The next day…

"…WE'RE ON THE ROAD TO RIVENDELL!" Katie sang at the top of her lungs for the fiftieth time, "WE CERTAINLY DO GET AROOOOOUND!"

"SHUT UP!" Carolyn screamed socking Katie on the head. The first five times, the song had been cute, then it had turned to annoying, then it just filled Carolyn with unparalleled murderous rage. Over the years, Katie had turned into an outlet for Carolyn's verbal and physical abuse. Katie still remained blissfully unaware that her wacky antics earned her hostile feelings from her chum.

Sam sighed and threw his home a backward glance. "One more step and I'll be the furthest away from the Shire I've ever been."

"Don't feel so sad." Carolyn said smiling weakly, "I'm in a completely different dimension, and I'm not the least bit sad! Sure, I miss my parents and my little brother, but I'm doing what I've always wanted, I'm getting to go on a world-changing adventure!"

The two hobbits and the three girls were now on their way from the Shire. Carolyn, Katie, and Caitlin had bags stuffed with supplies slung over their backs.

"And I'm going to do what I'VE always wanted to do." Caitlin sighed with happiness, "I'm meeting Legolas in person…It's better than meeting Orlando Bloom. He actually has the EARS!!!!!!"

"Don't get your hopes up Caitlin," Carolyn said smiling, "Once I turn on my charm, he won't be able to resist me!"

"Why do you guys like him so much?" Katie asked, "I mean, his character's cool with the arrow shooting and everything, but other than that, what is there?"

"He's heroic." Caitlin stated.

"He's kind." Carolyn sighed dreamily.

"He's brave."

"He's an expert archer."

"He's smart."

"He's hot beyond all possible reason."

"He's a prince."

"He's an elf."

"In short," The two girls said at once, "HE'S PERFECT!"

"…Whatever." Katie said rolling her eyes.

"Whom are they talking about?" Sam asked frowning.

"I don't know." Frodo sighed.

At that moment, Merry and Pippin burst out of the corn stalks surrounding them. Their arms were loaded with vegetables.

"QUICK! TAKE THESE!" Pippin cried shoving his armful into Sam's arms.

"YOU'VE BEEN INTO FARMER MAGGOT'S CROPS!" Sam shouted angrily.

At that moment, they heard shouting coming from behind them.

"…CHEESE IT!" Carolyn screamed. Everyone took off running in the opposite direction from the shouts.

"I don't know why he's so upset!" Merry cried as they ran, "It was just a couple of potatoes!"

"And those cabbages last week!" Pippin added.

"Oh yeah."

"And those carrots the week before."

"Yes Pippin, I can see!" Merry yelled angrily, "The point is, he is clearly overreacting!"

At that moment, they all burst out of the cornfield and tumbled down a hill. Fortunately, everyone stopped at the bottom, right at the edge of ledge about 10 feet above the path below them.

Unfortunately, Katie hadn't stopped. She slammed into her group of friends. Everyone went toppling over, screaming. They hit the ground in a mass of bodies and tangled limbs.

"I think I've broken something." Pippin sighed picking up a broken carrot.

"…Merry?" Carolyn said frowning, "Your hand is on my ass!"

"Sorry!" Merry cried, "It's an accident!"

"…YOUR HAND IS STILL THERE!"

"AND ITS STILL AN ACCIDENT!"

Everyone got up and brushed the dirt off their clothing. Carolyn slapped Merry upside the head.

"It wasn't my fault!" Merry shouted, "Caitlin was on top of my arm, I couldn't move my hand!"

"Unbelievable bullshit." Carolyn said calmly.

Suddenly, an eerie wind blew down the path. The leaves rustled and blew upwards in small cyclones. It didn't bother Sam, Merry, or Pippin, but Frodo, Carolyn, Katie, and Caitlin felt an icy feeling in the pits of their stomachs.

"GET OFF THE ROAD!" Frodo cried. Everyone jumped to the side and tumbled into a small notch in the earth under a tree on the side of the path. They heard a horse's thundering footsteps. Then they stopped and there was the sound of someone getting off a horse. While the four hobbits listened in terror, the three girls (having seen 'The Fellowship of the Ring' countless times) already knew what it was; a Ringwraith.

They could hear it sniffing around an overturned tree just above their heads. Everyone covered their mouths so the horrible thing wouldn't hear their terrified breathing, and also because of it's unbearable stench.

It was then, that Carolyn became aware of the large assortment of insects crawling onto her jeans. Now, one important thing about Carolyn is that she was an animal lover. Somehow, almost every animal in the world appeared cute and fuzzy to her, except for one key species: insects.

Carolyn opened her mouth to let out a bloodcurdling scream, but Katie and Caitlin, who were sitting on both sides of her, spotted their friend's movements and clamped their hands over her mouth. She struggled with her friends and whined in an attempt to cry out. Finally, frustrated beyond all possible reason, she bit Katie's hand. Katie managed to hold in her curse words.

Caitlin looked over to the side. Her eye widened, Frodo was holding the ring between his thumb and index finger. His hand was shaking as he struggled not to slide it on his index finger. She reached over and slapped his hand. He jerked the ring back and let it fall against his chest, where it hung from its chain.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the Ringwraith gave a screech of frustration. It got back on its horse and rode off.

The moment it was out of earshot, Carolyn stood up screaming and jumping around, shaking off the many centipedes and spiders that clung to her legs. She then punched Katie.

"What's the quickest way out of here?" Frodo hissed to Merry and Pippin. He was eager to leave, the woods weren't very large, and if they continued down the road, they would probably run into the ringwraith again.

"It's the-" Merry began to say.

"The Buckleberry Ferry?" Caitlin said interrupting him, "Alright, let's go."

Merry stared at her in shock. "How did she-"

"Psychic." Sam stated.

"Oh."

As the sun sank below the horizon, everyone found themselves a short distance away from the pier. They could see it just beyond a cluster of trees.

"Okay, guys! Let's go, move slowly, and whatever you do, don't panic." Caitlin whispered. They began to slink through the bushes, closer to the pier, "Slowly," She continued, "Don't panic, we'll be all right, just don't panic..."

Suddenly they heard a horse neigh and the sound of a Ringwraith's screech.

"...PANIC!" Caitlin screamed. Everyone bolted forward. They burst from the trees and headed towards the small raft. Everyone climbed aboard. Sam grabbed a pole and pushed away from the dock. Caitlin looked up and screamed.

Frodo had fallen behind the others. He was sprinting down the pier as the raft pulled further away. The Ringwraith was only a few feet behind him.

"RUN MAN!" Katie screamed.

"COME ON JUMP!" Carolyn cried. Everyone shouted out encouraging words to the young hobbit. When he reached the end of the pier, he didn't stop. He leapt off with all his strength. He soared through the air and for a moment, it didn't look like he was going to make it. But he reached out and grabbed onto the raft. Merry and Carolyn pulled him onboard (you never would expect someone so small to jump so far). Everyone looked up; the Ringwraith reared back on his horse in anger, and then took off into the shadows of the forest.

Everyone collapsed back onto the raft in exhaustion. Frodo was sopping wet and gasping for air. Sam looked down the river and sighed. "It's a long way to Bree..."

"I know something that'll keep our spirits up!" Katie said excitedly, "It'll calm us all down after we nearly got the shit scared out of us."

"What?" Carolyn asked. She was desperate for any relief from her nerves.

Katie cleared her throat, and began to sing in a loud deep voice, "OOOOLD MAAAAAN RIVEEEEER...THAT OOOOLD MAAAAN RIVEEEEEER...HE JUST KEEPS ROOOLLING..."

Carolyn pushed Katie off the raft.