Summer of Elves

by Joanne Vruno

  I bent over to shake everyone’s hand with one of my fingers and say hello. I was so surprised by this trick they had all played on me but realized it was good training. I was also so pleased to finally meet my home’s gnomes. It was fun to know I had a newly wedded couple that would be with me for the rest of my life. Now I had met everyone who would become part of my home family in my strange new world.

  We all sat down and talked for a few minutes before Lunt announced it was time to get back to the training. This time I had four gnomes trying to distract me. The rest of the afternoon was exhausting for me, trying to keep my focus. The gnomes’ tactics were outrageous at times. They worked in teams of two, right in front of me, singing songs, some funny and some just rude, imitating all my movements, and taking weeds out of my bucket and throwing them at me. I did not know how to react. At the end of the day I asked what should be the correct response to flying weeds should be, and they informed me that it should be fear. Some creatures would actually go that far, especially dwarves. They loved to throw things, I was told. They could be aggressive in both words and actions.

  I left Grandma’s house, completely drained from all of the day’s events.

  Chapter 9

  I was so relieved when Saturday came. Finally a day without training! Instead I was spending a day with my best friend, Lily Hoff, and her mom, Julia, shopping at Maplewood Mall. Julia and my mom had decided it’d be fun having a girl’s day out for Lily and me. Lily had been my best friend since kindergarten. Nobody understood me better than she did. I was so happy to be able to spend some time with Lily and her mom. My mom had given me some money to spend on clothes, if I found anything I liked. A new store just opened in the mall, so we thought we would check it out.

  As we entered Rue 21, it was obvious others had learned about the opening. It was packed. Lily and I headed straight to the tables of T-shirts. We laughed at the fun designs, many with Disney characters. Some were normal looking and other were in hipster gear. I right off the bat I chose a Ariel with hipster glasses on. Lily looked around awhile until she chose a Monster’s University T-shirt. We then headed to a rack of jean shorts. After a few minutes of selection, we both took a pair to try on. Lucky for us they fit perfectly.

  Julia took us up to the counter and we both paid for our clothes. “How about heading to the food court now,” said Julia, handing each of us a bag to carry.

  With bags in hand, we headed down the corridor to the food court. As we entered, we scanned the variety of food stands. Being more thirsty than hungry, we decided to get Kiwi Quencher smoothies at Tropicana Smoothie.

  We took a table close to the stand and sat down to relax while sipping our drinks. I looked around to see if any of our friends from school had also decided to shop today, and that’s when I noticed her. Four tables away was a female troll. It looked similar to the picture in the book—a larger-than-human-size head with a floppy purple hat hiding her face, a short stocky body around four feet tall, and a tail wagging like a dog’s from under the hem of her shirt, where it met her skirt. Luckily, her back was to me so she didn’t notice me. I watched her move from table to table, eating the leftover food people had forgotten to throw away. Then I remembered Grandma’s words, “Trolls always move in pairs, and one is watching people as the other eats.” I turned quickly towards Julia and Lily and started on about the new clothes and when I was planning to wear them.

  We all emptied our cups at the same time. “Here, I’ll toss them in the garbage.” I said as I grabbed all three cups. I wanted to leave this area as quickly as I could. As I stood up, I finally knew where the other troll was—right next to me, copying the words I had just said. My heart beat faster with each second. I kept telling myself, Breathe, Aly, breathe. I focused on even breaths, trying to ignore the troll inches from my shoulder and staring right into my face as I walked. I tossed the cups and tried not to hurry too much back to the table. I could see the troll in my side vision, while I tried to look straight ahead. I was definitely the target of his interest. I wondered if he had noticed me looking at the other troll. Even though my nerves were shot, I tried my best to pretend to be calm.

  I was glad to be back by Julia and Lily, and I quickly sat down. Julia saved me when she said, “How about we go soon. We can check out Claire’s Boutique quickly on our way out. What do you two think?”

  “Sounds good to me. How about you, Aly?” asked Lily.

  “It’s fine with me.” I was so relieved to get going to somewhere else. The troll was so close I could feel its breath on my neck. I quickly stood up, almost bumping into the troll, and said, “Let’s go!”

  Julia laughed at my expression, and soon the three of us were walking out the food court. The only problem was the troll was, too. It never left my side, copying every move I made: my voice, my walk, all my actions. It was really scaring me. I was so afraid he knew I could see him. Finally, when we had passed by five shops, it turned to go back to the food court.

  By the time we entered Claire’s, my hands were shaking uncontrollably. Lily came up to me from behind and startled me into a slight jump.

  “Aly, are you all right? Your whole body’s shaking!”

  I wanted to tell her what I had seen. Instead I said, “I’m just freezing from the smoothie. Maybe I drank it too fast.”

  “They were pretty cold,” commented Lily.

  Whew, she believed me. My eyes kept looking out of the store window, searching the corridor for any sign of the trolls. So far, so good. Neither of them was in sight.

  “Do you two have any other shops you’d like to visit, or should we head home?” asked Julia.

  “Home is all right, but can Aly stay at our house for a while?” asked Lily.

