Middle Earth, Fourth Age:Ten Years After the War of the Ring
Dusk was soon to come. The sun was setting on the horizon, a beautiful halo of colors suffusing the sky. West of Belfalas, a white ship sailed onward. It's elven passengers and crew were out on deck, lively conversation mixed with silent contemplation of the lovely display. They did not notice when a young maiden slipped away, her destination the edge of the ship.
As she walked up to the waist high wall that encompassed the deck (for even sure-footed elves may fall prey to the winds of the sea), the girl glanced around warily. Satisfied that no had observed her, she climbed onto the narrow top, holding the skirt of her traveling dress with one hand. Knelt down almost double, the maiden gripped the ledge tightly in her hands, and lowered herself onto a wooden plank a length long that jutted outfrom the side of the ship.
Once there, she sighed with relief and sat down on the plank, blithely unaware of the height she was suspended from. Dark blonde hair flew about her as she gazed at the sea, rolling gently beneath her bare feet. Ah, a much better way to view the ocean, she silentlyapproved. The maiden leaned back against the vessel, her eyes distant asshe slid into daydreams.
"Earel!" A voice called from somewhere above."Earel Cuilenis, where are you?"
The maiden now known as Earel Cuilenis snapped out of her reverie. She automatically identified the voice. So, she thought, sighing. He has discovered my absence. Earel sat up straight.
"I am here, Nerhuine," she answered.
Looking up, Earel saw a male elf staring down at her, clad in drab clothing suitable for journeys. Matching blue-grey eyes met: his radiating disapproval, hers flickering with defiance. He broke the silence.
"Sister, what in all of Arda are you doing down there?" Nerhuine asked, his voice laden with annoyance.
"Only seeking refuge from you, my easily-roused brother," she returned mockingly. "Alas, it seems that you find my presence so desirable that I'm not allowed even a moment of peace."
Rolling his eyes in response to her jibe, he continued, "Earel, you must return to the ship. One of the mariners have sighted a storm ahead. Danger awaits you if you choose to linger here." Nerhuine leaned over the wall and offered her his hand in assistance. She glared at it.
"Nerhuine, in case you have forgotten, I am no child of few seasons," she said scathingly. "I am perfectly capable of ascending to the ship on my own. Besides, how can they speak of danger? The weather is-"
Abruptly the plank beneath her jerked, throwing Earel against the exterior of the ship. Her eyes widened as, for the first time, she noticed the changes around her. The calm ocean was now rough andlarge waves buffeted the vessel. The clear blue sky was now crowded with dark, ominous clouds, clashing with lightning and thunder.
Fear glittered in both their eyes. Quickly Earel stood, wincing as she fought for balance in the suddenly fierce winds. Then, themaiden flexed up on the tips of her toes, trying to grasp either the ledge or her brother's hand. The ledge was reached first, and she concentrated every fiber of her being on upward locomotion. With Nerhuine reaching down, together they managed to slowly pull her upward. Earel was almost there, when a huge wave crashed over the wall. He lost his grip on her; shefell head-first onto the plank, losing consciousness on impact.
"Earel!" Nerhuine shouted desperately.
Swiftly he climbed over the wall and began lowering himself down to where she lay. He knelt down and carefully picked her up. Suddenly the vessel tipped sideways, sending both Elves into the dark maelstrom of the sea. Nerhuine struggled against the waves, but his refusal to let go of his sister hindered his own attempts at staying afloat. As water slowly filled their lungs, his final image was of a black stream, dragging the siblings into its abysmal depths.
Somewhere Off the Coast of New England: 1999 A. D.
"C'mon, Eric!"
Eric Lausinn looked up absently from his laptop. Shoving messy green hair out of his eyes, he gazed around the bunk, wondering for a moment where he was. Flashes of memory began to surface in his mind. A boat, he was on a fishing boat. In the middle of the Atlantic. Not for the first time, he wondered why the heck he had ever agreed to this little excursion.
"Eric? Hello! Is anyone in there?"
The voice, a blend of annoyance and enthusiasm, again interrupted the young man's thoughts. Sighing, he sat up on the bunk.
"Hang on!" he yelled back.
Eric dragged his lanky figure off of the bed, muttering a curse as he knocked his head against the low ceiling. He stumbled out the door, limbs atrophied from the length of time spent with little or no movement other than the steady tapping of his fingers on the keyboard. After lurching around the cramped corridors of the ship, Eric finally exited, breathing the salty air as he walked out onto the narrow deck. Eyes the color of bright leaves glanced around wearily, taking in the night, the overcast sky, and lastly, the shapes of two college-aged boys, swimming in the water. Grasping the cold metal railing firmly, Eric walked across the deck to them, smirking.
"Are you guys insane?" he asked flatly.
"What?" asked the younger of the two innocently. "Just having a little fun while the good captain's asleep."
"Swimming in freezing water at night is many things, but I doubt fun is among them," Eric replied in the same blunt tone.
"Nah, it's not that cold," the other insisted, shaking his blonde head emphatically. "We found a warm spot."
Eric searched the deck floor until he found about six empty beer bottles, one of which was broken. Carefully he gathered them up and dumped them in the nearby trash bin, cutting his arm on a sharp edge.
"I'm sure you did."
Rolling his eyes, he reached a thin hand out to one of them.
"C'mon, let's get you out of there. This isn't the smartest idea you two have come up with."
