G’narsh

The Troll, The Myth, The Legend

by

Kevin Stillwater

chapter 3
# # # And Here Now Our Story - G’narsh’s Ray’s # # #
page 9

    “I’ll never forget will I,” he wispers, this time out loud. But then, a thought unbidden from the back of his mind points out that in death all things are forgotten, which for some (((unknown))) reason causes him to feel the need to quickly amend his previous statement, “Not while I’m alive, that is.”

    “Forget what?” Flicker asks. Flicker being the candle flame, the precocious fire elemental that inhabits the wood fired stoves and ovens in the restaurant (and on occasion the torches that line the walls). But for the moment, she has co-opted the candle that sits in front of G’narsh and slowly dances back and forth in the flame weaving a hypnotic spell that is nearly as captivating as Mi’lay’s.

    But tonight, her charms do not work. G’narsh is unable to fall into the joy of the moment; and instead, is suddenly aware of the smoke that fills the room, the oppressive heaviness of the air, the sting in his eyes, the snot that forms thick in both of his noses, and the hoarse rasp in his throats. These things would not normally bother him. He might even find them nostalgic, comforting, but tonight...