Hod

David jumped a little at the voice, but turned around smiling. "Hod, why are you always sitting in the dark?" He flicked the lights on and set his backpack next to his chair. His best friend Hod was revealed in the dark, his peculiar blank-screen computer humming quietly in front of him.

"No point in turning on the lights when I can't see anyways." Hod answered softly.

"But when you sit in the dark like that, you startle people."

Hod smiled slightly but kept working.

Nobody quite understood how David, the most popular, handsome, and well-liked guy in school could be best friends with a scrawny blind kid whose name the teachers could never remember, with pasty white skin and ice-blue, milky eyes that seemed to see everything and nothing at once. Hod was wearing a black hoodie with a huge fluffy cap even though it was barely the beginning of September, still warm enough for some kids to be wearing shorts. He was always like that, always cold and wrapped up, always sitting quietly in the background while everybody constantly paid attention to David. He never seemed to mind.

That's part of why David liked Hod, why they were best friends. He was literally blind to David's charm, but it wasn't just that- Hod was smart. Really smart. Plus, their was the fact that Hod had saved David's life once.

He'd wanted to get a little work done before everyone else arrived. Allot of kids thought that student body president was more of a title than anything, but to David it was a real job. He loved working with the other students, loved persuading the staff, balancing the budget, providing extra opportunities and services the school otherwise wouldn't have. Somehow even the principal would come to him for ideas, and the school board had been persuaded more than once by his impassioned speeches. This was something he thrived on. Hod and David usually met up a little earlier than the rest of the council, going over last minute ideas and changes, just to make sure.

"I think the 9-school gymnasium proposal is going well," Hod said, "but you're going to have to really watch the budget on that one. Some of the board members are starting to have second thoughts on it, David."

"I think I can handle that," David said easily.

Hod shook his head, "Don't just charm them into working for you again. I've told you before, you need to listen to opposing views, not just assume that you're always right."

"That you are always right. All my best ideas came from you, Hod." David pointed out.

"David, we're just kids. Even getting the school board to consider the idea is incredible. But getting it built? That's a big deal. And you might like to think so, but I don't know everything. I've probably overlooked something, and I want to know about any problems we could face, so we can be absolutely prepared."

"Okay, I'll listen." David glanced around. "Where's Claire?"

Hod paused for a second. "She... well, I don't think she was comfortable with just me here." David could hear the hurt in his buddy's voice.

"Sorry bro. She can be really stuck up sometimes." David shook his head sadly.

"Love is not love, which alters when alteration finds," Hod quoted. "A little melodramatic I guess," He laughed bitterly, a short bark without humor, "but it seems to fit."

David put an arm around Hod's shoulder, "I wish I could help, you know that. I could set you up with Monica, Yue, Felicia, two different Sarahs... I'm sure any of them would go out with you if I asked them to."

"Shove off," Hod pushed his friend away, grinning. "I'm not cutting your grass."

"Whatever," David settled back in his own chair at the head of the table as the rest of the student council and some of the teachers filed in: Alex Snowater the secretary, Tonya Cottle the historian, Mr. Shumaker, and others. David smiled and greeted each one while Hod quietly gathered his things and went to the library, keeping the door open a crack. He wasn't technically part of the student council.

David

  “Hey David.”

  “What’s up David?”

  “How’s it going David?”

  “Hi David”

  “Hey David, where are you going?”

  “David, whutz up?”

  “Hey David”

Don’t stop, stopping takes too long. David had found this out a long time ago. He made sure to smile wave and say hi back to those that talked to him. He even said hi to those that were too shy to say hi to him in the first place. Make sure to call everyone by name. Not calling them by name might mean he didn't like them. If they thought he didn't like them then- something might happen. He didn't want that.

Being swarmed by admirers was an everyday occurrence for him, and had been for as long as he could remember. Someone might think 'wow, everyone likes him, it must be great'. But being in the spotlight 24/7 got a little tiring.

