Gandalf? No. way.
My jaw dropped as the man in gray look back at me. It was him. It was Gandalf and more specifically it was Ian McKdellen dressed as Gandalf.
"Honto?" I whispered in awe.
"My dear. Why are you following me?"
He spoke! To me! He spoke to me! Ian McKellen is dressed as Gandalf as spoke to me!
I looked around wondering where the cameras were, where the crew was. But I didn't see anyone. Or anything for that matter. No cameras, no people, no sign of any kind of modern technology. I looked back at him. His face curious and gave no hint that this was a joke.
I looked down as I tried to process this new information, when it hit me. I'm in the Middle Earth…Or at least I'm dreaming. Why I don't know whether to be elated or to be scared out of my wits.
"Why the hell am I in middle earth?" I said to myself.
"I beg your pardon?" The older man's voice broke me of my thoughts.
Oops, forgot he was here.
I open my mouth to speak but find no words. Gandalf turns to fully face me with a look of curiosity in his eyes.
"I um…I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it…I just. Well I'm kind of…lost? I wasn't sure when I would see another person or if you were dangerous…"
Raising a brow, he straightened and walked towards me. The closer he got, the more I realized, he was tall. Very Tall. I slowly looked him up and down as he stood directly in front of me.
"Ohmygod! I'm SHORT!" I realized.
"Yes I can see that." He chuckled as I quickly looked up at him. "Did you not realize this before?"
Once again I gaped at him. I rubbed face with my hands.
"NO! I mean…no. I mean…I've always been short. But I mean 5 foot 2 inches isn't that short -"
"My girl,-" Gandalf chuckled. "- I am sorry to inform you that who ever told you that you are 5 feet has sadly led you astray. I would say you stand no taller than 3 feet possibly less."
My brows furrowed. I wanted to cry. I was short. No. I was tiny short.
Why? Why of all the places where people were on average shorter than me, did I have to shrink?
I chewed on my lower lip as my shoulders slump. I didn't care if the Gandalf, from the movie, was staring or not.
"Is something the matter?" I looked up. The look of amusement replaced with concern. I sighed and shook my head.
"Where were you heading before you lost your way?"
I looked up at him confused.
"I wasn't heading anywhere. I was laying by a river and next thing I know I'm waking up somewhere over there?" My arm flailed over in the direction i had come from. Gandalf glanced at the direction I pointed and once again cocked an eye brow.
"Where are you from little one?"
I glared Ha. Ha. "Little one" thats funny. Letting out a breath, I tried to burry my irritation.
"I'm from San Diego."
He said nothing. Just stared at my blankly. I puffed my cheeks. I remembered that this wasn't my world and people from here had absolutely no idea what the United States was, let alone San Diego.
"Um…It's not anywhere near here." I told him. Gandalf nodded slowly.
"I would think not. Your accent I do not recognize and your clothes are none that I have ever come across before. While you are the size of a hobbit, you are too thin and have too small of feet to be one."
I laughed at his comment. At home, I was always judged for being not thin enough. I know I'm not skinny but I wasn't fat either. So while I hated being the size of a hobbit, I was flattered that Gandalf suggested I was skinny. Guess that's one up side
"Well I am on a schedule -" His talking brought me back to the present and I looked up at him as he started walking away. "-and I am already late as it is so I must be going."
"Oh right." I waved good-bye before letting my arm drop. I didn't understand why I felt sad to see him leave. Remember May. It's just a dream. Not like he'd be around when I woke up anyways.
"Hurry up! I wouldn't want you getting lost again." I perked up at his voice in the distance. With a moment of hesitation, I took a deep breath and I jogged up to the old wizard.
It was amazing how much of a pain it was to try to keep up with the wizard with my short legs. The pain in my legs burning more from earlier today. Gandalf seemed to notice because he slowed down a bit. I couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief, though the burning in my legs was both worrying and confusing. If this is a dream. Why isn't the pain going away?
"So tell me. What is your name my dear?"
I'm May." I said with a small smile and bow of my head.
"I am Gandalf the Gray." He replied with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Gandalf. Just curious...where are we going?"
"We are going to the Shire."
