A Queer Fairy Tale

No Disclaimers

After days in mostly dark, when the Swedish flowers bloom pallettes across the stone strewn shore, white florets with lavender freckles kiss the air from their thorned lime green vines. Viggo reclines, his back arched over a mossy rock and his 6-pack glistening in the sunlight. He is the strongest fighter on the Eastern Swedish Coast and anyone who would challenge him would surely suffer.

 

From over a hill strolls a pack of Viking teenagers, looking to prove themselves as men. So naturally, seeing Viggo, one of them shouts, “Hey Viggo, yo’ mama’s so fat that when she lays on the beach Greenpeace comes and throws her in the ocean!” Viggo says nothing as he jumps to his feet. He sprints up to the group knocking the first kid down with a right hook. He uppercuts one kid square in the jaw, knocking out a tooth. As the fight continues it becomes clear that Viggo is out numbered. He’s winded after several blows to his chest and soon becomes just a punching bag.

 

The sky turns an iridescent purple as the sun begins to set and one by one the boys run home. Viggo now lays on the rocks in his blood, broken nose and embarassment. From behind a tree a young man with dirty blonde hair comes out of hiding.

 

“Say something if you’re alright,” he requests, taking off his shirt and wetting it in the ocean. Viggo just stares at him, snarling. “I’m Stig,” he says while walking back towards Viggo, “Please, let me help you.” And with that he began washing Viggo’s wounds.

 

When Viggo’s anger subsides the two begin talking. And within a few sentences they become fast friends. Both interested in carpentry and exploring the rocky islands in the Gulf of Bothnia on the shores of which many viking ships have crashed. So that summer Stig nurses Viggo to health and they begin making their small two person boat that will be easier to maneuver through the rocky shores. When Fall finally arrives they’re ready to leave.

 

Out in the gulf, in the middle of their crossing, it drizzles. The drizzling within seconds becomes torrential downpour and their boat sinks into the freezing sea. Waves are crashing and Viggo and Stig are struggling to stay together and swim to dry land. They’re shouting out to each other louder than thunder, hoping this is not when they’ll take their last breaths.

 

Out of the salty teal waters come two weathered hands, each the size of young bears, that grab the screaming men and bring them to the face of the giant who controls them. Ã†gir, the Norse Sea God, has a blue face covered in wrinkles. Fish are stuck in his crow’s feet, their tails flapping madly. The god bellows, “I’ve been known to protect sailors from time to time, and I will do all in my powers to protect the two of you if you can prove the integrity of your hearts. You have one day in Asgard to prove this.”

 

With that he drops the men from his hands. When they’re backs hit the water they find themselves resting in the green hills of Asgard. They hug each other, just happy to be alive.

 

Over Viggo’s shoulder, Stig notices a wretched creature. It has an armless man’s body and is as tall as a tree. Its eyes are misty and maroon. Sharp black claws, grow out of tumors on the creature’s right shoulder, on its back and on its left thigh. Its fangs are yellowed, festering bacteria and it has a five foot tail, also ridden with black claws. Its a Jotunn that must have crossed the Ifingr river from the land of the Giants into the realm of the Gods. It is climbing the mountains toward Valhalla. Stig grabs Viggo’s hand and the two of them run towards the mountains after the creature.

 

They cover about 5 miles in just over an hour and find themselves face to face with the giant. Viggo drop kicks the creature’s shin, which it grabs in pain. Stig hurls a stone at its head, but not before it whips it’s tail around, picking up Viggo with one of it’s claws. Then in one great leap it covers five feet and growls straight into Stig’s face. Stig shouts out to Viggo, “Grab its leg!” after jabbing the monster with a left hook. The creature scratches Stig across the face with its shoulder claws, but when it tries to step forward it trips and falls backwards because Viggo who had followed Stig’s order. Stig starts to climb up the cliffside to where a boulder is conveniently waiting about 30 feet up. And as the beast untangles itself Viggo delivers a kick to its groin. The monster’s tail claws let go and Viggo follows Stig who is now 10 feet from the top.

 

By the time the beast gets back on its feet Stig has nearly reached the top, but Viggo has only climbed about 9 feet. The Jotunn headbutts Viggo against rock and Viggo delivers a blow to the its left eye. The giant backs off the wall and Viggo falls to the ground.

 

On the cliff Stig tries pushing against the boulder, but it won’t budge. Viggo dodges around the beast’s leg and gets his arm caught on two of its thigh claws. The beast rams against the cliff wall again, digging in the claws. With Stig’s pushing and the blow to the wall the boulder tips over and comes crashing down on the giant’s head.

Stig follows the boulder, landing on right his side and after Viggo frees himself from between the cliff side and the boulder he runs to Stig. Stig is unconscious. His face is bloody with scratches, his arm is broken, his right leg has a terrible gash and his body is bruised all over. Viggo picks him up and carries him to a river about 2 miles off.

 

When Stig wakes up he’s been undressed and his wounds have been washed in the river. He smiles looking at Viggo who is now tending his own wounds. Stig groans when he tries leaning onto his broken arm and at the sound Viggo rushes over.

 

“Don’t move,” he says, staring intently into Stig’s eyes.

 

And at that moment Stig’s heart is filled to it’s brim with love. Recalling what Ã†gir had said about proving the integrity of your heart, he says, “I love you.” To which Viggo replies, “And I love you.”

 

They find themselves back in the freezing waters of the Gulf of Bothnia, hallucinating and hugging each other, just moments before they disappear under the water.

Reviews

[Mathias Winters]

Well written, and it's nice that the meaning wasn't blatantly put out there like in other stories. It was nicely eased in. I like this. Some of the parts can get a bit confusing at times, but if you clean that up this would be great.