Chapter 5 Recipe for Disaster part 1
When I arrived home, I got straight to cooking. I did the troll takeaway meals first so hopefully the human food would cover up the smell, for I didn't want Strickler to notice the smell and get suspicious. I made 5 meals; one for Strickler, Blinky, Aaarrrgghh, Draal, and Not-Enreque, for I planned to confront him soon.
I lose track of time as I begin the human meals, only looking up at the clock once to realise that I only had 10 minutes until Strickler's expected arrival. Dinner was luckily ready, just cooling down before I could serve it. I wanted to talk to Strickler first before dinner so the wouldn't be spilt if he decided to attack me. All I needed now was the horseshoe in an easy to reach location, just in case I needed to use it. I haven't gotten it out of my bag since Toby placed it in there. I reached for it and as soon as I touched the cold iron, there was a bright blue flash and I was thrown across the room where I hit my head.
…
When I was less disoriented from the sudden movement, I went to get up, only to look down and realise that my hands where blue and made of stone. One with four fingers and the other with five. I reach my hands up and felt my head where I could feel horns. What just happened? How am I in my Troll form?
Panicking, not sure what to do, I get to my feet. I hear the doorbell ring. I must have been disorientated for longer than I thought. Taking a deep breath, I stop myself from panicking again. I call out, "Hold on a sec!", only to realise that my human voice had changed to my troll voice too. Hopefully he wouldn't notice. I look around for something, anything, to help since I had no idea how to change back to human or even if I could. I saw the horseshoe laying down next to my bag. I must have dropped it after it changed me. Hoping it would change me back, I grabbed a hold of it. It changed me back to human.
Sighing in relief, I slump down on the floor, not letting go for the horseshoe, as if my life depended on it. What just happened? How is this possible? Before I could think about this any further, I hear Strickler call out, "Jim are you ok?" There was a pause, with me not responding, to lost in my own head. "I'm coming in, you don't sound right."
He comes barging in. I had completely forgotten he was there and had barely processed his words. I quickly hide the horseshoe in my back pocket, deciding to deal with it later, not wanting him to notice it and get suspicious. "Yeah, I'm fine, just got startled. I must have just lost time with my cooking."
I add the final touches to dinner, which gives me time to process a bit more from my sudden discovery and all that it means. Strickler just sits at the table, waiting for me to finish up with my cooking, knowing I didn't like to be disturbed while doing it. I walk to the table without bringing any dishes out. "Mum is going to be home a little later than expected so I thought we could have a little talk, man to man."
Strickler's expression didn't change at my words, "And what would you like to talk about Young Atlas, that you wouldn't want your mum to here?"
As I sit facing Strickler (with a knife in my pocket just in case), I look closely at him, "You know, Mr Strickler, that I respect and trust you and approve of you dating my Mum. That no matter what you have done in the past this is a second chance."
A flash of guilt crosses his face, but he quickly covers it up with a sad smile, "Young Atlas, whatever you think you are alluding to, I don't think you understand what I have done, nor would you understand why I have done it. There's a lot you don't know about me."
"I think that is where you are mistaken. I know what you're capable of. I know what you're not capable of. I know you have a thing for my mum, and that you have power over Nomura. You want to keep me out of it, and you are looking for a way for changelings to be respected. I know you know Gunmar won't give you that, but you think you have no other options. Poor Walter, I even know as we speak, one of your changeling allies are paralysing the Trollhunter to get the amulet. Do you think I'd be foolish enough to leave my best friend unguarded?" I didn't mean to be so up front, but my mind was not thinking straight after what had just happened with the horseshoe. I was sick of minding my words around everyone, not being able to talk to anyone about anything, and this change was just the tipping point.
He stared at me for a bit, confused and baffled. After a couple moments, he got out of his chair, stumbling back, "You can't, you shouldn't." I had never seen him so lost for words. But that didn't last long. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and when he opened them again, they were yellow. "You know too much," he said as he changed into his changeling form.
I sigh, "I really wish this didn't have to turn into a fight, but clearly history wants to repeat itself."