AN: Whew! This one took a while to write! Right now it's 2:21am, and I barely finished! I hope you like it, though. It certainly took long enough (I'm so sorry!) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own a lovely bunch of coconuts, dedleedeedee! There they are, a-standing in a rowwwwww! (boom-boom-boom) Big ones, small ones, SOME AS BIG AS YOUR HEAD!!

Chapter 4: Torchlight

~oOo~

It is a strange thing to wake up and not know where you are. If you have not experienced it, I don't suggest you try anytime soon. Like I said, it's very strange.

Of course, waking up in the first place was a task in itself. As I slowly regained consciousness and the memories of, well, however long ago it was came flooding back to me, I found that it was becoming increasingly easier to simply lie where I was. Damn my curiosity, though; I just had to find out where I was! Slowly, reluctantly, I drew apart my eyelids like the heavy curtains they were and surveyed my surroundings.

I didn't have my glasses on at the moment, so things were a bit blurry. However, I could make out that I was in what appeared to be a... well, a cave! It was made entirely of stone (duh!), and there was a door off to my right. It didn't feel like a cave, though. I'd been in a cave once, when my family went to Mammoth Cave on vacation. That cave was dark and stuffy and smelled, um, like a cave. The air in this place was fresh, though, and there was plenty of light coming from torches lining the walls. I didn't feel claustrophobic in the slightest there. The cave was quite large, and in it were three other beds, each with a small table next to it (as was mine), each unoccupied. So I was alone. Good.

I pulled back the blankets covering me to see what condition I was in, but the sudden movement detonated small explosions of pain in my ribs and back. Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!!! Ok. Crisis averted. The pain subsided, so I surveyed the damage. I was no longer wearing the jeans and T-shirt I had been earlier, but was dressed, instead, in a long bathrobe-type-thingy. Mostly I had cuts and bruises. A lot of them. They weren't too bad, though. What bugged me was my ribs, which were cracked, or bruised, or whatever. They had been bound tightly, prohibiting movement, but I wouldn't have wanted to move them much anyways. My back still hurt where I had been shot, but it was a dull, throbbing soreness; nothing I couldn't deal with. My poor, poor shins were covered in ugly purple-and-black bruises from where I had been kicked repeatedly. I tested my jaw and found that it wasn't broken like I had previously thought. Not too shabby, all things considered.

It wasn't enough for my insatiable (if somewhat foolish) curiosity, though. Wincing slightly, I moved so that I was no longer lying down but perched on the edge of the bed. The movement brought dizziness with it, and it took a few moments to blink it off. When it was more or less gone I slowly lifted myself to my feet. Very slowly. Embarrassingly slowly. I was glad that there was no one there to see it. I don't believe that I would have been able to live it down.

I was able to stand up, which was a relief, to be sure. I took a few tentative steps and was able to keep my balance. Okaaay... Then I slowly walked to the door, paused for a moment to catch my breath, and then walked back. I plunked back down on the bed, tired but happy. This was a good thing! In a few minutes I would be rested enough to slip out of this place (hopefully unnoticed) and then go somewhere and use a phone to call my parents. With a frown I remembered the events that had passed before I had lost consciousness. The monster, the Elf... No, those had to have been a delusion. Perhaps all a weird dream. Then how had I come to have hurt my ribs? And my shins? And all the lacerations and bruises? Maybe I had hurt them when I crawled into the log, and was too out of it to notice. Remembering that demon's cries, though, I wasn't so sure that any of it had been a dream at all. I might have imagined the Elf, though. Yes, that was it! By that time I was so incredibly loopy, I probably just imagined his pointed ears. And if I had imagined that, then I must have imagined everything else. This was a stupid argument, and part of me knew it, but my dumber, more influential side convinced me that it had all been a dream. So, I would probably be able to walk out of this place and make my way to the nearest Sav-On. Or 7-11.

By the time I reached this stunning conclusion I felt that I was ready to go. I glanced over at the small table next to my bed and saw that my belongings were on top of it. There were also several small bowls; each containing some sort of dried leaf or something. Some of the contents were crushed into powder so that I couldn't make out what they were made of. Medicine? Whatever.

Nearly all of my things that I had carried with me that day were there: my wristwatch, my hoop earrings, my wallet (containing pictures, school ID, and about five dollars), my seashell locket, and the contents of my pockets (several folded-up papers, tissue, candy-wrappers, a hall pass, and a mint). My glasses were missing, though, much to my disappointment. Oh well, I would make due somehow. My clothing wand shoes I found, cleaned of blood and neatly folded (not the shoes, of course), underneath the table. These I put on. My shirt had a hole in the back of it where the bullet had entered, which was a shame. I really liked that shirt, too. It was amazing how they had gotten all the blood out of it, though. Not a stain remained.

I put my earrings, watch, and locket on, and my wallet I put in the back pocket of my jeans. Mind you, all this was done slowly and carefully, because though much of the stiffness had already faded, I was still very sore. I unwrapped the mint and sucked on it to get rid of the dry feeling in my mouth. When I had finished all that I was feeling tired but better. I was in control again. The robe-type-thingy I had folded and put on the bed, which I had made up again. Whoever these people were that had taken care of me had shown great consideration, and I wanted to do the same for them. It was time to leave, though.

