Her teeth chattered, as darkness enveloped the kitchen. The cold ceramic tiles did nothing to aid what little warmth she was afforded by her leather jacket. She struggled, and icy droplets ran down her wrist as the frigid fibers dug into her skin.
I never though shoestring could be so strong.
The laces that had once rebelled to stay tied in her shoes now bound her wrist and ankles, the irony was they now chose not to budge as she sat on the floor. The crazed man had bound feet, and hands behind her back, he now paced, glancing about the hallway and living room trying to locate something. His pacing was hindered by his injuries, and once actually had to brace himself against the counter for several moments.
She watched him, as he struggled against the pain, and hoped that he would grow weak before he did whatever he planned to do to her.
“Do you not have a place to set a fire?” He cried out in anguish. He peered at her as he came closer, “You will freeze long before me, mortal. If you do not answer me, I care not, you cannot outlast me.” His strange voice cracked then.
She didn’t notice it before, how he sounded so inhuman, but she shook it off, it must be her mind playing games with her. Her house, a small place at the edges of the city, was once a haven from the constant noises of alarms and traffic, was now violated by this mad man. She cursed her decision moving out of her city apartment, the rent here was cheaper, however, the dead did not have to pay rent.
She felt the air change as he now stepped in front of her, anger had slipped into something else as he looked at her. He had finally stepped beneath the light, and she could view her attacker, his hair was long, and he was extremely tall and thin, but this was deceiving, because he was stronger than anyone she knew. His eyes seemed blue in the pale moon light, but she could tell that his skin was a pale coloring that seemed to attract the moon’s light into a faint aura around him.
She trembled in fear. Her dark-brown hair currently seemed black from the rain, had decided to curl in ringlets down her back. The thick mass held the water in, and was now no more than sheet of ice, that trailed frigid water against her skin, and she knew that it would be hours before it would dry, if she lived that long.
She cringed as he approached her, he seemed to be trying a different tactic.
“What is your name?” He said, there was an edge in his voice, but it was calmer.
“What does it matter?” She squeaked out. She dug her nails into her skin she hoped the pain would override the tears that threatened.
“Tell me your name.” He stated again.
Her fear had clicked something within her, she grasped on some fleeting hope that she could reason with him. That somehow she could make him see that he was delusional. But when the words left her mouth, they were not a plea, “My name is Amanda. But really, what does it matter? You’re going to kill me. So you can drop the act.”
Her voice trembled as she verbally lashed out at him. Though by some saving grace, her mind had switched gears, and the rest ended in a desperate plea. “Whatever you think is going on in your head. You are wrong! There are no elves! You have lost it!”
The man appeared stunned at her outburst, and his eyes momentarily softened before hardening again. “You trickery has fallen on deaf ears, perhaps the sorceress has lent you aid of her magic. However, I will not be fooled!”
The man declared then he lifted his hair. “Or do you claim that I deceive your eyesight with a spell!”
Amanda was stunned, his ear curved and ended in a point. She knew of synthetics that could be used to do this, but it was undeniably real. The cut that was along his cheek ran even along the ear, and the scar was a story enough that this was his actual ear.
He then turned on her in disgust, “I know Elssandra’s plans. I know her attempt to aid Sauron in an attempt to gain mercy for her betrayal. Does she really think that he will end her banishment by torturing me? Does she think I would utter words that will lend her aid against my father in handing the Gollum creature into Sauron’s hands? I am Legolas the son of Thranduil, and I will not yield to your sorcery!”
He continued on yelling at no one, in particular. “Sauron will never forgive you! Mercy he possesses not! When you allowed Isildur to cut the ring from his hand, it spelt your doom. You will never return. You will at no time again taste the air of Middle Earth! Your vain attempts are folly!”
He then looked at her and stated in almost a desperate plea. “Release me, and I will spare your life.”
Her jaw hung open as she stared at him. He was completely and utterly mad. His ear deformation must have lent to his delusion. Amanda shook as breathing became more difficult as if it the air itself had become heavier as she struggled. She was cold, tired and a maniac had taken her captive. And he wanted her to release him. She was the one tied up.
It was then the power returned…
Legolas turned at a great speed as the lights came on, and the refrigerator hummed. The microwave beeped as it reset, and earned a long silver knife through its door for its complaint.
“Stop this! Stop this at once!” He demanded, as he covered his ears to shield him from heaven knew what. He grabbed more knives from its stand on the counter, and tried to assault the refrigerator. Luckily, the thin metal blades were no match for the door, and broke on impact leaving dents in their wake.
“Stop it!” Amanda screamed at him. “I doubt the food will come alive and attack you.”
He turned to her then. She cringed realizing her error, he had forgotten about her, for the moment. “Stop this sorcery! I know not how you draw upon Elssandra’s power, but I will not allow you to imprison me again.”
She looked at him then, she realized she was going to die if she did not find some way to get him to see through his madness.
“Open the door.” Amanda told him.
“I will not fall for your trickery” He responded, and afforded her only a small glance.
“Then untie me and I will, and you will see there is nothing to be afraid of.” She said in annoyance.
He turned as he armed himself with another blade, he jerked open the refrigerator door. In one swift movement, he reached in and yanked items from the shelf, and they crashed onto the floor. He jumped back and held onto the knife, as if to prevent an attack of the contents that were on the top shelf, which now rolled on the floor. A milk jug had toppled over, and had begun pouring onto the floor, half a dozen eggs oozed out of the toppled carton, tomatoes and broccoli had still carried the momentum rolled on, and bounced against the wall.
Legolas stared down at the items in confusion. He swiftly grabbed the milk and placed it on the counter, but it had already half emptied.
“What is this?” The confusion in his voice evident, but it was calmer, and he glanced around as if to reconsider his predicament.
“It is a refrigerator. It keeps food cold so it stays good longer. Most people have them, in the, you know 21 century.” Amanda replied. She was somewhere between annoyance and hysteria.
With the return of the electricity, the heater had kicked on and the room was warmer now. Her stomach grumbled, and she was holding on to her ebbing strength by mere threads.
Her attacker stepped over the mess on the floor, and looked up at the light, after that the stove, and proceeded to pick up various items off the counter. He then left the kitchen and was gone awhile. Amanda lost it then, she had held herself together as long as she could in the madness. And without him there, her need to keep up the pretense of strength dissolved, and tears fell freely down her face.
“Please God help me.” She whispered, as she pulled up her knees and rocked back and forth. “Just make him go away, let me live through this. God grant me strength.”
