Shivering, the hobbit pulled the thick woollen shawl around her shoulders.
The sky outside darkened with the onset of night, grey clouds curved across the sky. Scuttling gently, a curled brown leaf fluttered past the window pulled to the ground by the cold wind.
Looking back to the fireplace she reached down and threw some wood on to the dwindling fire, shivering she pulled the shawl closer and turned back to the window. The brown trunk of the tree framed one side of the view drawing her gaze to the muddy path the led past the sunken hole that she called her home. The outside world was cold and grey the last days of autumn turning to the cold frost bitten of winter, not a thing moved outside, almost as if waiting for something. Turning away she made to go to the kitchen but stopping she turned back to the window and peered closely. At first there was nothing in her view but the woodland and a distant hill. Wiping at the fogged up window she noticed a movement, something moved in the far corner, trembling she waited but saw nothing else,
"It's just your imagination, Renn always said that you had a wild imagination. What you need is some tea and then to bed, there'll be no news tonight."
Relaxing a little she moved away from the window and went in to the kitchen. The room was dark and cold, the wind whistled through the small chimney by the stove freezing the air and sending chills across her arms.
Slowly the water boiled and she poured the tea in to a small earthenware cup, clasping it tightly she left the kitchen, pulling the door tightly shut behind and headed back to the warmth of the fire. Despite her brave words earlier curiosity and fear pulled at her stomach as she turned back to the window, fear making her hand shake as pulled back to curtains to peer out. Still nothing moved but the wind and the leaves.
Of all of the things that could be out there Men were high on her list of things to fear, coming second only to another member of her own kind.
The winters were wickedly cold now, and Men brought with them strange illnesses, some that they could not cure themselves. Many now ran loose among hobbits, few of them that caught any ever recovered. Living alone, she knew that there would be no help for her or for the hobbit that might infect her. Shaking her head at her own stupidity she put the cup by the fireplace.
"You won't rest easy till you're sure nothing is out there so you had better go out and see for yourself before it gets to dark to see anything."
Reaching for the handle she pulled the door open, a cold blast of wind struck her in the face, crying out in shock she stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind her. The hole she lived in was sunken in to the ground away from the open road, it had been many years since Hobbits dared to live above ground for fear of being caught.
Slowly she eased her was out of the undergrowth, looking quickly from side to side to check that no men lie in wait for her. Sensing no movement she stepped out a little further, the wind whipped her skirt about her, screaming past her ears.
*For all I can tell there could be a whole army waiting three steps ahead of me and I would never hear them* she thought, her heart thudding as she drew closer to the track.
Peering through the trees she looked out, the ground was sticky and cold underfoot, the track a thick mire or deep mud, no footsteps or wheelmarks showed. Sighing with relief she turned to go but decided that maybe it would be best if she checked a little further along, just to be sure.
Stepping over the fallen leaves she moved further up the track suddenly there came a rustling sound ahead. Breathing in deeply she fought to keep her eyes open, her heart thudded so loudly in her ears she was sure that whatever was out there could hear her clearly.
The seconds dragged in to minutes and still nobody came, breathing shallowly she stepped forward to where the noise had come from, convinced that her death lay beyond the branches but unable to stop herself she reached out and pulled them back and stepped out.
With a cry of terror she turned to run but her foot slipped in the mud sending her sprawling beside the face down still body of a Hobbit.
Scrambling to get away her hand pushed against the side of his head, with a weakened rasp the Hobbit took a shallow breath and opened his eyes, opening his mouth he managed two words before he fell back to unconciousness.
"Help.me."
She leaned back against the thick trunk of a tree, her fingers gripping the sides to hold her away from the creature in front of her.
Fear came in waves as thoughts raced through her mind, she had never been a cruel Hobbit but to try to save him would probably cost her life. Shuddering slowly she inched her way up the tree, the bark scratching her back and catching on the mud sodden shawl. Shaking, she moved back past the tree in to the bushes and closer to her home, as soon as she was a safe distance away she turned and ran not caring how much noise she made. Throwing herself down the rough cut steps she threw the door open and slamming it behind her she fell to her knees sobbing.
*He's dead, he's already dead* she choked *when he spoke to me, that was it, the last bit, he's gone now*
For minutes she sat there the tears spilling down her cheeks until her energy was gone. Looking up she looked toward the fire and cup she had put there no more than an hour ago, the fire burning low in the grate. Shivering she stood up, feeling her clothes stick to every inch of her body and climbed out of them, knowing what had just happened and who she had been in contact with she threw the clothes by the fire in a deep bucket to dry out, then she would burn them.
*Who knew how the plague spreads* she thought relieved as she headed to the bathroom and ran some water in to a pail, slowly she washed off the mud, crying out when the water touched her skin, it was ice cold, almost as cold as the Hobbits face as he lay in the mud on the track. Looking up at herself in the mirror she wondered if she would ever rest easy if she let him die alone on that road.
Moving quickly she dressed herself again and put some water on to boil, taking a blanket with her she went back in the wind. It had become colder, there was only an hour left of light so she knew she had to act quickly, the skies above spoke of terrible weather in the days to come. Winters had steadily grown colder and longer throughout the years.
Hurrying through the trees, this time not caring what eyes saw her going. She found the place again after only a few moments, the Hobbit was still there, a little further in to the trees than last time.
"Not dead" She murmured as she moved closer to him, holding out the blanket she wrapped it about his body slowly, careful of any sudden movements. Taking his arm she wrapped it about her shoulders and tried to lift him to his feet. Several tries later she gave up and slumped to her knees.
"I can't do this alone" she gasped at the fallen Hobbit, "You'll have to help me"
Taking his arm again she pulled a little harder, this time he managed to get his feet under him and walking unevenly they began to walk to her home.
