AN: If anyone has been keeping tabs over the years, this marks my fourth (and hopefully last) attempt at a 10th walker story. I've had this typed up for quite a while, but I was waiting for a good time to post it. Today might not actually be that day, but I got tired of waiting. As for updates, they will likely occur irregularly once a month (as in it'll happen randomly one day, like a surprise) because that seems to work well for me. Thank you for reading!

General Disclaimer: I do not own the general plot and characters from the Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 1

My feet aimlessly pulling me forward, I hugged my textbooks to my chest, unable to concentrate on anything other than the pressure building within me. Clenching my teeth, I dug my nails into my palms. Today had been unbearable.

A few long strands of my light brown hair brushed my cheek, but I ignored them.

Do something daring. You're eighteen now, aren't you?

Letting out a sigh, I tried to calm my breathing. Yeah, I was. When I woke up earlier this morning, I was hoping that I'd wake up stronger and more in control. I wanted to wake up and be able to defend myself from the control of others.

Come on, Katherine. Do something fun for once. You're so stiff.

It wasn't that I got bullied or anything. Usually, my school days passed without any issues. My classes always went well, and I was pretty smart. Dare I say it, I enjoyed going to school. I just couldn't stand up to the peer pressure. I mean, what if they were right? What if I did need to loosen up a bit now that I was an adult and everything? Sucking in a breath, I clenched my teeth, straining my jaw. I just couldn't. At least, not in the way she wanted me to.

You're always so goody-goody. Stop being so old-fashioned all the time.

Wincing, I shut my eyes and stopped walking. How could she say those things to me? I wasn't even that kind of girl! All I wanted was to be stronger, to stop feeling so guilty all the time.

Sharp pains erupted in my stomach and rolled through me, leaving behind a trail of guilt and misery. My shoes scuffing the sidewalk, I sucked in a breath. Held it there. Let it out.

What was I going to do?

"Happy birthday, girl!" Melanie said, squealing. Throwing her arms around me, she grinned, squeezing me tightly.

"It's about time you joined us, Kay," Harper smirked, tossing an arm over my shoulders.

Shrugging them off, I smiled. "It's not my fault I was born when I was."

"Regardless," Harper said, nudging me with her shoulder, "you're an adult now. What's the first thing you're going to do?"

Chuckling a little bit, I raised my eyebrows and smirked. "My taxes?"

Melanie rolled her eyes. "You're so boring. Honestly, some days I wonder why I even bother with you." When she saw my faltering expression, she laughed and rolled her eyes again. "Girl, I'm joking. Did you actually think I was serious?"

"A little," I admitted, adjusting my backpack on my shoulder, avoiding her eyes.

Melanie stopped in front of me, forcing me to look at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Shrugging, I tried not to let it get to me. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened, nor would it be the last. Sighing, I muttered faintly, "It's fine. I'm just messing with you." Forcing a smile that didn't reach my eyes, I started walking again, trying to ignore the small pit that was growing in my stomach.

Harper was silent for a minute, then looked at me sideways, saying, "You can't be serious about the taxes thing. What are you really going to do?"

Meeting her eyes, I thought about it for a moment, feeling the tension in my stomach releasing a little. "I don't really know. I haven't given it much thought."

"You know what you could do?" Melanie asked, looking over at us slyly. "You could go out for a drink tonight at the lake. Ben and the rest of the football team are hosting it, and I got invited. I could bring you guys if you wanted."

I frowned. "The lake in the woods?"

Melanie winked at me. "The one and only."

"Sorry," Harper said, sighing. "I have work tonight and can't take off. I need the money for college next year."

Rolling her eyes, Melanie turned to me, sighing in obvious annoyance. "What about you?"

"I don't know." I shrugged, not wanting to hurt her feelings. There was no way I was going. If I went, I could end up ruining my future. I had scholarships and everything, but I couldn't just be mean and shut her down.

Mocking me, Melanie drawled, "What do you mean, 'I don't know?' Do something daring. You're eighteen now, aren't you?"

"I mean, yeah, but..." My voice trailed off, making me sound weak. A lump started growing in my throat.

"'But' what?" Stopping in the middle of the hallway, Melanie grabbed my arm and forced me to meet her stare. "Come on, Katherine. Do something fun for once. You're so stiff."

Knocking her hand away, I felt myself getting a little defensive. "I am not stiff. I'll probably have homework tonight."

"Good thing tomorrow is Saturday. Just do it all then." Tossing some of her dark brown hair behind her, Melanie gave me a look. "You're always so goody-goody. Stop being so old-fashioned all the time."

Turning my head away from her, I looked down and started walking away quickly. "I don't know. I'll think about it."

Behind me, I heard Melanie turn to Harper, whispering, "At least it wasn't a no."

