Chapter Two
The sun was setting now. The sky had turned a beautiful shade of light orange. Andie stared up at the sky for a moment.
'When had the sky ever been so clear?' She thought.
It was almost as if it was her first time watching the sunset. She lost herself in the sky and took in a deep breathe. Her phone began ringing, alerting her that it was 7 pm. She pulls out her phone and turns off the alarm. She was supposed to have completed an assignment for her boss by 7 pm today. He was not going to be happy with her. She checks the percentage on her phone's battery life and it reads 50%. She takes out her solar power bank and plugs it into her phone.
'I am so glad I decided to buy you.'
'Nope. Still no one in sight.' She thinks sadly as she looks around. She sits on the ground and looks to her phone again.
No signal.
'I cant even call for help.' She sighs.
She is silent as she sits on the ground. There was a storm brewing in her heart and a battle being fought in her mind. Her shoulders slumped and her head hung low. She didn't want to cry but, her thoughts were many and they were racing.
'Where am I? What am I going to do? It's getting dark and I'm alone. I can't do this. Is this it for me? What am I going to do?… What am i going to do?!'
The repetitious thoughts were like a sharp blade on her heart. Each time she thought 'I am alone. I can't do this. This is it' was another sharp stab. Her chest tighten and she closed her eyes tight. Her surroundings long forgotten. It hurt. It hurt so badly. She couldn't breathe. The panic within causing her to sweat. Her hand grasps at her chest, trying to stay the pain. she couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears fell freely from her eyes. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed.
She had been walking for 4 hours and there was no one in sight. Her legs ached. Converse Sneakers had always been a favorite choice of footwear for Andie but, they didn't help the pain her feet were feeling at the moment. She was sure to have blisters. She did take short breaks here and there but, it did little help. She wasn't used to walking like this and her body paid the price. The stress of the day may have proved to be too much for her. She felt vulnerable in both mind and body.
"Stop…i need to ground myself…"
Andie opens her eyes and slowly looks around her surroundings.
"Five things… five things i can see…." she continues to look around and begins to list them. "Clouds.. sun… my shoes.. a bird… the ground"
She takes in a slow deep breathe and forces it out slowly. "Four things I can touch."
Pushing back negative thoughts and trying her hardest to remain focus at her self given task she begins to list things once more.
"Grass" she says as she runs her hand just above the blades of grass. She focuses on the tickling sensation that slide down her palm.
"My Heart" she continues on. Her hand moves from the grass to rest on her chest. Her heartbeat thumped steadily against her chest and reverberated into her hand.
"My Hat." Andie removed her hat and enjoyed the slight breeze that brushed lightly against her face. She took her hair out of the ponytail she had it tied back in and ran her fingers through her dark brown hair. "My Hair."
She was starting to feel a bit better. This coping technique was helping. "Three things I can hear…" she listened carefully.
"The wind… my voice…" right then her stomach decided it would be the perfect moment to make itself known. A loud rumbling erupted, forcing her to acknowledge her hunger. She would eat after she was done with this exercise. Focus Andie! Focus!
"My stomach." She said laughing slightly.
"Two things I can smell… my sweat." She said while scrunching her nose. She reaches into her backpack again and looks for the items Tom Bombadil had given her.
"The clean air." She says while holding up one of the apples. Her stomach rumbles once more. Her mouth waters as she rubbed the apple on her shirt. "One thing I can taste."
She bit into the apple with the most satisfying crunch. "This apple." She had finally calmed down. Her shoulders had straighten out and her face had dried a bit. She used her other hand to wipe the remainder of her face clean. Taking another bite, she solely focused on the apple. She needed this moment. A moment where her mind was blank and the only thoughts she had was of that apple. She thought about eating the second one. Tom did say that the journey to Bree would only be a day in a half away. She emptied out her bag and checked what snacks she had, if she had any. Andie always had snacks on her. It was because when she worked she would hardly take breaks. Having a snack ready and near by meant she could get back on task quick. Many of her co-workers made fun of her because of that. But, she didn't care. Andie was a goal-oriented person and she wasn't going to slack on her dreams.
She laid out her belongings. Small hairbrush, make up bag, notebook, pens, wallet, keys, a banana, 3 granola bars, asthma pump, pain pills, allergy medication and a large reusable water bottle. Then there was her phone and her solar powered power bank. She decided to eat her banana and save the apple for tomorrow. When she was done packing her things away, she then ate her banana and left the peel and the apple pit to the side. She sat up straight, determined to give herself a pep talk.
"Ok Andie. You're tired and worried. I know you're afraid but, you got this! You cried and that's fine. It was good. Now everything you was feeling is out." She said in her most strictest and determined voice.
"I am going to walk just a little longer. I will walk until I cant. Then I will look for Tom's star. One thing at time…I'll just take one thing at a time."
Pushing herself off of the ground Andie summons all the strength she has left. she puts on her backpack and fought the urge to look at her phone again.
'It needs to charge. I will need it at night.'
