"Hurry Kay!" Sara called back to her friend. "We're gonna be late!" She kept running, but as Kay rounded the corner, she was breathing hard and stumbling a bit.

"Can't we rest for just a moment? I can't run like you!" She stopped running and leaned against the brick wall, wiping sweat off her brow. Sara shook her head.

"You have to control your breathing when you run. That's your problem!" A little farther off, they heard the loudspeaker from the arena. Sara ran back and grabbed Kay by the arm, pulling her along as she ran. When they reached the arena, Sara left to get her bow from the judges. She was competing in the Women's Archery Invitational for charity. Most of the other girls in the competition were older than her, but it didn't really matter. Arm strength and good eyes were the keys to success, not age. Kay found a seat in the crowded stands and watched as Sara strung her recurve bow. As the official walked onto the field, he made a last-minute check to make sure everything was in order. He had a microphone on his shirt, and when he turned it on, the speakers screeched and everyone in the stands covered their ears.

"Oops. Sorry 'bout that folks. Anyway, welcome to the Women's Archery Invitational for 2007. All proceeds today will go to the Breast Cancer Research fund. Girls, load your bows!" He said as the crowd cheered. He stepped out of the line of fire as the girls knocked their arrows. "Take aim!" He said. Sara raised up her bow and took careful aim, letting it fly toward the target…

Later that day…

"I still can't believe you won!" Kay cried with glee as Sara smiled.

"Yeah, well… It's going to a good cause, so I'm happy." Sara sighed. Kay cocked an eyebrow at her friend.

"You know, it's almost unnatural how good you are at archery. I'd never be that good in a million years! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were an elf in disguise!" Sara rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah right. Just because I'm good at archery? You're a little off there, Kay. Some members of the Dúnedain were exceptional archers as well. I could be one of them." She said sarcastically. Kay shook her head.

"Well, maybe you're both! The sons of Elrond wandered with the Dúnedain." She argued. Sara shrugged.

"True. I don't know… I think I'm more like a human than an elf… Now you, my dear friend, are a hobbit!" Sara said with a smile and a laugh.

"Dang straight! I don't like fighting… I'd rather just stay in my little hobbit-hole and drink tea." Both girls laughed as they opened the front door to Sara's house. As they walked up the stairs to Sara's room, Kay sighed.

"Man, I'm so glad it's the weekend. School this week was brutal!" She said, flopping down on Sara's bed. Sara shook her head and sat went over to turn on her stereo.

"Yeah. Five tests, at least an hour each night studying for them, plus band practice, plus getting ready for the archery competition! Now we get a few days of relaxation…" She said, slumping down into a beanbag cushion. She picked up her guitar and started to strum it lazily as Kay picked up a book off of Sara's desk. She put it back down when she saw a copy of The Fellowship of the Ring near it. On the front she saw a picture of Bilbo and Frodo. As Sara started to strum a familiar tune, Kay smiled and started to sing the words.

The road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began

Now far ahead the road has gone

And I must follow if I can

Pursuing it with eager feet
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet
And whither then? I cannot say

"Haha… That's your song, huh?" Sara laughed. Kay held up the book in her hand.

"Well, I saw the picture and thought of it. And you were playing the melody." The girls laughed and Sara put down her guitar.

"You know, I feel like reading. You wanna listen?"

"Sure. I love it when you do the characters' voices." Kay said, leaning back on Sara's bed. Sara opened up to a random page.

"The chapter is the mushrooms." She said. She took a deep breath and started to read. "Ho! Ho! Ho! They began again louder. They stopped short suddenly. Frodo sprang to his feet. A long-drawn wail came down from the wind, like the cry of some evil and lonely creature. It rose and fell, and ended on a high piercing note." As Sara finished the sentence, they heard a very faint screeching noise. Sara stopped for a second, then shrugged it off. She thought she was probably hearing things. "Even as they sat and stood, as if suddenly frozen, it was answered by another cry…" Suddenly there was a loud, piercing cry that struck fear in the two girls' hearts. Kay looked at her friend, wide-eyed, and saw the same expression on her face.

"Please tell me you heard that." Sara said. Kay nodded her head slowly.

"Uh-huh." She said nervously. Kay got up and looked out the window of Sara's room, but everything seemed normal. Sara put down the book and walked over toward her door, but when she opened it and stepped out, there was no flooring beneath her. She let out a scream as she fell, but Kay rushed toward her and grabbed her hand. Sara looked up at her friend, but Kay was slipping from her perch, losing her grip, and fast.

"I'm not letting go!" Kay said, still slipping. She was halfway out now, and if she slipped any more then she'd fall.

"You have to! If you don't then we're both gone!" Sara argued. Before Kay could say anything more, she lost her grip and the two girls fell. It was a long drop, and they landed hard on the ground. Both girls were knocked unconscious, and they knew no more.