---------- Chapter 1; Awake and Dreaming----------
I walked into the house and flung my school bag on the floor just inside the door, "Mom! I'm home!" There was no answer, "Mom? Are you there?" that's odd I thought. Where could she be? There was no note on the door saying she had gone out. oh well I suppose she could have forgotten.
I continued into the kitchen to make a snack and that's when I realized something must be wrong. All the lights were on in the kitchen and all the drawers were pulled out as if someone had been searching for something. "Mom would never leave things like this." I muttered. I went up stairs to see if maybe there was anything odd upstairs, I went first to my own room and looked inside; nothing wrong there. Then I headed to my parents' room. well, my mother's room now because my father had been killed in a plane crash a few months ago. I opened the door, "Oh my God!" I screamed and after I completed that statement I just continued screaming, I couldn't stop. How could this have happened? My mother was lying in the middle of the floor with blood pooled all around her and one of our kitchen knives lying nearby. It looked as though she had been stabbed several times in a struggle that had knocked over every possible piece of furniture. By the time I finished screaming there was only one thought in my mind; who would have and could have done this?
I sat down hard on the floor the reality of it finally hitting me: Mom was dead. Tears began to leak out of my eyes; they came faster and faster until I was sobbing in huge heaving sighs. I curled up on the floor and cried myself to sleep. While I was sleeping I had strange dreams. In one dream I was galloping across a huge open plain with no sign of change anywhere, I had a huge sense of urgency, as though I had to be somewhere soon but I didn't seem to be gaining any ground. In another I was in a forest watching the comings and goings of what looked like elves from one talon to another, and although I walked among them it was as though I was invisible. I had many, many more dreams that I couldn't recall when I woke, some about dragons, some about orcs and Nazgul.
????
When I woke I did not know where I was or how I had gotten to be where I was. I sat up and looked around; I was in the middle of a very small clearing that was ringed with dense woods. This didn't look at all like the forest behind my house; anyway didn't I fall asleep outside my mother's room where. no, I wouldn't finish that thought. My heart began to race. Where was I? How had I gotten here, and how was I to get back? I jumped suddenly as a twig snapped somewhere nearby. I debated whether or not I should stand up, finally I decided I should and I stood slowly. Someone or something was approaching quickly, but surprisingly quietly, on my left side. Suddenly a tall oddly dressed man burst from the trees brushing leaves from his hair. He looked up and caught sight of me for seemingly the first time. "My lady," he said with some concern "What are you doing out here alone and unarmed?"
"Excuse me?" I replied surprised into speech.
"You are a lady are you not?" the man asked, "The way you are dressed would suggest so." For the first time I looked down at myself, and I gasped at what I saw, I was dressed in a dark green sleeveless wool robe under which was a cream colored silk under dress with tight fitting sleeves and a low cut neck.
"My lady, are you quite all right? You act as though you have never seen your gown before."
"I haven't." I replied a little breathlessly. I looked up in time to see a look of concern and bewilderment cross his face, but then courteous as ever he crossed the space between us he said, taking my hand and kissing it,
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. May I ask whom I have the honor of meeting?" I was now getting fed up with this little game, I mean what did he think he was saying? That I had suddenly been teleported to Middle Earth? I don't think so! I snatched my hand away, "Aragorn? Right and I suppose that Legolas or Gimli, or both even, are waiting for you back with your horses somewhere." I spat out venomously.
"My lady, I think we misunderstand one another. I swear on my honor that I do not lie. My friend Legolas and I were hunting when we heard a scream coming from this direction, so I hurried here and found you."
I stood at a loss for words. This whole thing was really frightening me. Aragorn took a half a step towards me as I swayed.
"You are not well." He said. "Come I will take you to Rivendell." This last statement was too much, I fainted, and the last thing I remembered was Aragorn lunging forward to catch me.
I walked into the house and flung my school bag on the floor just inside the door, "Mom! I'm home!" There was no answer, "Mom? Are you there?" that's odd I thought. Where could she be? There was no note on the door saying she had gone out. oh well I suppose she could have forgotten.
I continued into the kitchen to make a snack and that's when I realized something must be wrong. All the lights were on in the kitchen and all the drawers were pulled out as if someone had been searching for something. "Mom would never leave things like this." I muttered. I went up stairs to see if maybe there was anything odd upstairs, I went first to my own room and looked inside; nothing wrong there. Then I headed to my parents' room. well, my mother's room now because my father had been killed in a plane crash a few months ago. I opened the door, "Oh my God!" I screamed and after I completed that statement I just continued screaming, I couldn't stop. How could this have happened? My mother was lying in the middle of the floor with blood pooled all around her and one of our kitchen knives lying nearby. It looked as though she had been stabbed several times in a struggle that had knocked over every possible piece of furniture. By the time I finished screaming there was only one thought in my mind; who would have and could have done this?
I sat down hard on the floor the reality of it finally hitting me: Mom was dead. Tears began to leak out of my eyes; they came faster and faster until I was sobbing in huge heaving sighs. I curled up on the floor and cried myself to sleep. While I was sleeping I had strange dreams. In one dream I was galloping across a huge open plain with no sign of change anywhere, I had a huge sense of urgency, as though I had to be somewhere soon but I didn't seem to be gaining any ground. In another I was in a forest watching the comings and goings of what looked like elves from one talon to another, and although I walked among them it was as though I was invisible. I had many, many more dreams that I couldn't recall when I woke, some about dragons, some about orcs and Nazgul.
????
When I woke I did not know where I was or how I had gotten to be where I was. I sat up and looked around; I was in the middle of a very small clearing that was ringed with dense woods. This didn't look at all like the forest behind my house; anyway didn't I fall asleep outside my mother's room where. no, I wouldn't finish that thought. My heart began to race. Where was I? How had I gotten here, and how was I to get back? I jumped suddenly as a twig snapped somewhere nearby. I debated whether or not I should stand up, finally I decided I should and I stood slowly. Someone or something was approaching quickly, but surprisingly quietly, on my left side. Suddenly a tall oddly dressed man burst from the trees brushing leaves from his hair. He looked up and caught sight of me for seemingly the first time. "My lady," he said with some concern "What are you doing out here alone and unarmed?"
"Excuse me?" I replied surprised into speech.
"You are a lady are you not?" the man asked, "The way you are dressed would suggest so." For the first time I looked down at myself, and I gasped at what I saw, I was dressed in a dark green sleeveless wool robe under which was a cream colored silk under dress with tight fitting sleeves and a low cut neck.
"My lady, are you quite all right? You act as though you have never seen your gown before."
"I haven't." I replied a little breathlessly. I looked up in time to see a look of concern and bewilderment cross his face, but then courteous as ever he crossed the space between us he said, taking my hand and kissing it,
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. May I ask whom I have the honor of meeting?" I was now getting fed up with this little game, I mean what did he think he was saying? That I had suddenly been teleported to Middle Earth? I don't think so! I snatched my hand away, "Aragorn? Right and I suppose that Legolas or Gimli, or both even, are waiting for you back with your horses somewhere." I spat out venomously.
"My lady, I think we misunderstand one another. I swear on my honor that I do not lie. My friend Legolas and I were hunting when we heard a scream coming from this direction, so I hurried here and found you."
I stood at a loss for words. This whole thing was really frightening me. Aragorn took a half a step towards me as I swayed.
"You are not well." He said. "Come I will take you to Rivendell." This last statement was too much, I fainted, and the last thing I remembered was Aragorn lunging forward to catch me.