Hey, I did decide to start my own series based off of some ideas that ran through my head while I was camping with nothing else to do. :) Not that I minded. I love this series.

A bit of this first part is minutely based off of my one-shot Trapped; that would be the prologue, if you will, but it isn't exactly necessary to the story. I would have used that as the start to this series, but I honestly didn't think I would have so many ideas at the time.

Much thanks as always to the wonderful for really being my muse; without her I doubt that I could stay interested in anything for any real length of time. This whole series is for you :) Well, assuming that you like it. If not, you can just claim anything else that I write. :)

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Fablehaven. Wouldn't it be awesome if any of us could have been Brandon Mull?

***

Warren stared around the storage space that was now his home (maybe even his final home) and just took in all of the absolute junk that filled it up. It wasn't like he could ever say that out loud, though- Bubda liked his clutter. Warren though about moving things around, but the task seemed so impossible to ever handle alone. Still, if he didn't start looking for those air vents soon, it was likely that he would never manage to escape.

"Play cards?" Bubda asked. Warren had taught him minor poker games and blackjack; the poor troll had become quite an addicted gambler. To Warren's dismay, they did gamble- food. It seemed as if his streak of bad luck, starting when he was put into that fear-induced coma, was still holding up steadily, because he almost always lost. I should never have made those cards, he thought dismally.

Of course, it did provide a good distraction…

…but he needed to search.

"No thanks, Bubda." He looked almost disappointed as he went back over to his old, nearly forgotten Yahtzee set.

And then Warren had an idea.

"Actually… I will play. But I have a different gamble today." His inspiration with his plan was growing each moment, along with his confidence.

"What gamble?" Bubda asked suspiciously.

"If I win, you help me search for the way out of here- the vents. If you win, I'll play five more rounds betting normally."

Bubda seemed to consider the likelihood of having to work versus the opportunity to gamble. Eventually, he left the Yahtzee set behind and started to deal the cards for blackjack. Warren smiled. Of course, he predictably lost the first game and continued to lose the five that followed, losing more of his food supply as time went on. He played again while hoping to win and start looking, but he lost. Finally, Warren tried to apply lost reserves of strategy. Slowly, he started to win. On the sixth game he won, much to Bubda's dismay. "Come on, let's start looking."

For a moment Warren feared that Bubda would just refuse, but then the troll grunted and stood up. "Bubda search."

Warren grinned huger than he had in a long time. If he didn't know better, he could swear that he and the troll were almost friends. Shaking his head in amusement Warren began to look, shoving boxes, chairs, barrels, bins, and countless other items out of his way. Nothing that he saw even started to resemble vents, but he had only just started to scratch the surface of searching. Bubda hadn't said a word from the time that he had started shoving around his collection, so Warren was left to assume that he hadn't discovered anything of use either. Warren was about to give up- for the time being, at least- when he shoved aside one last crate based on an instinctive feeling. There was nothing there…

…until a piece of paper poked into existence out of nowhere!

Warren hurriedly grabbed up the cards and replaced the letter with them so as to keep a mark on the invisible spot. He unfolded the letter and began to read….

He could hardly believe it. His hope soared.

He just might yet be saved.

***

I'm sorry that this is horribly short (trust me, it probably annoys me more than anyone) and sadly very dull as well. Please review anyways. I have an idea for the second chapter, but it's not quite solid yet…