Disclaimer: I do not own Sam, Frodo, or the ring. Nor do I own Chinese football, just in case any of you want to sue me for that.
"If anyone finds a ring would they please bring it to the office? It is very important. I have to take it somewhere or else we're all in big trouble," said a voice on the PA system. "The ring I'm looking for is gold with strange writing on both the inside and outside. It's very heavy and you'll find it fits you perfectly. You'll be drawn to it somehow…like it's calling to you…like it was made especially for you… It would be very precious to you… But it'ss not for you! It's for ussss! It's ours! Our precioussss… and if the little humanses don't give to us, we will—"
The sound of a struggle is heard from the speakers and a "donk" is heard when the microphone was apparently dropped. Then the PA is shut off.
Two teenage boys look at each other and raise their eyebrows. They talk about which one of the school jokers that probably was and go back to playing Chinese football.
* * *
"I'm sorry, Sam," Frodo said, recovering from his sudden attack. "I guess I just thought of it a little too hard while I was describing it."
"It's all right, Mr. Frodo. It wasn't your fault. It could have happened to anyone," Sam comforted and Frodo gave him an odd look at the last bit.
Frodo stood up and went to the microphone again and pushed the button. He cleared his throat and said, "Excuse me. There was a slight problem." He paused. "But if you do find the ring I described, please bring it to the office immediately. Thank you," he finished and shut the mic. off.
* * *
A couple minutes after the voice finished, the Chinese football players looked up to see two short men walk through the cafeteria looking for something on the ground.
"What the heck?" one of the boys, Josh said.
After talking about midgets running around their school the boys went back to their game. The other boy, Nick, kicked the ball way out of bounds and it went under a snack vending machine.
"You touched it last," Josh said.
"You're closer. I'd have to go all the way around the table to get it," Nick countered.
"You touched it last. The person who touched it last has to go get it. It's like a rule."
Nick grunted and went to the vending machine, reached under, and felt around for it. Instead of finding a triangular piece of paper, he found something round and cold. "Hey Josh, look what I found. I think it's the ring that guy was looking for."
"Take it to the office. They said there was a reward."
Nick suddenly feels the need to try it on. He does so and disappears.
* * *
"We'll find it, Mr. Frodo. One of the good people here will find it and return it," Sam said to Frodo as they retraced their steps.
"Let's hope so," Frodo said. They went around the corner into the cafeteria and walked past a boy with an "Oh my God!" look on his face.
"Oh my God! Nick, you're invisible!" Josh nearly yelled.
Four pointy belonging to two hobbits turned around just in time to see a boy appear out of thin air.
"There it is!" Frodo yelled, tackling the boy, took the ring from him, muttered a thank-you, and walked back to toward Sam.
"Ahem," Nick said, still lying on the floor. "I heard there was a reward."
"Oh, yes. Sam?" Frodo asked and received a small leaf package from Sam and gave it to Nick. "It's lembas bread. One bite can fill a grown man!"
"And it's good," added Sam.
"Again, thank you," Frodo said. "We'd love to stay and chat, but I'm afraid we must be off. Farewell."
"Wait," Sam said and turned to the boys. "Where did you find the ring, if I may ask?"
"I found it under there," Nick pointed to the snack vending machine.
"I wonder what it was doing under there." Sam wondered aloud.
"…I was hungry…" Frodo said bashfully.
"Okay, okay, Mr. Frodo. Let's be moving along now," he said to Frodo and then turned back to the boys. "Goodbye and thank you."
And so, the two little hobbits journeyed afar and saved the world from evil. And had it not been for those two Chinese football-playing boys, who knows what might have happened.
"Josh, try it. It's good," Nick told him. Josh takes a pinch and eats it.
"Hmmm… I feel completely and entirely full," Josh said to Nick. "You didn't get the football, did you?"
"I was getting to it," Nick replied as he stuffed the leaf package in his pocket and got down on his belly to feel for the ball.
"I wonder who they were," Josh wondered as Nick got up and dusted himself off.
"I don't think we'll ever know, Josh. I don't think we'll ever know," Nick replied and they went back to their never-ending game of Chinese football.