Lauren had no other choice but to send Alison to get help. She couldn't go herself and leave the children behind, and if they all left, she knew in her heart the man's chance of survival was non-existent.

"Alison, I need you to go and get Cliff? I know it's far, honey, but I can't leave this man here alone. So, it's up to you, my darling. Can you do it?"

Alison's face brightened. "Yeah, I can do it. Don't worry, Mom, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure you know the way down the mountain?" the young mother asked.

"Mom," Alison said rather annoyed. "Don't you remember? I used to come here all the time with Dad. I won't get lost."

Lauren smiled and hugged her daughter. "I keep forgetting you're such a big girl now. Please don't say anything to Cliff about what happened here, okay. It'll just upset him."

"I won't. Our secret is safe with me."

"Come here, Ethan, you stay with mommy." Lauren said as she handed Alison the flashlight and kissed her on the top of her head. "Please be careful."

"I will," Alison said, smiling. She then ran down the mountain while Ethan came to stand beside his mother.

Lauren watched Alison until she disappeared into the night. She returned her attention to the injured man. The bleeding from his wounds seemed to have stopped, but her other concern was the stranger succumbing to hypothermia. She removed her warm coat and placed it over him, careful not to disturb the large arrows protruding from his torso. A groan escaped his lips. His hair was wet and a few strands were pasted to his forehead. She couldn't resist brushing the golden locks away from his handsome face.

Who are you? How did you get here? What exactly did I witness tonight?

Alison aimed the flashlight toward the ground and followed the trail their footprints had created on the way up the mountain. She followed the path until she came to the bottom of the peak, and from there she could see the outline of her home in the distance. It wouldn't be long before she reached Cliff's farm.

Clifton Taylor lived only two acres away from Lauren's farm. He was feeding the livestock early today since Lauren had asked him over for dinner and a movie later that evening. He didn't want to be late on his first dinner invitation. He would get the chores out of the way, which would give plenty of time to get ready. While he poured grain into the cows' trough he noticed the animals had become noticeably restless. As he looked about the barn in alarm, he realized the afternoon light shining through the cracks in the barn had suddenly died away. A moment later he found himself in total darkness.

"What the hell?"

Cliff rushed out of the barn, looked up and discovered the stars twinkling in the heavens. How was this possible? It had been late afternoon when he began to feed the animals. How had he lost several hours? He quickly switched the light on his watch which displayed 6:30 p.m. He had entered the barn at 4:00. How could he have lost over two hours? Something unexplainable had just occurred and Lauren was all he could think about.

He hurried into his house, rushed to the phone and dialed Lauren's number. The line was dead. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a loud knock at his front door.

"Cliff? Cliff, are you home?"

An hour had passed and Alison and Cliff still had not arrived. Lauren was beginning to worry that her daughter had gotten lost on the mountain. "Dear God, please keep Alison safe," she whispered. She was so cold. She knew she couldn't stay out much longer. Ethan had snuggled up to her but his body heat wasn't enough to keep her warm, and without a coat she too would succumb to the freezing temperatures.

Snowflakes had just extinguished the tree's last remaining flames. She would have to leave the injured man and get Ethan home. As these troubling thoughts raced through her mind, Cliff and Alison finally arrived with a makeshift litter.

"What's going on, Lauren?" Cliff asked, placing the litter beside the man. "Who is he?"

"I don't know. We came to get our Christmas tree and found him."

Cliff knelt beside Boromir to examine him. "He's been shot with arrows! How the hell is he still alive?"

"We have to get him home, Cliff, before he freezes to death."

"Right."

Cliff and Lauren swiftly placed Boromir on the litter. He handed Lauren her coat and covered Boromir with woolen blankets. "Okay, kids, stay close."

The children followed them down the mountain, and not long after they reached Lauren's home.

Cliff stopped at the back door and turned to Lauren. "Are you sure you want him in the house?"

"What do you suggest? I put him in the barn?"

"Right."

Alison quickly opened the door, locking it after everyone had marched inside. They placed Boromir on Lauren's bed while the children remained at the bedroom doorway.

"Alison, please take Ethan and keep him busy, okay, sweetheart." Lauren said.

Alison nodded, took Ethan's hand and led him away.

"What is that stuff all over him?" Cliff asked.

Lauren ignored Cliff's question and tried the phone beside the bed. "The phone's dead and the roads are closed. We won't be able to get him to the hospital tonight. Cliff, you'll have to get those arrows out."

"What? Lauren, I'm not a doctor!"

"I know that, but those arrows have to come out. I know you've worked miracles on your animals. I'm sure your experience will help us now. "

"You think so?" Cliff's confidence began to falter. "I'm just a farmer. I can't promise anything."

Lauren went up to her neighbor and friend, and held him by his shoulders. "I know you'll do the best you can. That's all I ask."

"Right…okay. I'll need hot water, bandages, and a bottle of whiskey." Cliff said as he rolled up his sleeves.

Lauren was confused. "You're going to give him whiskey?"

"Not for him, for me," Cliff said impatiently. He began to tear the maroon tunic away from the arrows. "Do you have any antibiotics?"

"What if he's allergic?"

"Are they penicillin?"

"No."

"Then it should be okay. Who knows how long those arrows have been in him, and what kind of infection they've caused. The antibiotics will give him a fighting chance."

"I'll check. Be right back."

Lauren looked at the man on the bed for a moment then left to see how her children were holding up. She found Alison and Ethan in the kitchen. The children were preparing to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Alison had also placed a pot of chocolate milk on the stove.

"In case the man gets hungry," Alison explained.

"Oh, I see." Lauren smiled and busied herself looking for anything that might pass as an alcoholic beverage. She found an old bottle of whiskey in the cupboard. She then took a large pot of water and placed it on the stove to heat.

"Mommy, is the man going to die like Daddy?" Ethan asked as he placed a chunk of cookie dough on the cookie sheet.

Lauren walked over to her son, embracing him. "Cliff is doing everything he can for him, sweetheart. We'll have to keep him in our prayers tonight, okay?"

Ethan looked up at his mother with his large brown eyes. "Okay."

"He's really cute, isn't he Mom?"

"Who?"

"The man," Alison said earnestly. Alison never ceased to amaze her mother. She was a very mature ten year-old.

"Don't burn the cookies." Lauren said kissing her daughter on the top of her head. She headed to the bathroom to see if she had any leftover antibiotics from her bout with an abscessed tooth. She found the bottle and it was half full. "Yes." She rummaged through the first aid kit; it seemed to contain everything they would need.

Lauren returned to the bedroom with the first aid kit, old towels and the antibiotics, placing everything on the bedside table. Cliff had managed to remove the man's tunic. To her dismay the stranger's wounds had begun to fester.

"Do you think he has a chance of making it?" Lauren asked as she passed the bottle of whiskey to Cliff.

Cliff shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think the arrows hit any vital organs. He seems to be breathing okay." He rubbed his face and took a swig of the liquor. "For courage," he said.

Lauren nodded and stared at the person lying on her bed. The man was in terrible shape but there was still something striking about him.

"I'm ready to pull out the arrows. He might start screaming. I'd close the door if I were you."

Lauren hurriedly closed the bedroom door. "What do you want me to do?"

"I'll need you to help me hold him down." Cliff said as he placed a large towel under Boromir's left shoulder. "There's going to be a lot of blood. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Lauren swallowed hard and nodded.

Boromir, Lauren and the children would love to hear from you. If you review, Boromir will send you a kiss. :o)