The Huldra Hostility

by Michael Almich

  Shy stared at her as Daniel walked over to him. As he started to talk into Shy’s ear, Shy realized that Portia had a swimsuit on under her clothes. He looked around. All the girls had swimsuits! They were piling their clothes into the plastic bags.

  Daniel was speaking, “… they planned better than we did. We will be wet, and they will have dry clothes to put on. I wish Claire would have said something. She’s so bossy the rest of the time… you would think she would have told us to do the same as they did.”

  Shy smiled.

  Daniel continued, “I told everyone that we should go across two at a time, and that when we get to the other side you would lead us through that tunnel. You OK with that?”

  Shy nodded, and then shivered. He had some reservations. He couldn’t get last summer’s close call from the flaming demon-like horses out of his mind. This was it. They were really going back. He felt himself spinning Gust’s watch on his wrist. Touching the watch seemed to solidify his resolve. He had to do this. Gust would have done it for any of them. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as Portia moved back over to him. He tried not to stare at her in her bathing suit.

  Time to be brave, he thought, but he certainly didn’t feel like it. Rather, he felt like running back to his sleeping bag and hammock. He wondered how it must feel to be one of those brave adventurers from the stories when he was younger… or from the movies. They never seemed to be scared, he reflected. He looked quickly at several of the other faces. On the open beach the partial moon was brighter than in the forest. In that faint light, all the faces Shy looked at all seemed to reflect excitement and eagerness. They didn’t know what he had seen last year. Maybe being brave was just not knowing, he thought.

  Portia squeezed his hand. He looked at her and took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He had to go, he told himself. Now. He pulled Portia over to the waters edge, and quickly stripped off his shirt. She caught his arm and grabbed the shirt. She placed it into the plastic bag and then reached around to his back pocket and grabbed the box. That she also added to her bag. He didn’t have the heart to remind her that he had gotten the box from a lake and was pretty sure it wouldn’t be ruined by getting a little wet.

  Still holding her hand, he pulled her into the pool. It was icy cold. The heat and humidity of the summer instantly disappeared. Portia resisted. Shy assumed she now realized exactly how cold this crossing would be. He pulled her on. They had to do this. No stopping now, he kept telling himself. He got to the edge of the drop off, and paused. It would be all swimming from this point on. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop himself from thinking about the creature in Lac Igam. Who knew what kind of creatures might be in this water. Or big sturgeon, for that matter. They could swim right up the river from Lake Superior. Shy had read that the fish could get to be as long as twelve feet! They continued growing their entire life.

  Suddenly he felt himself pulled into the deeper water by Portia, who, with a tight grip on his hand, had pushed off the edge of the drop off. They were now both treading water. Portia motioned him forward and swam off to the other shore.

  Shy couldn’t shake the thought of some huge creature swimming just under his body. He tried to catch Portia as she stroked smoothly to the other shore. He didn’t catch the long athletic girl. She reached the other shore first and climbed out of the water still holding the plastic bag. Shy was really embarrassed. Not only was she braver than him, she swam faster too… while holding a bag!

  He felt the sand beneath his body and began to walk ashore. Portia had set down the bag and was standing on the beach, dripping wet, in the moonlight, waiting for him. Shy stopped in shock, halfway out of the water. Right then he couldn’t remember anything more beautiful. Her blond curls were wet and shimmering in the moonlight. He felt his face heat up, but he couldn’t move. He was happy for the rushing sound of the waterfall, because at that point he wouldn’t have been able to say anything.

  She smiled and rushed back into the water, grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the shore. The moment was over, but Shy would remember the scene for many years to come.

  They dressed quickly, and Shy stuck the box back into the pocket of his wet shorts. Then they stood, hand in hand, looking back out over the water. They could make out the others on the opposite shore, but it was difficult to see heads bobbing in the water. Eventually tandems began to emerge. Sawyer and Finn, Sam and Kennedi, Arya and Henry, Penelope and Ralph. Finally, Claire and Daniel emerged, and quickly put their dry stuff back on.

