Hope - A Lord Of The Rings Chronicle

Biff, Cran and Skinner

"I think it's coming round Biff." A low gravelly voice mutters.
"Get out of the way let me see." He replies
"Shh!" Another commands.

Slowly, my eyes flicker open. There's something underneath me...my book, is it? My eyes float upward...and I scream. Three hideous orcs are crowding round me, their red eyes steady and unblinking
"Who are you?" The one in the middle asks, poking me with a fallen stick.
I stay silent, terrified.
"Well?" He moves forward, grabbing my shirt. The other two; a stout orc in armour, and another with his armour off and undershirt off crowd closer.
I fumble out my name.
"R-Raina."
"Raina." The leader spits "And just what are you doing in our neck of the woods?"
"I-'m sorry. I didn't know master orc. I just thought-
"Well. It's too late for thinking now. I'm afraid we will have to keep you as our prisoner."
My eyes recoil in shock. I've heard stories of what orcs do to men and elves and none of them end well.
"No please. I promise I won't ever come here again."
"Why should we believe you?" The skinny one in the under-shirt breathes "Men and Elves alike hate us."
I breathe.
"Elves. Did you just say elves?"
"No. I said Earwigs. Of course I said elves. What does it sound like?"
Biff nudged him to be quiet. Rolling his eyes, I saw him move away toward a fire that had been lit.
"Fire's getting cold."
"Don't worry about that." Biff smiled before peering back at me formidably, so much so that I felt goose bumps raise up my arm "We'll have plenty meat for dinner tonight."
I gulp as he laughs.

Then he hauls me upward, pushing me toward the fire.
"Move along." He says but I purposely drag my feet.
"No no no please," I begin to beg "Please. Don't eat me. I don't taste very nice."
"Do you think I'm thick?" Biff spits at me. We stop roughly by the fire and he whispers in my ear "Nothing taste as good as ripe, human, flesh."
I gulp.
"Hey Biff?" The fat one calls
"What is it Cran?"
"You better come have a look at this?"
I look over my shoulder, is that...
"Skinner, keep an eye on her."
"Gladly." Skinner smiles, and deliberately picks up and knife and begins to sharpen it in front of me. Although I've seen this fear tactic before, it doesn't make me feel any better.

Biff and Cran have the necks hunched over for a long time. After a while, they make their way back to the fire, with Cran obviously concealing something from me. They show it to Skinner, Cran blocking my view, and whisper in hushed tones.

After a while, Biff coughs loudly and they all face me.
"We've decided....not to eat you."
I breathe a sigh of relief.
"If," I hold my breath again "You tell us just what exactly this book, 'The Lord of the Rings' is, and where the One Ring is now."

What? I scoff. The One Ring. Now. That can only mean one thing. I'm stuck in flipping middle earth.