Beware the Victim

The rule for this contest is that you have 15 minutes to write a story. The prompt was a picture of hands holding a white orb with a clock inside.

Beware the Victim

The old mountain dwarf shuffled slowly along the dim trail. He found it necessary to stop and rest more often than when he was younger. This evening, still far from home, he found a nice hollowed log to nap in and was soon fast asleep.

“Well, well. Look what we have here.”

The voices were followed by a tugging at his legs. The old dwarf found himself being pulled out of his log by his feet.

“What is the meaning of this? Can’t a dwarf get a little sleep without being interrupted by a bunch of lowland hoodlums?”

“Quiet down little man. Let us see what it is you carry in that pouch of yours. Perhaps it may worth enough that we spare you your life.”


The dwarf reached into the pouch and pulled out a glowing orb that had a timepiece deep within. He opened his hands, allowing the treasure to float freely around the group. The robbers gasped at the magic. They had never seen a thing of such beauty. Each began to internally calculate the price such an item might bring on the black market.


“Where did such a worthless old creature such as you come to find such a treasure?”

“Rivendell.”

The response froze the men where they stood. Turning slowly to face the dwarf, they found their fears realized as Gimley tossed back his cape and reached for his giant axe.