Troll Testing Part Two

Welcome to the second part of Troll Testing. Reader’s asked for more story involving Broman the troll, so here it is.

For those of you who missed Tuesday, just know that Broman is required to bring back the first child for dinner to pass his test as a troll. So far he’s ‘changed’ into a human and gotten himself invited to one of the kid’s houses for dinner. Now he’s playing ball with the girl in hopes of finding a moment to snatch her away.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy=)

Troll Testing Part Two

Broman kept the ball moving until the sun sank below the horizon.

“I’d best go in,” Maddy said.

Broman approached her as though to return the ball. His limbs were heavy.  Now, Broman.

Maddy’s hands closed around the ball and Broman moved, picking her up around the waist at the same time as his hand covered her mouth.

Her scream come out muffled against his palm. Running into the trees, he tried to ignore her feet kicking the tops of his legs.

He left the town behind and headed back toward the troll clearing, where the first trainee to appear with a child would earn the highest praise. Most of the trainees probably hadn’t even started to capture their child.

A grin broke across Broman’s face at the thought of Faden’s praise. Then a whoosh distracted him. Something slammed into his side, and Maddy flew from his grasp.

Rising to his feet, Broman let go of his human form. The change saved his life as Marrik’s fist connected with his chest instead of his chin.

“Knew you’d come up with something cleaver,” Marrik grumbled. “Now I’m going to steal your prize.”

A constricted scream escaped Maddy’s mouth. She tried to rise and then screamed with a full breath when her ankle took her weight.

“Stay right there, sweet,” Marrik mocked.

Broman charged him, trying to sweep his legs out from under him. Marrik laughed, stepping aside and throwing Broman against a tree. The wood cracked like a thunder clap. His shoulder flared with pain but it wasn’t that that held Broman’s attention. He couldn’t draw breath. Air wheezed past his throat.

“So weak,” Marrik turned to retrieve Maddy, who was trying to crawl away toward the village. She hadn’t made it very far.

Wrapping his fingers around her tiny arm, he picked her up, eyeing her form. “Kinda scrawny, Broman, but the challenge doesn’t specify, I guess, on how big the kid is. Still though, maybe I should try a bite just to make sure the Masters don’t refuse my find.” Drool dribbled down his chin at this idea.

“NO! Help me!” Maddy’s eyes begged Broman.

Marrik chuckled, pulling out her other arm to bite into it like a chicken leg.

A full breath finally rushed into Broman’s chest. Pain radiated through his shoulder but it didn’t keep him from getting to his feet. Pulling the tree free from the last splinters holding it into the ground, Broman roared and swung it into Marrik’s middle.

Maddy hit the ground and Marrik doubled in two. He slammed into another tree, head cracking back and caving in with a crunch. Broman stood stock still for a moment before it dawned on him that Marrik wasn’t going to move again.

He glanced at Maddy. She stared back, eyes big with fright.

“Go,” he said.

She whimpered.

“GO!”

She bolted, hobbling on her bad ankle like an injured deer.

A roar behind him rocked through Broman’s skull. Fear tightened in his throat to the point he questioned if he could ever breathe again. Turning to look, he made out two large, gleaming eyes before he was about to discern the hulking form of Faden.

“You killed one of your own to let a human go free?!”

There was no denying it. Faden must have been watching all day, keeping stock of his trainee. The Master troll roared again and Broman saw murder in his scared face.

Faden was too big, too skilled, for Broman to fight. He’d barely survived Marrik.

Broman ran before Faden finished venting his frustration. He crashed through the trees, hearing the sound of an earthquake following after him, and could only hope his smaller size would save his life.

***

The tavern was quiet. It was one of those rare nights when only a few people stopped by for dinner before heading home.

Greg leaned against the side, watching the few remaining figures meander along Main Street. He should head in to finish up cleaning but he was using the last dregs of his pipe as a reason to lean a while longer.

A figure ambling down the street caught his eye. He was able to name everyone in town. He couldn’t name this man, however.

He was big. Maybe a lumberman from the size of his shoulders. But one arm was pulled tight to the man’s chest with what might have been an extra shirt. As he drew closer, Greg made out tired, dark eyes. The man stopped as a child ran across his path in pursuit of her father. The tired eyes softened for a moment as they watched April pass.

Greg’s heart went out to the man. He reminded him of himself when he’d come back from the war.

“Headed far, stranger?” he called.

The man looked up, surprised. “Maybe.”

Greg chuckled. “Can you clean with that one good arm?”

“Of course.”

“Than help me clean and you’ve dinner and a room for the night.”

The man’s eyes brightened. “You’ll get no argument from me. Got any pork?”

Greg chuckled, both surprised at the question and that the man ducked through the door.

“Perhaps,” he said. “I might be able to rustle up some pork.”

The End

Blessings,

Jennifer