Copyright – Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
We used to sit around the table, all five of us, every Sunday at lunch. Until the trolls invaded and all my boys left; called up and conscripted.
I harvested the land with the women, and waited at the gate every sundown. Those who returned were unrecognizable. A guilty thought chafed at me; if this is what they came back as, did I want my boys to return?
But the choice was never mine.
Three of us sit at the table now in haunted silence, staring into the fires of the two lit lamps; a tribute to our dead.
—
For this episode of Friday Fictioneers, I went with fantasy. I hope you like it.
Sandra's scribbles 
This story seems far more real than trolls ever will….Well done.
Tom
Thanks a lot Tom.
A nicely written story.
Thank you 🙂
Wow! This is really good!
Thank you Deana
Good story.
This is fantastic. The threat of trolls, the fear of what happens to those who return, and the grief over those who do not were all so elegantly real. Also, I love that you chose trolls. They are a rather underrepresented monster these days, and you pulled it off beautifully. I really, really like this story.
Thanks a lot for reading and for this wonderful comment.
Poignant and well done Sandra.
🙂 thank you
Nicely done. That’s an interesting though – ‘if this is what they come back as do I want….’ I need to think about that.
Heh 🙂 Thanks a lot for reading Sandra
Very good.. Apocalyptic fantasy is a great genre
I agree! Thanks for reading Bjorn
Where are Bilbo and Gandalf when you need them? Good story! 🙂
Hehe 🙂 Thanks for reading
I think you made a fine choice!
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/friday-fictioneers-darkness-comes-genre-horror-pg/
Scott
Thanks a lot Scott
i’m so not familiar with trolls but you just made them seem so real and scary.. i love the number of emotions here in this story. wonderfully done 🙂
Thanks KZ
Frighteningly well done fantasy.
shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you Rochelle 🙂
Very grim tale..
“but the choice was never mine” captures the helplessness perfectly. Nice work
Thanks a lot for your comment Parul
A sad tale, Sandra. I liked the line about not really wanting them back if they were too changed and damaged. Very interesting.
I’m glad you liked that part. Thanks a lot for your comment.
I guess the lessons of Billy Goat Gruff were not part of the training for those who went to the Troll War!
Heh 🙂 that or the war was kept away from handy bridges. Thanks for your comment Joe.
Wonderful story; we don’t have enough fantasy here. 🙂 This may be fantasy, but it’s probably something military of any age have to deal with. Whether it is better to wish their loved ones alive as a quadruple amputee or alive only the bright flame of memory.
Yes you’re right this only gives the smallest hint of fantasy; as much as would fit in 100 words I guess. The ‘quadruple amputee’ vs the ‘bright flame of memory’ in your comment made my story more real! Thanks for that 🙂
A creative take on this week’s photo prompt… and I liked that you chose the point of view from the people staying home, away from the fighting, and having to deal with the wait.
Thank you for your comment I really appreciate it.
Powerful tale, well told.
Loved it.
Thanks a lot 🙂
Um, no. As a mother I did not like this. 😦
Heh 🙂 I understand.