Loose

Wandering through the graveyard, it felt like something was watching me. Well, they’re always watching me. I picked up my pace until I came to a golden stone with words inscribed on it. Blue flowers were on the ground, still in their pot, forgotten. It was like someone came to plant them but forgot about them. I placed my hand on the shiny gold stone, reading out loud “Orphelia Mou.” The wind whistled before everything went quiet again.

By now, you must be wondering why I was in the graveyard in the first place. It’s actually a normal thing for me. The dead seem easier. I chuckled at the name I just read. Orphelia meant ‘help’ and Mou meant ‘me.’ Sounds like her parents thought It would be funny. I kicked a pinecone that was from the tree above me. A small path was made, weaving through the gravestones, my normal route. I had a minute of silence before something weird happened.

A faint voice was heard. I gripped my jacket tighter. Was I hearing things in the graveyard? The voice grew louder. It was female for sure. I made my way weaving through the graves, hopping every couple steps because, I mean, who knows if a bony hand will pop out and pull me into the depths of Tartarus so I’ll never be heard from again? As I got closer, I realized the girl was chanting. That was not good. Not good at all. I paused in front of a large red shed. The chanting was the loudest now, she was behind the shed. I wasn’t very good with girls. I brushed my dark hair back and peeked out. It looks like she made a circle around a gravestone with pink chalk. But then she made another circle in that circle. She stood beside it chanting what sounded like Russian. The girl spread a dangerous mood, though her clothes didn’t agree. She wore a bright pink rain jacket that was falling off. The worst part was her pants. She had black sweatpants with neon yellow stripes that hurt my eyes, so I looked away.

When I looked back, she wasn’t there anymore.

I plastered my back against the shed, my eyes were wide, scanning the yard for her pink jacket.

“Why were you spying on me?” A voice asked. I turned back to the pink chalk circle. Instead of standing in it, the girl stood outside of it.

She watched me with great interest as I fumbled with my jacket. “Walking-than I heard- chants, er-Russian?” I lifted my eyes to meet her. Besides her crazy outfit, her eyes went with the mood she brought. They were like shattered glass that was glued together. Broken too many times. I knew that look.

She blinked. “Yes. It was Russian. How did you know?”

I shrugged. “It sounded weird.”

She raised a thick eyebrow “So Russian comes to mind when you think of weird?”

I mentally facepalmed. Here I was, talking to a girl a million times out of my league and I offended her language. Of course, I screw up. “I meant-”

She held up a hand. “I don’t care.” Returning to her glare, she asked again “Why were you spying on me?”

I sighed. “I just heard you so I walked over.” Her face twisted with confusion.

You don’t want to kill me?”

“What? No, I-”

She clamped a hand on my mouth pushing me against the wall. “Be quiet.” She hissed into my ear. At first, I thought I was getting mugged by a teen girl but then I realized she was right. Something else was out there. But I still had questions. Like who was out there? Who is she? Why was she chanting? She answered my second question quietly “My name is Nor, by the way.”

I pulled her hand off my face. “I’m Levi. Levi Madden” Nor opened her mouth about to say something else when a large roar filled the air. If I wasn’t with a girl, I probably would have screamed. Instead I gulped. “What is that?” I breathed quicker. Nor raised her gaze to mine since she was a little shorter.

“A troll.” She said, patting her rain jackets pocket. “Be quiet. They have incredible hearing.” A troll. I squeezed my eyes tight before opening them. A troll. It was late. Probably about 12:30. I stood in silence until Nor pulled her hand out of her pocket along with a knife. I inched back. “I’m not going to kill you.” A hint of annoyance was in her voice. She offered me the hilt of the knife.

I took it slowly.

“What do you want me to do with this?” I asked.

She rolled her eyes. “Protection.” She unslung a golden bow off her back that I didn’t even see. It might’ve been under her jacket.

“These are ancient. Why don’t we get a gun?”

“Guns don’t work.” She said taking a golden arrow out of the golden quiver I didn’t see.

She gave me a look like I was a stray dog. “Goodbye, Levi Madden, run home.” She bounded off into the forest beside us, her auburn hair flying. She had dashed right over the tracks of pink chalk she made. They were now smeared.

I stared longingly at the forest. Who was she? Why was she armed with a bow like Robin Hood? It took me a while to realize what she just did. She abandoned me with a troll. Or a so-called troll. I scoffed. Examining the knife, I turned it over, rubys dotted the handle making it not very comfortable. “Made in Camelot.” I read outloud. “Ptfff.” I stuffed it in my pocket. That was a mistake. The knife went straight through my jeans pocket.

A roar broke the silence.

