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Rain poured down, as it had been for hours. Everyone was cold and wet and disgruntled. Everyone had been cold and wet and disgruntled or hot and sweaty and disgruntled for days. No one was looking forward to sleeping on mud or whatever rock we could find. The house Thorin found tucked back into the woods, more of a cabin really, certainly had seen better days. A couple of windows missed their glass, and chimney didn’t go quite all the way to the top. It looked dark, dusty, and abandoned. Grass and trees had overgrown near the door and place looked like it hadn’t seen a soul in years. In the evening light, it looked like a black hole inside. I had no doubt no one lived there now.
“Kili, Fili, go check it out,” Thorin nodded toward the sad excuse of a house. He hadn’t even bothered to dismount his pony yet, so I didn’t figure we were going to set up camp here.
Kili and Fili hadn’t dismounted their ponies yet either. They looked from each other back to the house, unsure expressions made their thoughts clear.
“Don’t tell me you lads think it’s haunted?” Bofur called out from in front of me on our pony. Both boys shot frowns at him, countering his wide smile.
“Of course not,” Fili answered, straightening his back, giving another look at Kili, before dismounting. Kili glanced back at the cabin before following suit. Others had dismounted as well, taking the opportunity to stretch their sore legs, myself among them. I never thought my legs could get so sore from just sitting on a pony. I relieved the poor pony of my pack and rubbed her back. She couldn’t feel much better than I did.
“You don’t think anyone still lives in there do you?” I heard Kili ask his uncle in a low tone. He kept glancing back and forth, obvious he didn’t want check it out, much less stay the night.
“Good Lord!” I handed my pack to Bofur, turning to the house. “There isn’t an inch of me that isn’t wet and I would kill for somewhere dry right now. If you two are going to be babies about it, I’ll check it out myself. And if I like it I may not let you in.” Kili’s face flushed, and I made my way through the mud and weeds towards the house.
“Imagine that, a human lass having more bal-,”
“Dwalin, go with her.” I heard Thorin’s voice overriding Nori’s, still atop his pony. His majestic self was too good to dismount like the rest of us. I thought I heard him say more, but I was getting farther away with every step and the Company’s chatter was getting quieter.
“I don’t need someone one to protect me!” I called over my shoulder, resisting the urge to hack at the weeds in my path, using my sword like a machete. Ever since Dwalin had given me this spare, it took every ounce of self-restraint I had not to whip it out at inappropriate moments.
“Aye, I’m supposed to protect whatever we find from you, lass,” the strong warrior quipped, his voice coming closer than I had realized. Did he always move so quietly?
“That’s more like it.” Getting closer to the house, I could see it was bigger than I had realized from the road. Dirty and torn curtains still hung in the windows and flecks of dirty green paint peeked through the weeds growing around the walls. The structure looked sound and the roof didn’t have any obvious leaks. Reaching the front door, we found it boarded over. I let Dwalin take care of it (more like he shoved me out of the way, boasting he’d handle it), and peeked through one of the still glassed over windows, trying to get a better look. It was dark and dirty, and I just saw my own reflection staring back at me. Just as I heard the wood splinter and crack off the door, something inside skittered across the floor, out of sight. I backed up, hand flying to the hilt of my sword.
Dwalin grunted. “Probably just a scared critter lass.” I didn’t catch a good glimpse, but it didn’t look like any critter I had seen before. Surely, no one would live in a house with a boarded up door?
“Who’s the scared one now?” I head Kili shout back from the road. I flipped him off. Dwalin motioned, and we went inside.
The wood underneath us groaned, but held. It was so dark all I could make out was Dwalin’s shapely backside, and the edge of a table. I wanted to reach out, wanting to find a wall to steady myself, but I kept my hands to myself. I didn’t want to find that scared animal the hard way. I muttered about bringing a candle and my protector chuckled.
“Sometimes I forget you’re not a dwarrow, with your shortness and your temper. Want me to hold your hand?” If I could see, I was pretty sure he would’ve flashed me that patronizing smile he and Thorin were so good at. I aimed a kick in the dark and found the table instead of his leg. Damn that handsome dwarf.
The table was solid under my hand, and dusty. I was sure everything would have a three-inch layer of dust, but Mahal, it was heavenly to finally be out of the incessant rain. I took cautious steps, scuffing my boots on the floor. I wanted to give plenty warning before running into any beasts. I could hear Dwalin walking confidently, almost arrogantly, disappearing into another room. I couldn’t hear anything other than the constant rain on the roof and the sound of our steps. It calmed me, reassuring me my overactive imagination was acting up again. Reaching the end of the table, I found the fireplace and chimney I had seen from the road. A warm fire, wood crackling, warming a nice pot of stew would be most welcome after the soggy bread we had earlier.
Dwalin’s footsteps had almost faded from my hearing. He must’ve continued on his trek further inside the cabin. I turned from the fireplace and stumbled my way down a narrow hallway towards another room. I really should have brought a candle. This must have been a bedroom; it seemed smaller than the main room. I took a minute to let my eyes adjust as much as they could before making my way in further. A scuffle on the floor froze me in my tracks. I could feel my pulse speed up and I gripped the hilt tighter. If I whipped out my sword over a mouse, I’d never hear the end of it. I took another step, letting my foot thud on the floor. My knee bumped into what must have been a bed, it felt like cloth and solid underneath.
