Okay, firstly. I-DID-NOT-WRITE-THIS-ON-MY-OWN. Leo Cole and I both did
equal shares of work, only. I'm the one with superior typing skills, thus
this is all worded by ME!!! MUAHAHAHAHA!!! Also, she has two fanfics and
I have none, only now I have one because this is now mine! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA
*random hacking, coughing noises* haha.
Disclaimer: You think we own them? *points and laughs*
***
To Sink or Swim Prologue
One lucky enough to be walking on the correct part of the path near the Crystal River and the forest nearby on the twenty-third of April would most likely have seen Them. Or maybe simply heard Them. Some people are too dense to look. But had you imagination enough, you could make out the forms of two young women in flowing gowns wandering between the trees far off the beaten path. And had one sense to listen closely, one could have heard Their mysterious, haunting song. A song speaking of a race long gone and forgotten, in a language now very few could speak.
They were the infamous Wood Walkers. Some called them Elves. Some thought they were ghosts. Many simply thought it was some anti-gothic teenagers having a little fun. And some just thought it was a publicity stunt pulled off by a few of the workers at the nearby Renaissance Festival. It was none of these.
*** Gabriella O'Brien was convinced people lacked the faith they'd possessed as little children-the faith that led them to believe in fairy tales. Her best friend, Jenora Avelon, couldn't help but agree. In this age of technology and science, no one cared for the old stories. Neither could help but feel that society was being choked by such modern advancements. People knew too much.
"Why can't life be as easy as it was back when we were kids?" Gabriella, or Gabi, found herself repeating quite often. "When we were kids, we didn't care about politics and wars and how to get into college. Most of us just had our fairy tales and made-up games."
People needed to be reminded of the child-like faith they once had, before the world had made them callused and dim. And what did most children believe in? Elves, of course.
What better way to spend a warm afternoon, than in the forest in a flowing dress, singing Enya songs? Gabi and Jen couldn't think of anything they'd rather do. Most fifteen-year-olds would go home and sit in front of the computer, or glue their eyes to the TV, or gossip over the phone with their friends. But obviously not these two.
Some days they were joined by their friends Alie, Bethany, and Theresa. Bethany had the best singing voice of them all, and Theresa had taught herself to speak Tolkien's different forms of Elvish with only a book and two DVDs. Alie could only say one sentence in Elvish-which translated into "they'll all die".
Today it was only Jen and Gabi. They'd ridden their bikes straight from school to the River path, changed into their costumes in the bathroom of the picnic shelter, and began their trek through the forest, beginning with a few songs from Jen's Lord of the Rings soundtrack. They'd already passed three groups of hikers, and a cluster of joggers, all of whom had looked around in surprise to see where the music had suddenly come from. Jen was having a hard time keeping her Elvish composure.
"Just stop looking at them," Gabi had whispered to her, "You're getting too giggly." But Gabi knew just as well as Jen that sometimes it was just too hard to act like you didn't see the people you were passing.
They decided to go for another hour, then head back to Gabi's house where Jen would spend the night. A half-hour away from their finishing time, they decided to take a break and head deeper into the woods.
"I'm guessing that if we cross the river there, and head up that bank, we'll come out somewhere near Bethany's house," Gabriella muttered, gesturing to where a log had been blown across the river.
"I don't know, Gabi. The currents are pretty strong there. If one of us were to fall, we could be swept away." Jen stated.
Over the course of a few minutes, however, Gabi was somehow able to convince Jen to cross-with some minor coaxing and the promise of Ramen noodles at Bethany's.
Halfway across the log, however, Jen suddenly wondered how she could possibly have been convinced to risk her life simply for the sake of noodles. Gabi may have been good at gymnastics in gym class, but Jen was deathly afraid of heights, and was horrible at the balance beam. This log was worse, of course. For one thing, the moss and water splashing on the log made it very slippery for Jen's traction-less boots. Secondly, in gym class she knew if she fell there'd be a mat and someone to catch her. If she fell here, there was only water, strong currents, and rapids.
Gabi seemed to sense Jenora's distress. "C'mon, Jenora." she muttered, "Think *instant noodles*. C'mon."
"My leg's shaking," Jen replied lamely, "Can't move if my leg's shaking,"
"Jenora Kathryn Avelon," Gabi said sternly, "Just think about this, will you? The Fellowship went through a lot worse than this, and they came out just fine. I know you can cross a stupid little river."
"They didn't all come out just fine." Jenora pointed out, "Boromir died near a river."
Somehow, again, Gabi was able to motivate her friend. They were very near the end of the log-bridge when suddenly Jen gave a loud yelp. Her fear suddenly coming true, her foot struck a particularly wet, mossy patch on the log, and down she fell. As she fell, her groping hands caught the hem of Gabi's bright blue skirt, sending her friend toppling off the log along with her, the both of them plummeting to the river below.
Up was down and down was up as the current caught Gabi's dress, dragging her under the freezing river. Her ridiculously long sleeves caused her arms to flail about uselessly as she groped for something to hold onto.
