The Meridian of Mishaps

Chapter 17

Hiccup was the first to see it- a strange yet, familiar face made its way through the crowd. This gargantuan of a human being was dressed in a worn leather jacket and faded jeans. Where there was not a scar on his skin, there was a large tattoo: skulls, weapons, and other images depicting death. The giant grimaced, revealing teeth that were filed down to fang-like points. A terrified shiver ran down Hiccup's spine, yet he was still somehow unable to take his eyes off this mysterious man.

Suddenly, Hiccup could see another large man making his way through the crowd. Although still quite large, the second man was definitely quite smaller than the first. To Hiccup's disbelief and horror, he recognized the second man as his father, slowly approaching the first. He had to be crazy to approach this man! Just the mere sight of him for afar was enough to make a grown man crap his pants. But approaching him...now that was pure madness. Hiccup wanted more than anything to stop his father's actions, but what would he be able to do? Stoick never listened- he was far too stubborn. And it definitely wasn't like Hiccup could use brute force to stop him. He was a talking fishbone after all!

Through the man's jeans, Hiccup could just make out the outline of something that definitely resembled a gun. Whatever this man wanted, he wanted to get it through violence. Hiccup prayed that for once, Stoick would swallow his pride and give the giant whatever it was that he wanted, for an image of the gun being pressed to his father's forehead flashed through his mind.

With much dismay, Hiccup could see that the two large men had begun a heated conversation. Thankfully Stoick is a champion yeller and he always finds a way to win...right? As words were exchanged between the two, Hiccup began to doubt his father's superiority more and more. Finally, the boy heard the loudest sound he had ever heard another human being make. No this sound did not come from his assertive father, but rather from the larger man who was extremely red in the face and now holding his gun in front of him.

The commotion of the running crowd suddenly died down to a ghostly whisper at this eruption of sound. Everyone was frozen. Nobody knew what to do. Except Hiccup. He knew that he had to help his father. He had to help him try to stop the gunman. He was not the hero-type at all, but he knew that he couldn't just stand there and watch as this brute of a man shot the most important man in his life... or worse if he shot his father AND the entire county. All of the sudden, Hiccup's legs took off in a run without his full consent. They traveled faster than he thought that they had ever traveled before. He felt like Astrid at practice that one day, legs propelling her around the track at lightning speed. The world became silent. The only thing that Hiccup could hear was the sound of his own feet pounding the Earth, one after the other like the gallop of a horse. As he neared the monster, his legs were still moving. Thankfully the noise of previously silent crowd's sudden chaotic screaming blocked out the sound of Hiccup frantically running towards the man with the gun. Stoick saw the boy before the grotesque man did. He mouthed the word "NOOOO," but no sound would come out. Hiccup stood beside his father and placed his body between the man and the rest of the crowd. His heart thumped violently and he saw his own life now flash before his eyes. I have to at least give this a try, Hiccup thought and forced himself to swallow the massive lump in the back of his throat. If he died and saved his father or the rest of the crowd, it would all be worth it... right?

Even though Hiccup was already a thin boy, he appeared minuscule next to the gunman. After what seemed like an eternity, Hiccup finally opened his mouth. He meant for his words to sound more forceful, but they only came across as a desperate whimper. "Please! You don't have to do this! Just tell us what you want." The large man let out the most wretched, bone-chilling chuckle Hiccup had ever heard.