Barrow-Down Dreams

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I had a dream about Encai last night.

I was in New York and walking down Amsterdam Avenue, apparently I was supposed to meet Encai there. . . The setting all of the sudden changed into a beach in Miami. Here i found Encai relaxing with some friends, we all went to dinner with my father and then we went biking on the beach.

[wilwarin538]

I had a very simple dream last night.

I dreamt that I checked on the current WW game at the end of a Night phase, and Boro had simply posted "ToNight the villains killed 4 people." And the number 4 was written in blue for some reason. And that was it, I never discovered who the 4 were, or how it was even possible for them to kill that many at once.

Mysterious.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by wilwarin538

Mysterious.

Or your continued paranoia that I will miss the DL has now grown to implementing whatever I feel like and you are trying to usurp me! Usurper!

Interesting enough, I had a BD-related dream yesterday. I rarely remember dreams and the BD ones seem to be fewer in number, but this was very clear and very strange.

I need to set up a bit, because well I just like the drama and suspense, plus the BD dreams typically follow a pattern and I don't know why...

1. There is some sort of involvement with fictional monsters, like werewolves and dragons. The recent one involved vampires.

2. Sally always appears in a cameo role. She somehow invades my dreams, but serves no purpose to the story, she's just always there.

Ok...dream time.

Alona and myself went to a giant Taco-John, this was the largest one I had ever been to. We ordered and sally was the cashier. There was no exchange of words, sally simply took my money, put it in her pocket and walked away. (In real life this would seem very strange to me, but apparently my dream-self had no problem with this)

Alona's got a table, and what was strange is we were the only 2 people there, I have never seen a Taco-John that wasn't at least half-full, and this place was a mega Taco-John. I go on an epic adventure in search of a bathroom, and enter this long, unlit corridor. I pass open doorway, after open doorway until one of the rooms was quite clearly the kitchen. Hey it was Lommy and Agan! I didn't know they worked at Taco-John. I was super-excited, until they saw me and looked like I was fresh meat for them. That is when a guy with the strange resemblance of this dude from Twilight came in and he was telling me to leave. Then he was calmly talking to Lommy and Agan about resisting the sweet smell and getting back to work.

The End. (I guess I smell sweet to Lommy and Agan vamps! )

I bet I had this dream because I saw Twilight for the 1st time about 3 days ago, and was not impressed with it...I do not understand the hype with that movie.

[alonariel]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

I bet I had this dream because I saw Twilight for the 1st time about 3 days ago, and was not impressed with it...I do not understand the hype with that movie.

You're my hero for saying that.

And after only a couple conversations, I have already invaded your subconscious. My plan seems to be working... *evil cackle*

[alonariel]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Alona and myself went to a giant Taco-John, this was the largest one I had ever been to. We ordered and sally was the cashier. There was no exchange of words, sally simply took my money, put it in her pocket and walked away. (In real life this would seem very strange to me, but apparently my dream-self had no problem with this)

Alona's got a table, and what was strange is we were the only 2 people there, I have never seen a Taco-John that wasn't at least half-full, and this place was a mega Taco-John. I go on an epic adventure in search of a bathroom, and enter this long, unlit corridor. I pass open doorway, after open doorway until one of the rooms was quite clearly the kitchen. Hey it was Lommy and Agan! I didn't know they worked at Taco-John. I was super-excited, until they saw me and looked like I was fresh meat for them. That is when a guy with the strange resemblance of this dude from Twilight came in and he was telling me to leave. Then he was calmly talking to Lommy and Agan about resisting the sweet smell and getting back to work.

The End.

A Taco-John? I've never been to one of those, heh. So we walk in, order (hi, Sally!) and then grab a table? Sounds like a first date. Then you ditch me - Boro, how dare you! - and run into a couple vampires. Then you wake up.

Well, obviously Twilight has got you in its claws. Quick! Read something substantive that doesn't kill brain cells and promotes mental illness!

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

1. There is some sort of involvement with fictional monsters, like werewolves and dragons. The recent one involved vampires.

2. Sally always appears in a cameo role. She somehow invades my dreams, but serves no purpose to the story, she's just always there.

Well I am rather pale....


