The Huldra Hostility

by Michael Almich

  “Well, last day, boys and girls! We have a very tight race in the Camp Games. Only one and a half points separate first and third place, and fourth isn’t much farther back. Today’s events will go as follows: animal tracking and log chopping, then finish up with plant ID just before parents arrive at 10:30. What an exciting finish to a wonderful summer. Let’s meet out back by the picnic tables.”

  Shy turned back to Daniel, but his buddy had already moved off to the door of the Lodge, along with the others. When they had all gathered outside, Gust stepped his lanky body onto the picnic table bench to address them all. He explained the process for the animal tracking event. Each contestant would head out in a direction of their choosing followed by a counselor from different cabins. Each contestant would point out and identify each type of tracks they were able to find to the counselor. One point would be awarded for each correctly identified track. The counselors had a pocket sized book with them to reference and confirm each track.

  Daniel stood with the other three contestants. He had been paired with the Cave cabins counselor. Daniel was looking at Shy, but when Shy made eye contact, he quickly looked away. Shy also saw that Claire was competing in this event. He watched as Daniel also eyed her anxiously. Shy knew he wouldn’t want to lose to Claire, if for no other reason than the poor kid would never hear the end of it. Shy knew Claire, though, and in this kind of an event, where studying and preparation was the key, she would be hard to beat.

  Gust let fly an abrupt burst from an air horn, and the contestants jogged off in different directions, followed by their assigned counselors.

  Shy was still wondering what he was missing. He now suspected all of the other boys knew something. He turned and scanned the group of kids, wondering who else he could approach. He saw Ralph, and knew the meek boy was the one to ask. Shy started around the tables over to the tree where Ralph now sat, his plant identification book open. He was getting some last minute studying in for his event, and didn’t see Shy approaching. However, before Shy could reach him, Portia stepped into his path.

  Shy pulled up short. He was prepared to talk to Ralph, not Portia. As shocked as he was by seeing her beautiful golden locks appear suddenly before him, he tried to remain focused. He looked past her at Ralph, who had now looked up and was watching the interaction. Shy looked back to Portia.

  “Ummm… Hi.”

  She didn’t answer at first, but then said, “Claire thinks I am overreacting. I say I am not. What do you say?”

  Shy could hear the emotion in her voice. He surmised that she was asking if he thought she was overreacting to the Viv situation.

  “If you think I like that other girl, you’re dead wrong. I have no idea if she likes me, but I can’t control that. Yes, I think you have been overreacting, and I don’t think you have been fair to me.” Shy ended his speech more confidently than he started. It felt good to voice his frustration to her.

  She seemed to consider what he had said, and then her face softened. His heart skipped just at what he saw on her face.

  “OK.” She said. “I am sorry. I just got jealous. She is so pretty…” She trailed off.

  Shy glanced past her, and saw Ralph getting up. He was going to miss his chance. He looked back at the concern and openness that was now on Portia’s face.

  “You are sooooo much prettier than her. I have been so stressed. It’s not my fault that other girl has smiled at me. I haven’t even talked to her.”

  “I know.” Portia said. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back over toward the picnic tables. He saw Ralph, out of the corner of his eye, move over by the rest of the Forest boys. As they got closer to the tables, Shy saw Claire and some of the other Lake girls beaming at him as they approached. As usual, he could feel the flush creep up into his face.

  A buzz went up from the crowd as time ran out on the event. Gust used the air horn again, and all eyes turned to watch for the approach of the contestants. Shy was basking in the warmth of holding Portia’s hand once again. He did look back to see where his buddies were, and he accidently locked eyes with Viv. The big brown eyes were not quite as innocently beautiful as before. They were squinted into two brown coals that flamed with anger and were fed by the furrowed eyebrows that threatened to pull her hair into her eyes.

  Shy quickly looked away and saw Daniel jogging up to Gust. He didn’t look happy. He even glared at Claire, who, in contrast, was smiling broadly. Portia could see it too. Shy squeezed her hand, and then let go and moved toward Daniel.

