I accepted that I was either dreaming, or somehow fell into another universe. Considering I could feel and see stuff clearly, I went with the latter. But how?

By the time we reached the place called Bree, it was pouring. Thankfully, I had a compact umbrella in my bag. Frodo knocked on the large gate. A little window opened, closed, and a little window set lower opened. "What do you want?" the gatekeeper said.

"We're headed for the prancing pony" Frodo shouted over the loud rain. The gatekeeper shone the light on us. "Hobbits! Four Hobbits and a man, and what's more out of the Shire by your talk. What business brings you to Bree?"

"We wish to stay at the inn... our business is our own" Frodo replied. "Alright, young sir, I meant no offense" the gatekeeper said, swinging the large doors open. "It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad...can't be too careful."

Helping to maneuver between people at the front, the hobbits guiding me, we arrived at an inn. I swung the door open, allowing the four to step inside first. The first floor was a bar. The smell of alcohol was strong. I closed my umbrella, which got me strange looks, as the four went up to the inn keeper. They spoke a bit, I wasn't paying attention, but I caught the gist of it.

After getting a table, I went with Merry to go get some drinks. "So, what were you doing by the Shire?" he asked. "I don't really know" I said. Because I don't. Maybe that river was a portal, but who knows. I don't. He thought about my answer and just shrugged. We returned to the table. "What's that?" Pippin asked. "This, my friend, is a pint"

"It comes in pints? I'm getting one!"

As we sat around talking, I felt like I was being watched. I sipped the beer in my hand as I looked around, spotting a man in a dark cloak in a dark corner, smoking a pipe. "So you noticed him to, eh, Aden" Sam stated. I nodded. "Excuse me, that man in the corner, who is he?" Frodo asked the bartender. I think he's the bartender.

"He's one of them Rangers; they're dangerous folk they are, wandering the wilds. What his right name is, I never heard, but round here he's known as Strider"

I realized Pippin hadn't returned. I spotted him speaking with some people. "Baggins? Sure, I know a Baggins... he's over there"

Frodo jumped onto his feet. "Frodo Baggins. He's my second cousin once removed, on his mother's side and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side...if you follow me" Pippin said, getting unsteadily to his feet. Frodo tried to drag him away from the people, causing Pippin to spill his beer. He pushed Frodo, who fell back. I saw him reaching for something, a glint of gold, and he vanished. Completely.

The bar is in a total silence. Then they burst in loud talking. Looking for the missing hobbit, I accidently bumped into someone. "Hey!" they shouted. "I'm sorry, but I have to go" I said, trying to locate the rest of the hobbits. He grabbed me by the collar of my jacket, turning me around. "You made me spill my drink" the man growled. There goes my first try at politeness. "You're making me waste my time" I replied. He laughed, shoving his pint at me. "Go buy me another one" he said sternly. I shoved the thing right back at him. "Fight me" I growled, bracing myself. The man looked drunk, and I could take him either way. He scowled, aiming a punch at my head. I sidestepped, and kicked the back of his knees. He stumbled and fell, apparently too drunk to get back up. A couple people clapped as I spotted three of the hobbits running up some stairs. I made my way towards them.

Running up the stairs, I burst into a room. They were up there, along with a handsome man. The same man I saw watching us, I realized. "And who might you be?" the mystery man asked. "I'm Aden. Who are you?"

"Strider" he answered. "And I know what is hunting you."

We moved to the inn on the other side of the streets, later in the night, I heard the sound of hooves and later shrieks, as they realized we weren't in the Prancing Pony. I went up to Strider. "What are they?"

"They were once men" he said, staring out the window, "Great Kings of men. Then Sauron the deceiver gave to them Nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness and now they are slaves to his will."

The sounds of galloping horses and the creepy shrieks were thundering away. "They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the ring, drawn to the power of the one. They will never stop hunting you." He said the last sentence facing the hobbit. "Not poltergeist" I said silently to myself. "What?" Strider said. "Poltergeist. Violent ghost" I explained, "they're terrible."

"Strange fellow, aren't you" Strider said. I didn't reply. Something felt familiar about this situation. But not like I experienced it, more like I watched it.