And I knew you couldn't get me out of your head.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by alonariel

And after only a couple conversations, I have already invaded your subconscious. My plan seems to be working... *evil cackle*

You shouldn't consider it a big victory. It doesn't take much to invade my subconscious. If you are interesting or mysterious enough to spark my curiosity, you're a sure lock to be in my dreams.

Originally Posted by alonariel

A Taco-John? I've never been to one of those, heh. So we walk in, order (hi, Sally!) and then grab a table? Sounds like a first date. Then you ditch me - Boro, how dare you! - and run into a couple vampires. Then you wake up.

Well, obviously Twilight has got you in its claws. Quick! Read something substantive that doesn't kill brain cells and promotes mental illness!

Well for anyone who doesn't know, I just want to tell you I would never take anyone to a Taco-John for a first date. It may sound intriguing, but all it is a Taco Bell and Long John Silvers in one location. I've seen 2 in my area, but I don't know if it's all that common across the country. Taco-Johns, Long John Tacos, Long Taco Silvers...whatever you call it, I would definitely take you to a different place. Plus, I'd like to point out, I was in search of a restroom, that is not ditching...it just so happened, on my search, I found the vampires Lommy and Agan.

*runs to pick up his stained, tarred up, loose pages copy of Lord of the Rings*

Originally Posted by satansaloser2005

And I knew you couldn't get me out of your head.

The thing is, is I don't even know if you were a vampire...I don't even know if you were actually the cashier. You were just there, took my money, and then gone. The strangest part being I was completely fine with that in the dream. I seriously hope your random appearances continue, because those provide some of the most amusing parts in my dreams.

[Thinlómien]

*starts stalking Boro in hopes of getting to bite him*

[satansaloser2005]

Om nom nom....


Is it just me or is Boro saying he hopes I'm in bed with him more often?

(Yes, that was below me, but I liked it. Hehe.)

[wilwarin538]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Or your continued paranoia that I will miss the DL has now grown to implementing whatever I feel like and you are trying to usurp me! Usurper!

Stop trying to foil all my evil plans!!! Foiler!

[Laurinquë]

I woke up at 3:30 this morning after a rather odd dream. I dreamt that davem lived only a few miles from my house and that I had walked over there to have tea with him. Upon arrival, I apparently decided that the best course of action would be to sit on top of his car and wait for him to come out - which he did shortly and I was treated to a very puzzled look.

I woke up as soon as he looked at me; and all I can recall about him is that I had taken some liberties with his appearance. My subconscious needs to spend more time on the Barrow-Downs photo page I think.

[Laurinquë]

So I went back to sleep only yo have MORE Barrow-Downs dreams. Lots and lots of them.

First, I dreamed that I met Hakon (in the dream an ebullient ten year-old) in an outdoor cafe in Seaward, AK where we discussed salmon and had to duck every time this bizarre helicopter/kayak (it turned into a kayak when it touched water) circled over or heads. In the end I broke the helicopter/kayak by throwing a cracker into its engine. Hakon did not approve of this.

Then the dream switched to kitchen which I was doing a terrible job sweeping for Ibrîniðilpathânezel (or was is it Gwathagor?) before we threw a massive Barrow-Downer party. Whose ever house it was I remember that the person had a lot of children and vegetable marrows, which were growing all over their house, and I kept tripping over them.

I do not remember much from the party we threw, and I recall that I was confused in my dream about why the dream kept switching about from place to place and why I didn't remember how I got there. What I know is that all the European Downers were there and that a good time was had.

And than suddenly we (we being Nogrod, Thinlómien, A Little Green, The Phantom, Brinniel and others I don't remember) were at this GIANT church thing. You had to take this rail car to go from one end to the other. I'm not sure, but I think we may have been there to hear Formendacil give Mass or something. Then, very realistically, I realised I had forgotten my camera started to go into hysterics before The Phantom offered to let me use he use his iPhone. I remember squealing "Oh thank you, thank you so much! I have no idea how to use it!"

The last dream I had before the alarm clock went off (noo!) was one where Brinniel and I were driving at high speeds down a road going through the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The mountains were indescribably beautiful and very realistic in my dream; mist clinging to the tops of them and steep valleys dividing the serrated peaks. Huge rocks lined road and we had to swerve around boulders and drive over tiny rope bridges (I was annoyed with Brinn because she kept pointing out things of interest instead of looking where she was driving.) and all while the road became narrower and narrower. There were also a good deal of vegetable marrows growing along side the road too, do not inquire.

