The Lord of the Rings and it's characters were created by the genius J.R.R. Tolkien.
Chapter 7: I'm Not Going Home Any Time Soon
Gandalf looked at me with his crystal blue eyes and smiled.
"It seems that you need a bit help in getting home." He said smoking his pipe. Waves of smoke swirled up to the ceiling and danced in the air. Home... I thought as memories of my dreams came forward into my mind. Then my eyes widened and my breath became shallow. Before I knew it my legs got up and ran out the front door leaving two confused old men at the dining table. As soon as I was a couple of steps out the door I stopped and looked at was in front of me. There were trees and moss and small animals everywhere except for the few exceptionally large rabbits. All of it was harmless physically, but mentally...the unfamiliar hurt me. Everything I dreamed last night went through my mind like catchy tune you could not forget. The trees, the rocks, the animals and my memories were there as if it was normal. But it wasn't normal. Not my kind of normal. I looked around hopeless. My home wasn't lost. My home wasn't gone. I was lost. I was gone. I look down at my feet wanting to lay down in my own bed. My chin covered Sparkle's silky blonde head while I held her close. I felt tears fall soundless down my face.I've never felt so fragile. Gandalf's presence here reveals that my dream was ture.I was stuck here. I scrunched my eyebrows together as I remembered my dream. Henry said that this was for my own good...But-
"This is your first time from home." I heard a voice say behind me. I knew all to well that voice. Gandalf... I kept my head faced in the same direction and took short nods to answer him. I'm not really keen to letting my feeling show in front of people so his presence allowed me calm down. My body slowly followed as I turned my head to face him. Then I sucked in a breath.
"I am lost." I said. Gandalf looked at me softly.
"Well let us get inside and see if I could aid you in getting back." He said. I just nodded and walked back into the house. I secretly marveled at Gandalf Greyhame as we headed back to the table. I wanted to smile but even if I had it would've been unnoticeable. I saw Radagast smoking while waiting for us to come back. I went around the table and sat back in my seat with Sparkle in my lap. When I looked at Radagast I wondered if he was a wizard as well. He did do that thing with the smoke. I opened my mouth but nothing came. I shifted my shoulders at the awkward atmosphere and looked down at the table. Then after a while I was able to find my voice again.
"Can you really help find my way back home?" I asked afraid of the answer. Can what Hengry did to me be reversed? I know he wants to help me but...Why send me to Middle Earth! This makes no sense!
"Prehaps...where is it that you come from?" Gandalf asked. I took a deep breath and thought for a few seconds. I cannot give him all of the details. They will think i'm out of my mind. My whole situation is bizarre. What got me here was the help of a supernatural compassionate spirit with the power of other worldly knowledge. Wizard or no wizard a human girl with no ties to magic from another world is just down unbelievable. I'm not going to lie I just can't tell them everything.
"I am from the country of the United States of America, I live in the state of Florida, in the city of Tallahassee. " I said in monotone. Gandalf had a slight scowl on his face and looked thoughtful. I let go a breath that I didn't even know I held. I knew that I was stuck here. Henry said that only a few of the living in all of history knew of the gateway to Middle Earth. Am I classified as one of those few? And could J.R.R. Tolkien have been in the same situation as me? If he was, was I also in back in time as well? I looked at the confused faces of Gandalf and Radagast. The answer was yes. Yes I was.
"Hm...I've never heard of any of those places. And I have traveled through all corners of Middle Earth. Are you sure these are the places you call home." He asked. I had a solemn look on my face. It's going to be okay I told myself. You're going to be alright, I thought as rubbed Sparkle's head. Then I looked up at Gandalf.
"I am sure." I said nodding. Gandalf nodded to me and looked deep in thought. Radagast looked lost. I should explain more.
"I know that I am as far away from home as anyone can be far from their home." I said getting a side glance from Gandalf.
"And how did this come about?" He asked me. I looked up at the ceiling knowing I had to be as obscure as possible.
"For reasons beyond my control." I said.
"There are many things beyond any of our control." He said making a point.
"Can you be more specific?" Radagast asked. I'll see what I can do I thought.
"Where I come from there is a saying." When I said this they both looked at me curiously. "No good deed goes unpunished. And now for the first time I know the meaning of these words. I know I won't be able to get home for a long time. I don't know what to do." I lone tear slide down my cheek and I quickly wiped it with my sleeve and pressed my hand firmly against my sat in silence for a while. The smoke coming from their pipes made more noise then we did. I became ansty until Radagast cleared his throat.
