The Mushroom Troll, Chapter 3 - Tall dreams
As silence fell, a whirlwind of thoughts raced through the little mushroom troll’s mind.
What would it be like to be… tall?
He imagined finally being seen, dancing alongside the big sand trolls.He watched them from his window, their laughter and shouts filling the air, while he remained hidden, afraid of being squished under their heavy feet.
They stomp and dance, and here I am, just a little troll, forever overlooked.
If I were tall, maybe they’d finally notice me. Maybe I wouldn’t have to face everything alone. Maybe I could make friends who would look out for me, too.
The mushroom troll held his breath until he nearly turned blue, then suddenly blurted out, “I want to be tall sometimes! Like the others! Then I could save my only friend; Hermina the Hare!”
The witch tilted her head and squinted her charismatic eyes that seemed to hold the stars twinkling inside of them. They were so dark that the little mushroom troll was sure she must have been hiding a spell in her gaze that drew people in, making it impossible to look away.
“Selfless wishes are the best of wishes,” she smiled more warmly now, and the mushroom troll noticed she wasn’t wrinkly or old at all; it had all been an illusion.
He rubbed his eyes—her hair had gone from charcoal-black, tangled and mat to a glossy auburn hue. She was much younger than he thought, and her clothes had transformed from rags to finery.
She took out some stardust from her pocket and sprinkled it all over him. The air crackled with magic like small fireworks, and a lump of amber in her outstretched hand turned into a beautiful necklace.
“Wear this close to your heart at all times, and you will activate the spell. You can turn tall or small as you like!”
The little mushroom troll widened his eyes; he couldn’t believe his ears. He stroked the fur on them and shook like a leaf, afraid they would fall off as if he had heard her wrong.
The witch gently patted him on the back. “I’m not gonna eat you, you know, if that’s what you were wondering. Until we meet again.”
She laughed so crisply, like a fallen leaf echoing through the meadow and the pines, the old trees whispering even more than before.
She pointed him in the direction where Hermina had run off to before she vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving no trace behind.
The little mushroom troll had to close his open mouth out of astonishment and pinch his arm just to be sure. Had it all really happened?
As he looked down at the necklace, a sudden rustle in the bushes made his heart race. What if Reidar was still nearby, lurking in the shadows?
Hermina!
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