Captured by Gnomes

So I was driving my car, and I was going to do some shopping.  
  The sun was out and it was a pretty ordinary day to say the least.

  I wasn't thinking about much.  I just wanted to get my shopping done.
  "If I can get to the shop I can be home again within the hour," I was thinking as I turned the corner of the road leading to the supermarket.

  But the supermarket was blocked off because of roadworks, so I turned around and drove towards the local gas station.  It was closer to home, more expensive, but i could just about get what I needed there - I would have to head back to the supermarket another time when the road works were finished.

  No big deal.

  So I put a bit of music on and drove to the gas station.  
  Along we went, the car and I, around the country roads, setting the autumn leaves to flight as we drove along and around.

  Finally we get there.

  I stop the car and get out.  

  So far so good.

  I approach the gas station, slip my hand into my parket for my card.  

  Nothing out of the ordinary.

  So why am I writing this?

  Because as soon as I entered the station the shopkeeper leapt over the counter and charged at me with a double barrel shotgun.

  'Stand back fiend!' he was shouting.  'My weapon is armed and I will just it!'

  I couldn't believe what was happening and I didn't know how to react.

  Eventually I found a few words and threw them out at the weapon wielding checkout managers.

  To begin with I told him to slow down.  'Are you not going to give me some kind of an explanation for this?'

  'I don't need to,' cried the shopkeeper.  'I know your sort.  You work for them don't know?  You work for those filthy beasts!  Scum!'

  I told him I just came for some shopping.  

  He responded by lifting his finger to his guns trigger.  'I have heard these excuses ALL before!' he raged.

  I had never seen anyone so angry before!  I just didn't know what to do!

  What could I do?

  This was a situation outside of everyday madness!

  'Let's just talk about this,' I said.  'How about I turn around and leave you to sort out your troubles?'

  He shook his head and said:  'I will not let you bring the enemy into my shop!'

  I asked what enemy?

  He growled at me like an animal.

  Then he took a menacing step forward - gun raised level to my eyes.

  'You know what I mean!  Don't play the fool!'
  The shopkeeper waved the gun at me and made me move into a room at the back.

  He closed the door on me, leaving the lights off and me stuck in the dark.  It was a few minutes, I guess, before he returned.  

  This time had no gun, but I was so scared of him and the whole situation that I didn't dare resist, just in case he had another weapon hidden away somewhere.

  The shopkeeper told me his name was Bill.

  'You have brought them right to me,' said Bill.  His eyes were red raw.  It looked like he hadn't slept for days.  I started to think the man had to be mad.  Then he started to blame me for all that was going wrong in his life.  'You don't know what it has been like for me,' he said.  'Livin every night in fear.  I can hear them out there, in the witching hour, chanting - always chanting.  Tormenting me.  Tormenting my soul!  And then you come along and make things much worse!  Curse you!  Why would you do this to me?  But I won't stand for it anymore.'

  I asked him what he wouldn't stand for.

  I needed him to explain himself.  
  'I won't take anymore nonsense,' he said.  'Today will be my day and I shall have revenge.'

  For goodness sake!  

  What was he going on about.

  I was beyond terrified.

  Gazing into those red raw eyes was like look into the gaping jaws of madness! 
  Then he started screaming and shouting, 'I hear them!  Can't you hear them chanting?  They are back!'

  He said he needed to prepare himself and ran out of the room.

  What was going on.

  I couldn't take it anymore.

  I decided I was going to leave the room and escape.

  It was obvious that Bill was quite insane and I wanted nothing more to do with him.

  When I left the room I heard what sounded like a dog barking...

  I started to think "What's going on now?"

  It was a dog, I am sure, but I couldn't see a dog - 
  Then there was a loud animal-like cry, and then the shadow of some small, possible animal, ran right by me knocking me to the ground with some force.

  I started to stand back up when i saw, for the first time, a very short man, maybe three feet tall, standing next to the shopping counter.  He was barking like a dog, and throwing sweets at me!

  Bill was nowhere to be seen.

  I didn't know how to react.

  I wanted to cry for help but it seemed I was all along in the gas station at that time.
  At the time it seemed the whole world had gone mad!

  I eventually regained my sense, and made a plan.

  I was going to jump over the short man and run for the dorr.

  I put my plan into action, leaping in one go over the three foot beast, but to my despair the door would not open!  

  Someone had barred it against me!

  I started to see shadows all around me.

  Two more little men appeared, stepping furtively out of the shadows of a large shelf, you could barely hear their footsteps!

  But they moved very quickly, and before I could do anything, they rushed up to me, all three of them, and knocked me out!

  

I was asleep for a very long time.

  I felt awful when I finally woke up.

  I appeared to be inside a long dark stone room, possibly somewhere underneath the shop, maybe the cellar?  There was a dark gaping hole right in front of me, and a little head starring right out of it!

  What did those little beast men want from me?

  The little man came at me, quick and silent, and pulled me down into the hall.

  His strength was very great despite his diminutive stature.

  I struggled with the beasts but I could not get myself free from his grip.

  So down the tunnel we went.

  Eventually we reached what looked like a little pond.

  It was now so dark I could barely see anything.

  'Where am I?  What am I doing here?'

  Then there came a wretched gurgling voice from a shadowy place beyond the pond.  I couldn't see who spoke, but they sounded very menacing and unpleasant.  'Welcome to; the bottom of the well!' they said.

  What was going on?

  Was I stuck in a nightmare?

  'Why are you doing this?'

  'Because we want to,' said the voice from across the pond.  'We can do whatever we want.'

  'Not to me!' I replied.  'I am innocent!'

  'No one is innocent,' said the voice.

  I begged the voice to let me go.

  The voice responded with laughter.

  'You shall say here with us for the rest of your days be they long or short it doesn't matter,' said the voice.  'We welcome you to our home!'
  'You are evil for doing this to me!' I cried.

  'We think we are being kind,' said the voice.  'We are giving you a new home.  Somewhere nice and cozy to stay.  Here you will no longer want for anything.  You can have all the mud you can drink, and all the toadstools you could ever desire to eat!  We shall take care of you.  You will be safe with us!'

  I screamed.

  The voice was quiet.

  'Be content now,' said the voice, finally.  'I know you are feeling very angry right now, but take heart because things could be worse.  There are people out there, in the world above, who are living a far tougher life than you.  There are many who would wish to be in your position.'

  No!

  The voice carried on:

  'Kindness and cruelty live hand in hand.  One minute life is good, and then it is bad.  Here under the ground we travel the fine line that works between these things...'

  What do you mean?

  Then the voice slowly answered:
  Simple but dark. 

Simple but dark...

THE END

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