Chapter 3
School is What Now?
May Waters
"Gandalf, where are we supposed to live?" Sam asked, looking around at all the tall building, signs, and what appeared to be homes.
"I suppose we'll have to find somewhere, but how indeed." Gandalf looked around; this world was far more confusing than Middle Earth.
"What's that?" Merry asked suddenly, pointing at a sign in the yard of a nearby house.
Harvest Moon Realtors
801-555-4387
Attached to the sign was a box with information on the house and pictures of the inside. Gandalf took the last one and nodded as he examined it. It seemed perfect for their needs, at least for the months they would be here. The girls would most likely not come easily.
"What are the numbers for?" Pippin began to poke at the sign watching it swing back and forth.
"I believe this is how you contact people in this world." Gandalf replied.
"You can't write them, or walk to them?" Frodo glanced around and saw someone across the street taking into their shoulder, climbing into one of the moving carriages without horses.
"I think not," Gandalf removed the pipe from his pocket and lit it up. Someone at the house next door came out and glared at Gandalf, which shocked the hobbits. Did they look strange?
"Gandalf, how is smoking looked upon in this world?" Rosie asked picking up on the discontent of the person as they coughed from the smoke snaking its way down the street.
"Judging by what I'm seeing, it affects humans more than our world; judging from the glare, it's frowned upon and possibly dangerous. We'll have to keep our smoking a secret."
"Three meals a day and no smoking in public, this world is turning out to be worse than I originally thought." Merry slumped and kicked a pebble with the tip of his shoe. It was strange seeing something other than his furry toes.
"Cheer up Merry; we're saving some of our own people. I think we can sacrifice a little." Sam patted his friend on the shoulder.
"We must find a way to contact these Harvest Moon people." Gandalf tapped the paper with the end of his staff. There was a loud ringing issuing out of nowhere. The hobbits jumped and Gandalf examined it carefully, was this how they communicated?
"Harvest Moon Realtors, this is Janet, how may I help you?"
"Ah yes, we were in the area of a house for sell from your company, and I was wondering if it was possible, we could purchase it." Gandalf spoke slowly trying to figure out how to address the invisible person.
"What is the address sir?" Janet drawled, there was a small snap from the other side.
"I'm… 7956 is on the house and down the street there is a sign that says Periwinkle Circle 2923 W." Gandalf squinted to try and make out the little green sign.
"Is the house a south or a north?" Janet's voice was muffled a bit and it sounded as though she were chewing food.
"It's facing east," Gandalf said indignantly, wondering if these humans even knew how to get to places.
"That's a south address sir,"
"That doesn't make any sense."
"The street is going south and houses on the right are south and ones of the left are north. Didn't you learn this in school?"
"I seem to have forgotten," Gandalf replied glancing around at the different houses trying to understand how the ones in the circle would work.
"You do understand the house is two-hundred sixty thousand dollars?" Janet snapped what was in her mouth and there was a small clicking sound.
"I have the money for it,"
"Bank account number?"
"I have the money with me on site." Gandalf stated, unsure of what a bank account was, or what it would be used for.
"I'll send someone out, the house has already been vacated, so once we receive the money and you fill out some paperwork you can move your things in. The person we dispatch will be there in an hour," Janet's voice cut off with one more chomp on her food.
"Why in the world would they dispatch someone and send them to us?" Frodo looked scared. Surely, they wouldn't send people dead bodies.
"It is a strange culture indeed Frodo Baggins, strange indeed."
~jb~
They sat outside the cream-colored house, with light blue shutters and white doors. A silver knocker with a small glass hole, stone steps with a beautiful iron railing trailing down onto the long stretch of cement; leading to a giant door with cuts at various points, bits caved in- possibly a fancy element. Pippin was rolling down the small hill in the grass over and over, enjoying the fact he wouldn't accidently roll into someone's yard. Pippin recalled when he and Merry had done it at one point; they had ended up in the Proudfoot's yard and then chased down the road by the grandmother waving a broom. Merry was tapping his foot on the stone step, trying to discover how something solid could make a hollow sound when he hit it with his shoe. Sam was sitting in the middle of the flowerbed pulling up weed and attempting to prune the flowers so they would look nicer. Frodo was leaning against the giant fancy door his head bowed in concentration; once or twice he reached up and rubbed his shoulder which had started acting up again. Gandalf kept opening and closing the strange box, playing with the flag on the side. Rosie was enjoying the soft feel of the grass, as she watched Sam concentrate on the tiniest weeds.
A grey car with a silver ornament on the hood stopped just a foot away from where Gandalf was standing waving the flag back and forth. A young man with a leash tied around his neck, and fancy clothing, climbed out. He was holding a large box in his left hand, his shiny brown shoes clipped along the road and cement as he walked towards them.
"Are you the dead body?" Pippin asked, ceasing his rolling and sitting up, grass tangled in his curly hair.
"Uh, no," The man stopped looking quite confused. "Did you order one?"