Ice clamped around my ankle. I jumped back, unsheathing my sword, slashing in front of me. I crashed into something hard and solid, sending it to the floor, glass shattering in the darkness. The vice grip on my ankle vanished. I heard a hiss as I continued back the way I came, trying in vain to see my attacker.
“Brandy?” I heard Dwalin call out, his footsteps thudding closer. I didn’t take my eyes off the darkness in front of me. No animal I knew had a bite that felt like a human hand. Maybe someone did live here. I jumped when I backed into Dwalin, his hand, landing on my shoulder.
“There’s something in there,” I said in a low tone.
“You mean besides whatever you broke?” He gave my arm a squeeze (Did my heart give a similar squeeze?) and made to move past me. I held out my hand, blocking his path. Even in the dim light, I could see him turn to look at me, starting to take me seriously. I heard him take an axe in hand. We waited a moment, breath baited, to see if it would come after us. Nothing happened.
Dwalin stepped past me into the room. I pushed myself further into the wall beside me. It felt like whatever grabbed me leeched the heat out of my body, not that there was much to begin with. I could hear him stomp around, no sign of whatever had grabbed me. He came back into the hallway, stopping just in front of me, probably giving me his best don’t-mess-with-me-lass look.
“There’s nothing in there, except the vase you broke.”
I hated myself as soon as the quiet words were out of my mouth. “Did you look under the bed?” Hopefully he couldn’t see me blush. I heard him scoff, and turn back around, muttering to himself. He crouched down, one of his knees popping. His axe softly hit the floor, and I heard another hiss. I jumped back into the wall as he cursed. Whatever it was, he found it. The inability to see made things worse, was it a raccoon, or was it a zombie, hell-bent on devouring our brains? Something bumped into the far wall and then I felt wind breeze past my face. I ducked, the tip of my sword dragging down the back of Dwalin’s shirt. In the faint light of the open door behind us, I saw a bat fly into the open.
“Dammit lass, watch where you’re pointing that thing!” I could hear him get back up. I held my sword closer to me as I straightened back up, pulse still hammering. “Didn’t think you’d be this big of a pebble with you picking on Kili,” he muttered, pushing back past me in the small hallway. I turned away, trying to calm the heat in my cheeks. He thumped back into the main room. “Are you coming or do you feel like breaking something else?”
I opened my mouth to smart off at him, when something streaked past me. It shrieked, all cold air and stinking of decay. I felt something cold pass through my chest, stealing my voice. I fell to my feet. My sword clattered out of my shaking hands. I heard Dwalin curse again and he moved out of the way of the thing before it faded into thin air. I could see him look around for it, before coming back to me.
“You alright lass?” I shook my head. He shoved the sword back in my hands and hauled me to my feet. “Come on.” He pushed me toward the door (and for once I didn’t care that he was touching me) and hoisted his axe. Just before I reached the knob to steady myself, the door slammed shut. I wrenched my hand back and backed into Dwalin.
It was totally dark now. I couldn’t see anything and I was fairly certain Dwalin couldn’t see a whole lot either. His hand trailed across my back as he made his way to the door. I backed into the wall behind me and listened as he yanked and cursed at the door. It refused to budge.
“I’ll get us out, don’t worry,” his voice came from the darkness. There was a solid whack as his axe embedded itself in the wood, and wood protesting as the metal wrenched away. “Wind probably blew it shut.” Another whack and another squeal. “Probably just stuck.” Whack.
I sank back to the floor and just let him wail away at the door. There was nothing I could do to help, especially not trembling like this. I couldn’t tell if it was from being soaked to the bone or the terror. With another yank, a piece of the door gave way, letting in precious light. I could see the table in front of me again, and the outline of Dwalin. His shoulders heaved as he breathed in relief before setting back into the task.
The light was a saving grace. My tremors slowed. I knew we had been gone longer than Thorin would wait. He would send someone else in after us and we would be saved and we would mount our ponies again and travel far away from this accursed cabin. Someone would see Dwalin’s axe and come to our aid. Everything was going to be okay.
I kept my eyes fixed on the darkness. If I couldn’t help him get us out, I could watch his back. I don’t know what I expected to see, especially in the dark, but it made me feel better, more in control. A wisp of wind to my right made me turn my head, taking my eyes off Dwalin and the darkness of the main room. There beside me, a pair of eyes shone out, bright and ethereal, and malicious. They burned into my soul and sapped my strength. I screamed, backing away as they rushed towards me.
Thorin was getting impatient. Dwalin never took this long to scout something out. He always reported back, or his battle cry would ring out. Around him, his Company was getting restless. Some paced, shooting glances at the dilapidated cabin. Others busied themselves in conversation and stretching, trying to enjoy the break. He finally dismounted his pony and stared at the cabin. He couldn’t see anything moving inside, or around in the surrounding woods. What was taking them so long?
