Andy walked outside the cinema with her friend Sara. It was a hot day and they settled under a tree and burst excitedly into conversation. They had both just seen the last installment of Lord of the Rings- Return of the King.
“That was amazing!” Andy said breathlessly, a huge grin on her face.
“Damn right it was! It was beyond amazing! It was-it was..amazing!”
“Yeah! Aragorn was so cool! Stupid Arwen. Stupid, stupid Arwen.”
Sara laughed. “Yeah. But she was quite cool as well. Elves are so cool! I’ve always wanted pointy ears!”
Andy rolled her eyes. “You mean, you’ve wanted pointy ears since you saw Llllllegolas.” She rolled the “L” in “Legolas” extra long and she saw that it had the effect she wanted as a slight blush crept into Sara’s cheeks.
“Well, can you blame me? I mean, look at the guy!”
“Guy?!” Andy wore an expression of mock surprise. “And all this time I thought Legolas was a girl.”
“Shut up! Aragorn has greasy hair!”
“So do you!”
“What?! No I don’t!”
“Yeah. I know. But that’s the first thing that popped into my head.”
They both giggled and Andy lay back against the tree, closing her eyes.
“Well, that was some movie, huh?” she said contentedly.
“Yeah. Wouldn’t it be cool to live in Middle-Earth?”
“Hell yeah! I could learn archery for free.”
“Yeah, and you could miss the bullseye everytime for free, too.”
“Like you would be any better!”
“I don’t know…I’ve always had a good aim.”
Andy scoffed. “A good aim! I doubt you could hit yourself in the middle of your forehead.”
“I can and will! See, look! OW!”
Andy laughed. “Yay. If I can’t win the argument at least I can entertain myself by watching you beat yourself up.”
Sara contented herself by poking her tongue out.
“Well,” Andy stretched. “We better be getting off home.”
“Yeah,” Sara stood up, yawning. “Mum said I had to be home by 5.”
There was an awkward silence in which Andy’s face grew stony. She didn’t have any parents- her mother had died when she was four and she had no idea where her father was. Sara wanted to hit herself for being so stupid.
“You idiot!” she thought, staring anxiously at Andy. “Why the hell did you have to go and mention mum for?!”
Andy recovered quickly however and she forced a smile to her face.
“Okay. Let’s take a shortcut through the woods.”
“That’s not a shortcut! It takes longer!”
“So, 10 minutes longer. It’s better than walking on the sidewalk in the sun.”
Sara shrugged and follow Andy towards the forest. It was beautiful, some of the leaves catching the sunlight and glinting. It looked bright and shady at the same time, warm and inviting. They walked in silence for a while and the forest grew steadily darker. Andy looked around her uneasily.
“Aren’t we supposed to be out by now?”
“No. Just keep walking.”
They walked further and further. The trees grew thicker and blotted out the sunlight. They ended up having to squeeze through them several times.
“I think we should go back now.” Andy stared up at the forest roof, trying to push down the panic that was rising out of her throat.
“Maybe you’re right.” Sara looked just as scared as Andy. They turned around and went back the way they came. At first, it stayed as dark as it was, in some parts getting even darker but gradually the light and their spirits grew lighter again.
“Probably just took a wrong turn somewhere.” Andy said cheerfully. They walked in contented silence which was interrupted when Sara gave a cheer.
“Hooray! There’s the edge of the forest.” They both broke into a jog. Andy was already envisioning her afternoon tea (a slice of passionfruit-flavoured cheescake) when Sara gave a cry of dismay. Andy walked out slowly beside Sara, her gut wrenched in fear. What they saw was not the cinema or the familiar park in front of it but a gentle clump of hills spread unevenly below them. There was no sign of civilization anywhere. Andy swallowed.
“Where the hell are we?!” she choked.
There was no reply but an urgent tugging on her sleeve. Andy turned to Sara who was staring ahead, looking slightly to the left with a look of horror on her face.
Andy follow her gaze and her face soon wore the same look of horror. In front of them was a huge, smoking pile of black carcasses. A head of a monster was planted onto a stake in front of them. Its mouth was still hanging open, revealing teeth a dentist would have died upon seeing.
“Isn’t- isn’t that an..”
“Orc.” Sara finished off Andy’s stuttered sentence.
