Disclaimer: Why don't I own Lord of the Rings? *sigh* Well, until maybe the
Tolkien family takes pity on me, I do not own any of the characters or
places mentioned in this story. Please don't sue me! I know I am cruel to
them but I swear I will try to save them. Hope you enjoy!
~ Chapter Three ~
Strokes of light filtered down the long tunnelways to Legolas. He was attempting to climb back up one of the chutes. But the stone came away in his hands and everything was slick with moss. At last, he was forced to give up. He covered his face with his hands.
"What now?" was all he could find to say. He sat there for a long time- maybe hours- trying to decide what he should do. There was a sudden crash that reverberated all around. There was the clattering of stones and pebbles and Legolas heard someone scream his name. The noise passed away. It had been Frodo. Frodo had called to him just then. Had he fallen? Had The Fellowship come searching for him?
"Frodo! Frodo!" he yelled, groping at the walls of the tunnel. But there was nothing he could do. A little scattering of pebbles tumbled down over his fingers. That meant that the hobbit had been close. Legolas had to find him, he knew. He had to get back but Frodo came first. At this, he paused in thought. Why was that? Was it because he was carrying the Ring or perhaps just because he was a friend in need? The elf found that he could not answer this question so instead concentrated on working his way up the tunnel.
Frodo woke in agony. His face was covered in dust and he ad to shake it loose. Every muscle in his body ached. He could feel his wounds throbbing painfully. He winced as he moved his hands. They were riddled with jagged cuts and scars. Frodo put a finger to his neck and felt warm blood seeping from his shirt collar. He moved slowly to his knees and looked up into the hole he had fallen from- just above his head.
"Help! Gandalf! Sam! Legolas! .. Can anyone hear me?"
But there was no answer. No reply. The silence terrified Frodo.
"Gandalf! Sam! It's me! Please help!"
He stood up awkwardly and put his hands to the rim of the tunnel. A shower of dust came down and he coughed so hard that he was forced to sit down once more. Icy fingers wrapped themselves around Frodo. He curled up on the rock, hoping to fend them away. He was lost in the mines. Lost in Moria. A pit formed in the hobbit's stomach. How many passages flowed the walls around him? He heard a voice call his name. It was faint but he heard it.
"I'm here! It's me, I'm down here!" he cried, grabbing at the stony edges. He pushed himself up into the blackness, shouting desperately, not heeding the pain. But there was no answer. Just his own voice echoing out to a feeble whisper far away. The dark was petrifying. Everything seemed to close in around him, muffling his cries and sinking him into a sea full of shadows. Frodo gasped for breath as if the blackness was filling his lungs, covering his face with a soft embalming hand.
"No! Help! Help me!" he screamed into the night of the mines. He sank against the wall, legs shaking with fear and pain. Tears forced through the blood and grime on his cheeks as he fell to the ground and curled up into a tight ball, knees tucked up to his chin.
"I'm so sorry I let you fall, Legolas," he whispered, then let the darkness consume him.
The Fellowship had all awoken to find their two companions gone. No sign or message left to them. Gandalf hefted himself up by his staff and walked over to the passage entrances.
"We shall walk down each and search for them. I trust Legolas not to have strayed too far. He will have kept Frodo safe," he said. Sam felt encouraged by these words but even so.. He glanced to Merry and Pippin. They looked as worried as he felt. They met his gaze and Sam's stomach churned. He and Gandalf led the way down the left corridor until they came up against a wall of fallen rubble. Aragorn knelt to study one of the rocks. It was covered with dust and cobwebs. He shook his head.
"No. This landslide is old. They did not come down here."
They proceeded to the next passage, where they did not walk far before they found the hole. Timber and stone lay scattered all around. It had been covered over with planking but it had obviously become weakened by some way or another. The second clue was one of Legolas' arrow lying nearby. Sam fell to his knees beside the opening.
"Mister Frodo! Master Legolas! Are you alright?" Gimli pulled him away sharply.
"Be careful now," he reprimanded, "That hole isn't safe. We will not be able to climb down such a steep and narrow shaft."
"But there must be something!" Pippin cried.
"Alright!" Gandalf shouted, "Be calm, all of you. Gimli is right, we must be wary of this space. It will probably break again if any of us stands too near. As for rescuing Frodo and Legolas, that will be a more difficult task. We do not even know if they are alive."