  All eyes turned now to Shy. He had been looking around, trying to get his bearings and remember where exactly the path was that he had followed the previous summer. He thought back. They were standing closer to the falls than when he had crossed last summer. He moved down the beach, scanning the boulders and rock wall. He was waiting for his vision to catch. Finally he felt the pull of the Glamour, slowing his vision. It quickly popped, and he saw the crevice entrance to the path he had followed last summer.

  “There!” He yelled. Then, realizing no one could hear him, he pointed and began walking towards the opening. He looked at Portia, and she nodded and confirmed she too could see the opening.

  Shy waited for everyone to get close. He motioned for everyone to stay tight together. Then, he took another deep breath, held tight to Portia’s hand, and slipped into the creviced opening. The path quickly turned to the right. It was very dark since the faint moonlight only shone shallowly into the top of crevice that was the beginning of their path. The path quickly narrowed further, changing into only a crack in the cliffs. Shy was turned sideways as he edged forward in order to maintain his hold on Portia’s hand. He remembered the path turning downward abruptly, and so proceeded with caution. At one point, as he felt his way forward with his left foot, he paused to remember. Portia squeezed his hand, to give him courage. He didn’t need the courage so much now, he was resigned and committed to this adventure, but he was being cautious.

  Finally, he felt the path drop. He stopped and pulled Portia close. Putting his mouth to her ear he yelled, “Path goes down here! Pass it on!”

  He felt her nod, and then turn to whoever was behind her. When she had passed it on, she squeezed his hand one more time.

  He moved forward and downward steeply, sliding his feet with each step on the damp embankment. He used his free hand on the crevice wall to help guide them as it was now totally black.

  They were now in a tunnel and he could feel the pounding of the waterfall on the wall of the tunnel. The waterfall’s roar, however, was muted some now. Enough for Shy to be heard.

  “Be ready… we are almost there!” He turned and warned Portia. She squeezed his hand yet again in answer.

  With the next step, Shy stepped into sunshine! He squinted and held his hand up to his eyes. He pulled Portia forward and heard her gasp. She, too, had her hand up to cover her eyes. He moved them forward, so the others would not run into them, and then he quickly scanned the scene below him.

  The lake had shrunk up since last summer, similar to what would happen in a drought. He saw no demon-like horses waiting to trample him. In fact, he didn’t see any movement in the shallow valley.

  He glanced toward the forest, and time seemed to slow. He saw dark green leaves rustle and sway. They seemed to recoil at his glance. His vision lingered, almost as if he could feel Glamour. It was there, and then it wasn’t. There was no magic that he could push through with his sight. It was as if the magic was moving and shifting, as if it was alive.

  The others began to tumble out of the passageway. They all squinted and attempted to cover their eyes. As they fought off the brightness, Shy could read the awe in their faces. It didn’t matter that Shy had told them it might be daylight here. There was no way to make something like that believable until one experienced it for oneself.

  He turned back to the valley for a second time. Besides the shrunken lake, and exposed muck left in its place, this place looked much the same as it had on his last visit. As t
he seconds ticked by, though, he noticed some differences. The lush purple flowers still covered the slope they were standing on. As he gazed to the lake and across, he saw that the purple gave way to a brilliant array of wildflowers. Where last year he had seen manicured waves of grass on the other side of the lake, he now saw a meadow of wildflowers so vibrant that it appeared to be a painting, until he felt a breeze ease past, and the flowers gently waved at him.

  He felt at ease. A calmness settled on him, and he heard himself sigh. He heard the same coming from the others behind him. He reached back, without looking, and grabbed Portia’s hand. It would be nice to walk with her through the flowers. They could enjoy the warmth of the sun on their shirts, and then let the colors wash over them with the breeze.