"Jenora, I hope you're faring better than I am," Gabi managed to think before her whole world became a swirling, watery abyss.
Disclaimer: You think we own them? *points and laughs*
***
To Sink or Swim Prologue
One lucky enough to be walking on the correct part of the path near the Crystal River and the forest nearby on the twenty-third of April would most likely have seen Them. Or maybe simply heard Them. Some people are too dense to look. But had you imagination enough, you could make out the forms of two young women in flowing gowns wandering between the trees far off the beaten path. And had one sense to listen closely, one could have heard Their mysterious, haunting song. A song speaking of a race long gone and forgotten, in a language now very few could speak.
They were the infamous Wood Walkers. Some called them Elves. Some thought they were ghosts. Many simply thought it was some anti-gothic teenagers having a little fun. And some just thought it was a publicity stunt pulled off by a few of the workers at the nearby Renaissance Festival. It was none of these.
*** Gabriella O'Brien was convinced people lacked the faith they'd possessed as little children-the faith that led them to believe in fairy tales. Her best friend, Jenora Avelon, couldn't help but agree. In this age of technology and science, no one cared for the old stories. Neither could help but feel that society was being choked by such modern advancements. People knew too much.
"Why can't life be as easy as it was back when we were kids?" Gabriella, or Gabi, found herself repeating quite often. "When we were kids, we didn't care about politics and wars and how to get into college. Most of us just had our fairy tales and made-up games."
People needed to be reminded of the child-like faith they once had, before the world had made them callused and dim. And what did most children believe in? Elves, of course.
What better way to spend a warm afternoon, than in the forest in a flowing dress, singing Enya songs? Gabi and Jen couldn't think of anything they'd rather do. Most fifteen-year-olds would go home and sit in front of the computer, or glue their eyes to the TV, or gossip over the phone with their friends. But obviously not these two.
Some days they were joined by their friends Alie, Bethany, and Theresa. Bethany had the best singing voice of them all, and Theresa had taught herself to speak Tolkien's different forms of Elvish with only a book and two DVDs. Alie could only say one sentence in Elvish-which translated into "they'll all die".
Today it was only Jen and Gabi. They'd ridden their bikes straight from school to the River path, changed into their costumes in the bathroom of the picnic shelter, and began their trek through the forest, beginning with a few songs from Jen's Lord of the Rings soundtrack. They'd already passed three groups of hikers, and a cluster of joggers, all of whom had looked around in surprise to see where the music had suddenly come from. Jen was having a hard time keeping her Elvish composure.
"Just stop looking at them," Gabi had whispered to her, "You're getting too giggly." But Gabi knew just as well as Jen that sometimes it was just too hard to act like you didn't see the people you were passing.
They decided to go for another hour, then head back to Gabi's house where Jen would spend the night. A half-hour away from their finishing time, they decided to take a break and head deeper into the woods.
"I'm guessing that if we cross the river there, and head up that bank, we'll come out somewhere near Bethany's house," Gabriella muttered, gesturing to where a log had been blown across the river.
"I don't know, Gabi. The currents are pretty strong there. If one of us were to fall, we could be swept away." Jen stated.
Over the course of a few minutes, however, Gabi was somehow able to convince Jen to cross-with some minor coaxing and the promise of Ramen noodles at Bethany's.
Halfway across the log, however, Jen suddenly wondered how she could possibly have been convinced to risk her life simply for the sake of noodles. Gabi may have been good at gymnastics in gym class, but Jen was deathly afraid of heights, and was horrible at the balance beam. This log was worse, of course. For one thing, the moss and water splashing on the log made it very slippery for Jen's traction-less boots. Secondly, in gym class she knew if she fell there'd be a mat and someone to catch her. If she fell here, there was only water, strong currents, and rapids.
Gabi seemed to sense Jenora's distress. "C'mon, Jenora." she muttered, "Think *instant noodles*. C'mon."
"My leg's shaking," Jen replied lamely, "Can't move if my leg's shaking,"
"Jenora Kathryn Avelon," Gabi said sternly, "Just think about this, will you? The Fellowship went through a lot worse than this, and they came out just fine. I know you can cross a stupid little river."
"They didn't all come out just fine." Jenora pointed out, "Boromir died near a river."
Somehow, again, Gabi was able to motivate her friend. They were very near the end of the log-bridge when suddenly Jen gave a loud yelp. Her fear suddenly coming true, her foot struck a particularly wet, mossy patch on the log, and down she fell. As she fell, her groping hands caught the hem of Gabi's bright blue skirt, sending her friend toppling off the log along with her, the both of them plummeting to the river below.
Up was down and down was up as the current caught Gabi's dress, dragging her under the freezing river. Her ridiculously long sleeves caused her arms to flail about uselessly as she groped for something to hold onto.
"Jenora, I hope you're faring better than I am," Gabi managed to think before her whole world became a swirling, watery abyss.