A Midnight Stroll in the Woods - Book 1 in the Troll Warrior series

Prologue / Chapter 1-Leaving

Prologue

Most people would struggle or put  up a fight if someone tried to drag them away somewhere they didn't want to go.

I didn't. I'm glad I didn't. If I had then my life would be nothing like this. I would still be living with the same old boring, grumpy spinster (who by the way is probably about 1000 or so years old). I would never have met my real family or found the reason as to why I am so different from everyone else.

I'll never forgive that old spinster for it. She better watch out. Thalia is on the prowl.

Chapter1

The spinster is coming toward me with her hand raised. What did I do this time? Nothing! She comes over and I obediently kneel down with my hands on the ground and back arched, ready to take the strike.

It comes swift and sharp, with a single swipe of her bony hand the spinster had managed to draw my blood. I'm half in awe, half in anger. Why does she do this to me? I never  do anything!

'That'll teach you to be smart girl! What a tongue! I'm not 'The Spinster'! I'm master!'

'Yyyyess Master.' I stutter.

'Good,' she yells, 'I don't want to see you for the rest of the day Thalia.'

There she goes. She must be really angry.  She hardly uses my name. It's usually 'girl' or 'child', and not in a fond way.  Usually yelling so much the sky shudders.

I back away and run into my room to tend my wound. Its not really what you call a room. It's small as a cupboard and looks like a dog did it's business on the walls. They are an old mouldy yellowish colour with revoulting pictures of flowers on them.

I sit in my room all day then most of the night. When I think it is about 11pm I look at the only possesion I have other than my clothes. It is a little clock. As usual,  I'm right. Every night at 11 I go for a walk in the nearby woods. I get my cloak and put my shoes on, desperately trying to tuck the holes in to themselves to stop water getting in.

I quietly open my door and tiptoe out into the hall. Just as I reach the front door I hear a creak behind me and I spin around, my fears confirmed. The spinster was behind me.

I drop my cloak and make a lunge for the door. But not before the spinster. She grabs my ankles and brings me crashing to the floor.

'So,' she says, 'back again?'

I don't know what to say. She has definitely caught me this time.  I decide to keep my mouth shut.

She asks again.

'Back again?'

I make another lunge. This time finally grasping the handle. I manage to twiddle it enough you get the lock undone. She sees what I'm trying to do and let's go of my ankles so she can lock it again. This gives me just enough time to open the door.  I run out but she grabs my arm. I kick her and shake her arm off.

I run down street ignoring her screeching yells,

never thinking this might be the last time I will see her or her house.