“Do you think they’re okay?” Fili asked, hardly taking his eyes off the cabin.
“Oh aye,” Bofur began, unloading his pony, dropping his and Brandy’s packs into the mud. “I bet they’re enjoying the privacy.” He shot a wink at Fili, who shook his head and turned back to his brother.
“I swear if they’re getting it on in there while we sit here freezing our a-“
“Did you hear that?” Bilbo interrupted Nori, taking a few steps toward the cabin. Thorin had heard it, the sound of glass breaking. He held his hand up as Fili started towards the cabin. It was dark; Brandy had probably just knocked into something. Neither she nor Dwalin were quiet fighters, if there was trouble, they would know. He waited a moment, the Company falling silent behind him. He watched as the door slammed shut. He furrowed his brow, nodding at Fili. He and his brother started toward the cabin as others scoffed, muttering about hormones and human women.
Before he turned away, Thorin saw the edge of an axe bite through the door. It disappeared only to reappear a few seconds later. Fili and Kili saw it too, quickening their pace, Thorin following behind. Something was wrong.
A scream rent the night. Thorin broke out in a run, unsheathing his sword. The rest of the Company followed not far behind him.
Brandy screamed. Dwalin’s heart leapt out his chest, and he swung his axe round. The eyes (Were they eyes? There was no body attached to them) swirled around his axe like fog before fading out. He scanned the room, looking for whatever was tormenting them. Brandy worked herself into a corner, whimpering and trembling violently. He stood in front of her. He wanted to hold his hand out to her, comfort her, take her far away from this place and hold her until she stopped shaking, but first he had to save her. Even with his dwarfish eyesight, he couldn’t find the creature. He wasn’t used to this kind of fight, this abrupt onslaught and then fading away. He gripped his axe tighter. He had to keep himself in control for Brandy.
Wood skidded across wood as the table slid across the floor, picking up speed and heading for them. Dwalin almost didn’t believe his eyes, because nothing was pushing it. Before he could slide out pf the way, the tabletop had him pinned to the door, unable to move. Brandy screamed again, ducking just in time for her head to miss the table. Dwalin struggled and fought, but he couldn’t move the damn thing.
That was when he saw it, the creature. Brandy saw it too, covering her mouth trying to stop her screams. It stalked out of the hallway leading to the bedroom, low to the floor, low enough to get under the table and get at Brandy. The thing locked eyes with her, turning its head at a strange angle. She pressed herself closer into his leg. It took a step towards her, hunching over.
The window to his left shattered inward. Involuntarily, he looked over to see the pommel of a sword disappear before Fili’s upper body replaced it. Looking back, the creature had vanished. Dwalin gave a shove, and flipped the table, the unseen force gone. Kili followed his brother in. He could hear Thorin shouting for him, other members of the Company outside shouting for Brandy. He hauled her to her feet, worrying for a moment that she couldn’t stand on her own. She supported her own weight, clinging to his arm.
Fili and Kili looked around, not seeing anything that would have caused the other two harm. Dwalin didn’t waste time explaining. He started to shove Brandy towards the window, towards safety, until another shriek stopped him in his tracks. He pulled her back to him, waiting for the next horror to emerge. From inside the depths of the cabin, a chair flew towards the boys. Both ducked, and it crashed into the chimney behind them, knocking bricks loose. Another one tore through the air, this time hurtling toward Dwalin and Brandy. Unable to move both of them fast enough to get out of the way, he turned his back, letting the chair slam into him. The force shoved Dwalin to his knees, Brandy letting out another ear-splitting scream. He could hear more objects flying through the air, Fili and Kili shouting out warnings. He didn’t turn back around but growled. He had enough of games.
Plates and knick-knacks bounced off his back. Using himself as a shield, he passed Brandy into Bofur’s waiting arms. He could hear Fili and Kili deflecting the projectiles with their swords. More axes bit into the door, others trying to help break them free from this nightmare. The door took one more good strike before surrendering to the dwarfs. Thorin and Bifur streamed in, Gloin and Nori trailing behind.
Dwalin wrenched Fili backward with his free hand, deflecting a pot aimed at his head with his axe. “Go!” Kili followed his brother as he dashed out the shattered door.
“Look out!” Thorin swung his sword, just barely deflecting the knife aimed for Nori’s head. The others wasted no time escaping, clamoring and running back to the ponies. The others hastily packed the ponies. Brandy spotted Dwalin, bursting from Bofur’s arms and hurled herself at the older warrior. He held her tight for a moment, the poor lass burying her face in his chest. He scanned the cabin and woods for any sign the attack was going to continue. Nothing moved inside the cabin, everything quiet except for the heavy breathing and frenzied packing of the Company.
He mounted his pony, taking Brandy with him. He started down the road, pushing the animal to a light trot. He looked over his shoulder, Thorin and the Company not far behind him. He chanced one last look at the cabin, and he swore he could see those same ethereal eyes peering out from the bedroom window. He tightened his grip on Brandy, who leaned even more into him, and urged his pony faster away from the nightmare.