  He got close enough to whisper to Daniel, “What happened?”

  Daniel just shook his head.

  When Shy raised his eyebrows, Daniel decided to elaborate.

  “There were fey tracks everywhere… at least that is what I think they were. My vision popped left and right… I couldn’t find any normal animal tracks. They were all trampled by tons of stupid fairy tracks! That Cave counselor thinks I am stupid…”

  Clancy had fired up the old, annoying megaphone and began to announce results. Cave, Lake, Shore and Forest had finished in that order. Daniel just shook his head. The score now stood Lake cabins twenty-four point five, Shore cabins twenty-two, Forest cabins twenty-one, and Cave moving up to twenty point five.

  Shy still wasn’t able to ask his buddies what was going on because Clancy immediately moved the group on to the wood chopping competition. Portia, as if to make up for the cold shoulder routine, would not now let him out of her sight. His hand was getting sweaty from the death grip she had on him.

  The four log choppers each stood next to a pine log with the circumference of a basketball. The goal was to be the first to chop completely through the log.

  Eddie stood proudly, axe resting upon his shoulder. The Forest cabin boys raucously cheered him on. Shy was again amazed at how far the relationship had come.

  Gust counted down and used the air horn again to signal the start. Chips of pine exploded from the impact of the axes as the contestants grunted. Eddie was flying. The axe rose and fell in the rhythm of Shy’s heartbeat. He was definitely ahead of the other groups. Shy looked for Emma, the contestant from the Lakes cabins. He really didn’t want to be a poor sport, but he hoped that Emma finished last. They would need her to come in last in order to be able to catch up. She was a thin girl, and Shy could see that she was already winded. It just might work out.

  Eddie continued his windmill like proficiency. It wasn’t long before his axe broke through the last strands of pine, and he kicked one half of the log away from the other. A cheer went up from the Forest boys, and Henry rushed out to massage Eddie’s shoulders like a prize fighter that had just went ten rounds.

  Shy was watching the girls now. The Cave boy finished next. Emma was trying, but she just didn’t have the strength or endurance to be well suited for this event. The Shore cabin girl finished, and Emma just laid down the axe.

  So, the scores were now Forest cabins twenty-seven, Lake cabins twenty-six point five, Shore cabins twenty five, and Cave cabins twenty-four point five! It was anyone’s Camp Games to win! Only two point five points separated first from fourth.

  Shy realized that it all rested on Ralph. For Shy, this was pretty important. He worried that his mom would not be able to afford camp the next year. Money was always a worry for her. Winning these games and getting free tuition next summer would ensure he would make it back up here. He needed to find Ralph.

  He told Portia he needed to go find Ralph, and she said she wanted to cheer up Emma anyway. She squeezed his hand and gave him one of her smiles that seemed to lift him up into the air. He tried to sneakily watch her walk away, towards Emma, but she looked over her shoulder and saw him. Another quick smile and then she disappeared into the crowd of campers.

  He saw most of the guys still hanging around Eddie, but didn’t see Ralph. In fact, he hadn’t seen him since the smaller boy snuck away during his confrontation. Clancy and Gust were trying to gather the campers for the last event, and were recruiting the four counselors
to help.

  Shy searched the crowd desperately hoping to find Ralph before the final event of summer camp began. Finally he spotted him stepping gingerly out of the Lodge. Shy darted up to him, but stopped short when he saw Ralph’s face.

  “What’s wrong?” Shy asked.

  “My stomach… I just threw up… I am too nervous… I am not sure I can do this Shy…It all rests on me…”

  Shy wanted to grab him and say exactly that. It did all rest on him. But looking now into that fearful face, he couldn’t do it. Ralph was too upset. Shy had to adjust. He softened his voice, and changed his words.

  “It’ll be fine. You know the plants. You even found some butterwort! C’mon, no worries… just do your best.”

  Shy put his arm around Ralph’s shoulders and tried to guide him forward toward the group, but the smaller boy resisted still.