"She cannot stay here in the forest. It is no place for a young women." He said to Gandalf. That was completely understandable. A week surrounded by all these trees and I might go insane. Gandalf nodded in thought as he smoked. After about two more puffs he turned his face away from the pipe to me.
"The kingdoms of men are much to dangerous for and far away for you to travel alone. I shall take you with me. Where i'm going may be a smaller place then most. But i'm sure that there will be some room for you." he said then started smoking again. Small place then most?..is he talking about the shire? Well I remember that Gandalf liked to visit that place. I'm going to the shire with him then! Even feeling homesick, I have to admit that knowing that i'm going to the shire excites me. I looked at Gandalf with interest and he looked at me as well.
"Don't worry it will only be a weeks journey." He said. A week! I haven't taken a bath since yesterday morning! I became a tad doubtful about this journey and ducted my head. Then Radagast sat bowl in front of me on the table. I looked at him in question.
"You have a journey a head of you and i'm sure you're not use to traveling. You should eat up before leaving." he said then walked back to his seat. I looked down at the bowl. It was full of berries and nuts.
"What about Sparkle?" I asked him. Radagast looked at Sparkle.
"Oh yes, your animal compaion." he said as he got up and walked back to the counter. It looked like he was putting a few things in a small dish. Not to long after he came back and sat the dish on the floor.
"There you are Sparkle,some nice chum."He said then he went and took his seat again. He's really a nice guy I thought to myself.
"Thankyou." I said. As I sat Sparkle on the floor I looked out for any of Radagast's small house guest. When I saw that there were none I put her on the floor. At first she was hesitant but then after sniffing it she did she start to eat it. She ate it really fast. Was it that good? I asked myself. I then looked down at my own meal. It's not what i'm used to but it'll have to do. As I ate the food I realized that it was quite berries were so juicy and sweet. I really liked how the nuts tasted as well. Not too dry and were the kind that I had eaten all the time as a kid. I used to collect them in a bucket with my dad and then we would eat them together. As I ate I heard the conversation that Radagast was having with Gandalf.
"Thankyou for delivering the weed to me Gandalf."Radagast said. I smiled to myself. Oh yea...Weed is perfectly legal here.
"You're welcome my friend."Gandalf ... Technically Gandalf's dealing weed. I smiled to myself again as I finished eating. I picked up Sparkle's bowl and put it on mine. I looked up at Radagast and was about to ask what to do with them but before I could he said to leave them. I nodded and picked up Sparkle. A couple of seconds after I sat her on my lap I felt something rub against my leg. I froze then looked straight down. There was a hedgehog laying on my foot. I quickly snatched my foot from under the hedgehog leaving it laying on its back. It looked up at me in question while I pulled my legs into the seat. Feeling embarrassed from being afraid of the tiny animal I avoided Gandalf's and Radagast's eyes and looked out the hole in a the window above the counter. Prehaps it's time to stretch my legs, I thought looking back at Sparkle. She was standing on my knees moving her legs repeatedly, so she was ready to go for a walk also. I grabbed her and put my legs down on the side that didn't have any hedgehogs. Radagast and Gandalf looked at me.
"I'm going outside for a couple of minutes to walk Sparkle." I said to them.
"Just don't wonder off to far. You don't know what could show up to greet you, and it may not be a pleasant." Radagast said looking me in the eye. I nodded thinking how now I was just going to stay in the view of the house.
"I'm going to stay very close."I said to him. Radagast nodded and stated conversing with Gandalf again. Outside I noticed a lot of animals still around the house so I went to higher ground. On the hill I looked around me making sure that there weren't any small surprises around then I put Sparkle on the ground. She started to sniff around as I sat down on a large rock watching her go around the bright green plants. Breathing in deeply I noticed that te air smelled nice here...but dusty. Most likely because of all of the dirt. I looked around at the moss-covered trees and their high tree tops. Everything looked like a big painting of a forest. So real and yet to someone like me who isn't used to the sight it surreal at the same time. Sitting there alone thinking my thoughts turned to a more sadder subject. I wondered would I ever see my family again. I wished I could hug my mom and my sister right now. I sighed. How is being here going to teach me anyanything? I thought sadly. After about ten minutes Sparkle had gotten tired and laid down in the grass. I guess it's time to go back. I walked over to her and bent down to get her. The grass tickled my hand when I grabbed her. Then I headed back down the small hill to the house. It was just as I had left it. When I opened the wooden door I saw that Gandalf and Radagast were standing . Gandalf looked away from Radagast over to me and then smiled.
"We're about to head off Jessica." He said. Nervousness swelled in my stomach. I nodded to him.
