The Mysterious Fate #wattys2016

The Falls

Please read the author's note for disclaimer and explanation of this story.

I make no claim to Tolkien's works. I also give credit to Cormak3032.

Once the sun had set the group embarked once more. The sky was clear but moonless. It was cold again too. The boats remained close together for safety in the darkness. It gave Lana a strange disconnected feeling. She could hear the water, but not see it except when snatches of starlight caught on a crest. Everything was reduced to a bizarre almost two-dimensional plane since, without light, depth perception was almost non-existent.

"Our pace shall be slower than it has been," Aragorn announced. "I have not traveled this far on the Anduin. There could be danger in the water."

"This is madness!" Boromir exclaimed in protest. "Traveling by night on a section of unknown river! The falls of Rauros could be near and we could all perish in the falling water!"

"The falls are not near. I would hear them and I do not," Legolas said coming to Aragorn's aid.

"We must keep a sharp watch and try not to paddle swiftly," Aragorn said. Then he leaned forward, putting a light hand on Sam's shoulder. "Would you keep watch, Sam, for rocks and other dangers?"

The sandy-haired hobbit nodded somberly. His eyes were wide and it plain to see he did not like this situation one bit. Still he kept a sharp eye. Lana sympathized with him, but she felt oddly excited by the night adventure. Memories of theme-park rides were triggered in her memory, and she had that anticipatory thrill that came when cracking up a roller-coaster.

The stars brightened overhead as the night wore on. Their soft glow offered little light though. Samwise remained hunched forward, his eyes scanning what he could see. It was just after midnight when Legolas shifted uneasily within his boat. Moments later Sam cried out.

"There's a current dead ahead that swings left directly into the rocks!"

At that moment the calm water began to quicken and the rushing water grabbed the boats.

"Turn! Turn if you can!" Aragorn shouted above the foaming rush.

If they did not move, the current would throw the boats upon the sharp rocks of the eastern shore. And that was no place to be! Yet for all their struggling it felt as if they weren't moving at all.

Sam gripped the sides of the boat, his knuckles turned white from the force. He couldn't swim as it was and if the boat capsized or hit a rock, he was a goner for sure. He grimaced each time the small elven craft rose on a wave and then dove down into the water again.

"Paddle harder or we shall be driven against the rocks!" Boromir shouted.

He plunged his paddle doggedly into the water, using all his strength to turn his boat from the current. Merry was wishing desperately that he had a paddle and strong arms so that he could help get them out of this mess. Pippin, however, was wishing that he was back home in the Shire: warm, safe, and with a mug of fine ale. This adventure did not agree with his stomach. Frodo gripped the edges of his boat as it scrapped a rock.

Lana felt her heart pounding in an intoxicating mixture of excitement and fear. She had gone white water rafting once before and found it exhilarating. But that had been in the daytime, in an inflated raft, with lifejackets. Now it was pitch dark, the boats were tiny and wooden, and there was nothing to keep her afloat should she fall out. Her fingers held on with an impossible death grip.

The idea of falling into the freezing water was not appealing in the least. A large wave jumped up over the bow smacking her in the face. Sputtering she shook the water from her eyes. This wasn't exciting anymore. For the first time in over twenty-four hours, she turned and looked directly at Legolas.