Author's note: I own nothing in the LOTR universe.
Faye50free: Thank you :) I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!
This is the first real chapter, in my first real attempt at writing something. I hope you enjoy! RR.
Chapter 1: Just a Dream.
'It's too bright', was the first thought that crossed my mind as I woke up bleary-eyed, the pounding headache leaving my consciousness dizzy. It took me a moment to fathom that this hard, irritable ground couldn't be the bed I slept in. Suddenly it all became clear- the slight dampness of what can only be grass seeping through my shirt, the hard ground, the blinding brightness of the sun, the birds chirping-
My eyes snapped open and I cursed as a wave of pain hit my head and when I opened my eyes to look around, my heart sank in dread. I took in my surroundings, heart beating wildly in my chest and my breath was reduced to short gasps. 'It can't be, What is this?' My thoughts were unclear as I stumbled unsteadily to my feet. It seemed as though I was in the middle of a wilderness. As far as I could see there were only plains covering the horizon on the right and the looming trees of the dark forest on the left. No road, no sign of a town, a village. No signs of civilization at all.
"It must be a very sick joke," I said out loud, my voice sounding high pitched even to my own ears. I looked around me and felt a flicker of hope as I felt the bag clutched in my hands, just as I had it when I had flopped onto my bed. Frantically reaching into it I took out the phone and faltered when it gave no signals.
'Whoever did this was getting into quite a lot of trouble when I get home' I thought half angered and half panicked while looking at the isolation of the wilderness I was currently in. The sun beat down on the ground, it's brightness although blinding was not scorching and looking at its position, it was way past the dawn.
"Deep breaths.", I said out loud, trying to calm my nerves, suddenly feeling a surge of hopelessness pass through me. "Sitting still won't help matters," I muttered looking over to the dirt track beside the forest. There was no way I was going inside that forest with no signals and had no choice but to reassess my situation. I was in the middle of God-knows-where, without anything except for my purse and in my work clothes. I looked down at my white shirt, a grey dress jacket and matching pants. Even my shoes had a few inches heel, not a great attire for trekking your way home.
My growling stomach reminded me that I haven't eaten anything since lunch yesterday. Sighing irritably I picked up my purse. The only useful contents were a few peppermints and a water bottle. I plopped one peppermint into my mouth and stood. "There's no good in staying here," I grumbled, standing on the track and looking at the path stretched across the horizon. Sighing, I started walking causelessly towards the right. 'When in doubt do the right thing' I thought dryly, smirking at my own poor pun.
Someone's got to pay for this all.
I walked for hours without success, looking repetitively at my phone for a tiny bit of signal but to no avail. I had already tried calling about fifty people on my contact list, tried sending messages to numerous more hoping that they would go through at a moment when the signal appears but to my increasing frustration, such was not the case. There was not even slightest signal in this forsaken area. My heels had started bothering not even an hour into my walk but they seemed a better idea than to walk barefoot on this dirt track. I could feel the blisters forming on my feet, that screamed in protest to every step I took.
I walked until the sun started setting. Feeling tired, achy in several areas, hungry, angry and most importantly lost. I was lost. Before I knew it hot angry tears welled up in my eyes and I thumped onto the ground. There was no use in being strong. It was already getting dark and I was getting nowhere. If it was some kind of joke then it was a very sick one. I let the tears flow.
It felt unfair, the fact that I was stranded with little to no help and without even a bite of food to help me survive. There were fears swirling in the pit of my stomach, a few very disturbing thoughts of what might happen in this dark, lone track with no one to help me, and it was amidst the fears and the pounding headache that I closed my wet eyes, hoping again hope that this was some sort of deranged and vivid nightmare.
The last thing I remembered was a frightening screech of an owl, from deep within the forest before fading into a fitful sleep
To be continued...