapap managed to get in.

"The roof," Lalapap said, with one eyebrow raised she pointed at the door behind her.

"Oh, that roof," Sarah said, as she realized that the roof was on the ground and not where she had been searching for it. "This is very confusing. Nothing is the way it should be."

"Whatever do you mean?" Lalapap peered down at her.

"Well, the roof is supposed to be on top of the house, not at the bottom."

"Says who?"

"Says everyone."

"Everyone who?"

"Everyone that is a logical human being."

"So, all humans say that the roof should be at the top?"

"Yes."

"So, you personally know every human being? I am impressed! According to our records there are millions upon millions of humans."

"No, that's crazy. I don't know every single human being."

"So, what you say is wrong."

Honk! Honk! Clank!

"Now what?" Sarah exclaimed.

"What is that I hear? What is that I see soaring high above the sky? It's the Lunch brigade everybeasts." Floufli beamed at everyone in the room and started running outside with Lucas on his heels.

To say that Floulfi got excited about lunch, would be an understatement. In fact he got super excited about all meals of the day. He even got excited when snack time came around.

"Where are you going?" Sarah shouted at Floufli. He didn't even turn around to acknowledge her question. "Where is he going?" She turned to Lalapap who was still standing in front of her.

"Floufli the Amazing?" Lalapap asked and Sarah nodded. "Oh, he's going to get his lunch. We should too actually, before the Lunch brigade takes off."

"We are never going to finish if we keep going at this rate..." she sighed. But curiosity got the best of her, "Lalapap what exactly is a lunch brigade?"

"What is this? Thirty seven questions? Come outside with me and find out for yourself," Lalapap snapped.

Off they go outside Lambis room, Sarah was very eager to see what this Lunch brigade was. And let me tell you, she was not disappointed.

At first Sarah thought that there were invisible beasts. For how else could she explain the huge steaming clay pots of deliciousness, that were arranged perfectly proportioned from one another, before her on a plain white table. Her stomach rumbled and as if she was hypnotized, she walked towards the table and grabbed a pot.

"That was not very polite," a small voice scolded her.

"I'm sorry?" She asked startled, for she could see no one.

"As well you should be sorry," the small voice replied.

"Who said that?" Sarah looked around but couldn't locate the source of the voice.

"Oy, human girl! Down here."

Sarah could hear her brother giggling in the background but she ignored it. She searched on the ground trying to find the creature that the voice belonged to.

"A little bit higher..."

"Um, how much higher?" Sarah asked.

"I would say from where you are searching, it would be a hundred and three centimeters higher."

"But that is where the table is," Sarah said.

"That's the correct place."

"Holy cow! The food talks," she screamed.

"Not the food," the voice corrected her.

"The table talks! Oh my gosh," Sarah said enthusiastically.

"Oh my! I have to spell it out, don't I? Human girl, listen to my voice. Are you listening carefully?" The creature asked.

"Yes, yes I am."

"On the table, there are five pots of food. Place your hands firmly on the third pot, you know the one in the middle. Are you with me?"

"Yes, sir!" Sarah said.

"That would be, yes, ma'am, for you missy," the creature corrected her.

"Please accept my apologies for that ma'am," Sarah said.

"Don't trouble yourself with that. Now, where were we? Oh yes, can you lift the pot up?"

"Of course," Sarah slowly picked up the steaming pot in the middle of the row.

"Now, is there something behind the pot?"

Sarah peered closer at the table. There was a creature there, but unlike the others she had encountered during her short time at Otherworldly Land. This one was tiny. It was as big as her finger nail, with a small orange torso, six legs and sparkling wings. "An ant? I think..."

"Well, hello to you too sweetheart!"

Sarah stood there not uttering a single word. Not even a vowel.

"Cat got your tongue, human girl?"

"S-s-sarah."

"And I'm Antonia the main chef here at Otherworldly Land, also known as the Lunch brigade. Now that we are acquainted what will it be love?" Antonia asked.

"What will what be?" Sarah was puzzled.

"What would you like to eat? I have twisted berry berry soup, creamy roasted sunshine soup and moonlight delight soup with a touch of vanilla," Antonia informed her.

Sarah mulled over her choices, but couldn't make up her mind being that she had never tried any of these before. "All the soups sound very interesting. I'm not sure. What do you recommend chef?"

"Let me see," Antonia scanned Sarah from head to toe in assessment. "You shall have the moonlight delight soup with a touch of vanilla."

"It will be an honor to try your soup. It does smell delicious," Sarah assured her as she took the pot Antonia handed her.

"Are you two done? I'm starving over here," Lalapap said.

"Ah, my dearest Lalapap the Crankiest. What can I do you for?" Antonia asked.

"I want the twisted berry berry soup."

Sarah sat down next to a snickering Lucas. "What? I didn't see her." She defended herself and took a big spoonful of her soup. "Mmm, this is delicious Miss Antonia."

"Thank you sweet pea! Enjoy. I'm off to my next stop." Antonia informed them and single-handedly picked up the table with the clay pots and carried it over her shoulders. "See you all tomorrow."

"Bye Antonia," they unanimously bid her goodbye.

"Are you all finished? We need to get back inside and fix Lambis," Lalapap the Crankiest said.

"I was thinking maybe we can find Teddy McMagick and ask him to send his people over and fix the machine," Sarah voiced.

"Good luck with that!" Lalapap piped in.

"We tried. The next available appointment is in a month," Floufli added.

"Oh! I guess we better get back in there then."

Time is ticking away, will they manage to fix Lambis before the twin moon eclipse?

______