She winced as she took one step. She thought about walking barefoot but, wasn't sure if it would make things worse.
'Ignore it. You'll be fine'
She continued to walk straight as Tom told her. She wondered for a second if it was wise to put her faith in a stranger's words but, pushed that aside. She pushed on forwards all the while telling herself over and over "I got this."
The sun was gone and in it's place the moon shined brightly. Hues of orange, yellow and blue were replaced by shades of indigo. Brilliant glittering stars painted the sky and Andie was mesmerized. She stood in place with her head tilted upwards. Her arms rested by her sides and she was silent. Andie's eyes slowly moved over the beautifully painted masterpiece that was the night sky. The aches and pains her body felt were long forgotten. She lived in the city where there was pollution and thousands of lights. Never had she seen the night sky this clear, this vibrant. She was afraid that when night came she would be covered in darkness and wouldn't be able to even see hand in front of her face. But, she was wrong.
The moon was a sight to behold. It was gleaming proudly for all to see. It lit up her surroundings just enough so she wasn't completely blind. A cool breeze passes by and she shivers. Andie unties her hoodie from around her waist and puts it on. She pulls the hood over her head and decides it was time "set camp". Though she didn't have any camp equipment and it would only consist of her sitting on the ground and attempting to get some sleep.
She had walked for what felt about two hours. She checked her phone for the time. Moving to sit down on the ground Andie was reminded of her sore feet. She would have liked to walk a bit more but her feet were cramping and she couldn't bear another step. She sighs contently as she removes one sneaker and then the next.
'I could really use a hot bath right now' she though wishfully as she took off her socks and inspected her feet. Wiggling her toes and rubbing the soles of her feet.
"Great. I have a blister." She said touching the swollen bump.
"Just what I needed." Andie checks her other foot and finds that theres no other.
"At least it's just one." She says gratefully.
Picking up her phone she looks at her battery life and is pleased to see it at 100%. She turns on the flashlight and holds her arm extended out before her. The light was dull. She pull up the settings and brought up the brightness. Now it illuminated her surroundings much more. She placed her phone face down on the ground so that it would act as a makeshift fire.
'I shouldn't leave it on all night…the battery will drain fast…' she then wonders, 'would it attract animals? Or would i be safer leaving it on?'
Andie began to feel nervous again. She didn't dare stare too long out into the darkness, her eyes would trick her and she would see things. To say Andie did not like the darkness was an understatement. Her heart would race at night and she would be frozen in bed whenever she would wake from sleep and her lamp had gone out. She was still afraid of the dark but over the years she had learned to cope. She learn to find comfort in small things, like her phone's flashlight. She still felt uneasy and her heart was still beating faster than normal but, she forced herself to focus on other things. She busied herself by looking at Tom's map.
Her fingers traced over different locations until she found a clump of tree drawings that Tom had circled. She then noticed that Tom had been so kind to mark the way for her. Her fingers then moved across the line he had drawn for her. The line went through triangles and upwards to end at a dot. There was writing above the dot in a language she couldn't read. It was the same for the trees Tom circled. She had to assume the words written above the trees mean Old Forest and the words above the dot meant Bree. Her eyes then looked to the triangles.
'This has to be hills…what did Tom call them?' She tries to recall the name but her memory fails her. She remembers what Tom had said about the night.
"Creatures roaming the shadows…what does that even mean.." she whispers to herself.
Her mind tries to make sense of the words and it does more harm than good. She begins to imagine wolves and coyotes. Then her mind imagines something darker and far more heinous, El Cuco. The monster her family would tell her about as a child to scare her into behaving. She remembered them saying how he lived in the dark and would take children who didn't listen. She was terrified of El Cuco and he was one of the main reasons why she was afraid of the dark.
"No! No! That's not real and I'm a adult. He doesn't exist! Stop it!" She scolds herself while hitting her head with her hand.
"Don't think of stupid things."
She turned the map over to look at the back. There she saw Tom's stars. She looked up to the sky and searched for ones that matched. After a few minutes of scrutiny and double checking Andie found it. The star was vibrant and out shined it's sisters as Tom had called them. Tom's star, which was what she has come to name it, was to her left.
"It will set my path straight.."
Her eyes then moved over her own handwriting. Tom's song. It was strange and she didn't understand why he would think it important for her to write down. What could singing a song possible do to help her? She read each word quietly in her head.
'If I face peril…who talks like that?' She thinks.
Andie pondered back to her previous thoughts, wolves and coyotes. It made her anxious. She rolled up the map and placed it inside her backpack. She grabbed her socks and shoes and gingerly put them on while being mindful of her blister. Andie then pulled out her water bottle and took 2 large gulps.
"I should save the rest. It might be hot in the morning.."
She placed the bottle back in her pack. Andie looked around and regretted it instantly. Her thoughts went back to Tom's words… "creatures roaming in the shadows." Her heart thumped faster and louder. Her chest tighten and her eyes narrowed. She was on edge and there was no doubt that the slightest sound would make her bolt. She put on her backpack and sighed in defeat. She wouldn't be sleeping tonight that was for sure.
