Unexpected

Chapter 9: Escape

"Bones will be shattered, necks will be wrung! You'll be beaten and battered, from racks you'll be hung. You will lie down here and never be found, down in the deep of Goblin-town." The Great Goblin sang. Dozens of goblins carried massive instruments of torture on their shoulders to the throne room.

One of the Goblin's servants examined the weapons they had taken from the dwarves. He picked up Thorin's sword, Orcrist. Curiously, he slid it a few inches out of its sheath. He gasped in horror and threw down the sword, as if it had brought him great sorrow. The other goblins howled in fear and rage as they retreated from it.

"I know that sword!" He yelled in terror. "It is the Goblin-Cleaver, the Biter, the blade that sliced a thousand necks."

It was chaos. The goblins were enraged. They began to whip the dwarves with ropes. Lots of goblins pounced onto members of the Company. Eili had been bit many times and slashed many more.

"Slash them! Beat them! Kill them! Kill them all! Cut off his head!" The Great Goblin bellowed.

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion of bright light. The sound was deafening. The Company was knocked down. Eili could see goblins flying through the air and torture devices being torn apart. The force of the explosion finally subsided. She looked up slowly, still in shock. The light returned to reveal Gandalf, sword in hand.

"Take up arms. Fight. Fight!" He shouted.

The dwarves quickly stood up and fought the goblins off. Eili reached the pile of weapons. She grabbed her belongings and tossed the others their weapons. Fighting off the goblin's around them, Eili heard shouting. She turned, witnessing the Great Goblin as he fell off the platform and into the depths below.

"Follow me. Quick! Run!" The wizard led.

The group ran through the suspended passageways of Goblin Town, while hundreds of goblin's ran after us. Kili and Eili shot at them from afar. As they cut down goblin after goblin, they approached an area where a portion of the path was missing. Kili grabbed a nearby ladder, replacing the missing in portion of the path. As soon as the dwarves had crossed it, Dwalin broke the path, preventing the goblins from getting any further. The Company continued to run through the maze-like paths.

They had gotten to a section of the path that was suspended by ropes from above. The dwarves sliced some ropes, causing the pathway to swing.

"Jump!"

The Company made it to the other side and continued to run through the tunnels. Soon, they approached a bridge between two cavern walls. Suddenly, the Great Goblin broke through from underneath the bridge and pulled himself up, blocking their path. As the Company paused, goblins surrounded them from all sides.

"You thought you could escape me?"
The Great Goblin cackled as he swung his mace at Gandalf. "What are you going to do now, wizard?"

Gandalf quickly stepped forward, slicing the large goblins belly. Gandalf swung his sword again, slicing the Great Goblins neck. The dead goblin fell, causing bridge beneath them to break. The broken section slid down the cavern wall at a terrific speed. The Company members clung to the section and screamed. The bridge slowed down, landing at the base of the cavern. It broke apart, burying them in pieces of timber and wood.

"Well, that could have been worse."

Suddenly, the Great Goblin's corpse landed on the wreckage, squishing the Company further. They groaned and gasped for air. After freeing themselves from the wreckage, the dwarves realized the thousands of goblins running towards them.

"There's too many! We can't fight them."

"Only one thing will save us: daylight! Come on! Here, on your feet!" Said the wizard. The Company followed as Gandalf led them out of the tunnels.

•

Finally escaping from Goblin Town, the dwarves paused to collect themselves.

"Five, six, seven, eight...Bifur, Bofur...that's ten...Fili, Eili, Kili...that's thirteen...and Bombur - that makes fourteen." Gandalf counted. "Where's Bilbo? Where is our hobbit? Where is our hobbit?!"

"Curse the halfling! Now he's lost?!"

"I thought he was with Dori!"

"Don't blame me!"

"Well, where did you last see him?" The wizard questioned.

"I think I saw him slip away, when they first collared us."

"What happened exactly? Tell me!"

"I'll tell you what happened." Thorin said loudly, gaining attention. "Master Baggins saw his chance and he took it! He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and his warm hearth since first he stepped out of his door! We will not be seeing our Hobbit again. He is long gone."

"No, he isn't." Bilbo stepped out from behind a tree.

"Bilbo Baggins! I've never been so glad to see anyone in my life!" The wizard laughed as he spoke.

"Bilbo, we'd given you up!" Kili chuckled.

Eili smiled. "No we didn't!"

"How on earth did you get past the Goblins?!"

"How, indeed."

An awkward silence followed, as if Bilbo was trying to come up with something to say. He gave a nervous laugh and put his hands on his hips. Eili's attention was drawn to his hand. It seemed like he had slid something into his waistcoat pocket.

"Well, what does it matter?" Gandalf said happily. "He's back!"

"It matters! I want to know: why did you come back?" Thorin asked aggressively.

"Look, I know you doubt me, I know you always have. And you're right, I often think of Bag End. I miss my books. And my armchair. And my garden. See, that's where I belong. That's home. And that's why I came back, cause you don't have one. A home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can."

Everyone was silent. But it wasn't a cold or an awkward silence this time. It was a warm silence. An understanding one.