Serial Micro Fiction: Zamy and Landric – Part 8

The two Nom children stared back. Now Zamy and Landric had seen a dwarf or two passing through their village over the short time they’d been alive, but they were unprepared for the sight their eyes provided. The traveling dwarves they had seen had tanned, leathery skin. In the dim light, these dwarves were pale, almost translucent, with faces often smeared black with oils and soot. The children were terrified.

“Please sir,” Landric bemoaned. “Please don’t eat us!”

“We don’t taste very good,” a fretful Zamy added, “and were super scrawny!”

“Hey, I’m not scrawny, I’m strong,” Landric countered speaking only to his friend as he flexed his tiny muscles.

“Shhh! I’m trying to keep us from getting eaten,” she whispered in a voice all the surrounding dwarves could hear, much to their amusement.

“Oh, right!” he whispered, then spoke louder. “Yes, we’re very scrawny! Not good for being eaten.”

“Eat you?” asked the king. “Oho, no! We would never do that.” His voice turned ominous. “I have other uses to punish you for your crimes.”

Zamy and Landric both turned paler than these dwarves.

“What crimes?” asked Zamy in a tiny voice.

“What crimes?” the dwarf king repeated. “Why the crime of trespassing on dwarven land.”

He looked at them sternly while several other dwarves turned their faces away and pressed their hands to their mouths to stifle a laugh.

“Your trial will commence in one hour. If found guilty,” he held up an open hand and then quickly closed his fist and make a squishing nose with his mouth.

Zamy and Landric huddled together, too scared to move or think or speak. All they could do was whimper.

“In the meantime, enjoy our hospitality. You’re free to explore our town but do not try to leave. Consequences abound!”