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Trotter  by Dreamflower

 

Chapter Twenty-Two: Disaster


The stone took the creature squarely in the temple, and I could hear the crunch of bone, and saw the blood-- it was black for Mercy's sake! It made no sound, but fell backwards, and over the edge. I watched the body of the creature tumble down the side of the embankment into the water below. It did not move until the current caught it, and drew it away downstream. I had slain it with my stone-- the only way to save Thorn and myself.

On the other side of the narrow ledge, I saw my friend move slightly, and I felt a wave of relief. He was alive then. The blood on his head had frightened me badly.

But then I noticed something that frightened me even more. There was a rattle of stone, and the rock shelf that jutted out above us shifted. It was balanced precariously, and our struggle with the goblin had partially dislodged it. Even as I watched, it shifted again.

I crawled the short distance to his side, and studied the slab of stone from below. There was only one way I could think of to protect him. I turned on my back and raised my feet until the soles were flat against the bottom of the stone, giving it some support. I did not know how long I could keep it up, but perhaps I could hold it off us until Dirhael and the others showed up. They had to show up. There was no other hope for us.

I lay there for what seemed like ages. My legs trembled. At first they hurt, and then they burned, and then they began to go numb. I tried not to move or shift, for fear of bringing it all down.

The shadows lengthened, and I began to fear I would lose consciousness. Then, just as I was convinced I could not hold out any longer, I heard the sounds of fighting, shouts and clamor, and the clang of weapons. Then there was silence. What had happened? Who had won?

"Hoy! Thorn! Trotter!" It was Dirhael's voice!

I wet my dry lips with my tongue and called out. "We're here! Here!"

"Trotter?"

"Look down!" I shouted. And then I felt the rock shift. "Hurry!"

"Where are you?" The voice was very close.

"Here! We are on a ledge down here!"

"I can barely see you," said Dirhael. I was staring straight up, and I could not see him myself. "There is a shelf of stone above you."

"Please be careful! It may fall on us. Thorn is unconscious."

I felt my legs tremble again. "Please hurry!" I cried. I was sure I could not hold off much longer.

"Just a little longer, Trotter. I have sent Elrohir and Archer down to the water. They can bring you both down from below."

He had no sooner finished speaking than I could hear and feel the scrabbling behind me.

"Trotter." It was Elrohir. His voice was close behind me.

"Get Thorn first. He's unconscious, and if I move before you get him, this rock is coming down."

I turned my head sideways, and saw Elrohir's arms and hands reaching for Thorn. He gripped him beneath the arms, and I breathed a sigh of relief, as I watched him being angled slowly off the ledge.

I could hear Elrohir and Archer speaking below, and was relieved to hear that they had Thorn safe.

"I am coming for you now, Trotter."

I was weeping at this point, I was so weary. I could not see Elrohir behind me, but I could hear him. He was muttering under his breath in Sindarin, and I was too fearful to try and translate what he was saying. Suddenly I felt him gripping me as he had Thorn. "Ready?" he said, but he did not wait for my answer. He pulled me away quickly. I heard a rumble above me, and the last thing I remembered was the sound of my own screams





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