~ Welcome all to my world of imagination. Just a bit of pre-info on the story. Yes it's an original character dropped into Middle Earth. The movies exist but haven't come out yet and the character hasn't read the books and oh well more is explained in the story. For those who hate that, or call them Mary Sue's (I'm not planning on making my character fall in love with a LOR character) don't read. Any who want to give it a try, hey that's cool with me, but if you don't like it, you have been forewarned. Other than that, please feel free to leave a comment on the way out. Hope you enjoy :o)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the LOR characters (Dang it) I only own Shantel, Marie, Linda and Scott. I own nothing else. I have no money to own anything else.
For as long as Shantel could remember, she always imagined being somewhere else. Weather it was off in the clouds dancing with unicorns or chasing the wicked witch with the seven dwarfs of Snow White, she always longed for fantasy, magic and adventure. This wasn't because Shantel led a bad life. Compared to many people her life was above average. Of course there were things that had happened to her in the past that are not pleasant, but Shantel would rather forget. Her family and friends loved her and spoiled her, she's engaged to a man who is kind and gentle and although money was hard to come by some times, she was always able to get by.
This was one of those times in Shantel's life where she didn't think financially she was going to make it. With a sigh, Shantel slammed the papers down on the desk and rubbed her face in her hands. Getting up from her computer desk Shantel walked to the window, raking her hands through her unruly hair. It was a mix of blond, brown and red that people would refer to it as dirty blond, and it had a slight curl. Just enough to let the ends curl, except when it got damp. Then all of it would curl slightly.
"I hate money," Shantel growled to herself. "If it wasn't for money to be worried about then I'd be set. I've got a nice house, happily engaged, have wonderful parents," Shantel listed off her fingers. "It's just so frustrating!" Putting her head on the cool glass Shantel closed her eyes. It helped clear her mind for a moment forgetting the frustrations.
With a sigh, Shantel made her way to the kitchen when a knock sounded on the door. Opening it revealed Shantel's mother, Marie, with an armful of groceries. Laughing Shantel welcomed her mother in with a smile.
"Grandma?" Shantel questioned at the groceries.
"Grandma," confirmed Marie. Opening the door wider Marie stepped in and went to the kitchen. Shantel followed, passing the stair to go upstairs, and through the living room which was separated from the kitchen by half a counter. Stepping into the kitchen Shantel started to put the groceries away with Marie. As long as Shantel could remember, her grandmother insisted on helping her with buying food which Shantel appreciated, especially during the financial struggles. Once the groceries were all put away, Shantel invited her mom to visit, but she politely declined. Marie needed to get home to grandmother and help get dinner on the table. Following her mom outside, Shantel covered her arms as the cold air graced on her bare forearms. Inside the car Marie turned the ignition, letting the engine roar to life. Shantel smiled at her mother and turned to go back inside to escape the chilly air. Shantel liked the warm weather, summer nights the best, with a slight breeze.
"Shantel," Marie called rolling down the window.
"Yeah?" Shantel turned looking at her mother.
"Are you coming over for dinner?"
"I don't know. What is grandma cooking?" Shantel asked.
"Lasagna." Came the response.
"I'm there," Shantel replied excitedly making her mother laugh. Her grandmother always made the lasagna fresh, never used a store bought one that was pre-made and she made her sauce from scratch. With a wave, Shantel ran inside closing the door. Pitter patter could be heard as the clouds let loose. The rain pelted the glass as Shantel went back into the kitchen and made a face. Some dirty dishes and cups littered the counter by the sink. The TV in the living room was positioned in a corner so you could see it from the kitchen, best by the sink, as well as in the living room. Grabbing the remote Shantel flipped the TV on to keep her company as she did the dishes.
Golum's voice came from TV. "My precious." Shantel smiled looking over and seeing the cartoon of The Hobbit on TV. Bilbo was in the cave where he found his ring of invisibility and was now hiding from Golum. It was a favorite childhood cartoon of hers and the show was being shown more often now that premiers for the movies were set to some out. Two more months, Shantel thought as she dried a dish and put it away. For Christmas she was hoping for the books of the trilogy, not being able to afford them herself.
