SUMMARY: Aerin, or AJ to those who like having their faces intact, hates LOTR. With a passion. Midgets are not normal, black robed zombies are only slightly odd, and what is with guys who willingly look like women? Especially that mediocre one played by O. Bloom… So what happens when she becomes part of the story?

DISCLAIMER: *furtive glance* I would LOVE to say that I am the genius who dreamt up Lord of the Rings… buuuuut…. I'm not. If I was, Boromir would have lived and I would be an Elf. *sigh* AJ and Mari are mine, as are the Bloodcurdling Scream Of Death. I might make up some more characters as we go, but everyone else belongs to Tolkien… (for now! Mwahahaha!!!!) except Orlando Bloom. I don't know who he belongs to.

Enjoy! Flames get the BSOD. (Bloodcurdling Scream Of Death) I have been known to burst eardrums… heck, I trained the Nazgul! You have been warned!

Mari was virtually bouncing as she slid the DVD into the player. "AJ, hurry up!" She waited for a moment as the menu screen came up. "AJ! It's starting!" Another minute later… "Aerin Jacqueline! Get your butt out here now!"

An irritated "All right! I'm coming!" sounded from the living room door, followed closely by its source. Aerin Jacqueline, or AJ as those who did not wish to beat up called her, sauntered into the living room and collapsed into one of the bean bags that Mari-Anne, or Mari, had dragged from her room for the movie-watching.

The older girl pulled a soft fleece blanket over her slim, black-clad frame. "So, what movie are we watching?"

Mari grinned as soft music came through on the surround sound speakers. "Guess!"

AJ's black-lined green eyes turned upwards to inspect the ceiling. "Let me see… not something to do with a certain actor named… oh, let me see… Orlando Bloom?"

Mari went pink to match her sweater. "Hey, it's not MY fault he is the most gorgeous man EVER!"

"Aye", agreed AJ, "but the celebrity obsession? Honestly, one day you are gonna have to gain control of yourself! I mean, what would you do if you saw him in person?"

Her younger sister thought for a moment as a woman's voice sounded through the speakers. 'The world is changed'. "Scream? Faint? Ask him to marry me?"

There was a moan as AJ dropped her face into her black-nailed hands. "You are absolutely hopeless!" She then recognized the voice from the DVD. 'I feel it in the water'. "Oh no, not the Lord of the Rings, again?!"

Mari grinned evilly as she turned up the volume to maximize the sound of- what was her name? Galadriel or something?- the Voice speaking. AJ sighed. There was no way she was going to win this battle. Oh well, she hadn't seen the movies for years and had completely forgotten the plot line. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad… In any case, it would take her mind off of certain issues surrounding her life…

~Fast forward to Rivendell~

AJ was going to kill her sister for making her sit through this dumb movie!

Of course, it hadn't been all bad so far. The huge black things on the horses were fairly cool, as was the flood that the Elf-chick had created in the river, but what was with the midget going all green? The way his eyes glazed over was okay, but AJ could do that easily. On an impulse, she turned to her sister, letting her eyes slide out of focus and allowing her mouth to fall slightly open.

The ensuing scream did not disappoint AJ. She smirked as Mari backed away. "That was nothing! I can out-scream any of those black things! Shall I prove it?" She drew in a deep breath, preparing to use the Bloodcurdling Scream Of Death that was her trademark.

Mari yelped and covered her ears. "No! Once was enough! My ears are still recovering!" She glanced up cautiously as AJ released the pent up air in her lungs with a sigh, then stretched. "I'm getting another soda. Want anything?"

AJ briefly considered escape, before saying, "Nah." The only place she could run to was out to a friend's, and after what had happened last week… AJ didn't want to face anyone. At least she was safe with her sister, even if she was a teenaged boy-crazed twit.

Mari walked to the stairs leading up to the kitchen. "Back in a sec!"

AJ snuggled into her beanbag chair and pulled the blanket closer to her to ward off the chills from the drafty basement. Shaking her head slightly allowed a curtain of jet-black hair to fall around her face, as if she were hiding from the world. In a way, she was. The basement was a refuge that none of her enemies could get to and hurt her. None of her friends knew where she lived, and she was counting on that. She did not want to re-experience the hell she had gone through…

The draft turned into a full-out breeze. With a scowl etched into her narrow face, AJ stood up to close the window. If Mari or Jeff had left it open again… her siblings were so irresponsible!

A tightly sealed window met the teen's eyes. With a soft curse, she felt along the glass, trying to identify the source of the wind, which by now had increased to a full-out gale. It seemed to be coming… from inside the window?

AJ turned around, alarm bells ringing in her mind. The wind pulled her hair into her face, making it hard for her to open her eyes. What she could see, however, was a blue-ish vortex appearing on the TV screen. It seemed to be the source of the small hurricane, which was now pulling her into the screen.

No. This has to be a nightmare. I feel asleep in the movie! If I pinch myself, I will wake up to Mari glaring at me for dozing! The teen acted on her thought, pinching her arm hard enough to bleed. The wind, however, seemed to become even more violent, now actively conspiring to drag her into the TV.

AJ screamed. Where the hell is Mari? Why hadn't she come down to see what was the matter? Not even Jeff's stereo could drown this out! Her siblings should be down here helping her!

In desperation, she grabbed a coffee table and held on for dear life. She could feel her body being pulled into the screen, her fingernails leaving gashes in the varnish of the old wooden table. Her shoes, tightly laced, didn't come off –thank God– but her feet were now entering the screen. There was a strange sucking sensation as first her toes, then her ankles were pulled into the TV, almost like she was being pulled into cool water. It almost felt like someone had grabbed her feet and was pulling her into the TV.

With one final effort, AJ clutched the leg of the table. It was to no avail, as her clammy hands had no grip on the slick wood. A last scream followed the teen into the vortex of the screen…

TBC