I slowly nodded. Well that wasn't helpful at all. Pretty much just narrowed down where I was. But was he heading there to see Frodo or Bilbo? Was this strictly the movie universe or the book universe? Ok it has to be the movie verse because its Ian McKellen…But then again….I always pictured him as Gandalf when I read the books…
Lost in my own train of thoughts I hadn't really paid any attention to the road. How I had managed to successfully follow Gandalf was a mystery, yet it didn't matter when I bumped into him. Giving an apologetic smile, I looked around him to see why he stopped. A gasp escaped my lips. The pond, the bridge, the flowers. Everything just like in the movie. I walked around the wizard just to the edge of the road where the tall grass grows. I could feel a smile spread across my face.
"It's beautiful."
A chuckle from the wizard and I realized I had said that out loud.
"It is in deed. Welcome to the Shire, Ms. May. Now, come along dear." He said with a smile as he lead me down the road.
I couldn't believe my eyes. Hobbits. Women and men talking, laughing, working. Hobbit children ran and chased each other. I almost laughed, I was in such shock. This was more beautiful and amazing than the movie or book. Turning my attention back to the road, I found myself being led to a familiar Hobbit hole with an emerald green door and a brown wooden fence that separated the trail from a mousey brown haired hobbit, sitting contently on his bench, smoking a pipe. My heart thumped in my chest. Dream or not, excitement swelled inside me.
Walking up to Bilbo, Gandalf blew a ring of smoke. And just as in the movie, the smoke turned into a butterfly that flew delicately onto Bilbo's nose before blowing away. Hiding just behind Gandalf, I looked on as Martin Freeman dressed as Bilbo look up at the giant of a wizard. Looking around awkwardly, he cast a quick glance back at the wizard. His eyes squinted with suspicion and confusion.
"Good Morning." I couldn't help but smile.
"What do you mean?" He said. "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not?"
Bilbo gapped at the Wizard. "Or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
Bilbo hesitated and I had to bite my lip from laughing. "All of them at once I suppose." He replied. No smile graced his lips. Doing a double take at Gandalf, the hobbit made move to leave but seemed to reconsider as he turned in his seat again. "Can I help you?"
"It remains to be seen." The wizard said taking a moment to study to the hobbit before him. "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."
I laughed to myself as Bilbo's mouth dropped once again.
"Adventure?...Now I don't imagine anyone, west of Bree, would have interest in adventures." With that Bilbo stood and walked to the mail box. "Nasty uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner."
Watching him search through his mail, I no longer cared that I was dreaming of "The Hobbit". I knew the first movie by heart and seeing it play out before me made my fill with glee. Holding onto my jacket, I began to chew on the edge of my collar.
"Oh! hm. Good Morning!" With a quick smoke, Bilbo rushed up the stairs to his door.
"To think I should have lived to be good-morninged by Beladonna Took's son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!" Gandalf step forward as Bilbo looked at him in confusion.
"I beg your pardon?"
Gandalf shook his head. "You've changed Bilbo Baggins and not entirely for the better."
Bilbo paused before speaking. I'm sorry do I know you?
"I'm sorry do I know you?" I smiled victoriously. The old wizard looked at Bilbo incredulously.
"Well you know my name, though you don't remember that I belong to it. I'm Gandalf, and Gandalf means me!"
I watched Bilbo think it over for a split second before realization hit him.
"Not Gandalf the wondering wizard who made such excellent fireworks?! Old took used to have them on Midsummer's Eve." I smiled again as Bilbo chuckled and reorganized himself to look more authoritative. "I had no idea you were still in business."
The wizard's face faltered and without thinking, I laughed out loud. My eyes widened at my mistake. Putting his pipe down, the Hobbit shifted his attention down to me. Kuso!
"And who is this?" I give a small smile and bow my head as I cringed inwardly.
"This is May. She has lost her way and is in need of a place to stay."
Place to stay? I cocked a brow at the wizard who smiled down at me. With a curt nod, he continued bring his attention back to Bilbo.
"Well that is decided. It will be very good for you. Both of you, and most amusing for me. I shall in form the others."
"What?!" Bilbo and I looked shared a look before looking back at the Wizard.
"Yadda!" I shouted out.
"No! N-no wait. We do not want any adventures here! Not today. N- I suggest you try over the hill or across the water!" Bilbo paced frantically before turning to us and bowing quickly as he opened the door. "Good morning!"