And that's it for my night on the Barrow-Downs. I have to go to school now.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

I have to go to school now.

You start school that early in the year?

[Mnemosyne]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

You start school that early in the year?

Welcome to the States, comrade.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Mnemosyne

Welcome to the States, comrade.

But then again, you start your holidays so much earlier.

[Thinlómien]

I had a long dream which is escaping me, I remember Roman soldiers carrying an orphan baby around looking for a caretaker for him, an imaginary 'downer girl who wore eyeliner on her eyeballs (eww), a murder mystery in my grandparents' house and most amusingly, a very very malicious looking Form dressed in black trousers and a clean white shirt and his cheeks looking very red. Quite a nice mess, eh?

[Aganzir]

In my dream Boro dreaded sharp objects, such as needles - and swords. Not knowing this, I jokingly placed a sword on his throat (he was just randomly sitting somewhere and I happened to pass by with a sword). It provoked a reaction I didn't expect: he started wriggling and shaking so violently that I sort of lost my control of the weapon and it made a cut on his lower lip. He looked bewildered but I comforted him by telling I sometimes bite my lips to make them bleed since I so enjoy the taste.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Aganzir

In my dream Boro dreaded sharp objects, such as needles - and swords. Not knowing this, I jokingly placed a sword on his throat (he was just randomly sitting somewhere and I happened to pass by with a sword). It provoked a reaction I didn't expect: he started wriggling and shaking so violently that I sort of lost my control of the weapon and it made a cut on his lower lip. He looked bewildered but I comforted him by telling I sometimes bite my lips to make them bleed since I so enjoy the taste.

Interesting Agan...hmm, many people are dreaming of me lately and they all seem to be the strangest of things, it's kind of funny, yet disturbing at the same time. Oh, and I do not like needles one bit, definitely not, but swords I have no problem with. Well, I should say swords that don't chop off my lips!

[Aganzir]

Nah I don't think that dream was weird compared to some others I've had of you.

Hurting people and blood are completely normal dream topics for me.

[Hakon]

I had my first Barrow Downs related dream last night. What I can remember is that it took place in some random village and a husband and wife turned out to be Nazgul. They were getting hunted by the village. They both had robes like the black ones the Nazgul have on in the movies except the woman's were purple and her husband's were orange. The barrow downs related part is that the husband Nazgul was Boro. That is all I can remember, I know there was more but I can't remember it.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Hakon

The barrow downs related part is that the husband Nazgul was Boro. That is all I can remember, I know there was more but I can't remember it.

Ooh you think I'm a black-robed agent of despair, me likes. If you could only remember the mysterious wife, it would be perfect.

Although it's really difficult to remember dreams. The day after someone leaked a desire to me about shooting stray cats (awful I know ), I had some foggy dream that I don't recall all that well...it just involved Mith, Fea, and me at a store and something to do with cats. That's all I remember.

[Mithalwen]

Well I think I dare speak for Fea on this one, as well as myself, if we had been around cats would not have been being shot...

[Hakon]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Ooh you think I'm a black-robed agent of despair, me likes. If you could only remember the mysterious wife, it would be perfect.

I remember the wife was a downer just not which one.

Last night I had another somewhat barrow downs related dream. I don't remember any of it just a note I found this morning that I wrote to myself. Which lists out something about a big second story room with wood floors, weird plants and a younger me in a shirt I recently bought. It also says I was in the room with someone I used to know, a girl named Chloe and TGEW. The note also says that apparently I was viewing the dream as if it was a video playing on the hulu websites video player. That style of a video.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Well I think I dare speak for Fea on this one, as well as myself, if we had been around cats would not have been being shot...

I haven't heard of anyone shooting cats inside a store, but I guess in my dreams anything is possible. Considering Lommy going from someone who wants to go on a search for a dragon to a blood-sucking vampire. But I assure you it had nothing to do with shooting cats. We were in the checkout, and it's the only part of the dream I can remember...someone talking about the proper way to groom cats.

[Laurinquë]

Originally Posted by Hakon

I remember the wife was a downer just not which one.

Last night I had another somewhat barrow downs related dream. I don't remember any of it just a note I found this morning that I wrote to myself. Which lists out something about a big second story room with wood floors, weird plants and a younger me in a shirt I recently bought. It also says I was in the room with someone I used to know, a girl named Chloe and TGEW. The note also says that apparently I was viewing the dream as if it was a video playing on the hulu websites video player. That style of a video.

