Rise (Lord of the Rings)

18 - A Walk Through the Mines

There was a lot more reason to hate wandering through the mines in addition to being found by who-knew-what. The lack of light really bothered me.

By day two—or it could've easily been the first day, it's hard to tell time in a sunless mine—I missed the sun kissing my skin. I missed squinting when it got in my way. It felt like I was cut off from the world entirely, being in a dark, mysterious, dangerous place.

Nobody uttered a word through most of the journey through the dark Mines of Moria. At first, I thought it'd be a nice, simple voyage. That thought disappeared the moment we had encountered a winding, dizzying path of aged stairs, not to mention the fact that all the stairs had no railings to grip. If you fell, it was a very deadly long way down.

My paranoia about heights gripped me when first seeing the sight. I wanted to backtrack, I wanted to stay on level ground. Heights were my second nemesis just behind water. It was like trying to coax me through the marshland all over again, only I wouldn't have a chance of drowning—well, not if drowning in darkness didn't count.

Nobody had to carry me when traveling the stair paths, but I certainly couldn't walk them by myself. I kind of wished I was back with the pony, turning the other way, heading back to where it belonged.

*~~~~*~~~~*

Gandalf told us we were on our fourth day in our voyage through the mines. I was elated by the news, but I knew I'd be ecstatic once we would exit and be able to see the sky, clouds, and sun again, and have the fresh breeze welcome us. Just the idea of the outside made me all the more eager to find the exit to these mines.

We were climbing crumbling, dusty rock stairs. My feet could take the small cuts the stairs inflicted, but not my hands. It was only my palms and fingers that got scraped, the tops of my hands were perfectly fine.

The Fellowship finally took a break from climbing stairs; we were on level ground once again.

Gandalf was the first to enter the new section of the mines, lighting the Fellowship's way. We all herded in to stop.

Before us were three tunnels.

"Which one is it, Gandalf?" I asked, eyeing each of the tunnels warily.

"I have no memory of this place," Gandalf whispered.

"You have got to be joking," I stammered. "I thought you knew where we were going?"

"It will come to me, Marlena. Be patient."

"He just needs time, like last time," Frodo assured me.

"Yes, but how much for this time?" I retorted.

Nobody needed to say anything for the Fellowship to make camp while Gandalf tried to remember the way out of the mines. We somehow managed a small fire. Everybody settled down while Gandalf sat alone, pondering. I picked at my dirty nails.

When picking my nails got boring, I rose from my position on the floor. I tested my legs to get them moving again; they felt quite stiff. I paced, trying to keep my feet from echoing in the cave. I felt eyes watch me, but they didn't bother me.

I stopped periodically, glaring at the three tunnels. If something isn't done soon, I'll choose. I don't want to hang around here much longer.

"Why don't you just sit down?" Pippin groaned. "Seeing you pace is making me worry."

"What do you have to worry about?" I retorted, halting to stare at him. Pip just merely shrugged.