Around the back of the castle you find more bits of yellow DO NOT CROSS tape. It's as if the tape was supposed to be wrapped around the castle, but someone had torn if down.
A snarl stops you in your tracks. What could make such a grating noise? All is quiet for a moment before you hear it again. It's a sharp growl like some kind of animal. Not daring to move you can only cast your eyes from side to side.
It is easy to miss in the dark shadow cast by the tower, but another throaty grunt rivets your eyes on the spot. Something large is humped over in the shade, its mass rising and falling with every snarling breath it takes. It fidgets and rolls over, sprawling an arm out in your direction. You dare to inch closer until your eyes adjust.
It's the playground equipment inspector! The man has his hard hat slid down over his eyes. He hugs his clipboard against his chest with both arms. His mouth hangs open and he snores, a noise as loud as a chainsaw. His nose twitches and he jerks one hand up to scrub it. When his arm comes back down his beard has started to peel off of his face!
Something tells you this playground equipment inspector isn't up to code.
Continue to chapter 38.