A Troll Story

The following is a true story, as told me by a friend of one of the people involved. This story does not endorse the use of illegal substances; they are merely part of the tale.


We've all heard tales of trolls, the little men and women who tend to live beneath bridges and excite stories told 'round a campfire. Yet trolls have always appeared in tales of old, in far-off, almost crusty times. Well here is the tale of a modern human encountering a situation he didn't understand and that frightened him into taking strange, ultimately wonderful action.

A group of campers recently went out camping in the New England region of the United States. They had rented a cabin which proved to be a warm shelter from the cool autumn wind. After each arranged his or her bed, they started a warm fire to further stave off the encroaching autumnal chill.

After each had made his or her comment about the warmth of the fire, someone produced a plastic bag full of dried mushrooms. "Magic" mushrooms. They were quickly consumed, and water followed the bitter taste down. An hour later, everyone was dancing about the cabin's main room excitedly, their minds humming electric.

One of them, we'll call him Charlie, decided to go out for a walk by himself. However, after 2 hours, someone noted the absence of Charlie's return. An hour more lapsed, and they called him on his mobile phone.

Charlie answered in a frantic whisper "I can't talk right now -I'm being chased by a troll!" Charlie hung up.

Looking around at each other, the group of psychedelic campers shuffled uneasily, many looking down at the floor, and back at each other.

"We've got to go find him," a pretty brunette woman firmly stated.
There was quick agreement, and each hurried outside of the cabin and spread out into the chilly evening to find Charlie.

The group, now three separate groups, preened the woods looking for their deranged friend. After half an hour, one of the campers called Charlie again. He answered right away.

"Oh, I'm fine now. I'm back at the cabin, and I'VE GOT THE TROLL TIED UP IN THE CLOSET!"

The campers couldn't believe their ears as the word was quickly spread to everyone, who rushed back to see who or what Charlie had found.

When they arrived, Charlie proudly showed them to the closet. Tied up inside was a 12-year-old boy with Down's Syndrome.

The campers immediately untied the boy and explained to Charlie the true situation. However, they still didn't understand the full story. Had Charlie kidnapped the boy? He asserted that he hadn't, that the boy had been chasing him. Someone mentioned the police, which sent shudders throughout the cabin. Were they all going to jail for tripping on illegal mushrooms and kidnapping a mentally impaired boy?!

They called the police, who were ecstatic by the news. The boy, it seemed, had been missing for 2 days. Charlie had saved his life! By the time the police arrived at the cabin, everyone was mentally alert and cognizant, and able to explain the story, minus the part about the mushrooms. They not only received no grief from the police, but also received an award for finding the boy!