Sam gave a choking sob and covered his face with his hands.
"Oh, Mister Frodo," he breathed.
~ Chapter Three ~
Strokes of light filtered down the long tunnelways to Legolas. He was attempting to climb back up one of the chutes. But the stone came away in his hands and everything was slick with moss. At last, he was forced to give up. He covered his face with his hands.
"What now?" was all he could find to say. He sat there for a long time- maybe hours- trying to decide what he should do. There was a sudden crash that reverberated all around. There was the clattering of stones and pebbles and Legolas heard someone scream his name. The noise passed away. It had been Frodo. Frodo had called to him just then. Had he fallen? Had The Fellowship come searching for him?
"Frodo! Frodo!" he yelled, groping at the walls of the tunnel. But there was nothing he could do. A little scattering of pebbles tumbled down over his fingers. That meant that the hobbit had been close. Legolas had to find him, he knew. He had to get back but Frodo came first. At this, he paused in thought. Why was that? Was it because he was carrying the Ring or perhaps just because he was a friend in need? The elf found that he could not answer this question so instead concentrated on working his way up the tunnel.
Frodo woke in agony. His face was covered in dust and he ad to shake it loose. Every muscle in his body ached. He could feel his wounds throbbing painfully. He winced as he moved his hands. They were riddled with jagged cuts and scars. Frodo put a finger to his neck and felt warm blood seeping from his shirt collar. He moved slowly to his knees and looked up into the hole he had fallen from- just above his head.
"Help! Gandalf! Sam! Legolas! .. Can anyone hear me?"
But there was no answer. No reply. The silence terrified Frodo.
"Gandalf! Sam! It's me! Please help!"
He stood up awkwardly and put his hands to the rim of the tunnel. A shower of dust came down and he coughed so hard that he was forced to sit down once more. Icy fingers wrapped themselves around Frodo. He curled up on the rock, hoping to fend them away. He was lost in the mines. Lost in Moria. A pit formed in the hobbit's stomach. How many passages flowed the walls around him? He heard a voice call his name. It was faint but he heard it.
"I'm here! It's me, I'm down here!" he cried, grabbing at the stony edges. He pushed himself up into the blackness, shouting desperately, not heeding the pain. But there was no answer. Just his own voice echoing out to a feeble whisper far away. The dark was petrifying. Everything seemed to close in around him, muffling his cries and sinking him into a sea full of shadows. Frodo gasped for breath as if the blackness was filling his lungs, covering his face with a soft embalming hand.
"No! Help! Help me!" he screamed into the night of the mines. He sank against the wall, legs shaking with fear and pain. Tears forced through the blood and grime on his cheeks as he fell to the ground and curled up into a tight ball, knees tucked up to his chin.
"I'm so sorry I let you fall, Legolas," he whispered, then let the darkness consume him.
The Fellowship had all awoken to find their two companions gone. No sign or message left to them. Gandalf hefted himself up by his staff and walked over to the passage entrances.
"We shall walk down each and search for them. I trust Legolas not to have strayed too far. He will have kept Frodo safe," he said. Sam felt encouraged by these words but even so.. He glanced to Merry and Pippin. They looked as worried as he felt. They met his gaze and Sam's stomach churned. He and Gandalf led the way down the left corridor until they came up against a wall of fallen rubble. Aragorn knelt to study one of the rocks. It was covered with dust and cobwebs. He shook his head.
"No. This landslide is old. They did not come down here."
They proceeded to the next passage, where they did not walk far before they found the hole. Timber and stone lay scattered all around. It had been covered over with planking but it had obviously become weakened by some way or another. The second clue was one of Legolas' arrow lying nearby. Sam fell to his knees beside the opening.
"Mister Frodo! Master Legolas! Are you alright?" Gimli pulled him away sharply.
"Be careful now," he reprimanded, "That hole isn't safe. We will not be able to climb down such a steep and narrow shaft."
"But there must be something!" Pippin cried.
"Alright!" Gandalf shouted, "Be calm, all of you. Gimli is right, we must be wary of this space. It will probably break again if any of us stands too near. As for rescuing Frodo and Legolas, that will be a more difficult task. We do not even know if they are alive."
Sam gave a choking sob and covered his face with his hands.
"Oh, Mister Frodo," he breathed.