A New Precious

Chapter 2

I did as Aaliyah asked of me. I closed my eyes, and only a moment later, I woke up in a soft bed, in a room I'd never seen before. I took a moment to look around. Some things were very familiar to me, but others were not. On each side of the bed was a small table. I remembers back in Middle Earth, I once had my own bedside tableses. But, I did not recognize the objectses that were on the tables. To my left was a bookshelf. I remembers reading many great books back home. Next to the shelf was a chest of drawers with a mirror hanging over top it. To my right, next to the window, was a writing desk with a very comfortable-looking chair, but another strange object on top of the desk. In front of my bed was a strange-looking shelf with a rather large, very strange box inside. No, there were many strange objectses inside this shelf. What were all these things? I sat up slowly, and looked out the window. There was a very strange-looking path with heavy objectses moving across with people inside. I could also see other buildings. Were they houses? I wondered. They looked very strange but lovely. Everything was very strange. What was this place? I was feeling a little frightened yet intrigued. As I climbed out of bed, and slowly stood up, I realized I was much taller. I marched over to the mirror to look at my reflection. I still looks the same, I thought, still the same skinny, wiry creature I've been for the past 550 years... but taller now.

"Good morning, Sméagol," said a familiar voice.

I turned to face the doorway, and saw Aaliyah tiptoeing in. Same beautiful angel from before, but her body was no longer illuminated. "Where are we?" I asked.

"We're in the United States of America," she replied as she sat on the bed, "in Ashfolk, South Carolina."

"What?" Very confused I was as I sat next to her. "How did I gets here?"

"I brought you here."

"Is this... not Middle Earth?"

"No. Unfortunately, I couldn't take you back to Middle Earth. I had to bring you here instead, so you can have a fresh start. You're in a completely different world, different time."

"Fourth Age?"

"No. This is the Modern Age, the twenty-first century. The year is 2021." Aaliyah could see how overwhelmed I was. She wrapped her arm around my choulderses. "Hey, it's okay, Sméagol," she said sweetly. "I know this is a lot to take in. You have so much to learn about living here, but I promise you it'll all be worth it. You won't have to do it alone. I'll teach you everything you need to know, and if it gets to be too much, we can take a break."

"So... after I learns everything... what do I do?"

"Whatever you want. You get to start all over. You get to choose now. No Ring to control you."

"But... how did I gets taller?"

Aaliyah grinned. "I made you taller."

"Why?"

"So, it's easier for you to fit in with other people here."

I felt a little disappointed. "So... no hobbitses or elveses or dwarveses?"

"No, I'm afraid not. You're the only hobbit here."

"Oh."

"But, that's okay. There's lots of really nice people here you'll get along with."

"And... they don't knows what I did?"

"Nope, and you don't have to tell them, not unless you want to. This is your second chance. You get to decide how to live now. So, what do you say? Are you in?"

I thought for a moment, and took a very deep breath. "Yes," I said.

"Okay, great. Now, come on. Breakfast is ready."

Aaliyah led me to the kitchen, where she laid out a plate of fish for me to eat, raw fish that she said was called sushi.

After we finished eating, Aaliyah showed me around the house, showed me what everything was. Those strange objects on my bedside tableses and desk were called lamps. The box inside the shelf was a television, and the other strange objects were called blu-ray players, video games, video game consoles, and movies. The path outside my window was a road, and the heavy moving objects were vehicles. Aaliyah showed me how everything worked. She showed me how to use a SmartPhone, an iPad, microwave, and many other electronicses. She taught me all about money, how it worked, and how to spends it wisely. Yes, very much it was to takes in, Precious, but oh, so very exciting it was! So much fun Sméagol was having! Oh, yes, Sméagol loves to learns new things!