In the blanket of the forest

Chapter 1.

Deer. Two. Three. A Finnish hunter Jamison Kortemaa was hunting without permission of the forest. It didn't please the minds of the father of the quarry, Hippa.

The forest floor started to move under Jamison's feet, threatening to swallow the man. Jamison looked at it and started to run. ''What the hell?!'' He shouted.

It was like he was being swallowed up by a swamp. His leg got stuck. He looked at his feet, seeing the forest floor wrap around him. A vine creeped up his leg, many many more mossy vines following right behind. ''What the?!'' He shouted. ''Let go!'' He shouted. He could start to hear whispers in the air. He looked around. He was panicking. Nobody was anywhere near him. He was already halfway consumed by the land.

''L-let go! Perkele! (Bloody Hell!)'' He shouted. He couldn't shoot, or he would shoot his own leg. He saw a shadow walking among the trees around him. It was huge. The hunter was in panic. He just stared at the huge shadow. It walked closer. It was a huge man. ''Not a step!'' The hunter said, aiming his shot gun. The man kept walking. Jamison shot to his legs. ''Not a step!'' The man walked right next to the sunken pale man. "You're hunting without permission.''

''I have permission!'' Jamison shouted. "From?" The man asked. ''The government!'' Jamison protested. "But, I am the father of this quarry. You do not have my permission." ''What? Have you hit your head or something? There's no such thing!'' "My name is Hippa." The man said. ''Hippa? Who the fuck is called ''Tag''?'' Jamison laughed. The man squinted his eyes, the earth starting to swallow the hunter again. "I'm an Emuu.''

''Emuu? Wait. Like in that story book? About some creatures of the old Finnish folklore? Ja vitut. (Fuck it)  Theres no such a thing as Emuu!'' Jamison said. "Isn't there?" The man pointed at a patch off moss, and it started to move around.

''This is just some kind of nightmare... Wake up Jamison...'' He said. The man knelt down. "Just trust me and quit hunting here. You'll be out of here in no time." ''But I need to feed my family! I need those deer with me!'' Jamison said. "You're not taking them.'' ''I need them. And I don't need some freaks permission!'' "I'm not freak." The hunter got swallowed up more, his shoulders were inside the earth.

''L-let me go!'' Jamison said, trying to get free, "Let the gun go and be free. Or keep the gun and be swallowed by mother earth herself." ''This was my Fathers! Like hell I will let go of it!'' Jamison raged. "It's that or this." The man picked up the moving moss. Jamison growled and threw the gun away. The hunter was spat up, now back on top of the grass and moss. He sighed in relief. The man looked at the hunter. "And you're not touching those deer." ''I hunted them myself. I am allowed to keep them.'' The hunter said.

"No, you aren't." ''Yes. I am. You aren't the one to decide that. You know what? I am calling cops.'' He hissed. "You'll sound like you're a lunatic." The man disappeared, the deer gone now as well. ''What? Where?'' Jamison asked, looking around. The man and deer were just... Gone. Jamison growled. ''Another day dream huh...?'' He said, looking for his gun. It was gone... Mostly. The grip was sticking out of the ground. He tried to took it, but it was stuck. ''What the?'' He tried to pull it up. He couldn't budge it at all. He growled and left. He left to his small cottage.

He lied to Hippa. In reality, he was a lonely man. Living alone in forest. He sighed and sat down. Then he looked out. ''Vittu (Fuck)... I am going crazy...'' He mumbled, looking at the waters. ''Should I then ask Ahti for some wish?'' He chuckled. It was ridiculous. Just some hallucination. He saw a man sitting by the water, fishing rod in hand, slipping bait onto the hook.

''What the...?!'' Jamison asked, walking down to the water. The man had short blonde hair and blue eyes. ''Who the hell are you?'' Jamison asked, walking to him. "Huh?" The man looked at Jamison. "Excuse me?" ''Who the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing on my property?!'' "It's everyone's property." The man whistled, finishing the bait. He threw it into the water. ''No its not. I own these lands.'' Jamison said. "And I thought Tapio owned forests." The man chuckled.

