Any One of Us
I stare in horror at the body trapped beneath the ice, unable to tear myself away.
I dare to take a step nearer, and I can see her pale slender body wedged beneath two sheets of ice, her bright sunny hair splayed out, glistening, under a sunless sky.
She has never looked so beautiful.
The air is silent and still, as if in mourning for her, its respectful silence broken only by Idril's choked sobs as she clings to her father.
She is the lucky one, he was able to rescue her from beneath the ice.
But Elenwe was trapped beyond hope, and Turgon was forced to watch her suffocate helplessly, separated by a sheet of cruelly frozen water.
I saw it as well, and I think I never shall be able to forget it.
I clutch my own wife to me at the horrible realization that that could have been any one of us, that they just happened to be the unlucky ones.
My own wife's hair is dark, but I can just as easily imagine her trapped under there instead of Elenwe.
I bury my face in her hair, clutching her all the tighter against me.
That could have been any one of us, and there is still quite a bit of Helcaraxe left to go.
For those of you wondering, our poor observer(let's call him Bob the Noldo)and his wife both make it. Because I'm nice. *cackles evilly*
REVIEWS?! PLEASE?! Oh my reviewers...where have you gone...*sobs*
Have a truly epic day!