That sick feeling didn't go away after I got home. All throughout dinner, all throughout laying on the floor of my room, hoping it would go away, it still remained. Even now, the dull ache ate at me. Tapping my pencil on the pages of my open chemistry textbook, my fear and indecision swirled around my stomach. Letting out a tight breath, I flopped onto my back, sprawling out on the carpet of my bedroom floor. Off to my left, my phone vibrated, drawing my attention. Rolling onto my side, I grabbed it, scanning the text.

Mel: Where r u? Its a blast n I feel like Im flying rn n I miss u

She was drunk already. Flipping to my stomach, I put my face in my hands and groaned. Should I at least go to check on her? That's what a good friend would do, right? But when was she ever a good friend to me?

Looking up at the clock, I groaned again, laying my face in my arms. It was only 9 o'clock. I'd never been drunk before, but I was pretty it was too early to be wasted. Clearly, Melanie didn't know this. Or she did but didn't care. Pushing myself up, I made up my mind. I was going to go get her. Changing out of my shorts and tank top, I threw on some dark sweats and headed out of my room, leaving the house quietly as I stepped into the gathering darkness.

I was about halfway there when I realized I hadn't brought my phone with me. Grumbling under my breath, I shoved my hands into the pocket of my sweatshirt and increased my pace. At least Melanie had hers with her.

It was definitely colder than I thought it would be. Despite being late April, the air was still clinging to winter's chill. If that was a metaphor for my life, then I didn't really appreciate it. Today was my first day of being an adult. I didn't need some omen about how I was trying to hold on to the last moments of my life as a minor, or that my future was going to be cold, hard, dead, and miserable.

Sighing hard through my nose, I lowered my head and closed my eyes, stopping for a moment. So far, being an adult really stunk.

A loud cheer cut through my thoughts. Looking up suddenly, I realized with a pang in my chest that the edge of the forest was nearing. I drew in a shaky breath, the air catching in my throat. The evening breeze burned my cheeks, and my heart started to hammer.

I wasn't strong enough to fight anyone off if they tried to force me to drink anything, whether it was literally or figuratively. People there would probably want me to join them, and I was afraid I would agree to it to keep the peace. For goodness sake, I was a people pleaser!

Closing my eyes, I tried to fight off the rising panic. I was here for Melanie. Forcing myself into the woods, I tried to tell myself that Melanie would do the same for me, but deep in my heart, I knew it was a lie.

My shoes brushing against the dirt and rocks, I slowly made my way along the path leading through the woods, following the growing noises and light. Putting a hand over my heart, I felt as if resting my palm there would stop my heart from leaping out of my chest and dying in the middle of the path. A couple of screams that faded into hysterical laughter reached my ears, and I winced. I was nothing like them. What was I really doing here? My head still tried to tell me it was for Melanie, but that argument was weakening since one of the laughs had belonged to her. She was probably fine. Turning, I started to head back up the path.

To my left, I heard a twig crack. My head snapped to the side, and I froze, searching for the source of the noise. The only things I could hear were my own shallow breaths and the noises behind me, but then I heard them. There were footsteps out there somewhere. They were slow and faint at first, but now they were picking up in pace and volume.

Snapping myself back into motion, I ran down the path, rocks digging into the soles of my shoes. My breaths now ragged, I fought to clear the approaching line of trees. I couldn't be sure, but it seemed like the footsteps were following me. Trying to make myself run faster, I gasped as my foot caught on a stray root. Feeling myself falling, I tried to protect my face but couldn't bring my arms up in time. With a rush of pain, I felt my head hit a rock and recoil a little before my body went limp. My vision went dark and faded into nothing.

My eyelids felt heavy. Letting out a low moan of pain, I stiffly rolled to my back. My head was pounding, and everything was too bright behind my eyelids. Hissing, I let out another cry and put a hand up to my head, using the other one to shield the bright light beating down on me. I struggled to sit up but couldn't as a wave of pain overtook me.

The ground beneath me started pounding. I tried to bring my knees up to my chest, praying it would stop. The noise grew louder and louder, and when it stopped, someone let out a noise of some sort. Something that sounded like a boulder attempting to run approached me, and I curled into myself, rolling away from the noise. It really hurt my head.

"Lassie? Are you alright?" A large shadow blotted out the light, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

Letting out a small groan, I muttered, "Not...Nessie.." Why did my lips feel so thick? Reaching out a hand, I tried to push the shadow away.

Catching my hand in some sort of trap, the shadow let out a gruff sigh then murmured, "Lucky I'm headed somewhere where you can get fixed up, no matter how stuck up the people are there."

"No..." I tried to roll away again, but the shadow scooped me up easily in its big hands. Gently lifting me, the shadow held me in its arms, and just before my world faded to black again, I caught a blurred glimpse of burnt orange fuzz mixed with swirls of green and brown.