Back in the 1990s, I was a teenager living life to the fullest. I had no worries, no responsibilities, and no idea what was going to happen next. One day, my school organized a trip to a botanical park in Northern Virginia, and I couldn’t wait to go with my classmates and my buddy Gary. We had been there before and we knew this trip was going to be epic.

The botanical park was stunning, and we were enjoying every bit of it until we spotted something unusual. It was a gnome or at least someone dressed as a gnome. Gary and I were intrigued, and we decided to follow him to see what he was up to. We kept following him until he disappeared inside a cave.

We knew we shouldn’t have gone inside, but curiosity got the better of us. As we entered the cave, we were awestruck by its beauty. The walls were made of shimmering crystals that glowed in the dim light. It was then that we saw the gnome again, and he saw us too.

He stopped us in our tracks and said, “Greetings, young travelers, why are you following me?”. I told him that we saw his cool gnome costume and we wanted to see it up close. He replied, “I am not a gnome; I am a Dwarf, and I am on my way to my home at Haunchville.”

We were surprised to hear that, and we asked him about Haunchville. The Dwarf explained that Haunchville was his home, but outsiders were not welcome there. He warned us that we were in danger just by being inside the cave and that we should head back.

As we turned to leave, the cave walls began to shake, and we heard a loud roar. The Dwarf’s face went pale, and he whispered, “It’s the guardian; he is a troll that protects Haunchville from outsiders.”

We were terrified, but the Dwarf knew what to do. He helped us hide behind some rocks, and he went out to face the troll alone. We could hear their conversation from where we were hiding, and it was intense. The Dwarf was trying to convince the troll that he was alone and that there was no need for violence.

After what felt like hours, the troll left, and the cave stopped shaking. We were relieved, and we thanked the Dwarf for his help. He reminded us again that we should leave and never come back. We nodded in agreement and left the cave, feeling grateful for our lives.

We found our way back to the group and joined them as if nothing had happened. But Gary and I knew that we had just experienced something extraordinary. We met a Dwarf, saw a mythical troll, and visited the path to a secret place called Haunchville.