  

“David, are you hungry!? I made you lunch!” A pretty little freshman with brown wavy hair and bright blue eyes jumped breathlessly into his path. She thrust a brown paper lunch bag at him, arms outstretched.

Sidestep twist and turn, keep walking.

“Thanks Sarah, I appreciate it. But I already promised to have lunch with someone else.” If he accepted every lunch box or bag girls made him he wouldn't be able to eat all of them if he had a week. Sarah looked crestfallen. David was willing to bet that she had made the lunch personally. He sighed internally, but kept a smile on his face.

“Sarah do you know Sam? He's that redhead in your English class.” David said in his best helping voice. He waited for her little nod before going on. “Well I don’t think he has ever had a homemade lunch before. I’m sure he would love to eat yours.” Can’t let food go to waste. "Besides, that I think you guys look cute together.” Sarah blushed and nodded a little.

“Sorry Sarah, I gotta go to student council. See you around.” He had taken care of that without even breaking stride. It was time to take a shortcut if he wanted to be the first one to the council meeting. Taking his next left then right he entered the Lynn Secondary School library.

He saw Emily Weird in the far corner of the library putting books away. Normally he would have stopped and talked to her but not today. It was nice that Emily didn't treat him like everyone else did. It made him feel almost normal. Probably the smartest girl in school, she looked and didn't look the part. David guessed she was what people referred to as a sexy librarian. She was tall and slim with long dark hair in a ponytail and black rimmed glasses.

David headed over to the other end of the library to the back door of the student council room. The janitor was nice enough to give him a key when he asked for one. So now this was like his own private entrance. Using his key he slipped into the pitch black room and closed the door behind him.

“Nice to see you could escape your fans.” came a cool voice out of the darkness.

Break Camp

They felt a tangle of invisible branches and leaves brushing past their legs, through their hair and across their arms. The giant chicken roared at them, pounding the ground as it bulldozed towards them, but it was too late. They were gone. 

Ben, Mark, and Holly stood blinking in the sunlight, momentarily blinded by the bright light, the sound of the thousands of people attending the Fair drowning them in noise. Slowly, like waking up from a dream, the boys let go of Holly's hands. The smell of malted popcorn, cotton candy, grass, and hot dogs roasting all mixed with the heat. An roar, faint and far away, seemed to echo in their ears. A little boy cast an admiring glance at their armor, tugging on his mother's arm. "Look at that spear, mom! Let's find where they sell those. It's so cool!"

Despite the heat, the siblings starting shivering uncontrollably, then shaking, and then laughing. They collapsed on the ground together, howls of laughter causing the crowd to give them a wide berth. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, their uncontrollable giggling gradually subsided into fits and bursts.

"That was a pretty cool shop." Ben remarked to no one in particular. 

"Yes." Holly looked back behind them. The tent had disappeared, leaving only trampled grass in its wake. She stroked the armor she was wearing. "I hope that man got out alright."

"Dwarf." Mark corrected. "6 foot dwarf."

"20 foot tall chicken."

Ben suddenly surged to his feet. "Crap guys, we're gonna be late to the booth! We were supposed to help out, right?"

Mark looked at him incredulously. "After what just happened, you're thinking of that?"

"Well, yeah. they'll be wondering where we're at. We could get in trouble if we don't show."

Holly stood up too, grimacing. "Ben, you didn't even want to go in the first place." She was feeling cranky and tired. 

Ben was quiet for a moment. "Look, I'm not trying to avoid that what just happened was- well. But we need some time to think about it. That's what coach always says, you gotta take some time to analyze the situation. And I think that getting back to normal for a little while, just until we can catch our breath, might be a good idea." 

Mark struggled to his feet, nodding his head. "He's right Holly. And we don't tell anybody for awhile. Not even mom and dad."

"Yeah." Holly agreed, and after a moments hesitation, Ben joined in. 

On the Count of Three

Holly watched in fascination as Ben and Mark battled the giant chicken. It was unbelievable that they were fighting such a ridiculous animal. Suddenly an arm grabbed her wrist and she let out a little yelp. She looked down into the eyes of the dwarf.

