Boy, am I tired.
How long have I walked since...yesterday? I don't know. Time was sluggish at first, but now the sun is setting. Already? This doesn't seem right. I thought it just rose not six hours ago. This can't be right. No, it must be where I am. I stop walking; I need to find a place to rest for the night. I don't even know what direction I'm going in. Who knows where I could be headed?
I see someone in the bleary distance. "Who's there?" I call out, but I hear no reply, because I suddenly fall into darkness.
---
I awake some time later to find myself in a room with a roaring fire. I'm warm? I haven't been warm in who knows how long. Sitting up from the padded bed I lay in, I look around, soon spotting an old man in a rocking chair smoking a pipe. I rub my sleep-heavy eyes and try to stand--but I am soon pushed back down by...what's this? The ceiling? That short? Rubbing my now sore head, I hear the man chuckling. "Clearly you have never been in Hobbiton, lass." He speaks. His voice is smooth, and it reminds me of the small fountain my mother had in her garden with the water trickling over the stones in a soothing tone. I groan and manage to get out,"Who are you?"
He chuckles yet again and I hear him say,"Gerald Bracegirdle."
"I...I'm Keri." I say, but am interrupted by my grumbling stomach. When did I last eat? I think, squinting in the pain my stomach has now decided to put me into, I ate last when I last saw...my father.
I try to say something, but soon forget, and Gerald speaks before I do. "I'll get you some food. The chicken should be ready just about now." He scurries out of the room and when he does I notice he has hairy feet.
---
Gerald soon returns with a huge hardy smile on his face and he says quickly, trembling with excitement,"Come! You must try the food." The fragrance of roasted chicken floats out to me as I stand, this time careful not to hit my head, and follow Gerald all hunched over. As I am following him, I notice how short he is. Where in Middle-Earth am I? He mentioned something about Hobbiton...whatever that is. I shall have to question him about it later.
He leads me into an even smaller room that has a table covered with food. My mouth waters at the sight of food, but this food - it looks like something out of a painting. Gerald takes my hand, seeing as I stopped when I caught sight of the food, and leads me over to a chair and I sit down. Amazingly, I fit in it. I didn't expect to, but I did. Gerald brings me a tray full of neatly sliced hot chicken, some cheese, some vegetables, and some broiled potatoes, and some hot stew that's so good I don't know how to explain it. I dig in without hesitating, and it almost hurts to be eating food this good after so long.
After a minute of me eating, I realize the food that was on my tray is now gone. I look up and see Gerald with that jolly smile on his round face again and I manage to say,"Can I have more?" He chuckles heartily and takes my tray, filling it with food again. This time when I eat, Gerald also eats.