  Daniel and Claire had wandered forward together. It seemed they had the same idea as Shy. He heard one of the boys behind him begin to hum a melancholy, soothing tune. There were no worries here, Shy thought to himself. They strolled forward, arm in arm. They gave the harsh, mucky, shrunken lake a wide berth. Shy’s thoughts just brushed the lake and moved past, back to the beautiful flowers and their sweet scent. He inhaled more of the scent. He hadn’t noticed it’s fullness at first, but now, in the midst of the wildflowers it was strong and lush smelling.

  He held his arms wide and spun with his face up to the sun. He heard Portia giggle, and saw that she was doing the same. He stopped and saw that each of the boys was paired up. Even Sawyer and Finn were walking hand in hand with girls Shy had never seen before. Good for them, Shy thought. The girls were beautiful… they looked like the sylphon. Shy’s eyes lingered for long seconds, but then Portia danced in front of him and all thoughts of the other girls left Shy. He began to spin again, inhaling the magical scents as he went.

  They spun until they fell into the soft flowers. Shy landed hard. There was something in his pocket. It was uncomfortable. He reached back and pulled out a box that was glowing warm. There was something about that box. Shy tried to remember, but couldn’t grasp the fleeting thought. The scent of the flowers overpowered his nostrils… he wanted to sleep. Heavy eyelids pulled down as he took one last look around. The others were also climbing down onto the soft bed of flowers, or were out of sight. Shy sighed again. The box dropped from his hands. Shy watched it fall with the slow motion of a dream. As it hit the ground the clasp opened and everything changed.

  He couldn’t see it, but Shy felt some kind of a power sweep from the box. It shot into the air, and washed over the valley just as the breeze had done. In its wake, the flowers shriveled brown, and puffed into dust. All except the purple ones that had been there on his first trip, Shy couldn’t help but note to himself.

  It was at that point that the fog really began to clear his brain. He was lying amongst brown decayed flowers and dusty ground. He remembered, now, where they were, on the other side of the waterfall. He remembered that they were trying to rescue Gust. Try as he might, though, he couldn’t recall how he ended up on the ground. He saw Portia not far from him, with a bewildered look on her face.

  Suddenly a scream erupted from a dip in the ground, just a short ways away. Then another followed quickly. Shy recognized the second voice as Finn’s. He popped up off the dust, pulled Portia to her feet, and ran to where the sound had come from. They saw Sawyer and Finn. Both boys were standing looking in horror at what lay at their feet.

  Shy and Portia looked to where the two boys pointed. There on the ground was a husk of a body. Shy could see tattered remnants of must have been a beautiful gown. Bones stuck out of parchment-like skin. Long hair still flowed from the portions of scalp that remained on the heads.

  “What is that? When I woke, I was laying with my arms around it!” Sawyer’s voice was an octave higher than normal as he shivered in the warm air.

  “Yeah? Well, I opened my eyes and that head was on my chest!” Finn turned away as he gagged. When he had control of his dinner, he turned back and asked, “Why were we asleep anyway?”

  All three looked to Shy for answers. He ignored them and looked for Daniel. Claire and the tall boy were moving closer from across a hill. Shy waited until the entire group was gathered.

  “I am not sure what just happened, but I think it was the flowers’ scent. I think it made us all drift off. I couldn’t seem to think, or remember anything. I dropped the box and it somehow made the flowers die off.” Shy said.

  He saw Henry looking dubiously at the remaining purple flowers.

  “Those were here last year when I was here. I think they must be OK. Last year it was a bunch of grass covering these fields and meadows. Only purple flowers, not all these others.” He said as he reached down and crumpled the browned remains of a flower.

  “What are those?” Daniel pointed to the partial skeletons.

  “Well….” Shy paused. “just before I fell into the flowers, I saw Finn and Sawyer holding hands with two really pretty girls…” He let the thought hang in the air until Henry spoke up.

  “You mean those two were getting down with a couple skeletons?” Henry asked in disbelief. “Man, I know you two don’t have girlfriends, but really?” Henry asked as he stepped between Sawyer and Finn.

