Be Careful What You Read

Chapter 1: And So It All Began. . . . . .

AN: Please enjoy! If you are wondering what the OCs look like, please lemme know! Also, this starts when my school ends, May 23rd. Just so ya know! *tips imaginary cowboy hat off to camera* Thankya kandly! Now, read and like it! Please?

DISCLAIMER! I OWN NOT THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THEY BELONG TO THE GENIUS PROFESSOR TOLKIEN! I ONLY OWN MYSELF, WHILE MY FRIENDS OWN THEMSELVES(note, friendS)!

On a Tuesday night, wait, was it a Tuesday? Maybe it was a Wednesday, or maybe a Sunday. Then again, a Monday is a nice day to start… Well, never mind! On one weekday night, a ferocious storm was letting out its anger while my best friend and I were preparing just an extra-small junior reading group, since the other eight members couldn't come. We had agreed, all ten of us, that we would meet at my house as a sleepover, to celebrate the end of the majorities graduation from junior high and the start of summer vacation. Little did I know that we all would be changed from this night on…

I reached up and grabbed the big red bound book, the rare thunder battle-like-storm raging outside. Hefting the book out of its case on the shelf just in my reach, I carried the over-a-thousand-page book out of the study and up the stairs into my room. I turned and sat on my bungee desk chair, turning the chair to face my best friend of all time, Bee, who was sitting cross-legged on my bed. I grinned excitedly and opened the book. Clearing my throat dramatically, I looked to Bee, who was excited.

"Bee, you sure you don't want to read this aloud? I mean, for one thing, you will read it eventually, and the rest of our junior reading group was unable to come because of the storm, surprisingly, since there are ten of us, so only I and my parents downstairs would hear you. Mom and Dad are in their room anyways and I doubt you would be loud enough for them to hear you!" Bee shook her head, saying in reply,

"No thanks. You have a much better reading voice then I anyway." I grinned. "Normally, I would beg to differ, but I haven't heard you read aloud anyway, so I can't do so." Bee gave me a toothy-grin, and I shook my head, looking down to my(really, my dad's) book and cleared my throat again.

"Wait, Bee. Do you want me to read the 'Note on the text,' and/or read the 'Prologue,' and/or start the story?" Bee shook her head. "Start the story!" I grinned and nodded, looking back down and flipping a few pages ahead to the first chapter. Before I read, I first turned pages back to the rhyme, to get us in the mood.

"'The Lord of the Rings.

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,

Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,

Nine for the Mortal Men doomed to die,

One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne

In the Land of Mordor, where the Shadows lie,"

Bee grinned, as did I, and instead of speaking in English, I spoke in the dark tongue,

"Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul,*

In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.'" Bee grinned, as did I, as lightning streaked across the sky and a loud clap of thunder followed, adding the right touch of effect we wanted.

Our Cheshire-like grins, were, however, replaced with looks of confusion as a loud 'Thump' and 'Crash' was heard downstairs. I glanced at the time on my phone, 12:30 AM. I guess I mean a weekday morning, then. I set the book down carefully on my desk and grabbed my pocket knife and turned my phone to flashlight mode. I signaled Bee to follow but be quiet and I snuck downstairs quietly.

When the living room came into sight, I saw that there were, in fact, three figures downstairs, dressed all in black, with sacks in each hand, as well as the off fact that the living room window was forced open and the screen ripped off. 'At least they opened it,' I thought, 'one less thing to pay for when we ARREST THESE BURGLAR PEOPLE!' They seems to be arguing with each other as I heard soft yet harsh whispering among them. I couldn't exactly make it all out, but Bee could, as she made a face that meant she heard them. I looked to her and she signaled that we call the cops. I had, by this time, turned off my phone flashlight, and so, stepping back up the stairs, I pulled out my phone.

Of course, even though I'm a cheerleader, I had absolutely no balance. So, when I walked backwards up the stairs, I of course, fell onto my already bruised tailbone very loudly. And I mean loudly. That, obviously, earned the attention of not only the men in black, but my parents in their room.

The men turned around sharply and faced the stairs, noticing Bee who was peeping around the corner to the living room. Bee let in a sharp gasp as the men looked at each other. One, extremely tall guy, nodded towards Bee(or so she told me, after this was over).