"Okay, I have to get my book bag first." I said then went off to get it from the back room. I opened the wooden door, and saw that my bag was still laying on the bed. When I took it off I recalled my dream again and blew out a frustrated breath. I hoped things will be alright. I ajusted Sparkle in my arms after putting on my book bag. Then I turned around and went out of the room and down the hallway back to Gandalf and Radagast.
"I guess this is goodbye my friend. I hope that you'll be able to find your way home." Radagast said smiling slightly. I smiled at him and nodded.
"Thankyou for helping me. I was very lucky to have been found by you Radagast." I said honestly.
"You're very welcome my dear." He said with a smile and Gandalf coughed.
"Well then if all goodbyes are in order, we should be going." He said. I nodded and stepped closer beside indicating that I was ready. He gave me a nod then headed out the door and onto the path that Radagast and I had walked from yesterday. As we walked I observed the back of Gandalf's clothen. It was thick and very comfortable looking. After I was down I took in the forest more as we pasted the trees and plants. As we walked up the hill I turned back towards the house and waved when I saw Radagast looking up from talking with the animals.
"Goodbye, and thankyou again!" I called over my shoulder. Radagast smiled and gave me a nod. Gandalf and walked a while before we came back to the cleft I cried at yesterday. I frowned at the thought. I saw a cart hooked to a horse. Good so we won't be walking. As Gandalf neared the cart I turned and looked out at the all the trees beyond the cleft and swallowed hard and rubbed Sparkle on the head. I turned back to Gandalf and went over to him. I realized that I remembed that Gandalf rode to the shire in a cart like this one. Or was it the same cart? I saw Gandalf sit on the seat then I sat Sparkle on seat before getting on myself. When I sat down myself I looked at the horse and thought that it was kind of exciting to take a horse pulled cart ride. I never done this before.
As we began riding Gandalf spoke to me.
"I always find that talking makes the time go faster. Mm?" I nodded." Now tell me, do you know any good stories Jessica?" He asked glancing at me as we rode.
"Yes I know a lot of good stories." I told him.
"Why don't you tell me about one." He said. The green forest passed us by,mossy tree after mossy tree. The air was cool and fresh which created a nice feeling on my skin.
"Okay... do you know the story of Thor?" I asked him.
"No, I don't believe I do." He said. I nodded.
"Okay, Thor it is." I said before I began telling the story. I was a big fan of Thor of course and being artistic I was very descriptive of the movies I told him how much of a fierce warrior Thor was and for his lack of understanding and compassion he was cast out by his father. And I told him about Loki and how he felt when he realized that he was not only adopted but also a frost giant. I expressed my sympathy for that and the dislike what he did because of that.
"You seem to know this story as if you had experienced first hand. Were you acquainted with this Thor?" Gandalf asked me at the end of the story. He was a polite listener.
"No... but I like to be very descriptive. To bring the story more to life." I said and je smiled.
"You know I don't know many that speak as you do. " He said. Is that a bad thing or a good thing? I wondered to myself rubbing Sparkle's head. Sometime during the story she had started to shiver so I bundled her up in my light jacket. "I rather enjoy it." He said.
"Thankyou." I said with a slight smile. Time did go faster as I told Gandalf the stories that he never heard of before. We even dicussed them as well. Of course at one point Gandalf asked himself why hasn't he heard of any stories of this kind. I just said it probably had to do with me coming from so far away. Which he grunted to. It was very tiring to my bum to keep sitting for such a long time. Gandalf must have noticed my discomfort because he said that I could lay down in the back if I wanted to. Which I did. It wasn't nearly as dirty as Radagast's bed. But it did have some clutter. I saw a small stack of hay and...very colorful iteams. "Um...Gandalf whats this stuff in the back." I asked him leaning my arms over the cart where Gandalf was. Usually I would be very hesitant when I asked people about their business, but this was after three days of traveling with him. So i've grown quite use to him.
"Those are fire works. We're going to need them where we're going." He said.
"Hmm." I said then leaned back in the cart. Sparkle who been trying to steady herself came over hurriedly to me and climbed onto my lap. Whenever we stopped to rest or eat I made sure to stretch my legs as much as possible. I kept having to use my tissues over and over. Yuck. At least Gandalf was fun to listen to. He would give me a riddles here and there. Of course I would never get them, i'm terrible at riddles. Gandalf also told me about some of his friends and the funny situations they've been in. I found myself coping better as time pasted .I think it's because I allowed myself to put myself in the things Gandalf and I did to pass the time. There were even a few genuine laughs. Those were the things that my heart needed at a time like this.
Ohmigoodness! That took such a long time! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter I worked really hard on it. Please review and tell me what you think! If you do Gandalf will give you free fire works if you do!