Chapter 20
Naptime With Tolkien
I followed Bobby's directions and found the guest room without a problem. I left the door cracked and sprawled myself out on the king sized bed. I wanted to cover my head and forget everything that had happened in the last twelve hours. I knew I couldn't run away from it. I sat up on the bed and stared at my hands again. I still hadn't been able to come to terms with the facts that I had killed someone, and I didn't feel like trying right now.
I looked around the room. There were two alcoves with windows overlooking the backyard. The bed was between them. There was a closet and a dresser, some picture frames on the otherwise naked walls, and a shelving unit filled with all sorts of books.
I walked over to the shelves, nearly tripping over a cat that was sleeping next to the bed. I swore quietly and began to search through the books.
I finally found what I was looking for- The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien. I carefully pulled it out from its place between The Hobbit and The Two Towers, stepped over the cat, and sat back down on the bed.
I let the familiar words wash over me in a cathartic wave. It had been one of my favorite books, ever since I was ten. I used it to escape from Frank, and lose myself in a world of hobbits and elves.
I propped myself up on my elbows and allowed myself to once more be consumed by Tolkien's imagination.
I could feel my eyes drifting shut, and before I knew it, I was dreaming of Fangorn Forest and Rohan.