Thomas' Adventures in Hiddlesgard

Tom set off just after dawn broke the next day.Steve had tried his best the get Tom to stay another day but Tom was adamant he needed to move on.With Wendy gone he had no reason to stay. If she had not already returned it was unlikely he would see her again.Steve offered him food an water to take with him. Tom thanked him for his hospitality and then bid him farewell. He set off slowly along the path by the hut, feeling a little downhearted not to have company. He paused briefly to look up at the sky. It was another gloriously sunny day, it was a shame thought Tom that his mood could not match the day. He sighed heavily and took in a big breath of air. 'Ok', he thought. 'Onwards I go, keep positive!'

Steve watched Tom disappear into the trees and smiled to himself. Tom may not have stayed another day but with the directions he had given him, he maybe lost in the forest for days. Steve let out a chuckle and walked back into the hut and closed the door.

Without Wendy to help guide him Tom wanted an early start. He had no real idea where he should go, but he thought his best bet was to head to Hiddlesville, the capital city.He was sure he'd find answers there.

Steve had told him to head north, but trying to find your bearings in ancient forest thick with trees was not going to be easy. But he pressed ahead, stumbling over roots and branches. Thin branches of Brambles caught on his clothes and scratched his skin. He had a growing feeling the forest did not want him to leave. To his relief though he spotted what looked like a path ahead of him. He smiled. Finally he could find a way out of the forest. He picked up his pace and headed for the path.

Suddenly his t-shirt snagged on some thick gnarled brambles. They were twisted and looked like they had been growing there for years.He tugged hard but they would not work free. He tried turning round but was caught by another clump on the other side. They held him fast. He tried to pull them free with his fingers. Thick barbs pierced the tips of his fingers. He recoiled, crying out in pain. He was trapped. He was sure the brambles had not been this close to him before. Were they growing as he stood there? He blinked his eyes in case they were deceiving him. He looked down at his legs. Somehow brambles had started to wrap themselves around his legs. He tried lifting one leg out of the way but that pushed the top half of him further into the brambles.

"Ouch!" He cried out  "Let go of me!" 

"Ouch!" Three thorns pierced his back. "Ow..."

Tendrils continued to spiral around his legs. They wrapped tight and tighter around the legs of his jeans. The could feel the thorns pushing into the fabric.

He started to panic...Maybe if he stopped moving the brambles would stop growing tighter around him.He kept very still. The brambles held him fast.He tried to think how he could get out of them but if he moved so much as another inch, the brambles would tighten further.

He was well and truly trapped. How long would he be here for? He couldn't stay here. He had to get moving!He started to look around for a sign of anyone or anything that could help. He needed to cut himself free. He took in a sharp breath as the tendrils tightened further. He felt that he could hardly breathe. Tighter and tighter grew the brambles. The tendrils now were moving towards his chest.

Just then something caught his eye through the trees. It was moving fairly fast, running he thought. He looked closer. It was a person. Tom smiled, yes! help!

"Hello! Please? I need help" he shouted out as loud as he could, but the figure kept running! The brambles tightened, Tom winced with pain. He had to risk shouting out again.

"Hey! Help! I need help here!" He bellowed as loud as he could.The brambles responded by cutting deep into his legs. He closed his eyes trying to block out the pain.

He thought he saw the figure slow and reach their hands up to their ears. 

"Hey! You there! Help me!" He shouted on final time. Again pain shot through him. Tiny little pins all over his chest.

This time the figure stopped and peeked at Tom through the trees. It was a young boys late teens, early twenties thought Tom,  with a mass of curly blonde hair. His eyes fixed on Tom and he smiled a broad grin.

He stepped carefully over tree roots and headed towards Tom.

"Be careful" Tom warned the boy. "There are brambles here, I've got myself caught up in them." He winced in pain.

"My you certainly have" said the boy looking at the brambles in wide-eyed amazement. "Brambles are wonderful things of nature but can be a bit pain sometimes." The boy looked up at Tom and smiled again.

"Would you like a hand?" said the boy

"Please" said Tom.

"Right then" said the boy enthusiastically. He looked around the brambles wondering where to start. As he reached out to pull away a row, they moved away from his hand, dropping away from Tom's clothing. They both stared at each other then the boy smiled.

"Perhaps they won't be so tricky after all" a grin crossed his face.

Five minutes later Tom was free from the brambles and stood looking at his wounds. They were not too serious after all but there were lots of them.

"My name's Bill" said the boy grinning. He held out his hand towards Tom.

"Hello Bill, I'm...I'm... "He suddenly tried to think of a name. "Tom??" he shook the boy's hand. Bill's handshake was very enthusiastic. Tom smiled and winced at the same time, his arm stung from the bramble thorn wounds.

"It's a good job I had decided to go out for a run, otherwise you may have been stuck there for a while" he grinned.

"Do you live around here Bill?" 

"Not far, a couple of miles in that direction." He pointed to the right.

"I love being outside and around all the wonderful things that live here. We are truly gifted to have such a wonderful place around us. We can learn so much from sitting back and watching the things around us." He sighed seemingly lost in the moment.

"This may seem strange, but you haven't seen a flying moustache at all have you?" Tom thought he would ask.

Bill frowned and thought hard.

"Saw flock of them near Magnusville, the other week, but one on it's own? No. They are lovely creatures. Should all be free to roam Hiddlesgard, and be happy."

"Would you like something to eat. I have plenty to share in my pod."

"Pod?" Asked Tom puzzled.

"Yes my pod, only a small place but perfect for staying in the great outdoors. "Come along I'll show you" and with that he started to jog on the spot.

"We have to tend to your wounds too. They're not too bad but you need to keep them free from infection." Bill bounced up and down on the spot like an excited puppy. His smile was infectious.
 
Tom looked down at the marks left by the brambles. Bill was right, they did need attending to.

"Lead the way then Bill" Tom said grinning at the excitable boy in front of him. "I'll try and keep up."

And with that they both set off on a gentle jog. Bill chattering away non-stop. Tom grateful to have a friend again but aching from his encounter with the brambles.

As they set off, a pair of hooded green eyes watched from the shadows. They narrowed as they saw the figures grow smaller. Loki was not amused. Tom had guessed his name, however, thought Loki, it was just a guess, no great revelation. It was just a name. He still had no idea of his true identity. Loki had not expected the Hazeldine boy to show up. The brambles were supposed to have held Tom prisoner long enough to zap his strength and make him lose hope. The boy was nothing but innocence, joy and hope. That's why the brambles fell away. They were no match for him. Loki scowled, as long as Tom stayed positive and had hope he was a threat to Loki. Still this game kept Loki occupied and he had not lost interest in the game yet...He had not grown bored. If he did, then he would keep Tom in Hiddlesgard. This Midgardian intrigued him still. He had shown remarkable calmness so far. How far could Loki push him, before he would break. Loki had no desire to return him home, there was so much more he could do with this Tom.Perhaps he could become some future form of amusement for Loki, if he ever did tire of the game. However for now the game was still being played and what awaited Bill and Tom?...