Chapter 16 - Escape from Prison

Gammelnok is now captured and imprisoned in the Old Town Castle.

He felt miserable in his cell. Bed was too high, as was the toilet bowl. Nobody understood GammelDansk and he was hungry and thirsty.

Eventually he remembered his Haversack and his mother's promise: Whenever you need something desperately, you will find it in your haversack.

True enough, even after nearly 300 years the promise was good and true. A means to an escape.

Thinking hard, Gammelnok was working on his escape plan. When the guard hopefully brought him some food and water, he would put it into action.

But it did not work as he had hoped. Food and drink was shoved through a small flap in the cell door and Gammelnok never saw the guard.

At least he could eat and drink. But sparingly. Thinking of the toilet bowl problem, he had to escape soon.

When it was time for the next meal, he placed the object from the Haversack in the middle of the cell and then hid under his Chameleon Cloth next to the door and waited.

The guard pushed the food through the flap and looked through the observation window high in the cell door.

What he saw was a near replica of Gammelnok lying prone on the floor apparently dead. The door was flung open, the guard entered, Gammelnok sneaked out, managed to slam the cell door shut without revealing himself.

Now for the outside world. By the next locked door, he waited patiently for the absence of the guard to be noted.

Soon a crowd of guards entered the cell complex, leaving doors open in their wake. Within minutes, Gammelnok was in the clear and running towards the canal, hoping for a way out of town.

Chameleon Cloth safely back in his Haversack, he spotted a barge loaded with tulips, all for sale at the flower market. He saw his chance and jumped from the bridge into the back of the barge, now completely hidden by colourful tulips. He wanted to sneeze as the pollen rose around him, but managed to control himself.

As the day progressed and most of the tulips were sold, it became clear that he would soon be exposed. He dug out his Chameleon Cloth again, covered up and dropped off to sleep.