  Julia turned to me and asked if I’d like that. I told her sure, as long as my parents didn’t mind. Julia quickly called my mom on her cell phone, as we headed to the exit. I so desperately wanted to turn around and look for the trolls, but I knew that would not be wise.

  When we got into the car, I finally looked back towards the building for any sign of the trolls. They were not in sight. I let out a sigh when I realized I had survived my first troll encounter. I wanted to rush over to Grandma’s to tell her about it, but knew that would have to wait until Monday. I instead changed my focus to what Julia and Lily were talking about, as Julia exited the parking lot and turned onto White Bear Avenue.

  Chapter 10

  I started looking around for Enar and Elsa as soon as I returned home. I had to share today’s event with someone, and they were the only two I could tell. It was too long of a wait to speak to Grandma, and I dared not call her in case someone over­heard our conversation. It made me appreciate having the tomtes living with us. I knew I could always talk to them at night, and they’d understand.

  After searching the main floor, I went down the stairs to the basement, where I found them in the family room watching television with Emily. It still amazed me that nobody else knew they existed. I caught Enar’s eye and motioned to him to follow me. It wasn’t long before I closed my bedroom door, once Elsa and Enar were inside, and turned on music from my Ipod dock to block out my voice so it couldn’t be heard from the hallway.

  We sat down on my bed, huddled together so my voice wouldn’t need to travel too far. “I saw two trolls at the Mall when I was there with Lily,” I said. “They were in the food court. One was eating everyone’s leftovers while the other was walking around imitating the people, including me. I was so scared when the imitating one was just inches away from my head, repeating everything I said.” I was still shaking as I told the story.

  “Did they suspect anything?” questioned Elsa, with a look of concern.

  “I don’t think so. My heart was beating really fast at first but after I made myself focus on my breathing, it seemed to calm down. I was terrified when the one troll followed me to the table with Lily and Julia,
and then started repeating my words right in my ear. I don’t know how Lunt and Grandma thought they were silly, they scared the living daylights out of me today!”

  Elsa took my hand and started patting it to try to comfort me. “It sounds like you did everything right. You should be proud of your reaction. We’ll stay close to you tonight, if that’ll make you feel better,” said Elsa.

  “I think I would like that.” I smiled at her and Enar. “I’m so glad you two live here. You’re like having extra friends around to share my fears, thoughts, and questions. I wouldn’t have been able to relax tonight without the two of you.”

  “It’s nice to hear you value our friendship, but this is our job,” stated Enar. “I think I’ll go out and let Alf know to keep a sharper eye out tonight. I don’t believe we have anything to worry about. Unless the troll got your address, he would not know where you live. Trolls don’t have vehicles. They walk wherever they go, and the mall is a very long walk. But check your purse for anything missing: trolls are known for pickpocketing.”

  I quickly dumped out the contents of my purse on the bed and went through things, as Enar left to talk to Alf. Nothing was missing from my wallet. All the pictures were there. My brush, some pens and my house keys were all there, but a pack of gum and a tube of lip gloss were gone.

  “I never even felt the troll in my purse. How could he take things without my knowing?”

  “They may seem foolish, but they’re very crafty and know exactly what they’re after. That’s why they’re drawn to humans. Most people wouldn’t miss some of the items they treasure. Trolls have no use for money, so they usually won’t even check out a wallet. They usually go for things they see humans using, like lip gloss, makeup, mints, and gum. But, if they’re on to you, they may take keys, or wallets for addresses. They seem harmless, but they’re definitely not.”

  I felt shaky at the thought that one had gone through my purse. I wondered if Lily or Julia had things stolen from their purses. I would never be able to ask.

  “Just know that if you ever think a troll seems to have detected your knowledge of them, leave the area quickly by car. The sooner you drive away, the less chance they’ll be able to find you. If you have to walk, guard your purse so they cannot access any information on you. Never go off by yourself. Always stay with other humans. Two trolls can be very dangerous if they feel they were noticed. They may trip you in a crowd to scare you, but they can’t do much more than that. Make sure you’re never isolated, not even in a building. If they sense your knowledge of them, they’ll make every effort to follow you and even grab you if an opportunity rises. There are no other creatures to help you in a public building, but the trolls are restricted when other humans are around you. They’re smart enough to not draw unwanted attention to themselves.”

  “When you’re outside, remember elf sentries are always watching you. They’ll give out a signal to let you know they’re there. Help will come soon in some form. Today’s event, if it had been outside, would have been detected and reported to Dolph or Silver. I think you should tell them what happened at the mall. They’ll be proud to know you followed your training,” said Elsa with a smile.

  “How often are trolls around?” I inquired.

  “They’re increasingly showing up at malls, movie theaters, and large gatherings. We’ve heard of more sightings in the warmer months, especially in cities. We aren’t sure of their locations in the winter. They may stay put somewhere inside of buildings, though some of us wonder if they may actually migrate. Trolls are very sturdy and can easily walk many miles in a day.”

  Enar startled me as he reappeared suddenly out of nowhere. Tomtes were mysterious in the way they just appeared without needing to open doors. I was still trying to adapt to their sudden pop-ins. Grandma told me they had unusual speed and so did gnomes. So quick we could not catch it with the human eye. For all we knew they might have used doors but their movement could not be detected. I had been caught off guard several times when one appeared out of the blue.

