Chapter 1: Leaving Home
"Ohhhh! I found a good one!" squealed Aurora over the Internet to her friend Joslyn. She had discovered an amazing photo of Orlando Bloom portraying Legolas Greenleaf in the Fellowship of the Ring movie. This motion picture was based on JRR Tolkien's novel that was written about the War of the Ring. Though no one living on Upper-Earth believe that the land it took place really existed or the events the happened did actually occur. Everyone, that is, except Josie.
"Omg! Omg! Omg!" Joslyn responded.
Her friend instant messaged back, "What, did you find one too? ;) "
Joslyn could swear that in a picture of the Fellowship, Gandalf and Legolas had smiled at her. But, when she looked again, their faces were as still as stone. Deciding to keep this occurrence to herself and examine the picture later, Josie didn't mention anything to her friend. "No, never mind." The picture printed out on remained forgotten in the printer tray for the time being.
"Hey, do you want to do something tomorrow?" Joslyn came back from her thoughts and read her friend's message.
She typed in a quick reply. "Sure, what should we do?"
The usual response followed, "I don't know, what do you think we should do?"…
Joslyn was about to leave the computer room when she caught sight of the picture on the Fellowship in the printer tray. She picked it up and sighed, the picture was normal with the grim expressions plastered onto the actors' faces. And for a moment I thought I was crazy.
Picture in hand, Josie ran up the stairs and grabbed a magnifying glass. She plopped down onto a chair to look at the photo that had startled her earlier. Without needing the magnifying glass, the sixteen-year-old could clearly see Gandalf talking with Aragorn. He, as well as the other members of the group, was moving around like a normal person would do everyday. Surprisingly, Josie wasn't taken aback and avidly watched the figures pacing on the paper...
Somehow, Gandalf realized an outsider was looking in on the scene and peered out. Seeing Joslyn, he grinned. Stunned, Josie realized her nighttime dreams were coming true.
Joslyn decided that no matter what she needed to magically get herself to Middle-Earth. If she was to do this, she also came to the conclusion that she should be in better physical shape than she was in.
For the next few weeks, Josie lifted weights and jogged every afternoon along with her weekly crew practices.
One evening, just before it got dark and Joslyn was home alone, she decided it was time to travel to Middle-Earth. She wrote a note to her parents explaining where she was going, not knowing that Galadriel had already contacted them. When Josie was brought to Upper-Earth as a baby, Galadriel had explained the baby's predicament and that sometime her teenage years she would need to return where she was created.
Josie put a light backpack on with the contents of a fleece blanket, a comb and brush, sweatshirts and sweatpants, T-shirts and a water bottle. She also swung a carrier blanket over her shoulder filled with a pocketknife, another blanket, fleece pullover, a journal and pencils, and a Polaroid camera. Who knows what she might need in a land she has never been in? In various side pockets she shoved her Upper-Earth sister's mess kit, an extra pair of shoes, and secretly, a case with her most prized jewelry.
Taking one last look around her home of her childhood, Josie grabbed the picture of the Fellowship and headed out side. She sat down on the grass, placing the picture of the fellowship in front of her. Having no idea what was to happen, Joslyn placed her hands on the picture and silently asked to be transported to Middle-Earth.
She felt a gust of wind and when she opened her eyes, she was on the ground at the edge of a beautiful forest with a clear river bubbling by.
"Ohhhh! I found a good one!" squealed Aurora over the Internet to her friend Joslyn. She had discovered an amazing photo of Orlando Bloom portraying Legolas Greenleaf in the Fellowship of the Ring movie. This motion picture was based on JRR Tolkien's novel that was written about the War of the Ring. Though no one living on Upper-Earth believe that the land it took place really existed or the events the happened did actually occur. Everyone, that is, except Josie.
"Omg! Omg! Omg!" Joslyn responded.
Her friend instant messaged back, "What, did you find one too? ;) "
Joslyn could swear that in a picture of the Fellowship, Gandalf and Legolas had smiled at her. But, when she looked again, their faces were as still as stone. Deciding to keep this occurrence to herself and examine the picture later, Josie didn't mention anything to her friend. "No, never mind." The picture printed out on remained forgotten in the printer tray for the time being.
"Hey, do you want to do something tomorrow?" Joslyn came back from her thoughts and read her friend's message.
She typed in a quick reply. "Sure, what should we do?"
The usual response followed, "I don't know, what do you think we should do?"…
Joslyn was about to leave the computer room when she caught sight of the picture on the Fellowship in the printer tray. She picked it up and sighed, the picture was normal with the grim expressions plastered onto the actors' faces. And for a moment I thought I was crazy.
Picture in hand, Josie ran up the stairs and grabbed a magnifying glass. She plopped down onto a chair to look at the photo that had startled her earlier. Without needing the magnifying glass, the sixteen-year-old could clearly see Gandalf talking with Aragorn. He, as well as the other members of the group, was moving around like a normal person would do everyday. Surprisingly, Josie wasn't taken aback and avidly watched the figures pacing on the paper...
Somehow, Gandalf realized an outsider was looking in on the scene and peered out. Seeing Joslyn, he grinned. Stunned, Josie realized her nighttime dreams were coming true.
Joslyn decided that no matter what she needed to magically get herself to Middle-Earth. If she was to do this, she also came to the conclusion that she should be in better physical shape than she was in.
For the next few weeks, Josie lifted weights and jogged every afternoon along with her weekly crew practices.
One evening, just before it got dark and Joslyn was home alone, she decided it was time to travel to Middle-Earth. She wrote a note to her parents explaining where she was going, not knowing that Galadriel had already contacted them. When Josie was brought to Upper-Earth as a baby, Galadriel had explained the baby's predicament and that sometime her teenage years she would need to return where she was created.
Josie put a light backpack on with the contents of a fleece blanket, a comb and brush, sweatshirts and sweatpants, T-shirts and a water bottle. She also swung a carrier blanket over her shoulder filled with a pocketknife, another blanket, fleece pullover, a journal and pencils, and a Polaroid camera. Who knows what she might need in a land she has never been in? In various side pockets she shoved her Upper-Earth sister's mess kit, an extra pair of shoes, and secretly, a case with her most prized jewelry.
Taking one last look around her home of her childhood, Josie grabbed the picture of the Fellowship and headed out side. She sat down on the grass, placing the picture of the fellowship in front of her. Having no idea what was to happen, Joslyn placed her hands on the picture and silently asked to be transported to Middle-Earth.
She felt a gust of wind and when she opened her eyes, she was on the ground at the edge of a beautiful forest with a clear river bubbling by.