All Shall Fade (LOTR-Wattys 2014)

All Shall Fade - Chapter 3 - Welcome to Crazy Town (LOTR)

All Shall Fade

Chapter 3

Welcome to Crazy Town

I instinctively shied away from the blade pressed against my throat as I fearfully glanced up at the tall hooded figure who threatened to end my life.

‘Holy crap it’s a sword!’ My inner monologue screamed as I pressed my back against the tree trunk I had been pinned against – I could feel the rough, bumpy bark through my hoodie. I struggled to open my stunned lips and drew in a breath of air as I prepared for what was going to be the loudest scream for help in the history of the earth. As I did so, my hand reached into my pocket and I grabbed my penknife – I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but hell, I wasn’t going down without a fight. All this happened over the course of two, maybe three impossibly long seconds, but it was enough time for me to pull out my pitiful weapon and point it at the person.

“Okay…” So much for the scream, my throat was as dry as sandpaper and I only managed to squeak out the word, “Back off.” I tried to sound confident, but right now I just wanted the earth to open up and swallow me whole. “I swear if you make one more move I’ll stab you – don’t think I haven’t stabbed anyone before – okay, so it was one time and it was an accident and it was only a butter knife but still, back off.” I babbled in one breath, realising I was getting into my old habit of rambling when I was nervous. And revealing that I’d once stabbed someone – ok, it was Toby - by accident was like shooting myself in the foot. For a millisecond, the cold, pointed steel pressed closer against the delicate skin of my neck – cutting off my air supply, before the blade was lowered. I however, did not lower my weapon. “Look,” I croaked, still trying to keep up the confident façade, “I don’t know what you want from me, but I don’t have any money, my phone is broken, and I just want to go home…” I trailed off before I could start whimpering like a helpless idiot and stared at my attacker. To, my surprise they – or rather, he - cast back his hood. ‘Wow, hottie alert!’ The hormonal side of my brain piped up inappropriately as my jaw dropped very slightly and I took in the shoulder-length dark hair, unshaven face, piercing grey eyes and unusual clothing of the stranger. I closed my mouth quickly before the ruggedly handsome (although admittedly filthy) man standing before me noticed. I didn’t even realise that I had lowered my knife until he spoke.

“Are you lost?” He asked, and I nodded wordlessly. I honestly didn’t care that he’d almost killed me, or that he looked like a crazy forest-dweller, he was my best chance of getting out of here. To my surprise, I heard another voice.

“What’s going on?” Someone asked and suddenly four people – and a scruffy little pony - stumbled out of the nearby bushes and stared at me. At first I’d thought they were children, but they appeared to be four very short men – all barefoot, curly haired and dressed somewhat like Mr Tall-Dark-and-Dirty over here, except they looked slightly smarter with adorable little waistcoats on. I had the strangest urge to hug one of them… Ugh, there goes my inner fangirl.

“Strider, who’s this?” One asked in a melt-your-knees cute accent that sounded very slightly Scottish. Ok, if anyone was getting hugged, it was him.

“Alice.” I blurted out, “Alice Lightwood.” I looked from the man to the group and back again, still a little startled by how they were dressed, and why there were five guys out alone in the middle of nowhere… Had I stumbled upon five weirdoes with a medieval fetish? “I’m lost.” I concluded quickly, feeling extremely uncomfortable as I realised they were all staring at me.

“Where are you going?” Another of the shorter guys asked – the one with the darkest hair and big blue eyes. I needed to get some names… This could get confusing.