Sméagol hugged his mother one last time before running out the door. He was going to play with his cousin Deagol today.
His birthday was yesterday, he had turned four, and now his mother thought him old enough to walk over on his own.
He fairly flew down the garden path, his feet barely Touching the gravel.
He pounded on the wooden door of his cousin's house scarcely a minute later.
"Sméagol!" His cousin exclaimed. "Come in here, my mama has cookies!"
—/—/—
Deagol's mother could hear the patter of their little feet as they arrived in the kitchen, out of breath.
"Mama, can we have a cookie?" To sets of big toddler eyes stared up at her from under mops of shaggy brown hair.
"Please?"
"How about after you eat your lunch hmm?"
"Alright!" Sméagol exclaimed. "What's for lunch?"
"Well I haven't made it yet! It's barely seven in the morning, go play."
The sound of giggling faded down the hallway.