“You need… you need to get… away.” The Dwarf said. His words coming out in slow shallow breaths. “Get off of… Yggdrasil”

“We are not going to leave you!” grabbing the dwarfs hand with her own. “We’re all going to get away. We are going to take you to the doctor.”

“Baa… you’re the reason I haven’t already gone. Your pull… it is too strong. It’s what holding… what’s holding us here” The dwarf said. “Get your brothers… walk back home. Get off the tree! Don’t worry about me girl… not the first time…”

Wlfric started to push himself to his feet. He only got halfway up before falling down onto one knee. Holly tried to put one of his arms around her shoulder but he just huffed at her and gently pushed her away. Starting to breath heavy he picked up Holly’s axe and put it back into her hands.

“I’ll be fine her girl… do what I say and get yourself off the tree.” He looked out the tent. His eyes growing wider at the sight of Ben and Mark battling the chicken. “By Oden’s spear… those boys must have some giant in them.” He grabbed Holly by the back of the neck and she thought she heard a small click but at the moment all she could see was Wolfrics intense expression. “You need to think about going back to midgard… then you need to walk… walk off the tree. Hurry!”

With that he turned her around and pushed her out of the tent. She turned to see his stern face that brook no room for arguments. She felt a sting in her eyes that was the promise of tears and she quickly looked away. Gripping the axe in both her hands she started running to her brothers.

Wolfic watched Holly run toward the sound of battle. Her wild hair bouncing, his axe gripped tightly in her hand. The bright shine of silver flashed around her neck and was gone. He put a hand to his head suddenly dizzy and sat down.

“You’re starting to get old.” He said to himself. “Trying to fight a Hôniôn by yourself.” He looked again at the battle. One of the redhead lads, the bigger one, was wrapped around the neck of the bird while the other was circling it with a spear. “Seeing things you want to see.”

But he had felt it. Power coming off of them in waves, even the girl. It was one of the reasons he wasn’t surprised to see them come into his shop. And it was probably why the Hôniôn showed up in the first place. He had been confused by them not knowing anything. They must have all been abandoned. Sadly he shook his head and immediately regretted it. If the girl kept her head they should be fine. He felt a slight tug, not physical, just something he knew was there and smiled. Time to worry about himself now.

Holly arrived just in time to see Mark flying off the back off the chicken and straight into Ben. Together the destroyed another tent, one of many already marking the battleground. The Hôniôn let out another terrible scream cocking its head to the side. Holly knew that any moment it would try to skewer her brothers. Screaming she threw her axe with all her strength. This time the axe flew true. Well truer than what Holly was expecting, at least, and lodged itself in the monsters beak. The giant chicken let out a roar and started to scratch at its face with a talon trying to dislodge the axe. Holly run up to her brothers, who had already started to get to their feet.

“Where’s the dwarf?” Ben coughed. The wild look in his eyes fading away.

“He told us to get away.” Holly replied. Honestly a little miffed that they hadn’t said anything about her awesome throw. Even if it had been an accident. A loud screech announced the Hôniôn had successfully dislodged the axe. It turned its large eyes on the three siblings and started to make its way towards them.

“Watch out Holly!” Mark said reaching toward her. Holly had had enough off being protected though. Instead she grabbed both Ben and Marks hand turned and stared the oncoming monster chicken in the eye.

“LEAVE US ALONE!” She screamed, pouring all her willpower into her words. Miraculously the Hôniôn stopped dead in its tracks. Not only that but it started to back up shaking its head side to side but never breaking eye contact with Holly.

“On the count of three we are all going to imagine that we are walking off of a tree back to where we came from.” Holly said gripping her brothers hands more tightly. “One..” the Hôniôn stopped shaking its head, it looked at the three and let out a loud screaming roar. “Two…” the chicken started to run at them like a train in high gear. “Three!” and they all took a step forward.