Far From Home

 
“How can this be? I mean, one minute I’m studying at my desk in L.A. and the next thing I know I’m in freakin’ Middle Earth standing next to the Fellowship of the Ring. This is so damn creepy!” She said loudly.

“How can you be so surprised about being here? Unless you are a spy for the enemy trying to gain our sympathy so you can learn of our plans and convey them to Sauron. Gandalf, I say we slay her now while we still have the chance!” Gimli said while drawing his axe into a menacing position.

“W-W-Wait! You don’t understand! Let me explain!” Roxanne cried out, frantically racking her brains for a way out.

“We have heard enough from you and your lying mouth! Now die!” boomed Gimli, readying his weapon for a low, but nevertheless deadly strike. Suddenly a voice said…

“No!”

Clang! A sword came practically out of nowhere blocking Gimli’s attack.

“No Gimli! You cannot kill her,” said Aragorn sternly, and with strong determination. It was enough to stop the dwarf and force him to lower his axe.

“Aragorn is correct Gimli, neither you nor anyone else can kill her. At least not yet,” said Gandalf forcefully but with great calm.

“Ann, pray will you please elucidate to us why you are out here all alone,” said Legolas coolly and elegantly, sounding very much like the sexy prince he was.

“Ok, I’ll tell you that I have absolutely no idea how I got here from my home in L.A,” she said, unsure and afraid.

“Where is this ‘L.A.’? Moreover, if you are from this place, how do you know so much about this ‘L.A.’ in view of the fact that it cannot be nearby, since it is not on any map of Middle Earth that I have ever seen?” said Frodo undoubtedly befuddled by it all.

“Ummm.. Well you see, I uhh.. Well the thing is…” she stammered trying to figure out what to say to them, since she couldn’t very well tell them the truth. Then an idea struck her, “The truth is, I am a great foreseer of the events to come. I have seen many things in your future that could change the course of your journey. I umm.. I have come to your aid in this dark hour to umm… aid you in your quest!” she said to them confidently, well sort of.

But, after making up that magnificent lie, she was quite pleased with herself. Normally she couldn‘t lie to save herself.

As soon as she said this, everyone started looking quite surprised. Silence ruled the hour until Gimli broke it.

“See, I told you, each and every one, that she is working for the enemy! These things she speaks about are just lies to deceive us and the rest of Middle Earth!” he said loudly, in his rough dwarven voice.

There was another awkward silence until Boromir said, “Gimli is correct. We cannot trust her, so we should just kill her now and save ourselves the trouble of having the enemy alerted to our whereabouts!” he said loudly.

In addition to Boromir’s comment, there was a chorus of agreements from three out of the four hobbits. Then came a loud commotion that followed those comments and everyone started quarrelling about her fate. Finally, someone had had enough sense to end it and said…

“SILENCE!“

All turned in the direction of the roar. It was Gandalf.

“This decision is not ours to make. We shall let the Ring bearer decide her fate. So Frodo, either choose her fate to be that of death or life and for her travel with us until we can take some time to seriously question her further. You shall have one hour to decide her fate. By the end of that hour, you must give us your answer. All right?”

“Yes, Gandalf” said Frodo, in a way that sounded like a child who is to choose his own punishment.

For one hour, all is silent except for the occasional cough, sneeze, or hobbit softly complaining he was hungry. All the while Roxanne sat on her own, waiting for the decision that would decide, whether she would live or die. When finally, what seemed like an eternity, Frodo stood up and voiced his decision.

“I have decided…”