Through Fire And Water

Even More Friends

I woke up sweating, freezing and panting crazily as I sat straight up. Cold sweats were always something I got when I fell asleep crying the night before, and this night, it seemed, was a stranger to exception. I climbed out of bed and stumbled downstairs, sitting heavily at the foot of the staircase. My ankle twinged and I reached down to massage it as I let out a sigh.

You cannot hide.

A whisper reached my ears, making me jump. I knew that voice, it haunted my nightmares.

"You're not real," I whispered, shaking my head. "I'm imagining things."

You have never really left this place, the voice continued, sounding like metal against metal in my head. I covered my ears, but it did nothing to block out the excruciating voice. You have only imagined your life outside The Void until now. Join me, Jenakin. Join me and gain eternal freedom, gain the power you so desire, the power you so deserve.

I stood up, going to the kitchen and grabbing a plastic cup. I filled it with tap water from the sink and chugged it, placing it on the counter as I began to rub my head, willing the headache away. I took another drink of water but this time much slower and more calmly. Silence nulled my panic and I breathed deeply, sitting on the hardwood kitchen floor as I breathed in relief.

I heard a loud noise coming from the basement. I set the cup down quietly, my hearing piqued as I inched towards my wooden practice sword. I gripped it tightly and made my way to the basement door, still listening intently. I could hear voices, a bunch of them, and I could make out certain words as I got closer:

"...stuck to my fingers, Merry..."

"...stuck to mine as well..."

"...bunch of half-wits, more like..."

"...call yourselves heroes, do you?..."

"Keep quiet, all of you," one voice spoke up amongst the rest, silencing them all. "We do not know what kind of foe summoned us here - watch your step, Frodo! - or what their plan is to do with us."

"Gandalf is right, we must all be cautious," another said, just barely audible, and I heard a sword come out of its scabbard.

"I do not think we are in danger," I heard a calm voice say. "Not here, leastways."

I unlocked the door and threw it open, tears welling up in my eyes. Eight pairs of eyes shot up to meet me as I turned on the kitchen light and squinted, each person raising their weapons to defend each other.

"Show yourself, wee devil! Allow my axe to meet your coward heart!"

I started crying. "Pull the string, you idiots," I said, laughing, "it'll turn on the lights. It's just me." The light turned on and the company turned to squint at it, crowded into a small circle of defense. I descended the staircase and wiped my eyes, smiling at them. "Guys, how are you -"

"Who are you?" Aragorn demanded, raising his sword at me. "Where are we? What matter of magic brought us here?"

"Jenakin?" Gandalf stepped forward slowly, squinting at me. "Is that you, my dear?"

I took off my glasses, shaking with sobs. "Gandalf," I whimpered, my smile falling, "you changed your hair."

Gandalf made a noise of triumph and swept me up in his arms, holding me tightly as I burrowed my face into his neck. He laughed jovially, swinging me around before setting me down carefully. "My dear, it has been far too long!" Up close he looked a little younger, and his white hair was straighter than mine. I was kind of jealous, to be honest. "How you have grown!"