Ehrhart

Chased by Dwarves

Anastasia dreamt of dwarves. There were a few of them, not many, but they all shared the same territorial glare as they brandished clubs made from tree trunks and shovels and axes meant for mining. Anastasia was running from them; was running from the animals, as well, especially the deer, who galloped at a methodical pace in an effort to keep up.

But none in the chase were faster than Anastasia. "Father!" She screamed, turning sharply and searching for a tree to climb. "Father, come quick! There are elves chasing me!"

"Dwarves!" Yelled an angry one, followed by an enormous sneeze.

They sounded close. Anastasia put on a desperate burst of speed and lunged for a nearby tree, clinging tightly to it as she quickly clawed her way up it like a squirrel and hid in the tree, afraid of being discovered. She held her breath as the elves- no, dwarves- halted and began searching around. One dwarf fell to the grass and collapsed with exhaustion.

The angry one kicked him, hard.

"Ouch," mumbled the dwarf on the ground.

"Get up, Sleepy!" The mad one demanded, hoisting up his friend.

"Give it a rest, Grumpy," said another dwarf, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Shut up, Doc!" Grumpy said, shoving Doc angrily. "If the sloth here can't keep up with us, I say we leave him behind!"

"That's ridiculous," said another one, this one seeming much happier. "We have to stick together, Grumpy! It's who we are!"

"Well, look at Mr. Sunshine, being all pillow- pilla- phillie-"
"Philosophical?" Suggested Doc.

"Precisely!" Grumpy said, spewing dwarf saliva everywhere.

In the tree, Anastasia covered a giggle with her hand.

"They ran off," said another one, this one looking a little red in the face. He had huge eyelashes and a tender smile.

"Blast my skull!" Grumpy shouted, stomping on the ground. "We coulda eaten 'em!"

"We could not," said the dwarf whom Grumpy had referred to as Mr. Sunshine. "Dwarves are herbivores, you stupid oaf!"

"I am not a stupid oaf!" Grumpy yelled, marching toward Mr. Sunshine with his fists balled.

"Happy! Grumpy! Knock it off!" Doc demanded, stepping between the two, who shared similar looks of hatred.

"Sorry, Doc," Happy said, his face growing cheerful again. He turned to Grumpy. "Truce?"

Grumpy snarled and walked away.

"No- no truce?" Happy said, trying again and stepping toward him. "Oh... okay." He shrugged and walked off.

Just then one dwarf, who hadn't said a word, happened to look up in the tree where Anastasia was hiding. Her heart stopped and her eyes widened. The dwarf made eye contact. Then he gave her a gentle grin and a reassuring nod before following the other dwarves, who had started walking off to look for Anastasia and her father elsewhere.

"I didn't see anything back there, did you?" asked one with a red nose. He then took out a handkerchief and let loose a huge sneeze.

Anastasia smiled to herself. His name is most certainly Sneezy. Then she froze. The dwarf who had seen her was definitely going to tell his friends. She was in for it.

But then the dwarf looked back at the tree and his eyes sparkled as he looked at Anastasia.

He turned back to Sneezy.

And shook his head.

The dream faded and Anastasia woke up, her heart pounding with the face of the lone dwarf in her mind's eye, watery and foggy.

He had seemed normal, with no distinguishing feature that would give him an adverb of a name. He'd had huge ears and sleeves that reached past his hands. A huge purple hat hung over his huge head, and a pastel green cloak clung to his body by way of a black belt pulled tightly over his waist.

Who are you? Anastasia thought, shaking her head as she yanked back the covers, and why on Earth would you save me?