The Last Tent VI:

An agent standing by the large reception desk drops her coffee mug and it shatters into thousands of pieces on the marble floor. Jaws are dropping everywhere as the alarm bells ring endlessly in my head. I try to wave at the fairies, telling them to hide again, but I know it’s no use.

“Hey guys...long time no see huh?” I say slowly. What a way to make an entrance. An entourage of fairies hovering behind me as I stand in my dirty white dress, looking like a bird’s nest. Perfectly splendid.

I expect them to start barreling us down, punching and kicking us, but they stand perfectly still, frozen in fear. Ironic. Years of training and they are scared of fairies. Well, to be fair, I was too but that’s beside the point.

“Please don’t be scared of us. We’re fairies, and it’s just splendid to meet you! We came here to ask you for a favour,” a fairy says perkily. A boy at the back faints and topples onto the ground, leaving another agent to struggle to pick him up again. The fairy and I exchange a look. Humans. Pathetic.

“Uh, well, anyways, we need you to help us save our land, and your’s! The trolls are planning to take over the world and we are all in danger! There aren’t enough fairies to beat them, but together, we can crush them into pieces! “ the fairy exclaims.

I see a girl’s eyes widen with shock, perhaps in wonder if it was me or her that had gone mad. She turns around and whispers to the agent next to her. I see a small tilt of the head, upwards and then a more firm tilt following.

“Okay, we’ll help you, but there’s one condition,” the agent says, and she looks as if she’s speaking with sarcasm.

“You have to give us some fairy dust.”

I see the fairy’s eyes drop. She ponders for a moment and then gives a reluctant nod. I can see the love she has for a society, her family. She’s willing to do anything to save them.

The fairy opens another portal and accompanied by more shocked expressions, we walk through.

We reach our destination on the same pedestal I first arrived to the Troll’s land on. The background continues to be its bleary grey that drains all the life and colour from the image. Immediately, it starts to rain. I realise that the rain this time is a black goop that drips down on us. Well, don’t forget your umbrella I suppose.

I look around and realise that in the distance, the trolls that scanter about are preparing for something. Grabbing an agent’s hand I quickly bring everyone to hide behind a large brick wall where we are hidden from sight. The trolls carry large guns, strange guns and other irregular weapons. Their preparing for battle.