"Creatures…" she whispers and she picked up her phone. What did that mean? What had Tom meant? Why couldn't he speak like a normal person?! Now her mind was imagining all sorts of things! She stared at the light emitted from her phone and thought about how it reminded her of the many horror games she had played. Then she thought of El Cuco again.
"Ugh! Please don't let this be like that" she said silently hugging her knees close to her body and leaning her chin on her knees.
SHRIEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!
A horrible sound filled the air and rang loudly in Andie's ears. She screamed in fear and jumped to her feet. Her body shook and she could hear her heart in her ears. She held out her phone with a shaking hand and moved it in every direction while she looked for the source. She couldn't speak, she couldn't move. She was utterly afraid.
'What the hell was that? Was that normal? Is it a animal?' Her mind raced.
Grrrrooowwwl
This time the sound was low and rumbled. Whatever this was Andie knew it was not friendly.
'I have to run.' She reasoned.
But she didn't dare. Not without knowing where whatever this thing was. Still she searched with a shaking hand. She looked left and then right. She turned behind her and then back to her front. Nothing. She saw nothing.
"Please go away. Please go away. Please go away." She pleaded with tears blinding her vision.
She blinked hard and tears fell. Where was it? Did it leave? Then she saw it. Two ghostly orbs of white. It was reflective like a Canine's eyes but, empty. It was like looking into a luminous void and it filled her entire being with dread. She gasped.
"What the F— is that?!"
The eyes were low to the ground. A animal? But what animal would make that sound? None that she was familiar with. She held her light on its form. It was too far for her to see it clearly but, she watched it nonetheless. It growled at her again. She just stood there, frozen. Her eyes grew wide in disbelief and horror as she watched as the ghostly orbs slowly rose up off the ground revealing a humanoid form. It was tall and skeletal. It seemed to be wearing tattered robes and was the darkest color of shadow. This creature stood hunched with legs slightly crouching. Even with it not standing to it's fullest height it was tall. It was malicious. It was horrible.
"HE'S REAL?!"
The creature growled louder at her. It attempted to lunge at her but, shrieked and recoiled away quickly. 'The Light! It hates the light!' she steadied her hand with the other and kept it locked on the monster.
"GO AWAY!" She yelled at it. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
The creature hisses at her in response. It swiftly slithers to the left of her and she moves her phone in it's direction barely being able to keep up with its speed. Another growl.
"LEAVE ME!"
Both of her hands were shaking now. 'I can do this. I can do this.' It moves right, then left, then left again. It was fast. It was relentless. Her chest was on fire and she was wheezing. She was having a full blown panic attack. There was tightness in her chest and it was difficult to breathe. Her hands stayed up and held tightly onto her only weapon and source of hope, her light.
It was angry.
Furious
Clawing, Screaming, Gnashing
The monster's speed increased ever so slightly as time went on…or was it that Andie was losing strength. Her arms ached from holding them tensed and locked in a straight position for so long. That didn't matter. She refused to give up. This creature moved in every direction surrounding her leaving no room for escape. She couldn't run even if she had the opportunity. It was too quick. It would catch her. No. She had to remain steadfast. 'I can do this. I can do this.'
She turn quickly to her left and aimed the phone at the monster…
THUD
Her phone fell on the ground, it had slipped…it betrayed her.
"Shhhi—" she yelled and quickly bent down to recover it. She fumbled and cursed at her shaking fingers. It all happened too fast. With her phone now back in her trembling hands facing upwards to the sky and the light illuminating the space just around her person from the height of her chest she saw it clearly. This creature. This monster…it was most assuredly a monster. If she didn't know better, she would say it was El Cuco. But, she didn't know any better. To Andie that is precisely who and what this was… El Cuco. It was an arms length away from her now and it stood tall before her. To Andie it seemed just a hair's breath away. What was this thing?! A creature of the night. It looked like death. It was cold and dreadful. It loomed over her and those eyes would haunt her forever.
A/N: Hey everyone! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who joined me on Andie's adventure. :) This chapter is slightly shorter then the first but, i couldn't resist that cliff hanger. I would love to know what you all think and i truly appreciate every review.
Thank you Undertheink, Shylowdeath, and eeemkaaayy for the reviews! Your feedback has helped me greatly. Thank you to all new followers and for the favorites!
A big Shoutout to Undertheink and Shylowdeath! If you are looking for a excellent read involving Thorin/OC, I highly recommend both Undertheink's story Over The Threshold and Into The Wind And Shylowdeath's story My Undecided Title.
I truly hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am going to try writing a few chapters in advance so I can better plan and anticipate the direction of the story and lessen the amount of edits i would need to make. I got so excited to post the next chapter I couldn't wait. :D
-DreamingGalaxies
Disclaimer:
Everything belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien except my OCs and the unrecognizable parts of the plot.