The Troll

[Jared Handley]

The bridge seems by now to be as old and true as the stream beneath it; dependable, safe, and a milestone for many between home and away. Its structural soundness and sentimental worth are what makes it so special, not only to those who cross it, but that which waits below, for any unsuspecting prey.

The Troll is a filthy, deplorable being; the faerie world's reprobate; a catastrophic failure of nature; a blackened wart that disrupts fine flesh.

"Are they so nasty behaving because they look nasty, or do they become as vile in form as they feel in the judgment of the world?" the man asks his companion.

The other man holds a finger to his lips the final several yards to the bridge, indicating not only the need for silence, but that he will answer in due time.

Swiftly but quietly, he sneaks alongside the steps of the bridge, draws his sword, swings around, slices at the shadowed creature, and returns carrying its mangled head, shaking his own, "It is not my concern how it happened, my friend, only how to end it."

[Brittany]

cheers to the warrior! love this and the simplicity of the last phrase.

[Michael Brown]

I want to be in your band going over the bridge. Maybe I'd get to meet Shauna again and she'd forgive me for weasling out that night. She scares me and fascinates me at the same time.
As to the trolls, I looked in this afternoon in the middle of busy-ness and read through all the mail I was copied in on. Seems a rank turd floated to the top of the toilet. Has it been flushed away?
Many trials on the way to treasure. Thanks for what Bill mentioned.

[Bill Floyd]

Bridges get built by sensible folks as a way of navigating above the muck. Trolls wallow. And every bridge needs a swordsman. Thanks for keeping watch.

[Jared Handley]

That occurred to me, but I didn't want to flatter myself. Glad I could help awaken your California love.

[shauna mcclure]

jared! i just realized it was my deep internalization of your blog that prompted me to write my blog almost immediately after. the bridge the bridge the bridge...damn. your bridge is in my head!

[Angela]

I was expecting some great philosophy from your "other man", and I got it - but in a wild way. The end was both a twist and not a twist! Fun read.

[Heidi Romano]

Troll.... Ha. Sick little bastards.

[Jared Handley]

But I'm from Alabama, Shauna... That's, like, all we do! :D

Good points from all and of course, thank you for the read. I love my 6S bridge something fierce.

[shauna mcclure]

trolls scare me. they eat children and dreams. your second sentence is so wonderful --- clear, visual and poetic. i guess some shit has been going down during whilst i've been away. in any event, you know what they say about wrestling with a pig...

[Gita]

Jar -- the central question is really interesting. Do extremely repulsive-looking persons develop hatreds and resentments that spew out at "norma;l" people? Or is the repulsiveness just part of their nature, and they happen to be squat and ugly as a bonus? Will we ever know?