The sky outside darkened with the onset of night, grey clouds curved across the sky. Scuttling gently, a curled brown leaf fluttered past the window pulled to the ground by the cold wind.
Looking back to the fireplace she reached down and threw some wood on to the dwindling fire, shivering she pulled the shawl closer and turned back to the window. The brown trunk of the tree framed one side of the view drawing her gaze to the muddy path the led past the sunken hole that she called her home. The outside world was cold and grey the last days of autumn turning to the cold frost bitten of winter, not a thing moved outside, almost as if waiting for something. Turning away she made to go to the kitchen but stopping she turned back to the window and peered closely. At first there was nothing in her view but the woodland and a distant hill. Wiping at the fogged up window she noticed a movement, something moved in the far corner, trembling she waited but saw nothing else,
"It's just your imagination, Renn always said that you had a wild imagination. What you need is some tea and then to bed, there'll be no news tonight."
Relaxing a little she moved away from the window and went in to the kitchen. The room was dark and cold, the wind whistled through the small chimney by the stove freezing the air and sending chills across her arms.
Slowly the water boiled and she poured the tea in to a small earthenware cup, clasping it tightly she left the kitchen, pulling the door tightly shut behind and headed back to the warmth of the fire. Despite her brave words earlier curiosity and fear pulled at her stomach as she turned back to the window, fear making her hand shake as pulled back to curtains to peer out. Still nothing moved but the wind and the leaves.
Of all of the things that could be out there Men were high on her list of things to fear, coming second only to another member of her own kind.
The winters were wickedly cold now, and Men brought with them strange illnesses, some that they could not cure themselves. Many now ran loose among hobbits, few of them that caught any ever recovered. Living alone, she knew that there would be no help for her or for the hobbit that might infect her. Shaking her head at her own stupidity she put the cup by the fireplace.
"You won't rest easy till you're sure nothing is out there so you had better go out and see for yourself before it gets to dark to see anything."
Reaching for the handle she pulled the door open, a cold blast of wind struck her in the face, crying out in shock she stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind her. The hole she lived in was sunken in to the ground away from the open road, it had been many years since Hobbits dared to live above ground for fear of being caught.
Slowly she eased her was out of the undergrowth, looking quickly from side to side to check that no men lie in wait for her. Sensing no movement she stepped out a little further, the wind whipped her skirt about her, screaming past her ears.
*For all I can tell there could be a whole army waiting three steps ahead of me and I would never hear them* she thought, her heart thudding as she drew closer to the track.
Peering through the trees she looked out, the ground was sticky and cold underfoot, the track a thick mire or deep mud, no footsteps or wheelmarks showed. Sighing with relief she turned to go but decided that maybe it would be best if she checked a little further along, just to be sure.
Stepping over the fallen leaves she moved further up the track suddenly there came a rustling sound ahead. Breathing in deeply she fought to keep her eyes open, her heart thudded so loudly in her ears she was sure that whatever was out there could hear her clearly.
The seconds dragged in to minutes and still nobody came, breathing shallowly she stepped forward to where the noise had come from, convinced that her death lay beyond the branches but unable to stop herself she reached out and pulled them back and stepped out.
With a cry of terror she turned to run but her foot slipped in the mud sending her sprawling beside the face down still body of a Hobbit.
Scrambling to get away her hand pushed against the side of his head, with a weakened rasp the Hobbit took a shallow breath and opened his eyes, opening his mouth he managed two words before he fell back to unconciousness.
"Help.me."
She leaned back against the thick trunk of a tree, her fingers gripping the sides to hold her away from the creature in front of her.
Fear came in waves as thoughts raced through her mind, she had never been a cruel Hobbit but to try to save him would probably cost her life. Shuddering slowly she inched her way up the tree, the bark scratching her back and catching on the mud sodden shawl. Shaking, she moved back past the tree in to the bushes and closer to her home, as soon as she was a safe distance away she turned and ran not caring how much noise she made. Throwing herself down the rough cut steps she threw the door open and slamming it behind her she fell to her knees sobbing.
*He's dead, he's already dead* she choked *when he spoke to me, that was it, the last bit, he's gone now*
For minutes she sat there the tears spilling down her cheeks until her energy was gone. Looking up she looked toward the fire and cup she had put there no more than an hour ago, the fire burning low in the grate. Shivering she stood up, feeling her clothes stick to every inch of her body and climbed out of them, knowing what had just happened and who she had been in contact with she threw the clothes by the fire in a deep bucket to dry out, then she would burn them.
*Who knew how the plague spreads* she thought relieved as she headed to the bathroom and ran some water in to a pail, slowly she washed off the mud, crying out when the water touched her skin, it was ice cold, almost as cold as the Hobbits face as he lay in the mud on the track. Looking up at herself in the mirror she wondered if she would ever rest easy if she let him die alone on that road.
Moving quickly she dressed herself again and put some water on to boil, taking a blanket with her she went back in the wind. It had become colder, there was only an hour left of light so she knew she had to act quickly, the skies above spoke of terrible weather in the days to come. Winters had steadily grown colder and longer throughout the years.
Hurrying through the trees, this time not caring what eyes saw her going. She found the place again after only a few moments, the Hobbit was still there, a little further in to the trees than last time.
"Not dead" She murmured as she moved closer to him, holding out the blanket she wrapped it about his body slowly, careful of any sudden movements. Taking his arm she wrapped it about her shoulders and tried to lift him to his feet. Several tries later she gave up and slumped to her knees.
"I can't do this alone" she gasped at the fallen Hobbit, "You'll have to help me"
Taking his arm again she pulled a little harder, this time he managed to get his feet under him and walking unevenly they began to walk to her home.