I walked to the door, found it unlocked, and opened it a crack. I could see no one, hear no one. Slowly, cautiously, I opened it a bit wider and poked my head out. Outside the door was a long corridor, lined with the same sort of torches that were in my room. There was no one in sight. I stepped out into the hallway, closing the door silently behind me. My shoes made a loud scuffling sound in that silent place, so I slipped them off and held them in my hand, and continued on in my socks. I kept to the shadows, praying that no one would show up, and if they did, that the shadows would be a sufficient cover. I continued on in this way for a long time, perhaps thirty minutes. I had no idea of where I was going. The passages twisted and turned, and at times forked, and I pressed on, hoping against hope that I would find a way out. My back was throbbing and my ribs hurt with every step, but I had to get out of there and find my home. Finally I heard something. It was the sound of many voices singing, and it brought back painful memories. It was a different kind of singing, though. It was eerily beautiful and brought to mind images of starlight. I didn't want to be discovered, though, not when the last group of singing people I had come into contact with had tried to kill me. The sound was coming closer, so I ducked behind a corner, crouching down, keeping still. The sound came ever nearer, and then there they were: a procession of about seven or eight tall, singing figures, dressed in green and brown as my rescuers had been. I scarcely dared to breathe, not until the last one had passed. They hadn't seen me! After they had gone by, I glanced around the corner and saw that they were passing through a pair of large stone gates, and on the other side of those gates was sunlight and freedom. Great! I would wait until they were out of sight, and then I would waltz out those gates and find my way back home.

My hopes were most horribly dashed against the sharp rocks of fate. For no sooner had the last figure passed through those gates, when they swung close with a CLANG!! I ran to them and desperately threw myself against them, but it was no use: they would not open!! Defeated, I sank to the floor and pulled my knees up to my chin. Now what would I do? How would I ever get home? I would have liked to cry then, but the tears would not come.

I sat there for a long time, how long I do not know. But there is a part of me that will not give up in any situation. It has saved my life numerous times, some of them I have already mentioned. Sometimes I desperately just want to sit down, to give up, to let what comes come. That is when that part of me comes to life, bashing its poor tired body against the bars of its cage and giving me no rest until I have gotten back up. And that's what I did. I got up and looked, either for another way out or for someone to show me the way out. I had not wanted to be discovered, but now I had no choice.

I had walked on for some time when I paused to rest, leaning against the cool stone wall. It was then that I heard it.

"On your feet already?" That was all. But it made me jump about ten feet; I was so unprepared for it. I spun around and saw her. She was a tall, redheaded woman with bright blue eyes, fair complexion, and a long blue gown that matched the robin's-egg color of her eyes. And framing her slender face were two delicately pointed ears. Ohhhhhhhhh craaaaaaaaap.

"Wha- wha-??" was all I could stammer.

The Elf, noticing my distress, said, "Do not be frightened, young one. For you are with friends."

I gulped and forced the words out. "Wh-what place is this? Who are you?"

"This is the realm of my lord, King Thranduil of Mirkwood. I am Neume. And what is your name?"

"E-Elizabeth," I stammered.

Neume looked at me quizzically. "Elizabeth," she echoed. "What a strange name. From whence have you come, Elizabeth?"

"I... I..." It was all too much. I was in Middle Earth. Talking with an Elf. Who spoke English. I put a hand to my forehead and leaned back against the wall, feeling sick.

Immediately she came forward to help support me. "How inconsiderate of me!" Neume exclaimed. "You have been asleep recovering from your wounds for three days, and I am interrogating you! Please forgive me."

"Three days? Is that how long I've been out?" I inquired unbelievingly.

She nodded. "Yes, and now you must rest and eat. Lord Thranduil will wish to question you when you have regained your strength." I nodded weakly and let this strange Elf guide me to a room. This one was different than the one I had previously occupied, but I didn't care. Once Neume had made sure that I was sitting down (I didn't want to lie down again), she left, saying, "Do not leave here. I will bring servants with food and drink, and you will have a hot bath when you have finished." Then she was gone, and I was alone with my swirling thoughts. So much in so little a time. Why me? It all made sense, though, strange as it was. I sighed. Whatever. At least they weren't going to do me any harm. Probably.

I hadn't realized how hungry I was until Neume had mentioned food. Now I was famished! When Neume and the servant Elves arrived with a tray that was laden with food, my mouth was watering. I dug in. It was so good, too! There was roasted meat and fresh vegetables and fruit and hot bread and butter, and I had been asleep for three days!! I don't think I've ever wolfed down so much at a time; I was that hungry! Neume stayed for a moment to make sure that I was eating, and then she left me to report to the other Elves that I was awake.

After I had finished and was feeling rather content, the servants brought in a tub finned with hot water, a bar of nice-smelling soap, fresh clothes to change into, and then left me in privacy, for which I was glad. When I was finished I felt refreshed and better than I had in quite some time. The clothes I put on were a green tunic and brown leggings like the other Elves had worn, and they were very comfortable. I was glad that I didn't have to wear a gown like Neume.

The servants returned and took the tub away, and afterwards Neume returned looking pleased with my condition. "You look considerably better than you did out in the halls," she said. "You may rest until morning, and then Lord Thranduil will have an audience with you." A sudden fear gripped my stomach at those words.

"I am to speak with Thranduil?! What will I say?" I begged of her.

Neume smiled and said, "Do not worry. He will simply question you as to who you are and where you are from, and then he will see that you are returned from whence you came. Thranduil is a strict king, but not cruel or unreasonable." Then she turned to go, pausing at the doorway. "Do try to rest," she said, looking turning her head back to look at me. "You should be at your best when you speak to my lord tomorrow." Then she left, shutting the door behind her.

I didn't sleep a wink.

~oOo~

AN: Soooooo... What did you think?? Did you like it? Hate it? I don't care, just tell me! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!