  “Shy, we are in first place by half a point… the only way for us to win for sure is for me to finish first…”

  “Look, just go for a hike and find some stinking plants.” Shy said firmly with a smile. “None of the guys care what happens.”

  Shy knew it was a lie, but it seemed to work. Ralph smiled, and now allowed Shy to pull him over to where the group had gathered. Shy walked with him up to the front.

  Clancy was waiting, and smiled to see Shy delivering the final contestant. She fired up her beloved megaphone, and began to describe the rules. Shy tuned out the camp director and moved into the background. As he drifted back, he caught sight of Portia and smiled slightly. She gave him a winning smile in return, and he felt his stomach flop. Shy continued to move away from the front of his group scanning the kids to find Daniel. His glance crossed Vivian, who was staring at him with a bitter look. He felt a little creeped out now by the pretty brown-eyed girl.

  Eventually he reached his target. He explained to Daniel that Ralph was nervous, and now slightly ill. The other Forest cabin boys crowded in to listen.

  “Let’s go cheer him on!” Henry stated with his usual fervor.

  “No, I think that would make him even more nervous… it would put more pressure on him.” Daniel said, and Shy nodded. “Let’s just go stand where he can see us and give him thumbs up or something.

  So, the boys tried to subtly reassure Ralph, but Shy could tell it wasn’t working. The kid looked positively green. The format was the same as the animal tracking, and this time it was Meg that was the counselor assigned to the Forest cabins. The air horn sounded and it was again time to wait.

  Portia snuck up on Shy from behind and grabbed his hand. She pulled him away from the others so they could talk. They discussed how they would stay in touch over the school year, and Shy started to feel sad. It was starting to hit him that in a few hours he would be back at home, and school would be starting soon. He would have to deal with protecting the box on his own. Well, he thought, not completely by himself. He would have good ‘old Shep with him as always. Remembering his friend cheered him a little.

  “Shy… Shy!” Portia was whispering through her teeth.

  He realized that he had been daydreaming and was about to apologize to her, but when he turned, he saw her urgently but subtly nod her head towards the trees they were facing. He stared into the forest. As Portia started to slowly back him away, pulling ever so slightly on his arm, his vision went off like popcorn. The forest toward the west of the lodge was teeming with unseelie fey!

  Mostly troupes of trolls, and gaggles of goblins were working their way through the forest along the west side of the Lodge. Shy did spy a few reds, though, and he swore he saw the enigmatic bysen too. What was happening, he asked himself, as Portia continued pulling him away.

  Just then the air horn began to sound. At least one contestant had already returned. The Cave boy looked dejected. That was good for Ralph.

  Shy and Portia briefly discussed the unseelie they had just seen. Shy told her about the previous night, and their attempt to call on the Lesidhe and subsequent unseelie attack. They both agreed that they needed to make Gust aware of what they just saw, immediately!

  With a glance over his shoulder, to make certain they were not under attack, Shy pulled Portia along and worked his way up to the front of the group of campers to Gust. The old man spotted the duo before they reached him, and must have been able to read the semi-panic in their eyes, because he immediately began to walk towards them.

  He leaned down to Shy’s height and just said one word, “What?”

  Shy explained quickly with Portia nodding her head as he spoke.

  Gust raised his head and looked off to the west. After 30 seconds, he looked back at Shy and said, “I don’t see anything… my vision didn’t catch… but I believe you. Let’s get the rest of the contestants in and get this wrapped up.”

  He turned his lean frame quickly and raised the air horn. Two quick bursts followed by three longer ones seemed to Shy to be some sort of signal, and it added to the feeling that he didn’t know everything that was going on. He was starting to get really annoyed. As he held her hand and waited, he glanced at Portia. He began to wonder if she had any clue what was going on.

  Shy was working up enough confidence to ask Portia when the other contestants and their respective counselors came jogging up. This was it. The conclusion of the Camp Games!

