It all started during a severe thunderstorm. My good friend Heather –whom I call Luna –and I were having a sleepover at her house, which we had completely to ourselves. And at the moment, we were listening to the song "Shadow of the Moon" by Blackmore's Night. "I love this song." I said and sighed contentedly. "It's so beautiful, and haunting." I said and sang the chorus softly. Luna nodded her assent and turned it down a bit. Then, just to make her laugh, I stretched like a cat, circled around on my sleeping bag on all fours, and flopped down like a puppy. She giggled, got into her bed, scratched my head like she would a cat, and said softly, "Goodnight, Molly-Love."

Since we had just finished watching "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring –Extended Edition", I re-instigated a minor debate we'd been having for the past week; I whispered: "Legolas is still better than Faramir." Luna turned over to face me and replied quietly, but forcefully, "Faramir all the way!" We kept it up until we were whisper-shouting at each other and the argument had (as always) dissolved to: "Legolas" "Faramir" "Legolas" "FARAMIR" "LEGOLAS" Until I couldn't speak from laughing.

Suddenly a huge bolt of lightning lit the cloudy sky like a firework, and it was followed by what must have been the grandfather of all thunderclaps. I gasped in surprise and fright, and Luna patted the mattress next to her. I clambered up onto her bed, and she comforted me with a hug and soothing words. "It's alright, Molly. It's just thunder. I didn't know you didn't like thunder." I pulled away to look at her and answered honestly, "Well, normally I'm not. But that one was so close. I don't like noises that loud." "Aw, it's not going to hurt you, Molly. You're probably still a little creeped out by the scary parts of the movie." I was very grateful to have Luna, she was like the big sister I never had. And besides, I'm hardly what you'd call tough. I can be when I have to be, but not often. After all, I am only 16. I turned off the music and lay down on my sleeping bag again. Letting the rain be my lullaby, I drifted off into a deep sleep.

At exactly midnight, after Luna and I were asleep, something happened that would change the course of our lives forever: a bolt of lightning hit the house. Or, to be more specific, it hit right on Luna's window. Neither of us noticed this, but I had the oddest sensation that I was falling very slowly, or gently floating downwards. Little did we know, the greatest adventure of our lives was about to begin.