Shrugging, the younger boy grabbed it, only to jerk the other into the murky water beside him. Gasping, Eric instinctively began to tread water, trying to keep himself afloat, even as an unknown force began to pull him down. The two boys laughed in their drunken stupor at the elder boy's joke.
"See Eric, it's not that bad-Eric? Eric!"
He was gone.
Middle Earth, Fourth Age: Five Years After the War of the Ring
Nauren walked along the beach, arms swinging gaily by her sides. She could hardly imagine her good fortune. Nearly a year ago she had come to the White City with no prospects, knowing none whom could aid her. Now she had both a steady employment and an impending wedding! She tried to contain her elation; it would hardly do for a maid in the service of Lady Eowyn to start dancing like a fool. Finally, Nauren settled for a wide smile that lit up her face, as she considered the past events that had brought her to this happy state.
She thought back to the days among her kindred, the people of Laketown in the north. Her parents ran a supplies store and were always busy attending customers, managing the accounts, and all the other tasks that went with their business, leaving her with the children. It seemed as if her whole life had been taking care of her family, her three sisters and two brothers, all younger than her. Chores day in and day out, endless laundry, and a constant lack of personal time. Then came the war, the attacks from Sauron, hiding with the other women and children as her father went off to fight. He never came back.
A brief moment of sorrow stole away at the joy on Nauren's face as she remembered that time. When the dust had settled, Laketown had been in shambles. There were wounded everywhere, those who had lost family and friends weeping as they tended them. The store had been pillaged, ransacked, all the goods either stolen or damaged beyond use. Then had come the Elves, from Mirkwood and other places. Helping those injured, singing laments to give voice to the grief, and in her case, helping with the business. Business associates of her father who had traded goods with him, now erecting a new building and replenishing their supplies. Seeing her family rise to their feet, her brothers becoming responsible, Nauren had felt the heavy burden she had always carried leave her, awaking a desire for change. She had traveled with a group of Elves coming to restore Ithilien, imagining new possibilities. Yet never could she have imagined this!
"Don't move," whispered a voice behind her.
At once a cold blade at her throat shook Nauren out of her thoughts. Behind her she could hear the heavy breathing of a man.
"What do you want?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady even as her mind raced with panic.
"Your purse," he replied, tearing the leather pouch off her waist. "And your death."
Eyes wide, she shoved the knife away from her, then desperately ran away from the thief. Looking back, Nauren saw him advancing toward her, calmly prepared to take her life. Her only path of retreat lay in the dark sea. Yet, she had never learned to swim, having no time with which to do so. Death at the hands of a robber or death within the icy grasp of the sea. Choosing her fate, Nauren plunged into the ocean, quickly sinking beneath the tide.
Connecticut, US: 2000 A. D.
Cassy winced and turned over, exposing her back to the hot rays of the sun. Leisurely she yawned, flipping through a magazine as she sunbathed. Getting dragged out to some hick seaside town in the middle of nowhere was no excuse not to get a tan. Of course, not the proper tan she could have gotten in say . . . California or Florida, which is where Daddy was originally going to take her, before he decided to go to this godforsaken place in CONNECTICUT of all states, just because he had to work out some deals with his friends. Her face, applied with perfect make-up even out here, twisted in anger and Cassy focused on the pictures of hot guys in the magazine. It was some boring, brainy science fiction drivel, but it had some FINE photos of the Lord of the Rings movies cast members in it. She remembered seeing the Fellowship of the Ring. The movie was so boring, but who needed to worry about the plot with all those hot guys to drool over? Sighing, she was about to go off into another daydream, when suddenly a wave of sand was flung on her.
Auuughh!" She screamed, rolling over and sitting up.
All she heard in reply were sharp shrill giggles. All too familiar that sound was, and Cassy cringed as she recognized the voice of the town brat, Megan Shalcox. The little twerp had seen fit to annoy her as soon as she met her, when the teen had gone to the ice cream parlor. All she had done was make a little comment about the sheer lunacy of living so far away from civilization and then next Cassy knew, freezing ice cream was dripping down her face and all over her halter top. From then one, that little menace had been following her wherever she went, apparently intent on making her life as miserable as possible. She thought she had escaped her today, but no such luck.
Sighing, Cassy stared at her arms and legs, covered with gritty sand that seemed to cling surprisingly well to the special tanning butter she had smeared all over herself. Getting up, she decided to go for a swim to rinse off. She'd settle things with the brat later. Carefully she waded into the icy water, wincing at the chill. Once she was at a proper depth, she kicked off the bottom with her feet and began doing a breaststroke farther out. Here at least was one place that little Miss Megan couldn't follow her. Cassy was one of the best swimmers at her private school and she easily glided through the water, swimming further and further out. Finally she stopped and turned around, treading water as she looked over at the shore. It was a thin line on the edge of the horizon. How the heck did I get so far out? She had heard the lifeguard say something about the high and low tides, but didn't pay much attention; she had been too preoccupied with applying a fresh coat of Purple Prizm to her nails. Well, this is just great she thought bitterly. A nice long swim back to the beach, fighting whatever this tide thing is .
She went back into a breaststroke and began swimming, again. The odd thing was, Cassy didn't seem to be going anywhere. If anything, she was moving backwards. Well that's crazy. Why would I be- Abruptly she was jerked underwater, letting out a strangled yelp as she felt an invisible something pulling her into the deep blackness of the ocean. Her last coherent thought was wait, the ocean isn't black ...
Author's Note: Reviews are wonderful things. Coherent reviews are even better. I will have the next chapter up soon. Major thanks goes to Bella again, a great beta-reader!
