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

Chapter 3 - Gomber

'OI! WAKE UP! ' A huge voice thunders in my ears.

I wake with a start. Someone was peering at me through the bars of a cage. I walk over, wondering why they are in a cage. Then I trip on a piece of wire and fall on my face.

Getting up,  I realise that it's not them in the cage but me!

'WHAT!?' I scream,  'WHY AM I IN A CAGE?'.

Then what happened last night hits me with a blast. Trolls took me and made me sleep!

'Where are the trolls?' I ask the person behind the bars.

'Dead.' he grunts.

'Huh?' I say, Not being able to believe my luck.

'Yeah, ' he said,  'stumbled 'cross them last night. Dead trolls the best sort've troll I say. We killed them then inspected their van, found you and another fella. '

I remember the other guy now.

'Is he ok?' I ask.

'Yeah, ' he answered, 'tough fellow that one is. '

'Mmm,' I mutter, 'who are you? Sorry Im just a bit confused. I'm Thalia. '

He starts to fiddle with the lock on the cage and it pops open.

He helps me out and when I stand beside him I realise he is about half as high as me.

'No need to tell me your name dear! ' he says, 'I already knew that. I'm Gomber. I live here with my family. '

I go outside with Gomber and meet everyone else. There are 15 people in his family in total. Mum, Dad, younger brother, 2 older brothers, 5 older sisters. Aunt, Uncle, and 3 cousins. All of these relations live in the same house.

I see the man I was kidnapped along with and go over to him.

I ask him his name and thank him for saving me.

'I'm Collin. I didn't really save you you know. We just ended up being kidnapped together.' he replyed.

I smile at his modesty and go over to Gombers beckoning mother.

She introduces herself as Hellina and invites me to have some food.

The food is amazing! So many flavours all mixed in together to create a mouthwatering appetiser.

The main meal is even better.

I eat until I am ready to burst, and then Hellina beckons me over and gives me a plate topped with lemon merangues and strawberry ice cream.

When I feel the waistline on my trousers cut into my hips I leave the food and request a bed. Paulo (Gombers younger brother) leads me to a peaceful room at the top of the family's house. There is a bed already made with crisp sheets and a clean pair of pajamas on top of the bedspread.

I thank him and bid him goodbye.

As he leaves the room I notice a tattoo on his left forearm.

'Paulo!' I call, 'Why do you have a tattoo on your left arm? '

'All my family does,' he replies.

Turning around, he shows me.

There is something funny about this tattoo. It looks familiar from a distance. He approaches me with his arm held out. I examine the tattoo. It is a picture of a eagle with a sword. I start back in surprise.

Slowly I roll up my sleeve to reveal a tattoo on my upper arm, almost on my shoulder. A sword is lying in the hold of a grand eagle.

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