1.

_____________________

A twenty-five year old Sarah Williams was still a dreamer, regardless of how much time ran through her hearts desires. Now a master's student, she has since traded forgotten hours in the park for lost hours in her university's library. Although the college's theatrical department no longer used her talents, she used her skills in a middle school English classroom. Now she inspired the love of books in her twelve and thirteen year old students instead of audiences at the playhouse. She was a teacher by day, and a Master's student by night. Teaching couldn't sate her love of folklore and books; she needed that additional quest for knowledge. It was not the life she envisioned all those years ago, but it was sensible, it was stable.

Looking through her notes, Sarah needed to come up with something to get her students attention on the mythology section. Flipping almost absent-mindedly through her book, she fell on a passage on the Celtic Otherworld:

"It is the most delightful land of all that are under the sun; the trees are stooping down with fruit and with leaves and with blossom. Honey and wine are plentiful there; no wasting will come upon you with the wasting away of time; you will never see death or lessening.

"You will get feasts, playing and drinking; you will get sweet music on the strings; you will get silver and gold and many jewels. You will get everything I have said ... and gifts beyond them which I have no leave to tell of"

Perhaps it reminded her of childhood adventure, or maybe it was just another long forgotten dream, but she highlighted it and tabbed it out for the next class discussion. Maybe it would get their imaginations jump-started, just, as it was hers.

She lazily began thinking of a far away land, on that didn't require electric bills, car insurance, rent, mandatory Sunday dinners, and pay checks. The world she found herself drifting into was instead filled with biting fairies, mischievous goblins, brave garden dwarves, chivalrous knights, gentle beast, and a handsome king with a wicked smile. In her daydreams, this world was a safe haven, an escape from all the stresses and threats of adulthood – it was her hearts desire. She began to lose herself in these thoughts of what would never be again when she felt someone shake her shoulder.

"Excuse me miss, but we are closing" the student librarian muttered to her. Sarah gathered her books into her bag, and slipped on her jacket. She looked around the library as she made her way out, noticing she was the last to leave, again.

"At least I can say I know how to shut a place down," she mumbled to herself. She made her way out of the library and stepped into the chilly winter air. Tightening her jacket and her arms around herself, she began to make her way to the parking lot. The lights of the campus gave her the sense of security, but the few shadows lingering in the corners gave room for her imagination to run. Sometimes she felt predators in the night hiding, other times she swore little creatures of the night were just waiting for a friendly voice to lure them out of hiding.

Tonight was on of the 'predator' nights. She felt eyes watching her, the paranoia creeping through her skin. Tonight, the feeling was even more powerful; she heard strange noises as she passed the shadows. Tiny whispers speaking only gibberish were carried on the wind. Out of the corner of her eye she could see something small fidgeting in the bushes. As soon as she turned to give it her full attention, the motion stopped. "Hello? Is someone there?" she yelled. The whispers stopped, nothing came forward – predator or friend.

Whether it is excitement or fear, her heartbeat quickened its pace. Adrenaline suddenly fueling her body she quickened her pace towards the parking lot. Her ballet flats failed to mute the "clap clap clap" of her steps across the brick walkway. She was nearly at her car when she thought she saw a small person out of her peripherals. A tiny, skinny man no taller than her hips with white hairs springing out from a tiny cap and bushy eyebrows started to creep forward. Her heart stopped.

"Hello?" she said weakly. Something was unworldly about this man, but familiar. His little cap on his head, the small bracelet around his wrist triggered a memory too far away to recall. The whispers returned – but no words were audible. His appearance was something of a nightmare or dream; his wide face had high angular cheekbones with the skin pulled tight to his oversized, hairy ears. This small man was dressed in an otherworldly fashion, he wore a long, off white shirt with dark leather trousers tied together with woodland utility belt– they seemed like something out of one of the fairytales she read to her students. He motioned to follow him as turned around, heading to back towards the school.

As if in a trance, Sarah dropped her books and followed. This man looked so strange, so out of place, but that unnamed familiarity drove her to follow him. The little whispers started to hum a far away tune – another familiarity. The little man stopped in between two buildings when suddenly a massive hole emerged. Not missing a beat after the hole emerged, the little man took a step inside; and another, making his way downward. Sarah followed, unable to make sense of the scene in front of her, but completely intrigued nonetheless.

The hole was dark, but the whispers grew louder, but in a language she couldn't understand, but they seemed to be singing a lullaby of some sorts to her as she passed through the darkness. She couldn't see the little man, but she heard his rhythmic steps in sync with her own as they made their way down. The near-silence was killing her until she spoke "Hello? Where are we going? Who are you?"

Her questions went unanswered in the dark. She felt like she had been walking forever when she was suddenly struck with her own doubts. 'What am I doing? I'm in a dark, impossible hole with a strange little man. What the hell is wrong with me?' Lost in thought, she didn't notice when the little man in front of her had stopped causing her to crash right into him. But he made no sound.

"I'm so sorry, I should have been paying attention." Sarah said fussed, but the little man seemed not to notice, or care. She could hear the jingling of keys, followed by the tell-tale sound of a key scraping on the inside of a lock, then a door opening and light filling the bottom of their pit. Her guide walked through the door into the impossible world and turned toward her.

The little man finally spoke, "Well Sarah, come on in. You were so brave as a child. Don't you think it is a 'piece of cake' just to walk through?"

This guide seemed familiar in an intimate, yet frustratingly vague way. She could have seen his face in a dream she had forgotten seconds after waking up, or perhaps she had seen his eyes in a crowd somewhere, some day, burning into her; but she could not remember. Feeling suddenly dizzy and strange, as if the pavement was about to open up right underneath her and swallow her whole, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. The in struck her – although he was more miniature person than the fairytale dwarf she had envisioned, was her childhood friend and ally all those years ago on another grand adventure.

"Hoggle?" she cried, tears filling her eyes.

"None other!" he replied, his smile dominating sixty percent of his face.

Her heart filling with joy and years of longing for her old friend over took her and she ran into his open arms, enjoying the long overdue hug.

"Welcome back Sarah. The Underground missed you."