  Sawyer, who was still very white in the face, turned and punched Henry in the ribs.

  Sam laughed out loud at this.

  “I think that Unseelie forces knew we were coming. I think we need to be really careful.” Shy stated the obvious.

  “’Cause we weren’t already?” Daniel asked. Then, he seemed to remember something else, and turned to Shy. “Dude, where is the box?”

  “The box? Oh, the BOX!”

  Shy turned and ran back to where he and Portia had fallen. He pictured where the box had landed, but it wasn’t there!

  The others ran up. Shy held out his hands helplessly. He had a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

  Chapter Eleven

  It was like the air itself held the hint of wrongness.

  Shy spun in a circle taking in the entire horizon. As he turned in the direction of the tangled forest, his vision slowed. Quickly, like popcorn, his vision popped off several creatures moving stealthily towards the edge of the trees.

  “There!” He yelled. “something took the box. After them!”

  Shy took off across the dusty hill at breakneck speed. He HAD to get that box back, or none of them would ever get back to their world. He heard the others behind him, but he knew he had the best chance. He strained his vision forward. It appeared to be three figures. They were small, but one was definitely carrying something. Shy saw one pointy, rust-red colored hat in the bunch.

  Shy was angry. His anger pushed him on ever faster. The short legs of the creatures he was chasing were no match for his longer human stride. He covered the gap between himself and his prey quickly. He needed to catch them before they reached the forest edge. He wouldn’t gain on them in there, and the forest really gave him a bad feeling.

  He heard footsteps pounding the ground behind him, and turned his head each way. Daniel was about to pass him on the right, while he could see Portia’s white locks bouncing in pursuit to the left. He wasn’t alone!

  Shy refocused on the three fey creatures, now dodging through sporadic tree trunks. They had reached the edge of the forest, but they were only ten yards or so ahead. Daniel was just behind one. Daniel dove, and Shy heard a screech. Daniel began to struggle. Shy couldn’t stop. That one didn’t have the box. He needed to get the box!

  As he passed Daniel rolling on the ground in battle, he saw the Red ahead of him, turn. With one swift motion the grotesque little gnome, smiled a toothy smile and let one of its arrows fly. Shy saw the arrow sail, and dove off to the side just in time. As he pushed himself up from the ground, he saw the two creatures disappear into the forest. It seemed as if the gnarled tree branches opened for the creatures, and then pulled closed after them.

  Shy banged his fist on the ground and shouted, “NO!”

  Portia reached him just then, but he turne
d away from her. He could feel frustration and anxiety dancing together in his stomach. Tears began to well up in his eyes. His mind and heart raced together. They were stuck here now, he thought. How would they get out?

  Portia knelt down and put her arm around him and tried to pull him into a hug. He shied away. He was embarrassed of the tears. He was embarrassed that he had lost the box. Everything was his fault!

  She stayed by him, until finally she said softly, “Shy, they got one. Daniel and the others captured one!”

  Shy wiped his eyes while turned away from her. He stood and brushed himself off, and turned to walk back to the group. Portia put her arm through his and walked with him.

  He saw Sam sitting on top of a grey-brown, squirming mass. Sawyer was trying to hold down its legs, Finn had one arm and Daniel the other. Daniel was talking. More than talking; he was questioning the creature.

  Claire and the other girls were gathered around Shy’s book… The Faerie.

  “Here, right here!” Claire exclaimed. “I think he is a bysen!”

  At that, the creature stopped struggling except to attempt to turn its head to see what Claire was doing. It had drab colored skin, and clothing. It appeared to be about the size of Tom T. The skin on its face, while being very bland and earthy in tone, was ribbed to the point of appearing to look like bark. In fact, Shy thought, the creature could probably stand next to a tree trunk and not even be seen.

  “It says that a bysen is a low ranking member of the Unseelie Court.” Claire continued. “They hide in the woods to lead humans astray, or direct them in a way that they never intended to go.”