It was dark by the time Arlen left the bakery. She was exhausted but happy that the work was done. For over a week everyone in the bakery had been super busy baking the perfect cake for a famous movie actor's wedding. And to think, all this time Arlen never knew you could work double shift in a bakery. She hated the work, but needed the money. She had just rented a small one-bedroom apartment and couldn't lose it. Her small, beat up red car was waiting for her in the usual parking space. She hopped in and slowly drove away. It was snowing and the roads were icy, which made for bad driving conditions. She turned on the cd player and soon the whole car was filled with the calming sounds of the Lord on the Rings soundtrack. Arlen loved the Lord of the Rings. She felt some sort of connection to the characters, especially the elves. She would just love to be one. She did have the looks. Her hair was long and brown, her eyes a bright blue, and her skin was pale. Most of all her ears were pointed, a birth defect, she guessed. Even though she was beautiful she was very shy and hardly talked to anyone. Looking in the car mirror she laughed at her reflection. Her skin was smudged with flour, her ponytail was lose and hairs flew out everywhere and her nose was red and running. Beautiful, yea right?
It happened before she knew it. One minute she was checking her reflection and the next her car was skidding out of control. She watched in horror as the car flew off the road and smashed into the telephone pole. Then all was dark.
She awoke with a terrible headache. Actually her whole body hurt. She got up slowly praying that there were no broken bones, there were none. She looked around and found herself in a forest. Forest? There was no forest in Manhattan. "Central Park, I must be in Central Park," she said. But how in the world did she end up in Central Park. Her car crashed near Brooklyn. Then she realized it was warm, in winter? " No. I am not in New York anymore. But where? Heaven, yes I died and I went to heaven," she thought. Then she saw a figure up ahead with it's back turned to her. She gathered her strength and went up to it and gently patted it on the back. The figure turned around so quickly that Arlen stumbled back a few steps. When she regained conscience she looked up and lost her breath.
Standing before her was an angel, a beautiful blond angel. Or at least that is what she thought. No human man could ever look so beautiful and strong at the same time. This Angel man seemed to be surprised as well. He looked at her and is Dark blue eyes widened.
" Arwen" he breathed. Now Arlen was really confused. " No, I am Arlen and." she started but suddenly found herself being hugged by this angel. Heaven sure was a weird place. " Arwen, I knew you would come back! Oh we were worried that you died but we never lost hope! Elrond has been worried sick, you being his only child; think of how happy he will be to see you. And Aragon! He has been depressed since your disappearance, I hardly know the man but Gandalf says that he used to be so happy. You will for sure bright up many people's lives. Come let me take you to Rivendale." The angel said with joy in his voice as he led Arlen by the hand to his horse. Arwen, Elrond, Aragon, Gandalf, RIVENDALE? Those were only names that were in books, not in real life. She had to process the information for a while before she understood, well not really understood. Before she knew it she was on a horse sitting behind the angel, or what was he.
" Excuse me, but who are you" Arlen asked the man in front of her.
" Don't you even remember me? I am Legolas, your best friend from childhood" Legolas? Now she knew that either she or this man was crazy. " Now you can't be serious, all that you told me, they are only from a book right?" She asked. " Book, now that is quite a joke, you can't tell me you don't remember anything" he replied. " Well, I don't" She said back.
" Maybe Gandalf can help you, he is staying in Rivendale" He said as the swept into the city.