Twilight Menace

The dim twilight looked eerily mesmerizing as Johana gazed out at the frosty horizon, pulling her parka tighter. It had to be subzero as it was the heart of winter in the arctic region of Sweden, in her mother’s small Elven hometown of Nowheresville as far as she was concerned. She could see why she wanted to move to the states with her dad, get out of this town of seemingly eternal night, at least this time of year, but it legit made her SAD, or at least feel like she had seasonal affective disorder. It was a stark contrast to her hometown Los Angeles; quiet, seemingly dead. At least LA was only dead on the inside.  

The one thing she was excited about was the hunt that was tomorrow at the break of dawn, or their interpretation of it as there really wasn’t much sun around. The hunt was one thing novel to this deadzone, it excited her, thinking about hunting in the dark, chilly forests of the arctic tundra for reindeer, or whatever else was alive at this time, the anticipation sending a shiver down her spine. She clasped her gloved hands together enthusiastically, then finished her cigarette and threw it in the snow where it fizzled out in the ice.  

She went back inside and collapsed onto the large wood four poster bed. This cold, dark weather made her so sleepy it could’ve been noon for all she knew.  

In what seemed like a few moments later her mother came in brusquely.  

“Johana, were having supper now, come down please.”  

“So, its dinnertime? Alright, I’m coming.” She sleepily raised herself out of bed, stretching high then making her way down the stairs and around toward the dining area.   

The long farmhouse dining table was set with dishes of reindeer stew, potatoes, and lingonberries. A couple of aunts and uncles and family friends, some of who’d be part of their hunting party also joined them. They chatted happily in a varied mix of Elven, Swedish and English as Johana took a seat next to one of her aunts at the end of the bench.  

“Oh, how nice to see young Johana. I haven’t seen you since you were a babe, well a little elfling with your bunned blonde braids.” She managed a small smile.  

“It is good to see you back with the family Johana. And that you will be joining our hunt tomorrow.” Her uncle Herick, who sat across from her, chimed in.  

“How she’s grown.”  

“Into a fine young woman.”  

“A moody girl but bright.” Her mother added, helping herself to a serving of lingonberries to which Johana mustered a subtle eyeroll. Elves were not above the incessant familial prying and prodding no matter how highly they thought of themselves.  

“But pretty, nonetheless. You have a boyfriend back home?” The auntie next to her asked a little too inquisitively.  

“There was a mention of a boy, Jimmy Santos or something...?” Her mother started in.  

“Mother, he wasn’t my boyfriend.”  

“Thank goodness, he was a common hoodrat.”  

“Mother!”  

“He did get you involved in those criminal shenanigans.”   

“That wasn’t even him, that was Stefi.”  

“Yes, another urban hoodlum.”  

“Mother stop being like, racist and judgy or whatever! My actions were my own and me and Jimmy both left that life thank you.” Uncle Herick smiled warmly.  

“Hmmph, well good riddance is all I’m saying.”  

“Well sister, you should move her out here, she won’t get into any trouble out in this frozen wasteland.” Another uncle on the far end of the table added to which they all had a hearty laugh at. Johana glanced sideways picking at her potatoes with her fork.  

“She will prove herself in the hunt tomorrow, I’ve seen her impressive marksmanship.” Uncle Herick nodded to her to which she cracked a somewhat semblance of a smile. 

“But with those loutish instruments, those are for American cowboy types.” Her aunt next to her in a snootish tone but she didn't mind the comparison. 

“Let her be siblings, now aren’t we going to enjoy the last of this reindeer before we bring back more in the morn.” Her uncle segued them into a different topic to which she was grateful.  

To Johanas relief the dinner soiree wrapped up early and she helped her mother clear the dishes. 

“You better go to bed soon; you will be leaving before the break of dawn.”  

“What dawn? You can’t see shit anyway.”  

“That mouth of yours, another bad habit you picked up in the city. I don’t know why your father ever wanted to go there.”  

“So did you! Because this place is cold, boring, and dead like your soul.” Her mother put down her dishes she held and gave her a cold scowl that gave her a shiver along with the incoming draft.  

“You’re a grown woman now Johana, for the sake of the gods act like one!” Johana smirked and went bedways.  

She rekindled the fire in the hearth in her room before flopping onto the bed once more, messing with her phone to pass the time a bit before falling asleep.  

She woke early the next presumable morning outfitting herself in her hunting gear, layers and layers of thermals undergarments, hefty boots, black and white camo pants and her white parka with faux fox fur trim on the hood. She met with her hunting party, decked out in more traditional Elven garb of reindeer hides. She felt like a sore thumb and heard someone mutter “American” or something or other in Elvish, chuckling amongst themselves.  

“Johana! Here’s some tea to warm you up.” Her uncle Herick greeted her heartily handing her the warm thermos.  

“Thanks Uncle.” She helped herself to the hot drink hastily.  

“Are you awake, ready for the hunt?”  