''Tapio?'' Jamison asked. ''What the hell?'' "And for your question, I'm Ahti." ''Ahti? Oh come oon! Stop with all this shit! What kinda prank is this?!'' He shouted. "It's no prank my friend." This apparent Ahti reeled his hook in. ''Oh right. Yea. Of course. Because folklore is real.'' Jamison said, waving his arms to the sides. "It is." The hunter groaned and walked up. ''I apparently forgot to take my medicine.'' He murmured. "Why don't you believe in us, Jamison?"

''Because the world doesn't work that way. There is no gods, deities, protectors. Nothing supernatural!'' Jamison answered. "Then explain this." Ahti put his hand into the water, fish immediately starting to group around it, jumping out of the water. ''I just forgot to take my medicine.'' Jamison said. ''That's all...'' Ahti pulled his hand out of the water, a golden trident now in his hand.

''What the...?!'' Jamison said. ''Okay that's it. I am going crazy.'' He said, running up. Ahti touched him with the tip of the trident, water now pooling onto his body. Jamison looked terrified. "Do you think you're going crazy now?" ''This is too much...'' He said. "Not if you just accept it." Ahti said, walking around the human. ''I won't.'' Jamison refused.

"Why not?" ''It's bullshit!'' He shouted. "No, it's not." Ahti said, sliding a fish into the water around Jamison. ''Let me go!'' He said.

Soon another entity rose from the sea. It was a woman. ''Ahti!'' She said. She was Vellamo. "Ah, Vellamo." Ahti smiled. "How are you?" ''Theres a problem with Hiisi and Veli Velehtinen.'' Vellamo said. ''You are needed.'' She said. She was very beautiful. Ahti nodded, the water falling off of Jamison. Jamison fell on his ass. He was trembling. Ahti walked into the water, almost looking line he melted into it. Jamison just stared at it. He was crying.

He ran towards the cottage. He ran inside and backed away towards the Sauna door, that was open, even though he left it closed. It looked eerie, but very tempting. Relaxing. He walked closer. ''I swear to god if here is one more pranker I will...'' He mumbled. It looked normal. He sighed in relief and closed the door. ''Damn it Jamison! Like there would be Saunatonttu (Sauna gnome).'' He murmed and laid on the bed. He took off his boots and laid down.

He sighed and tried to sleep some. After a bit of sleep, he woke up to... Footsteps. They were farther away from his bed. In the kitchen. Jamison sat up slowly. He sneaked towards the kitchen. There was a... Gnome in there? ''What the hell?' He whispered. It didn't move, it just... Was there. In the center of the kitchen. Jamison walked closer. It shook a tiny bit. He walked right behind the gnome. It jumped and ran into one of the counters. Jamison looked at it. ''Who the fuck are you supposed to be?!'' He shouted.

"Auterinen." The gnome answered. ''Who the hell?'' Jamison asked. "Spirit of saunaheat." He answered ''What the hell? So like... A sauna Gnome?'' He asked. "Aye." Auterinen stepped out into the open. He had an eyepatch and a long blonde beard. ''What the actual hell...?'' Jamison asked. ''Okay thats it. I have been here for too long.'' He said. "What do ya mean?" The short man asked. ''I met someone called Hippa, Ahti and Vellamo apparently... I am going crazy...'' He said. "Ye aren't going crazy my lad!" The gnome chuckled and walked to the counter, jumping onto it and grabbing a few cookies.

''Yes I am. Talking to a fucking Gnome!'' He sighed. "Well ye still aint crazy." The gnome chomped down a cookie. Jamison went to look for his car keys. The gnome followed. "Where're ya goin?" ''Back to the city.'' Jamison said. ''Before I meet Tapio or something...'' "Oh, Tapio's outside." The gnome laughed and walked past the human. Jamison facepalmed. ''Of course...'' The short man walked outside and into the sauna. Jamison sat on his bed. He wasn't going to go to meet Tapio. No way.