"The people said they would dispatch someone and sent them to us, that means they'd send us a dead body. Doesn't it?" Rosie asked.
"It just means they'll take someone from the office and send them out, not kill them. You do know English, don't you?"
"If I didn't know it, I wouldn't be speaking it." Frodo mumbled under his breath.
"Yes well, I suppose we should get started on that paperwork." Gandalf stepped forward dragging the attention to himself.
"You also said you have the money on site?"
"Yes, I do. I just wanted to make sure I have the proper currency. I am foreign you see, so if I could just see one of your, well a bit of your money."
"Give it back once you've examined it," The man rolled his eyes and handed him a hundred-dollar bill. Calculating in his mind he figured how many of these hundred-dollar pieces of paper he might need. Gandalf handed the small bit of paper back to the man, and he unlocked the door so they could enter the house.
~jb~
"Now to get you all registered for school," Gandalf smiled at them.
"Do we really have to go to this school thing?" Merry asked.
"Yes, it is important. The hobbit girls attend the school and it is imperative that you find them."
"How are we supposed to find them?" Rosie asked leaning forward on the table Gandalf had conjured for them.
"There is a way," Gandalf took his seat, the staff leaning against the table. The five hobbits leaned forward further. "You must stare into their eyes for at least thirty seconds before their identity will be revealed to you."
"So, we just walk around school staring into random girls' eyes?" Merry asked.
"I wouldn't go that far, at least try to get to know some of them. I have a feeling you might be naturally drawn to the girls, as they originate from Middle Earth. Try to befriend them before introducing the idea of our world though," Gandalf stood and waved his staff around pulling essentials for their home.
"Why don't you all go find room's you can sleep in while we're living here?" Gandalf suggested. They nodded and dispersed from the kitchen.
~jb~
Samantha woke up when her light was turned on and groaned. Rolling over she glanced at the time. She needed to get a shower. Rolling to the other side she unplugged her iPad from charging all night long. Sliding it up and onto her bed, along with the keyboard she avoided the mess on her floor and entered the bathroom just outside her bedroom door.
An hour later Samantha was ready to go to school, her short hair still wet. Swinging her backpack on, she grabbed a Pop-tart for breakfast and with a wave walked out the front door. Tossing her keys into the air, she caught them and slid them into the lock on the door of her 1972 Chevy Luv. It was red, KC lights sticking up out of the bed. The old engine rumbling to life, Samantha pulled out of the driveway and made her way down the road to her High School. She turned into the school parking lot, having to wait as an elderly gentleman with five teenagers crossed on the sidewalk. The blond one wearing yellow caught her eye. Samantha liked the way his jaw set and how his chin had the small genetic indent in the middle.
Samantha walked into the school just before the group and slid past the jumble of students who seemed to like to stand right in front of the entrance. Glancing at the tables in the commons where everyone ate their lunch, hoping to see her friends. Instead of spotting someone she knew- Samantha ended up in the locker banks where her locker was situated. Swinging the door open, pictures of Fred Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Voldemort greeted her. Down lower near her feet were anime characters from Fairy Tail, her favorite anime, and inside was Niall Horan from One Direction, along with more Harry Potter pictures. James Maslow and Logan Henderson were there in sexy poses as well, Big Time Rush was definitely an amazing band.
"Samantha, hi!" Tammy was suddenly beside her, and she jumped.
"Tammy!" Samantha greeted giving her a hug.
"Oh, I love Fred," Tammy commented pushing the door open even more. A white board at the very top held a list of celebrity and fictional crushes.
"I know right! Rowling should've killed Ron and put Hermione with Fred instead. She almost did and it would've been so much better! Fred and Hermione are like James and Lily and it's adorable." Samantha commented pushing her lunch box onto the top shelf past her ASL and Preschool notebook.
"I'm still not sure about that pairing," Tammy replied.
"You don't have to be, I just love them together." Samantha shut her locker, her backpack left inside. Laughing they headed out of the locker banks and towards the dance studio and girls' dressing rooms. Today was a B-day which meant they would be in Ballroom and today was their first unit; it was certainly going to be a fun day.
~jb~
Sauron's plan was working perfectly. He had managed to infiltrate the High School where he discovered three hobbit-like girls to be. He had killed the previous principal, making room for him to apply for the position instead. Of course, he'd gotten it as well; all part of the plan. No one could resist Sauron or his power; it was truly something no man could withstand. Yet, this morning he was practically forced into letting the White Wizard, Gandalf join his staff. It was inevitable; Gandalf had the apparent qualifications after all. Sauron was only to be known as Mr. Kochevar to the wizard, and who he must absolutely be careful to never come in contact with. He would have to take special precautions, but this was one secret Sauron could never reveal. Especially with the hobbit Frodo Baggins so close. If possible, perhaps he could kill Frodo as well, in revenge for making him flee to this pathetic world. Time would tell, time would tell.
Okay! Things are getting back on track! Hope you enjoyed!