“As awake as I’ll ever be in this dark abyss.” Her uncle laughed.   

“It is, and the night is full of terrors and scary monsters.”  

“Oh, shush Herick don’t scare her.” Another auntie scolded him mildly. They chuckled.  

“She’s a fearless girl I think nothing will scare her, I’m sure she’s seen worse in the city then what the arctic tundra has to offer.”  

“Right like fancy draugr and lizard people?” They all had a laugh, including Johana who was warming up with her drink and the vibe.  

A reindeer caravan pulled them out into the forest where they’d be hunting. She got her rifle ready while the others prepared their bows, looking on dubiously, as it was traditional for her tribe to bow hunt, but she preferred bullets to bows. 

Once they reached the forest, they parted ways, and she headed northeast, a little farther away from the rest of the party as she didn’t want to disrupt the stealthy silence the others required in this hunt. She went to a makeshift blind in a grove of trees and shrubs towards the forest's edge to begin her stakeout.  

She took another cigarette out of her parka pocket, lighting and enjoying that while she awaited any sign of movement. Being half elf as she was, she had a distinct advantage of decent night vision, but she still favored the use of night vision binoculars to get a better scope of the area. So far, just small shit was passing through, which she wasn’t bothering with, she wanted to bring back something a bit more impressive.  

She sighed, watching the cold smoke she blew out hang in the arctic air. She looked at the temperature on her keychain; 2 degrees. Fuck, it was gonna be a long night, well, day? Whatever, she said to herself and pulled out her binoculars to observe the vast nothingness once more ahead of her.  

After a few minutes or so she decided to venture out a little to continue scoping out the area. She climbed her way up an alder tree, perching on a branch nook. She pulled out her binoculars, looking around. Didn't see much, until she did. Something was moving in the distance. She grabbed her rifle, peaking through the scope. She couldn't really make it out, it just looked like a dark blur from here. 

She took out her binoculars again, zooming in on said subject. Then she practically choked on her own spit. It looked like it had to be hitting six feet, long limbs like gnarly trees, frazzled hair, like a sort of humanoid and animal hybrid…and the roar, it was this terrifying howl like a scream of a banshee bear was the only thing comparable in her mind…She froze in place for what seemed like eternity, the two locking gazes until it roared. 

She instinctively shot a few rounds, enough to at least get one good hit on the thing, but all she saw was a black blur that seemed to be coming closer towards her, so at that point she decided to just hightail it back to camp. 

Uncle Herick hurried towards her.  

“Johana? Has something happened?” She struggled to catch her breath.  

“I…I saw…I…” Her uncle and a couple others with him looked at her disconcertedly. “I don’t know what I saw…” She shook her head frantically. 

“Ah, ok, well I will stay with you for a moment.” Then he barked orders in Elvish at the other men who went off to presumably look for said anomaly.  

“Take a breath, here, have some of this.” He handed her a thermos. She nodded and took it, eventually taking small sips of the refreshingly hot drink.  

“You won’t believe me, and goddamnit I shot it, I shouldn’t’ve missed!” She was completely flustered. 

“Calm down, and just tell me what you saw.”

“It was just …this tall thing, this like, gangly looking beast man…I really don’t know how else to describe it…and the roar, it was screeching, it was beast like, like no animal or man I’ve ever heard…”  

“We heard something in the distance, and then the gunshots overpowered it.” 

“Ok, so I’m not insane, not totally.” They both smirked.  

“I can’t say I’ve ever heard of such a creature, but the men are going to investigate.” She could only continue nodding and drinking her tea as they sat in silence until the men came back, talking in Elvish, shaking their heads, smirking, and probably judging her, or at least she could only assume. She kept silent, staring ahead into the dark snowscape.  

“Johana, well go back now, it’s been a long enough night.” Her uncle patted her shoulder and she wanted to protest but she could only nod cause half of her was still paralyzed by confusing fear.  

He had a reindeer sleigh take the two of them back to her mother’s house promptly. She looked disappointedly out at the frozen tundra, bare empty planes and scattered trees, the whole way back.  

“Did you see the lights, Johana? It adds a splash of color to this cold, dead wasteland, doesn’t it?” Her uncle pointed out the rainbow of northern lights in a slight manner of sarcasm.  

“I honestly didn’t even notice.” She said and looked up, admiring the dancing colors illuminating the sky.  

“For what it’s worth I’ve seen him too, that beastly abomination.” He said in bated breath. “I swore my eyes were playing tricks, maybe they are for the both of us, but that’s what this place does isn’t it? You never know in this world were in.” She smirked. “Don’t worry, you’ll be back home soon in the tropical paradise that’s your home.”  

“I don’t know if I’d call it that.”  

“Ha! A place with sun over 60 degrees and beaches, that’s what I’d call a paradise right now.” She chuckled. “In the meantime, enjoy the view, it’s not so bad.” They looked out at the frozen tundra, lights glimmering in the sky, sipping their warm canisters in the frigid winter twilight.