"How's the elven princess?" Shantel's room-mate, Linda said after seeing what was on.
"I'm no elf," Shantel replied putting the last dish away, almost climbing on the counter to reach. "I'm too short."
"Well even though your five one, I got the perfect explanation for you." Shantel smiled knowing what Linda was going to say.
"A hobbit and elf fell in love and you're their love child. You're in the middle of both heights, you're straight hair curls at the ends, and you have curves," Linda finished.
"That's a nice way of saying I'm over weight," Shantel joked. She was a little over weight. Going by looks people might say ten, fifteen pounds over.
"But you've lost weight," Linda reminded Shantel.
"Yes and I hope the rest will go," Shantel brightened up at a thought she had.
"And as for my so called birth parents you say, at my birth I was left for only an instant when my new mother found me and couldn't resist taking me home."
"See," Linda pointed. "Where'd you come up with that?" Shantel shrugged.
"I don't know it just came to me," Shantel said. "Oh!" Shantel remembered dinner. "I'm going to stay at my parent's house for dinner and will probably stay the night."
"What's Scott going to say about that," Linda teased. Scott is Shantel's fiancé. "Doesn't he come home tonight?"
"Yeah," Shantel thought. Scott had to leave to see his sister that was hit by a drunk driver. Good news is that she was doing okay so Scott was coming home. Bad news was, Scott used most of his vacation time, so now they wouldn't be able to go out on vacation to California, like they had wanted.
"I'll just see him tomorrow," Shantel shrugged, though she felt a little guilty. "It won't hurt me to not see him for one more day. I mean he's only been gone for…"
"Two weeks," Linda finished as she watched Shantel wipe up the last drops pf water on the counter.
"Yeah, no more three week vacation," Shantel grumbled then covered her mouth not believing what she said.
"It's okay Shantel," Linda put an arm on her friends shoulder giving her a sisterly squeeze. "I know that you're a little sore about not being able to go anymore."
"We just have to make sure to tell his parents, not to buy the tickets," Shantel paused for a moment looking like she was in thought. "Hmm, I wonder if they would then let us have the money to pay off some bills."
"You're awful," Linda shrieked lightly pushing a laughing Shantel away. Linda knew Shantel was only joking. Tossing the towel on the counter, Shantel ran up to the room she shared with Scott. Grabbing a book bag, Shantel put in the following: Two shirts, Shantel couldn't decide which she rather wear, her tank top PJ's with matching pants, socks, under clothes, and a green fleece sweater with an Old Navy logo on it. It was actually Scott's which made Shantel love it even more.
Her favorite CD's followed by a disc-man joined the clothes and two bottles of water. Checking the bag, surprised by the bottles, Shantel saw two emergency meal kits zipped in a bottom pouch. Scott the ever ready Boy Scout, Shantel thought and left the meals there. Zipping up the bag, Shantel went down stairs and headed to the TV hearing it was still on. Linda was no where in sight and the TV now showed Bilbo, just finishing fighting off the spiders of Mirkwood. The video was down in her collection, and Shantel noted to watch it later, after she shut off the TV.
Heading to the door, Shantel passed the computer room and saw the bills still spread out. Sighing at being reminded of them, Shantel gathered them up to put away, so that they were not the first thing Scott saw when he came home. Trying to not worry, Shantel thought of the cartoon, of Bilbo and his adventures.
"Oh let me go too," Shantel uttered so quietly she wasn't even aware she had spoken. Once they were all cleared away, Shantel stepped outside and saw the rain had passed. Bright stars illuminated the sky, until Shantel reached the porch and was blinded by the porch light. At the car door Shantel reached for her keys and found an empty space. Ih her pockets were only a few coins and a lighter she liked to carry.
"Forgot my purse," Shantel said quietly. A wind has started to blow softly and Shantel put her bag down to grab the fleece sweater. Once it was on, she almost reached the door when the wind picked up ferociously and tumbled Shantel's hair into her face blinding her. Fumbling around, Shantel felt the cool door handle, twisted it, and pushed the door open. The wind immediately died down giving Shantel the opportunity to push her hair out of her face. That's when she saw she wasn't in her home.