Gandalf said nothing as he opened Bilbo's gate and walked up the small stairs. Carving a rune letter on the door, I cocked my head. Oh yea. I remember this. It's the mark for the dwarves. The old wizard, hurried down the stairs and closed the gate close behind him.
"I shall be back after dark. You will be safe waiting here." I tried to object as Gandalf hurried back the way we came, but nothing came out.
"Nani!? I not even supposed to be here!" It was no use. The Wizard picked up his pace and while he was within shouting distance, I didn't need that kind of attention at the moment. Letting out a sigh, I looked around. I was really at Bag End and I was really in the Hobbit.
"I'm losing my mind. I have to be."
It made no sense, why I was dreaming of Middle Earth. I knew I loved the book. It was a comfort, it had been my escape. But there were worse times than this that I needed it. Why now?
So many questions and no one to give me answers. Watching as a female hobbit walked up the trail with her young daughter. I gave a small smile and bow. She gasped and hurried her child past me. Her judging eyes looking me up and down. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong before I looked down at myself. Suddenly I felt extremely self-conscious. Slowly I wrapped my arms around my waist and looked back at green door.
The Door opened slowly as Bilbo cautiously looked around for, I assume, Gandalf.
"He's not here. He left not long ago." Bilbo straightened up and opened the door a bit wider.
"Oh. I see. And yet you're still here." I ducked my head.
"Yea…He kind of just…left…without me. So I'm sorry to bother you. He told me to stay and I have no where else to go. I just thought, maybe I could rest for a bit here until he gets back." I bit my lip again and hoped he would spare me from going out on my own. But he said nothing. Feeling more embarrassed than before I quickly backed away.
"Or not. I'm really sorry for bothering you. Good day." With that I gave a bow and turned away.
"Wait!"
Stopping in mid step, I looked back at Bilbo as he took deep breath and let it out slowly. With a small nod, he slowly stepped aside.
"Will you come in?"
I let out the breath that I wasn't aware I was holding and smiled. As I entered I remembered the beginning when the dwarves enter and quickly turn to Bilbo who jumps at my actions.
"May. At your service." I bowed at the waist and come back up with a smile.
Bilbo gives me an amused and curious look before bowing to me. "Bilbo Baggins, at yours. Although, I must say it is very unusual for a lady to say this." I blush and duck my head.
"Sorry."
Bilbo laughs and leads me to the dinning room.
"Oh no. Don't be sorry. I assume you are not from around here."
I nodded as I sat at the table. It was tall enough for me and looking at Bilbo I sighed realizing Gandalf was right. Bilbo is 3 feet tall and I'm probably an inch shorter. Nothing seems to be different from the movie. It was almost as if I was transported to the movie itself and not the world that J.R.R Tolkien created. It was all just so overwhelming. It was just supposed to be a nice weekend camping trip. How I wanted to convince myself I was still dreaming. The evidence all said otherwise.
I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Quickly I look at Bilbo Baggins who seems very concerned.
"What? What happened?" I asked slowly getting up. Bilbo shakes his head as if not believing what I just said.
"N-nothing. I asked you where you were from, but you seemed lost in thought…Is everything alright?"
"Yeah. Sorry, just lost in thought." I gave a tight smile and nodded.
Bilbo nodded and placed a tea pot over the fire. Staring into the fire I began to think again about my situation. I didn't know how long I was going to be here and had no idea how to get back home.
Maybe I died. The thought made me chuckle a bit. Maybe that's why I'm here, because I died and this is my idea of heaven? My smile faltered as at the thought. What if that's what happened? What if I'm still on that rock…dead? I shook my head and pinched the ridge of my nose. I felt sick.
"Miss May?"
I can't be dead…I can't…
"Miss May?"
Shaken out of my thoughts. I looked at Bilbo.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
I opened my mouth. It would have been easy to say "yes." But looking in the concerned filled eyes of the hobbit. I swallowed and shook my head.
"I have a spare room. Why don't you lie down for a bit?"
I slowly got up from the table and followed as he led to me down the hall to the guest room. I was truly amazed at how big his house was. The guest room was quaint. A small bed was on the right wall and a small dresser opposite of it.
Turning to Bilbo I thanked him and watched as he walked away. My lip quivered and I chocked back a sob. I dragged my feet to the small guest bed and slowly buried my face in the pillow.
Translations:
Honto? = Really?
Kuso = Shit
Yadda = No