I'm sure TheGreatElvenWarrior will be thrilled you dreamed of her! For your short time on the Downs you really seem to be worming your way into many dreams - been in any cafés in Seaward lately?

[A Little Green]

I had a dream a few nights ago that some "veteran" 'Downer started a thread called "Annoying new members" or something like that where older 'Downers ranted about how the BD used to be a nicer place with nicer people and which specific new members they dislike. I was very shocked because I had always regarded the 'Downs as a friendly and welcoming community.

Then, fortunately, I woke up and was happy to realise that no such thread exists.

[Morsul the Dark]

Originally Posted by A Little Green

I had a dream a few nights ago that some "veteran" 'Downer started a thread called "Annoying new members" or something like that where older 'Downers ranted about how the BD used to be a nicer place with nicer people and which specific new members they dislike. I was very shocked because I had always regarded the 'Downs as a friendly and welcoming community.

Then, fortunately, I woke up and was happy to realise that no such thread exists.

yet

Though I do recall some veteran Downers reminiscing about the influx of Legolas fangirls after the movies came out.

[Boromir88]

Originally Posted by A Little Green

Then, fortunately, I woke up and was happy to realise that no such thread exists.

One does...you just have to have the super-secret password. *Goes to check what I said about Greenie in the mystery thread when she first joined*

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I dreamed we (me, Nienna, Brinniel, Mira, Lari...) hosted a massive Barrowdowner party. Now as some of you know, this isn't so far from the potential truth.

But in my dream, instead of everybody arriving to Boston, the party was at some house in Oriskany Falls, NY. O'Falls is a very little town, just a few hundred people, and new people visiting would be noticed right away. Especially if you have accents.

So in my dream, I'm actually napping when everyone arrives. I wake up in time to see Volo, Rune, Agan, and a bunch of others who I can't remember to identify now, but were definitely Barrowdowners.

I get dressed. Jeans and a camisole. Strangely, the same outfit I was wearing yesterday.

I welcome everybody properly.

There is a party in the parking lot of a grocery store that used to be called Tucker's. The town seems very curious. We invite them to join us. Rune is an excellent dancer. I think Encaitare is there. By this point, there are at least 30 Barrowdowners, and somebody says something about writing classes, and I say, "You want to talk to them," pointing out half of my grad school, who've apparently been dancing on the fringes for quite some time now, "they're all writers."

Then I remembered that I needed something from home, so I left the party at a jog, on the far side of the road, hoping inexplicably that nobody would see me jogging, and crossed the road, and went down North Street, and now this is where it gets a little wonky. The house I was aiming for was one I lived in as a little kid. It's green, and it's right after the large building that houses a couple shops, the bank, and the post office. I pass those buildings, and find a green house, step up onto the porch and realize I'm at the wrong place. So I go farther down the road, wondering if my distances are messed up because I usually do this in a car and now I'm on foot. I get far enough down North Main to see the house that marks where the road that goes to Grandma's house cuts across, then I go back and try to figure out where my house went.

Except by this time, the ground is covered in snow and ice. So I'm slogging my way back, and there are kids on ice skates, and there's this one little girl with a sled that keeps intentionally ramming it into the backs of my feet while I walk.

I try to get them to go away. They tell me some sob story or something, I don't know, but by the time I get back to where my house is supposed to be (between the post office and Cruella's house (her name wasn't really Cruella, but she was terribly mean to us as children, earning her the nickname))... The house isn't there, it's really cold, it's sleeting, and there are kids on ice skates trying to run over my feet with the blades.

I get to the corner across from the parking lot where I left the party and lo! Everybody's gone home. The town is deserted. Just me, and some creepy little children that want to run my feet over.

/Barrowdowns dream

[Eönwë]

Scary stuff, Fea.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

What? It was nice, except for the creepy ice skate kids...

[Eönwë]

Well, I meant the ending. Reminds me a bit of the short Ray Bradbury story where the man gets turned into a child again... can't remember the name now.

[Hakon]

I had my first werewolf related dream and third barrow downs dream. Well sort of werewolf related. Well the only werewolf related part is the words Night Guard.