One of the men, tall guy - the head-honcho, maybe? - looked over to one of the other men, who pulled out his gun. Mom and Dad were finally starting to get up, as they started to yell when Bee and I didn't respond to their shouts of questions. I rolled my eyes, 'Why did this have to happen now?'

However, what should have been a gun fire, was a loud clap of thunder and lightning in unison, and such, after the blinding light cleared, an arrival of nine other men right in the center of the living room, their form eerily familiar. The dark room was only illuminated when there was the occasional lightning, which had silenced once the nine arrived. I could barely make out the nine.

The tallest man, with a tall pointed hat and a staff looked around the living room, while the two next tallest men saw the weapon was pointed at an innocent and attacked the three. A third man, who was ever so slightly shorter than the other two, gave the three intruders a wary glance - how I could tell, in the dark, I will never know. I looked and saw a short man with a beard readying an axe, and four children-height beings with curly hair hiding behind the tallest man with the staff.

I of course by now had stood up, with an even more bruised tailbone, joining Bee at the foot of the stairs. The head-honcho intruder yelled, "What are you waiting for? Kill them?!" Before the gun-holding guy, who had been switching between aiming at us and the nine other strangers, could decide who to fire at, the three men ran over to the other three, tackled them, and beat up the three burglars.

I saw that one pulled out a sword and—whilst my suspicions were even more so confirmed—I knew they couldn't kill the burglars. I stepped forward, Bee frozen in her spot next to me, and threw my arms out in front of me, shouting, "Wait! Wait! You three with the swords, please wait! Do not kill them!"

The one with the sword looked up at me and said, "But why, fair maiden? These had threaten to kill your friend and were possibly attempting to do vandalism to your house. Why should we not?" I shook my head at these men, men always did things with their fists before thinking!

"How about we pull them outside and leave them for the garbage men to pick up? They are, after all, unconscious. Please? I don't want ANY killings in this house, it makes a bloody mess which stains the carpet, and you can be arrested for first degree murder or worse-"

Bee piped up, "Actually, what with the 'Castle Doctrine,' you almost can't be; this home is your," she pointed to me, "castle and thus, you can hurt or kill intruders without fear of the government-"

"Okay, Bee, I get it - they can, in fact, kill the intruders. But, Mom won't wan't any killings in this house. Better?" I looked over to Bee, who smiled and nodded at me, then said something else, "You know, you've watched way too much Dragnet and Perry Mason."

Ignoring that, I continued, "Still…. Please, strangers?" The three men nodded and dragged the burglars out the door I opened. I heard some trudging in the heavy rain, a thump, then some more trudging as they walked back. Before they could come in though, I held up a hand.

"Ah, ah, ah," I pointed to their now muddy boots, "Boots. Off. Now." They surprisingly obliged, setting them right outside the door. I looked back to the others. "Well? You six too. Come on, shoes off. Place them next to the others, not in front of the door please." The shorter man with the beard and the taller man obliged, setting them on the opposite side of the door. I looked to the children-height men and they shook their heads. I noticed some wiggling toes and I nodded.

I heard the door close behind me and the two men walked back to the shortest ones. By now, my parents finally walked out of their room. Mom had on her robe, while Dad just had on his shorts and a shirt. Mom looked at the nine men, and flipped on the light.

"Anna Michelle Rilliane Sanbourn! What in the name of the Lord is this?! What happened to the window?!" I blinked as Mom freaked out and Dad stood there, tired, dazed, and probably in the same awe as myself, since Bee, Dad, and I were all staring at the Fellowship of the Ring which were standing, looking around curiously, huddled protectively IN MY LIVING ROOM!

*the translation for those who don't know enough of Tolkien, or maybe just forgot what it meant(I know I do):

"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them, and in the darkness bind them"

AN: I apologize if it seems too short, I have had a busy summer and thus, an occupied mind, so it was hard to sort everything out for a lengthy chapter. I'll make the next one longer and the rest of the aforementioned friends should come in soon! I hope you enjoy! Ideas and critics are welcome.

(Edit - December 31): Yes, I did change some things so that the story could be more accurate with real life(the Castle Doctrine) and flow better in some parts. I hope you still enjoy it! X3

Thanks! God bless!