Fairies And Trolls
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Sophie Field, Grade 11
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Short Story
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2020
My eyes fluttered open to see a peculiar face staring back at me. It appeared to be grotesque, but I didn’t reproach it in any way.
A troll.
I read about them before in Norse Mythology. Trolls are usually portrayed as stupid and dim-witted, but at the same time, enjoyed the taste of human flesh. They rarely helped humans such as myself, so why would a troll be here? I sat up and watched as the troll made its way to my door before looking back at me. Getting out of bed, I followed the troll out.
I put on my winter boots and followed him into the snowy forest. Every few metres, he’d check behind to make sure I was still following. After what seemed like an hour, we wandered into a dewy area. This was peculiar, as it was rare that there wasn’t snow.
Nevertheless, I continued to follow the troll. Another creature whizzed past my face, causing my steps to fault for a moment. I didn’t know what it was, but the area around me seemed to glow. The troll growled slightly but kept walking.
By now, I could hear soft giggles and chatter. I couldn’t make out any words, but it was most definitely there. I glanced around, trying to find where the chatter was coming from. I continued on until the troll suddenly disappeared into the bushes and the glowing stopped.
I was scared. Alone, in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. Another faint glow appeared in the distance and I found myself being lured to it. I saw some females in a clearing. They seemed normal to an extent. The extent was that they had pointy ears and appeared to only be half there.
They were Alvs.
I read that they were beautiful and mastered in the art of magic and illusions. I knew to be careful, but they seemed so enchanting. As I approached them, I became aware of the cracking sounds around me.
The illusion faded and I found myself in the middle of a frozen lake. I heard some soft violin playing that sounded enchanting and so I continued on, ignoring the cracking. Soon, the ice cracked under me and I fell into the water. Unable to get back up to the surface, I sunk further down. That’s when I saw it.
A nøkken.
Known for luring people onto thin ice by playing violin then waiting for them to sink down to the bottom. I had fallen for yet another illusion.
My vision faded to black.
I woke up and saw a young woman dressed in a nightgown. It disappeared instantly but I knew what it was. A Nattmara. They’re said to give you bad dreams.
Shaking off what I assumed was a dream, I got out of bed, ignoring my wet pajama's hanging to dry. Some things were best left unquestioned. Perhaps I’ll take that route again. Maybe I’ll see the troll soon.
I was excited to travel again.