“But this was in The Two Towers! Have we walked onto a movie set?”
“I think so,” Andy forced a smile. “Yes, that’s probably it.”
She let out a long whoosh of air. “Let’s check it out.”
They walked up to the pile of carcasses and the nearer they walked, the more overpowering the stench became.
“Gross! Peter Jackson really meant it when he said he wanted everything to be as real as possible.” Andy blocked her nose. Up close, the head of the Orc looked intensely real, from the dark blood collecting in its mouth to the scraggly hair sprouting out of its head.
“Weta Workshop, remember?” Sara said shakily. “Really good effects.”
They walked around the carcasses, frowning.
“This looks so real.” Andy said.
“Yeah,” Sara agreed. “But it’s just a movie set.”
“Then where are all the people?” Andy wondered aloud.
Sara didn’t answer. Suddenly, there came a shout from behind them. Three people were riding towards them on horses. The first rider rode right up to them and dismounted.
“Who are you?!” he demanded.
Sara gaped. Andy’s eyes widened in shock. Aragorn, son of Arathorn was standing in front of them. It was a least a minute before Andy remembered it was a movie set and she snapped out of her daze.
“Aloha, dude.” She greeted them.
The man stared at her confusedly. “I beg your pardon?”
“Hello, Viggo.” Sara said. “We’re lost and we don’t know how to get back to Central Park.”
“Viggo? I know not of this Viggo whom you speak of,” he said, frowning down at them. “Nor of “Central Park”.”
The relief that they had found died away.
“But- this is a movie set, right?” Andy croaked. “Where are we?”
“Movie set?” Aragorn said the words slowly, as if he had heard them incorrectly. “I’m afraid that you are not in Movie Set. You are in Rohan.”
The shock hit them full-force, like a train going at full speed. Then Sara began laughing. Andy stared.
“It’s a joke!” Sara said. “It’s a joke! This is probably just some stupid joke they play on every random person that wanders onto the set!”
Andy began laughing too but Aragorn did not join in their jest. Their laughter quickly died.
“This is a joke, right? We’re not actually in Rohan, just a movie set.”
Aragorn sighed impatiently. “No, I have already told you once. This is not Movie Set. This is Rohan.”
“But we can’t be here! That would mean we’re lost….” Sara said dazedly.
“Very lost…” Andy agreed, as dazed as Sara was.
Aragorn frowned. “I’m very sorry. But I must ask you something- did you see two Hobbits here? Halflings?”
“Maybe you should try over there.” Andy said, pointing to the ground where in the movie Aragorn had found imprints of Merry and Pippin.
Aragorn followed where her finger was pointed. He gave a loud exclaimation of surprise.
“A hobbit lay here!” he said. He began saying the exact same script in the movie. Legolas and Gimli dismounted and followed, looking curiously at Andy and Sara. When they had realized that Merry and Pippin had gone into Fangorn Forest, they began to venture in.
“Wait!” Andy cried. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli paused, looking back.
“Don’t leave us here!” Sara said. “We don’t know where we are!”
“You are in Rohan, my Lady.” Legolas said.
“Yes, we know- but we’re lost! We don’t know where to go.”
“I would invite you along with us,” Aragorn said. “But it will be dangerous.”
“Fangorn isn’t dangerous.” Sara said, not wanting to be left behind.
“You know of the name of this forest? But you told me you did not know where you were.”
“I know this forest though!” Sara said. “Please don’t make us stay behind!”
Aragorn paused. “Fine. You may come with us.”
Andy and Sara breathed sighs of relief. Legolas gave to them one of his elvish knives each.
“I regret that these may not serve you well but you will need something in this cursed forest.” he told them.
“Well, we’re changing the storyline a bit.” Sara whispered to Andy, her eyes on Legolas.
They walked for a while. Gimli found a leaf with dark liquid on it.
“Orc blood.” Andy said lazily before Gimli had the chance to taste it. He tasted it anyway. “You’re right!” he growled, spitting out the blood.
They had walked a little way into the forest when Legolas informed them that the White Wizard was near. They drew their weapons.
“Throw your knives at him,” Legolas whispered. “Don’t let him speak.”
Andy and Sara watched, somewhat amused as the group tensed up. Then Gandalf appeared and destroyed their weapons. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli realised it was Gandalf and rejoiced, laughter in their voices.