  Shy was startled because he thought he saw movement by the Lodge from the corner of his eye. He quickly turned and rose onto his toes, staring at the Lodge, as Clancy started to speak. His vision did catch and pop, but in the end it turned out to be the respective nisse’s for the four groups of cabins, piling up sleeping bags, pillows, and other camper possessions. Shy felt a pang of sadness that he wouldn’t go back to the forest cabins for another year.

  Suddenly two thoughts hammered him as he turned back to where the four contestants now stood and Clancy was speaking. First, he might not make it back next year if Ralph didn’t pull out first place. Second, and more importantly, the box was in his pillow case, sitting out in the open! He quickly turned back to the luggage, and Portia frowned at him. Off on one side, he spied Tom T, sitting on his pillow, with his short, bedraggled arms crossed and a grumpy look on his face. Shy relaxed. The good old nisse was still standing watch.

  He turned back as Portia leaned in and whispered, “What is going on?”

  “Nothing.” Shy replied, and squeezed her hand as if to say everything was good.

  His mind had now gone off on another tangent, though. What if the unseelie knew that the box was down here, what if they were going to make another attempt at getting it? Tom T wouldn’t be able to stop an entire army. Finally Shy’s worrying was interrupted by Clancy’s grating voice.

  “… so the final standings are…”

  Shy saw Ralph’s dejected look, and his stomach dropped.

  “Lake cabins 32.5, Forest 31, Shore 28, and Cave 26.5!”

  A whoop went up from the Lake cabin girls. Portia was bouncing up and down, trying to not rub it in to Shy, but still wanting to celebrate. Shy squeezed her hand hard, let go, and gently pushed her towards her friends. She smiled at him gratefully and ran over to hug Claire. The girls had been handed the Camp Games trophy, and they held it aloft.

  “A very close Camp Games this year. Great job everyone! And now, you should gather your things which are piled in front of the Lodge. Mental checklist children… Make sure you have everything. Gust and I will be heading to the parking lot, and bringing the parents across the bridge shortly. I just want to say that this has been a wonderful summer, what a joy you have all been, and I hope to see you all again next year!”

  A final squeal of the megaphone capped off summer camp. Shy felt strangely sad and lonely. Maybe he could get a job if his mom and dad couldn’t afford summer camp next year. Maybe mowing… he would have to think about it. He reached his stuff and squatted down in front of Tom T. The fierce little creature jumped up, and motioned Shy to pick up his bags and follow him, away from the other campers.

  Shy did so and looked a
round. Several of his buddies watched him from afar. They could see Tom T. Other campers couldn’t, and Shy needed to make it look like he was going to sit by himself. He reached Tom T and leaned up against a tree like he was waiting for his dad. He faced away from the other campers, that way he could talk to the nisse without worrying if someone saw him.

  Without preamble, the nisse began, “Shylock, you now carry a burden that is not what you think.”

  Shy watched the woods to the west, but his vision was no longer pulled by Glamour. Then he saw Viv, away from the others, the girl was in a position to see the nisse if she had the ability to, which Shy knew she didn’t. The cute girl was staring though, and Shy was just self-conscious enough to not want her to think he was talking to himself. So, he turned just enough so he could continue to talk to Tom T without her seeing his lips move.

  The nisse was uncharacteristically nervous as it continued, “The white hair plans and recruits. We will stand against the huldra and her evil plans, but much depends on keeping the box from her. If we do not, we shall certainly fail. You have such a burden…”

  Shy interrupted, “I kept the box safe last year, and I can do the same this year. It’s no big deal.”

  The nisse could tell Shy was trying to sound confident. They both spotted Tad walking towards them. Beyond Tad, Viv still stared. The nisse hurried now, “Shylock you know not what you carry. Please be careful.” With those uncharacteristically caring words, the nisse scrambled off into the woods.

  Shy turned to Tad.

  “What did Tom T have to say to you?” The counselor asked a little too nonchalantly.

  “Just telling me to be careful.”

  “Well, that’s good advice. Anything else?” Tad said while seemingly mulling over the answer.

  “No, why? Should he have? Tad, I really feel like something…”