Oh, yeah. Nor left me all alone to fight for myself and I didn’t even know how to fight. It was probably a bear and Nor had escaped from an insane asylum where she thinks everything is a troll. Yeah, I reassured myself. I’ll just avoid the bear and It will mind it’s own business. I started walking to the gate of the graveyard, leaving the reassuring shed wall.

Don’t look back.

Typically, I looked back.

That was not a bear.

It’s large ugly eyes gazed at me. Saliva dripped down its warty, grey chin. It grunted. I pulled the knife out of pure instinct. The troll did not like the sight of the knife. It took a couple steps than swiped at me. Unfortunately, I was slow. It grabbed me with two hands. It cocked his head while I stared in terror.

I was in the hands of a troll.

I was going to die.

It licked his - or at least I think its a boy- lips. He looked like he was deciding the best way to eat me. Head first? Or maybe arms? I glanced down. Of course, I dropped my dagger in fear of it. The ruby dotted hilt gleamed in the moonlight.

A squish of flesh filled the silence. At first I thought it was mine, but it was the trolls.

“I told you to run.” Nor said after the troll face planted, I managed to jump out of its grip, so that was cool.

“I had it managed.” I tried to look annoyed, but I couldn’t. I had too many questions. Nor cocked a brow questionly.

I bit my lip before asking a question that you shouldn’t ask girls. “What are you?” I said.

Nor tilted her head, a smile breaking around her lips. “I’m Nordika, a witch and servant of Morgan Le Fay.” I coughed into my fist.

“That’s nice. Uh- are you like a slave?” My mind turned to glass. Who was Morgan Le Fay? Why was Nor a servant? And a witch? At least that would explain her chanting.

Nor’s pretty smile faded. “You really don’t know anything, do you?” Before I could ask another question, she held up a hand which I claim as her signature move, and said “Ok, I can sense dark magic in you. I have to go, I’m not even supposed to be here. Pretend you never saw me.”

I gawked. “Dark magic? I can’t even do that magic trick where you stick an ace up your sleeve!” I paced “Why are you a witch? How did you escape your mental asylum? What’s dark magic? Do you like tacos? If you wanted me to forget this, why don’t you do some voo-doo magic on me? Do you have mental problems?” She hung her bow on her shoulder.

“I do.”

“You have mental problems!!??”

“No, I said I do. As in, I do like tacos.”

“Oh. So at least your taste is normal.”

She glanced around. “I have to go now. If I am caught with a boy, she will think we have something.”

I blushed, giving her a normal chuckle. “Oh, yeah. We do NOT have something. Why- why would you get in trouble if you’re caught with me?”

I expected her to say a snide comment but she didn’t. “Boys are useless, lazy, and disgusting creatures.” She replied, turning on her heel.

“Ouch.” I said “Just so you know, I think you’re pretty much like the witches in the pictures…” She stopped.

“How are they like?” she asked with a note of curiosity.

“Oh, you know, green face, pointy chin, ugly eyes, warts…”

I could hear her breath grow quicker. She whirled around “I am not like that!”

I raised an eyebrow. “Maybe you’re the other type of witch?”

Her eyes screamed daggers at me. “What’s the other?”

“Really pretty, likes boys, sweet, always helps everyone, a cute pink dress.”

She started marching to the forest again. “I am not that either. Clearly, America has problems.” She lowered her pace like she was waiting for something. Me maybe? Worth a shot.

”“Hold it.” I said trying her signature move. “You can’t just waltz in, chant in Russian, give me a knife, then kill a troll. A real troll, and expect me to go to choir practice tomorrow.”

Nor stopped. “Have fun.” She said without turning.

“No.” I picked my pace up to walk side-by-side with her. “You will tell me what happened and what dark magic is. And tell me why you’re living in the past, with Camelot!

Nor shot me a hard look “Camelot?” I nodded slowly.

“Yeah, the dagger that you gave me said that. I’m really not sure why because Camelot doesn’t exist.”

Nora gave me a thin smile “That’s exactly what they want you to think.”

My jaw dropped. “Take me there. Tell me why you sensed dark magic in me and tell me what is happening.”

Nor hesitated for a moment. “On one condition.”

I gulped. A witch’s condition could be easy. Maybe to get her a crows foot, or a frog’s leg for her little potions.

“You can’t fall in love with me and you must not tell a soul. And you have to walk 6 feet away from me.”

I glared “Nor, that’s three conditions.”

“Three things for three conditions, agree to them all, or leave me.” She pulled her raincoats hood up. I hadn’t even realized it started to rain.

Who knew this place was even real? She was probably still insane. And magic. She actually believed in magic? That’s childish. Magic doesn’t exist. Or does it? Who cares? I just want to see this so-called Camelot. If it was real, I think I’d faint. I took a deep breath.

“Deal.”