The dream was in some fantasy world and it took place in a castle where some guy named Lord James lived. In the dream a young man named Steven informs the lord the Night Guard is in place. Oh and in the dream Steven is Eönwë. Anyway after Steven informs the lord, the lord then asks Steven if that is the case then who is coming into the room now. They both look and it is another young man who mocks James saying quote "They are coming for you. Only this time not for your money but for your soul. Your pitiful soul." Anyway then the mans own sword stabs him in the stomach, I think it was James that did that. Anyway the dream ended with a oily substance leaking from the dead mans body and entering the room from the corridor and the sound of a beast slowly making its way to the room. It can be heard crawling and dragging itself into the room. I woke up after that but my guess is if I kept dreaming the beast wold have killed James and Steven. Also another thing is that in the dream James kept switching between looking like what I thought some downers looked like and some I had seen pictures of. Those people were Legate, Boro, Hookbill and some more people I do not remember.

Fea, the end part of your dream with the kids trying to cut your feet off with the ice skates makes me think of a Stephen King story where there are a bunch of psycho children trying to kill someone on a frozen lake.

[Thinlómien]

A few nights ago I had a dream that Nogrod brought me an obituary of an American sf author. He looked rather sad: "see, Pitchwife is dead, isn't this him?" I checked the birthday, it matched and so did the interests. "And he said he was from the States and that he did a bit of writing... he never just told us he was really a writer!" I started feeling a bit numb, and sad, and went to tell Legate the news. He was absolutely crushed by it, he started crying a lot. I was feeling incresingly numb, thinking So Pitchwife is really gone... do I have to be the one to tell this to everybody in the ww game?

It was a rather gloomy dream, certainly not anything very nice although the atmosphere surely could've been more depressing. Pitch, welcome to the club of 'downers whom my subconscious has killed.

[Pitchwife]

Lommy, I'm really touched to see how much you and your family mourned my death! Luckily, rumours of my demise were greatly exaggerated. And I'd like to point out, that while I do a bit of writing, I'm not 'really a writer' in the sense of published or even with anything finished in my drawers; I'm also German, not American, and have never said otherwise. (Maybe you confused me with Stephen Donaldson, whose books I got my nick from?)
But thanks for letting me be in your dreams; you can be in mine anytime you wish! (Now who was it again that has that Bob Dylan quote as his sig?)

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Lommy, I'm really touched to see how much you and your family mourned my death! Luckily, rumours of my demise were greatly exaggerated. And I'd like to point out, that while I do a bit of writing, I'm not 'really a writer' in the sense of published or even with anything finished in my drawers; I'm also German, not American, and have never said otherwise. (Maybe you confused me with Stephen Donaldson, whose books I got my nick from?)
But thanks for letting me be in your dreams; you can be in mine anytime you wish! (Now who was it again that has that Bob Dylan quote as his sig?)

I think it was Nilp...? Anyway, I knew you're not American, but my subconscious seems to think differently.

Last night I had a bit more pleasant BD dream for a change. I was visiting Mac and Rikae in their house. Rikae and I were laying in a cuddly pile on their bed and Mac was sitting at the edge of it with their kid Annika on his lap. We were talking random stuff and I was asking if Annika can eat solid food yet. Eventually, I got up and walked around the bedroom and admired the artwork on their walls: they had a lot of paintings and drawings there, some of them made by fellow 'downers and a few made by Rikae herself (she turned out to be a very good painter). I remember seeing THE Ka's and Fea's artwork, as well as a sketch of Celeborn by Aganzir which had very lively eyes that seemed to follow you when you looked at it from different angles. I was chatting about the drawings and paintings with Rikae and Mac (of course complimenting Rikae for her lovely artwork) and thinking we should all thank the 'downs for having such wonderful friends.

I quite liked this dream.

[Morsul the Dark]

It's not often I dream of the downs but here''s one...

I was in a book store and bought a book called
Middle-Earth Real Estate; It was a book with photos from around the world that resembled places in MiddleEarth imagine my surprise to learn the photos and accompanying essays were written by Downers but the weird part was it came with an extra DVD with "Commercials" for the properties;

Fea was sowing of the "Rivendell" Property
Hookbill showed of the Glittering Cave(Which is the only one I can actually recognize in real lfe as the manmade cave at the Linderhof Palace in Germany)
H-I was in Ireland(I'm Guessing) Selling Hobbiton plots
and Formen was there... I don't recall what he was selling only that he was doing a Really Cheesey infomercial style of selling...

