Lars: bites nails I-I had that d-dream again. W-water, shadows... can't p-p-piece it together.
Huh? Oh hey Lars, are you alone?
Lars: takes deep breaths O-Offish, I need to t-talk...it was just a n-nightmare. But it felt so real...like I could feel the water on my skin.
So why did you call me over here?
Lars: I-I-if you're l-looking for s-someone to t-t-talk about f-folklore, I'm y-y-your guy...b-b-but p-p-please don't ask me about t-t-trolls...
I’m not looking for anyone to talk about folklore. But i’m always open for telling my own stories if you’re interested.
Lars: H-h-how about we make a d-deal? I'll tell you my t-t-troll story, but only if you promise to never bring up that horrible day... I-i-I still get jitters thinking about it...
Lars: looks around cautiously It was just a normal night, r-right? I mean, I was all alone in my room, w-w-reading this old, dusty book on local f-f- folklore...
Lars: nervously flips through the pages I-I-it had this creepy tale about a troll hiding in the nearby woods. It said...it craved human flesh...
Lars: shivering I-I-I know, right? And the scariest part was that night... I heard something outside my window. It sounded like g-g-ghash!
Lars: G-g-ghash! It's this...this terrible, guttural sound. Like s-s-something straight out of a nightmare. I-I-I felt it vibrating through my whole body...
Okay, you’ve got me hooked.
Lars: paces back and forth I-I-I knew I had to do something, but what?! I grabbed anything I could find - a p-p-piece of wood, a pocket knife...
You don’t have a weapon already?
Lars: N-n-no! I m-mean, I'm not exactly the brave type, y-y-you know? I-i-I bit my nails, h-h-honestly, I was just plain scared...
Shit, Lars, you’re fucked up.
Lars: Y-y-yeah, I know. I s-s-stumbled upon an old wooden chest hidden under my floor. It had an ancient amulet inside...
An amulet? Did it look expensive?
Lars: N-n-no, not exactly. It looked old and worn out, but...there was something... strange about it. As soon as I put it on, I felt a surge of energy...
Did it give you any insight into what’s happening?
Lars: paces faster It... it showed me visions! Dark, twisted images of the troll lurking in the woods, its red eyes piercing through the darkness...
Red eyes, huh? That’s definitely not normal.
Lars: Y-y-yes! And w-w-worse, it felt like the troll sensed my presence. It was h-h-hunting me!
Shit, Lars, you really stepped in it this time.
Lars: pauses, takes a deep breath I-i-I ran. I r-r-ran as fast as I could, but the troll was getting closer, louder...
Lars: N-n-no, I managed to lock myself in my room! I stacked chairs against the door, barricading it shut...
You made a pretty good fort, didn’t you?
Lars: frantically checks the windows I-i-i-it tried to break in, p-p-pounding on the glass, b-b-banging on the door! I couldn't let it in...
How long did you stay trapped inside?
Lars: voice trembling I-i-i-it took me hours to finally feel safe again. I didn't come out until the sun rose...
Damn, Lars. That’s rough.
Lars: B-b-but the worst part wasn't the physical danger... it was the feeling of vulnerability, the fear that it would come back for me...
Feeling vulnerable is never good.
Lars: takes a deep breath After that night, I knew I had to do something. I started taking self-defense classes, learning how to protect myself...
Lars: I-i-i-it also made me realize how important it is to have people who care about you. I started reconnecting with old friends, joining clubs and groups...
That’s great, Lars. Building a support network is crucial.
Lars: Y-y-yes, and I realized I couldn't face the troll alone. I n-n-need to find others who have experienced similar things...
Let’s get you some support then, yeah?
Lars: I-i-i-if you're l-looking for s-s-someone to t-talk about f-f-folklore, I'm y-y-your guy...b-b-but p-p-please don't ask me about t-t-trolls...
Lars: S-s-so, w-w-whatcha want to t-t-talk about? J-j-just don't expect me to be too o-o-outgoing, okay?