“But there are two I have not seen before,” Gandalf said, turning to Andy and Sara. “Two…that are not from this world, perhaps?” He stared at them with a glare that seemed to go straight through them.
Sara and Andy were in awe. It was one thing to see Gandalf onscreen but this was real, life-sized Gandalf the White.
“No..not from this world.” Andy spoke up finally.
“I don’t understand,” Gimli said. “What do you mean, Gandalf?”
“I am not sure. But now, we must hurry to Edoras. Come! Quickly!” They followed him out of the forest, Legolas, Gimli or Aragorn occasionally glancing back at Andy and Sara, curiosity on their faces. When they reached the end of the forest, Gandalf let out a piercing whistle and Shadowfax appeared almost instantly, tossing his proud head and whickering.
“That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes have been cheated by some spell.” Legolas said.
Gandalf nodded. “We must now ride to Meduseld, Golden Hall of Theoden. I believe Shadowfax can bear one of you.” he said, gesturing to Sara and Andy.
“You go.” Andy said to Sara.
“But what about you?” Sara asked. “I’m not going if you can’t.”
“You forget, my lady, that there is one more horse who can bear another. With Brego’s leave, I’m sure that your friend would be able to come.” said Aragorn with a smile.

A few minutes later, they were galloping across the rolling hills of Rohan. Andy’s eyes were squeezed tight and she was clinging to Brego’s mane as tight as she could. Aragorn’s arms were around her, holding the reins gently. Scared as she was, she felt a sense of security and she knew that she wouldn’t fall. Sara was feeling the same security on Shadowfax. Though there was no saddle, she knew somehow that Shadowfax would not let her fall. She had had horse-riding lessons before anyway, and she knew vaguely how to stay seated on the horse. She glanced over at Andy, whos eyes were squeezed tight, her lips mouthing the words “Help me” over and over again. She allowed herself a smile in spite of the situation.

They rode into Edoras and right up to Meduseld. Hama, the door guard, asked them to hand over their weapons. Sara and Andy giggled at his sternness and earned a sharp glare in return. They handed over Legolas’ Elvish knives.
“Stay here.” Aragorn told them when they went inside. They sat down near the door and Gandalf began walking forward. The scene played out exactly as in the movie (they giggled again when Theoden did his old man laugh), though they didn’t see Saruman fall down when Gandalf knocked him out of Theoden’s mind. Soon, Gandalf was advising Theoden to go to Helm’s Deep. Andy and Sara were sitting next to Gimli who was devouring food like a starved pig.
“So,” Gimli said turning to them, wiping water from his beard. They could see bits of food hanging in it still. “What did Gandalf mean when he said you were from a different world? I did not quite recognise your way of speech, nor the clothing you don.”
“Well,” Andy glanced at Sara. “It’s kinda hard to explain really. We don’t know how we got here either. We were only walking in a forest back home and we found ourselves here. We don’t even know how to get back. As for the way we speak and the clothes we wear- the world we live in is much more advanced than yours, though we are enjoying your world too. Our world has flying machines called airplanes and we don’t use horses for transport anymore but machines. There are a lot of things you don’t have but there are also things we don’t have in your world. Dwarves for example, nobody has heard of them in our world except in stories.”
Gimli frowned at them in disbelief. “Is it some sort of magical world you live in?”
“No…not magic, though it might seem that to you. I can’t explain.”
Gimli shook his head. “That is most unbelievable. If it weren’t for Gandalf I wouldn’t have believed a word you just said.”
Theoden and Gandalf finished their conversation. Theoden had just agreed to go to Helm’s Deep. He approached them when he got up.
“Greetings,” he said with a short bow. “I have heard your strange tale from Gandalf. I will lend you a horse each and you will accompany us to Helm’s Deep. It is not normal for women to take such an active part in my affairs but it is Gandalf’s advice and I receive it gladly.” He smiled down at them and Andy and Sara smiled weakly back. He bowed again, turned and left.
Sara grabbed Andy’s shoulder.
“What the hell was that supposed to mean?!” she demanded in a whisper.
“I don’t know…you don’t think…?” Andy’s voice cracked.
“Helm’s Deep. Oh no…”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email