Chapter Twenty Seven: Trapped by Some Serendipitous Act
Arbitrary acts of insanity on the part of certain people in Imladris were something I had come to expect most regularly. However, being thrown down a set of stairs and into a basement-like room and not been expected. Now, I do believe that statement needs to be explained, as I am certain there are not many out there who are fully aware that there are �basement-like� rooms in Rivendell. I swear it in all honesty that there are, and that as I say this I am stuck in one.
There are several rooms within Rivendell that are set beneath the others, thus my calling them basements. They are set about the elven city, and there is one that is randomly in the midst of a series of halls. These basements are accessed by stairs that lead straight down, like stairs into one�s cellar, only in a dreadfully inconvenient spot. I know that must be a terrible description, but one would really have to look at it to understand precisely what it is that I am taking about.
Anyway, I was walking down the hall minding my own business when, suddenly and entirely out of nowhere, I am shoved from behind. Conveniently, I fall right down the stairs and into this cellar door of sorts, which just happens to be open. Whoever it was that shoved me, I would be assuming that it was more than likely one of Elrond�s twin sons, managed to close and lock the door before I could get up. Thus I was trapped in this dark and disturbingly creepy room all by myself. My day was starting off wonderfully.
I had banged on the door and no one had ever opened it. I did not dare go further into the room for fear of what crazy elvish things I might find therein. Instead, having grown tired of the yelling, screaming, and ramming myself into the door, I sat there, up against the wall by the door, waiting for someone to come. Surprisingly enough, I managed to fall asleep there within several minutes.
Having no way to tell the time, as the room was utterly dark and I was in a state of unconsciousness, I cannot truly say how long I slept for. My wake up call, however, came in the form of a flying body landing atop of me. That was rather painful, to say the least. I groaned and shoved the figure off of me.
�Who is in here?� queried the other person.
�Manda is in here, if you really must know. Erestor, is that you?� I asked, thinking I recognized that voice. In fact, I hoped I recognized that voice, or I was more than likely locked in a dark room with Figwit, and that would have not ended pleasantly.
�Aye, it is me. I do suppose Elladan and Elrohir caught you as well, then?� asked with a bitter laugh. I could hear him sliding across the floor; he was clearly moving to that he might sit against the wall opposing mine.
�I do suppose you could say that,� I answered. I sighed and banged my head against the wall behind me in frustration. �Is there no other way out of here?�
�Not that I am aware of,� said Erestor. �I do not know why they would do such a thing as to lock us both in here.�
I thought about that for a moment, rolling the situation over in my mind a few times. I came to the conclusion that either the twin sons of Lord Elrond had decided to be particularly annoying today or they were trying hoping to drive Erestor mad by being stuck in a room with me. Now, had they actually taken the time to induce some sort of hyperactivity with sugar on my part, their plan might have actually worked out. As for right now I was bored and peeved off, and Erestor seemed less than pleased.
�You know, I think it is kind of frightening to be locked in a dark room like this,� I said musingly. �I find it more frightening when I am locked in that dark room with another being who just sits there in a sort of contemptible silence! Erestor, please talk to me here before I go insane.�
�What is it that you wish I should speak of?�
�Oh, I do not know! Choose something, anything at all!� I groaned, annoyed once more by the elf�s lack of imagination.
�My favorite color is burgundy,� he said softly. I looked across the room into the darkness, where I supposed it was that he was sitting. I decided to take back my thoughts about being unimaginative.
�Mine are green and blue,� I said, laughing.
�What is so amusing?� he asked, clearly bewildered by the inflection of his voice.
�I was just thinking of how unimaginative you are, but they you came out and told me your favorite color for no apparent reason,� I laughed, harder still.
�You told me to say something,� he said defensively. �I chose to tell you my favorite color. Was that not suitable?�
�It was fine, Erestor. It was just wonderful and dandy and great!�
In the darkness Erestor shook his head at the peculiarity of the race of men. I on the other hand, was still laughing, even though it was no longer really that funny. I just now had this odd case of the giggles that I could not get rid of. I felt tears welling up in my eyes and I fell over on the floor. It really was not that funny.
I was going insane and I needed to get out of there.
Now I know why Gollum went mad; there�s something in the darkness.
