Chapter 2

Another Strange Phone Call

Finally, the bell rang. Sasha grabbed her notebooks and books out of her locker, stuffed them into her backpack, swung the pack on her shoulder, and headed out the door of the school towards the train stop. As she went, she found herself humming the song from The Lord of the Rings, "The Road goes ever on and on, down from the road where it began,..." She stopped short in her tracks, confused. She didn't know where that had come from. She hadn't really paid much attention to the music, though Isis had encouraged her to. That was weird. She started singing "Like a Virgin" to herself, and forgot about the incident.

When she got home, she found a message on the answering machine from Isis, who sounded strange over the phone. She dialed Isis's number. Two rings, and Isis picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Sasha."

"Hi" Isis sounded worried.

"What's the matter?" asked Sasha, suddenly concerned.

"I got a weird phone call this afternoon. It

kinda freaked me out."

"How?"

"I dunno I picked up the phone, and the person on the other line said, 'Greetings.' And I said, Do I know you?' and"

"Come on, Isis. What was it that freaked you out?"

"The guy on the other end said the Rhyme of Aragorn, Sasha. And he had this really deep voice -- I'd swear I've heard it before."

Sasha sat down on the bed, stunned. "You're kidding."

"I am so not kidding, Sasha. It was not cool."

"Did you know who it was?"

"Come on, Sasha. You think I'd be this creeped out if I knew who it was?"

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay. But it was weird, you know, because I know I've heard the voice somewhere before."

"Weird."

"Yeah."

Silence.

Then:

"So what'd you do?"

"I dialed *69, 'cause I thought that it might be a practical joke."

"But it wasn't."

"No, it wasn't."

"What did it say?"

"You know the number you have reached is unavailable, or private"

"So maybe the person was calling from a payphone." But Sasha was dubious. So was Isis.

"I du

nno I don't think so. I mean, someone was walking down the street, saw the payphone, decided to prank call me? Come on , Sasha!" They both laughed, though a bit shakily.

"So what are you going to do? You can't get through to the guy, don't know who he is, only thing you can do, really, is just wait for him to call back. And you don't know if he will."

"Yeah. That's what I was planning to do anyway."

"Call me if he calls again, or if something weird happens, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," said Isis uneasily.

"What'll you do if he calls again?"

"I think I'll say some rhyme that only a foe of Sauron would know. Like Athelas , or--"

"How about a song to Elbereth?" suggested Sasha.

"Great idea, Sasha!" Isis exclaimed. "Orcs can't pronounce it, the Ringwraiths only scream, and unless Sauron knows how to use a telephone --" They both laughed, more gaily this time.

"I better go, though. Maybe he'll call back"

"Okay. Do call me, though. Don't forget."

"I won't."

"Okay. Bye now."

"Bye."

Sasha hung

up the phone. What if the person did call Isis again?

* * *

At that moment, at Isis's house, the phone rang.

"H-Hello?"

"Greetings." It was the weird voice again. Still, she couldn't figure out who it was. She took a deep breath, and began:

"A Elbereth Gilthoniel,

silivren penna miriel,

a menel aglar elenath,

Na-chaered palan diriel,

o galadhremmin ennorath,

Fanuilos, le linnathon,

nef aer, si nef aeron!"

On the fifth line, the voice continued with her to the end.

"Well done," it remarked gravely. "You have studied well. Who taught you?"

"No one, sir," said Isis, feeling rather queer and trembly. "I taught myself."

"Then I certainly must congratulate you!" it said. "To have learned so much in so little time... it is quite remarkable."

"May

I ask why you called, sir?" asked Isis. "I'm afaid you've left me rather in the dark about that."

"Do not speak so!" the voice commanded. In a softer tone it continued. "Call Sasha after you get off the telephone. Explain to her where you are going, then come and meet me at the front of your house in half an hour. Bring clothes, for we will be traveling. I will be waiting with two horses. You know how to ride?"

"Erm, no," said Isis nervously. "Is that a problem?"

"Not particularly," said the voice. "You can learn. Now go and call Sasha and tell her you're leaving. Oh, and tell her she has a ride tomorrow at 1776. Half an hour, don't forget!"

"Half a moment!" said Isis. "How do you know that I am friends with Sasha, how do I know that you aren't a servant of Sauron, or that you aren't Saruman, and where am I going?"

"I cannot answer all of these questions now. Only one."

"Where am I going?" cried Isis.

"Where else?" said the voice. "Middle-earth." Click.