Stories in November

A Meal for Wellness: Flash Fiction

More of Danvish-Fell's zombie-like followers plodded into the repurposed diner.

The students who paid the most sat next to him.

Except for me, my name is Luce Mayweather, and as a guest, I didn't pay at all. I seemed out of place with my brightly colored leg brace. My skin also lacked the orange tinge. Even though I was the only troll among humans, I appeared more human than they did.

Even the diner seemed off. Paintings of food were replaced with hulking men with tusks.

"Should you really have hung those on the walls?" I said to him.

Danvish-Fell ignored me. He gave me a glass of hot carrot juice.

I didn't drink and stared at the yogurt and cooked carrots. "Is this all you eat?"

"We don't eat chocolate, meat, or potatoes. Carrots are good for eyesight, but raw carrots are evil."

"But I like raw carrots and hummus," I whispered.

"You're not enlightened." Danvish-Fell grinned and stood in his booth. "Today we're summoning the monster Zamper."

My eyes widened. "I think I'll leave." I got up, almost stumbling. "Why did you bring me here?"

Danvish-Fell sipped his juice. "Disability is brought on by sin in past lives or your current acts of evil. You need to be punished."

I opened my painted lips, exposing tiny, sharp teeth. "I thought you invited me here to ask for my forgiveness. You caused the accident because you were high and rammed the crane through my condo."

Danvish-Fell grabbed my wrist. "You partially designed the accident. It wasn't my fault. You should ask for forgiveness because I spent three years in prison."

His followers pointed at me. "It's your fault! It's your fault."

"I'm the chosen one, and I found the book of Zamper," Danvish-Fell said.

"I thought the paintings were ironic. Most people think Zamper is a joke, but he is real." My body shook. "I'm a troll, not human."

"And I found your name on the pages as a sacrifice. Trolls eat their young." Danvish-Fell jumped up and down.

"Zamper is a creature you shouldn't ever summon. He knows your sins." Luce pushed the plate away and tried to reach the door.

Danvish-Fell rummaged through his pocket and brought out the micro-book. "He'll read your mind and eat you alive."

A spot in the booth glowed.

"You idiot! That is a family record."

My father, the beautiful troll, Zamper, appeared. His muscles glistened under the light. "I have to destroy you because you called me and threatened my youngest daughter."

"What?" Danvish-Fell asked. "I'm enlightened and Luce isn't important."

"May I call you Danny? Stop blaming others for your mistakes." Zamper waved a glowing orb. "No one here will remember you."

"What?" Danvish-Fell asked.

Both men vanished into the dark underworld.

Danvish-Fell's memory was blotted out, and only a blank book remained behind.