Blank Pages

Chapter One

People keep asking me why I read so much. I don't know why, I mean, to me, the answer is pretty obvious. "I read because books make me feel at home, it's where

I belong," I say in hope that someone, anyone would understand. But no one does, ever. My books and I are our own little club. In a way, we understand eachother.

As I walk out of math class with a relieved sigh as I really couldn't care much for numbers. Not when I desperately longed to know what would happen to Frodo Baggins as he continued on his journey accross Middle Earth. I made my way to my little 'reading spot' underneath a giant oak tree in our school grounds. It was autumn. The only thing I could ever enjoy as much as reading, is watching the orange leaves that were once full and green, leave their branches and gracefully flutter down until the gently hit the ground. After a minute or so, I opened up my book to where I had last left it. The pages were blank. Where there had once been words, telling a story, there was nothing. Inside me, I felt this lonely, empty feeling. Without my book, I had no one. For a minute, I wondered if it was a prank. I wouldn't have been surprised if it was. I guess all I could do for now, was watch the leaves fall...

I began to daydream of all the possibilities and why the pages were blank. As I continued to think about, I had a thought. I wondered if it was just this one book or the others too that were no more than a bundle of paper now. I was dying to know what was going to happen next in the book. As I started recollect what I had already read, I realised that for some absurd reason, that remembered everything. By everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Word for word. My thoughts were interrupted by the bell for the next class.

I couldn't think straight. All I cared about at the moment was what was happening to my book. As I walked home from school that day, I got the feeling that maybe someone was following me. I turned around to see a boy. He looked pretty short for his age. In fact, he was much shorter than me and believe me, I'm not a tall person. He had a tuft of black, curly hair and dressed as if it was a horribly cold day. Then I realized. I knew him. How could I not know him? I've been reading about him non-stop for the past two days! He was a hobbit. He went by the name of Frodo Baggins. "Oh no!" I exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, did I startle you?" he asked. But I wasn't really listening. "H-how can you be here?" I said in surprise, "I've been reading about you!"

"Reading about me?" he asked in a puzzled tone.

"Yes! Then all the pages went blank and now you're here!" I continued without taking any notice of what he was saying.

"But I was in the mines and the next thing I know, I'm here," he informed me.

"The mines? But that was the part I was up to when all the words disappeared!" I didn't know what was happening but I did know that it was both amazing and scary at the same time...

Next chapter will be up on Saturday 4/5... Maybe even earlier :)