What's sad now that i think about it is I dreamt abbout sitting around watching TV....

[Pitchwife]

The other night, I dreamt a bunch of other people (none of which were specifically familiar from RL) and me were camping in the mountains with caravans and tents. We had gathered there to hunt trolls, of all things, and equipped ourselves for the purpose with all kinds of improvised weapons and armour or protective clothing, most of them looking like cobbled together from scraps and rubbish.
The first troll we met was only about a foot tall, but fought viciously, and it took a serious concerted effort to kill it, which made us somewhat apprehensive of facing a full-grown specimen. Next thing happened was we were visited by a large troup of witches - picturesquely ragged hags riding on broomsticks or branches, arriving accompanied by Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries or something similar. They had come to warn us about some really big trolls that would be coming down our valley pretty soon. We got all excited and not a bit worried, but when some time passed and the trolls didn't show up, we relaxed and decided to have a party with the witches instead. Next morning everybody was pretty hungover, so we decided to disband without having seen another troll.
What makes this a Barrow Downs dream is that one of the people in our company was Nogrod. He looked somewhat older than on the photos I've seen and had a grizzled beard. He and I were among the last people leaving the place and had a nice little conversation (of which I remember nothing) while packing our things. It seemed this wasn't his first troll-hunt, and during the fight with the mini-troll he and maybe two or three others, unlike the rest of us, had made the impression he knew his business. (Obvious WW echo!)

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I dreamt that Lush and Squatter tied me to Squatter's mazda and drove to Italy, here they convinced me that it was good idea to rent office space and not pay for it. . .they claimed they had found some loophole in the italian legislation.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I dreamed last night that Mac, Rikae, Lari, and Mira were all visiting me and Nienna in the house I lived in as a little kid (same house I couldn't find in my last BD dream, actually).

Mac, Rikae, Lari, and I decided to go for a hike in the woods behind the house (in reality, there aren't woods behind the house, there's a small yard with a tree, backed by a huge building, with another road on the other side of it). As we started climbing the hill, I commented that it was questionable for us to head up into the woods at twilight, and Rikae seemed surprised I'd say so. She asked why.

I explained that these woods have a mountain lion in them. And bears.

At that point, Lari (who may have briefly served the dual role of being Rikae's mom), said that she wanted Rikae, not Mac, to lead the hike, because Rikae had grown up here.

I was a little confused, because I didn't know Rikae had grown up in the same small towns I had, but I figured, okay... we'll just deal with wildlife if we see any.

Before we've even gone fifty yards more up the hill, a bear comes down out of a tree. A little black bear, but even a little bear is much bigger than a human.

I said, "Back up slowly, don't make any sudden moves, and we'll walk back the way we came."

We all back up slowly, walking away, watching over our shoulders.

The bear follows.

We are very concerned.

We hear a loud noise and look over. There are two wolves attacking a squirrel.

We curse.

We speed up our slow walking away, trying not to draw attention, trying to get back to the house.

After maybe twenty feet, the wolves decide to chase us, as does the bear.

At this point, we quit trying to play it cool and we all run for it.

Of course the animals are faster than us...

The bear chases one of the wolves, which conveniently distracts them both, but we're still having to deal with the much bigger wolf that apparently wants to eat us.

I yell, "Mac, stick!" and he obligingly ducks off the path and grabs a large stick to beat the wolf with.

He weilds it like a baseball bat, waiting for the trajectory of the wolf to bring it into reach, and then swings.

Problematically, the stick is rotten, so it breaks on impact, and doesn't really hurt the wolf.

We're still running, and at least the wolf is momentarily dazed.

It attacks again. Again, Mac whacks it with the rotten stick (which breaks again).

The bear and wolf lose interest in each other and start barreling after us down the hill.

I should mention, the hill was snowy by this point. We were slipping and sliding, crashing into trees, but at least it slowed the predators down too.

We got to the house, finally, and I slammed the door and locked it (the bear was outside), and Mac and Rikae embraced, and Lari ran upstairs to cry in Nienna's room, and I took several deep breaths, and Stick yelled at me for letting everyone go hiking where there were wild animals and they could have died.