  “Alf is on alert around the outside perimeter of the house. I doubt we’ll have any troll sightings, but we’re now ready just in case.”

  “Thanks, Enar. I feel much safer now. I guess it’s easier to hear about the other creatures than to actually experience being near me. Grandma said she hasn’t seen very many in all these years, and I have already seen two a few weeks after getting my power.”

  “Aly, mythical creatures are learning to live with the higher human population, so some are now mixing in,” said Elsa. “I think your sightings of others will become more common, which means your guard can never be down. That’s why your training has to stay intensely focused on ignoring any creature. It may get tiring down the line, but as you can see it helped you today.”

  “So, from now on, my daily life will never be back to normal.”

  “No, this is your new normal, and you have to adjust to it. After a few years, it’ll be your normal lifestyle,” stated Enar.

  I could never believe any of this would seem normal. One day I was a normal twelve-year-old focusing on music, friends, hockey, and spending time with my family, and the next I was seeing all these strange creatures and being taught how to protect myself. How could anyone think this would be considered a normal lifestyle! I wasn’t even sure if life could seem normal anymore. Also, I still wasn’t completely clear on why I had been granted this power and what exactly my power was? For me, my life had mysteriously changed overnight.

  I fell asleep that night dreaming of trolls circling my house and hunting me down. Twice I woke up in fear and twice Elsa patted my back and told me I was safe, as I fell back to sleep. I secretly wished I could go back to being a normal twelve-year-old girl.

  Chapter 11

  I stayed close to home on Sunday. I did not want to meet another creature this soon. Most of the day I spent playing board games with Emily. This made me feel normal, something I really needed to feel again. What I wouldn’t give to go back in time and be able to step outside my house without having to be on guard, always wondering when the next mythical creature would cross my path! A big part of me wished time could be changed, but realistically I knew it wasn’t going to happen. So I chose today to pretend my life hadn’t changed.

  Mom announced at around one o’clock that we were going for a family hike around Phalen Lake with Chica. I wanted to say I preferred to stay home, but I knew I hadn’t spent much time with my family in the last few weeks. We used to go on family hikes weekly in past summers. Sometimes we’d bring fishing gear and fish off the shoreline of whatever lake we were hiking near. That was the thing I loved about Minnesota: there were always lakes close by. Phalen, Beaver, and Como lakes in St. Paul were always my favorite because of the great paths and parks around them. I quickly put on my tennis shoes and climbed into the back seat of our Ford Taurus with Emily and Chica.

  In the car, I had time to view everything outside without looking suspicious to anyone or thing. I searched for signs of mythical creatures and was pleased I had not seen one by the time we pulled into a parking space by the large picnic pavilion.

  Soon we were all being led by Chica around the lake. She needed to sniff the vegetation on the side of the paved path as we strolled. It was a gorgeous summer day. The lake was still like a giant mirror, with no wind. There wasn’t a single ripple on it. The wildflowers on the shoreline had started to bloom. All was peaceful until Chica found a small bunny. Then I felt as though my arm was going to fall off, as I struggled to keep her from chasing the rabbit. It took awhile, but I finally calmed her down, and the rabbit disappeared into a thicket of grass and brush.

  Luckily for us, Chica didn’t notice any other rabbits the rest of the walk. Focusing on her took my thoughts off the creatures. I actually was enjoying the conversation and time with my family. Dad stopped and bought each of us a popsicle from a park vendor, and we found a bench i
n the shade to sit and enjoy them. Chica lay by our feet and cooled down with the rest of us. We just sat and watched other walkers and fishermen on the shoreline as we drank in the perfect weather.

  I realized I’d been spending more time in the creature world this summer than the human world. Today was all human, and it felt as though I was on vacation. It was a time I really needed, a break from training. Would I get many of these days in the future? I somehow thought not, so I focused on cherishing the day. In the back of my mind I dreaded what tomorrow might bring.

  Chica looked so hot and thirsty so we finished walking the perimeter of Phalen and headed straight home. After drinking up all the water in her bowl, she went under the maple tree for a nap. Dad appeared right then with the bocce ball crate. The rest of the day was filled with an intense game of bocce. Mom and I were partners against Dad and Emily. The game finished abruptly after Chica woke up and went for the peanut ball. It took a few minutes to retrieve it from her but then the game was cancelled. We all laughed at Chica.

  Dad decided we should finish the day by driving to one of the last old-fashion drive up restaurants in the Twin Cities: The Dari-ette Drive-In. We ordered from the speaker by the driver’s window. Soon, a girl on roller skates came out with our food on a tray. Dad, Emily, and I ate hamburgers and french fries while Mom had spaghetti, and we all had one of their famous banana shakes while listening to the Twins game on the car radio. It made one feel what it was like to have lived in the 1950s. It was known as a treasure on the east side of St. Paul. Families waited all winter for it to open in the spring, and kept an eye on the closing date in the fall to get one last meal before winter came around again. The Dari-ette was a summer tradition for so many families and a perfect way to finish a great family day.