Hi guys. I seriously didn't mean to start this story let alone get it past the basic idea but suddenly it's three chapters long and is making me laugh so I really wanted to share it. I have no idea where it is going but I'm willing to make the journey with you all. Message me if you have any good ideas as I'd love to get everyone involved. P.S. I do not own The Hobbit.

Chapter 1: The Peculiar Disappearance of Jennifer Drury

It was a Wednesday morning just like any other when Jenny Drury woke up tucked up in bed with a warm ray of sunlight peeking through her curtains. She relished in the fact that she was able to sleep in today as she had organised to do a half-shift today at the salon in exchange for a double shift on the weekend. She most definitely was not regretting that decision as she languished in the comfort of her bed. All to soon though the call of nature was too loud to ignore any longer and she trudged into the bathroom. As she was perfunctorily washing her hands she happened to glance in the mirror and was dismayed to find her long ashy hair sporting a rather intricate birds nest facsimile that she had no hope of sorting out with a brush.

Mentally crossing off her plan to do laundry this morning she instead decided a shower was in order. It took two rinses with her more upper market shampoo she had received through work to sort out the tangles before her long hair was able to be smoothed and slid silkily not damply down her back. With a heaving sigh Jenny just stood under the cascade of water, eyes closed, enjoying the warmth much like the wetter version of soft sunlight on skin when the pipes gurgled and started to spew cold water. Her eyes snapped open to darkness and shivers began to wrack her body.

It appeared the power had gone out as well as the hot water but even then she could not even see the glow of light from under the door. Slapping a damp hand out to pull away the shower curtain to find her cotton towel she was shocked instead to find cool stone. Unable to take the cold water any longer she stepped out of the stream in an impossible step if she were in fact in her small shower cubicle in her cosy apartment. Dumbfounded she absently registered the gritty feel of coarse sand under her feet and now that her eyes had apparently adjusted there was a weak glow coming a few steps away apparently from a giant mushroom. Shivers again wracked her body and she clenched her teeth to stop them chattering. She valiantly attempted to rationalise the situation but came up short. It was quite clear to her that she was most likely mad. Regardless of her current state of madness she was also curious and so took a few hesitant steps towards the glowing mushroom. Her movements were stilted and seemed to amplify the chill but wanted to see the mushroom closer as it appeared so… real. She placed her shaking hand to the mushroom and was dismayed that the glow suddenly disappeared upon her touch. Another mushroom nearby though prevented total darkness and she felt the urge to then move on to the new mushroom. She shivered again.

Suddenly pensive she looked back to the dimmed mushroom before her and pondered the possibility of hollowing out the centre to make some sort of outfit as she was quite aware she was very much naked and very, very cold. She wrung out her hair to the best of her ability and rubbed vigorously at her skin to stimulate some warmth. Seeing no other alternative she decided to don the mushroom as an outfit and to her relief it managed to actually absorb some of the frigid water clinging to her pale skin. Feeling more than ridiculous and a bit like Alice in Wonderland she decided to travel to the next mushroom, then the next, then the next. She followed a trail of mushrooms along the tunnel and eventually it began to open up into a large cavern. She soon found that the mushrooms were not the only glowing thing here as she could see a type of moss like plant growing on the edge of what appeared to be a small underground lake. The surface of said lake had not one ripple and reflected the luminescent plants and fungi making the grotto sickly green and eerie. It also faintly illuminated flecks of yellow light that flickered far above the cavern that could be sunlight or fireflies for all she knew. She stood silently staring at the lake for some time wondering what on earth she was suppose to do next.

It wasn't until there was a scraping sound in what appeared to be another cave tunnel that she took some form of action. She also swiftly decided that even if this was some mad hallucination or a even a wacky dream she didn't particularly want to find out what sort of creature would live in a dank cave. She skittered along the walls of the cavern to hide in clump of mushrooms pricking her bare foot on what appeared to be a fishbone along the way. The scraping in the tunnel became louder and a small bony creature eventually emerged. It was hunched and dragged perhaps a thick tail behind it. It made squeaking noises until the creature went and kicked the tail and the squeaks hushed then to her horror actually spoke.

'Shut up! Filthy things, coming down from the walls, we hates them.' came a somehow familiar grumbling voice. The body creature suddenly un-hunched and the 'tail' was dropped revealing another pale grotesque creature which had been dragged by the first. Jenny felt her heartbeat in her throat as she realised where she had seen this creature before. Gollum after all was well known to her… from books and films. Gollum hefted his prize again peered around the cavern, she could she the lakes reflection in its large watery eyes. It suddenly zeroed in on her location with surprising accuracy.

'What's this precious? Is it another filthy goblin? Oh! it smells sweet precious! What is it? What is it?' the creature Gollum cooed and started for her location.

'Oh shit…' she whispered.

It was when the hot water ran out in Building 162 on Hutchinson Road that they started to investigate. Mrs Worthington has been 'tsk'ing her neighbour for well over half an hour before a knock was heard at her door. It was the landlord who had received many a complaint that there was running water in this vicinity of the building and by gosh he was going to get to the bottom of it. Mrs Worthington took no time at all to dob in her neighbour who had been showering for now… 3 hours?! The landlord fuming pounded on the door of Unit 6 of one Jennifer Drury demanding she open up or so help him he would force entry. When there was no response the anger turned to unsettling. He shared a look with Mrs Worthington who had been stickybeaking from her doorway and was able to use the spare key that hidden in the locked utility room to open Unit 6. A quick search of the apartment showed nothing of distress and a troubled Mrs Worthington was asked to enter to bathroom to see if Miss Drury was indeed inside and needing of assistance. The door was widened to let the landlord look inside after Mrs Worthington discovered a barren bathroom with an empty shower cubicle streaming cold water (which was promptly turned off). After another cursory look it was decided that Miss Drury was not in fact in the apartment and apparently without her phone and wallet, which were lying casually on the kitchen island. The circumstances surrounding this strange happening in Unit 6 was disturbing enough that they though it might be best if perhaps the authorities were involved. It was better safe than sorry after all.

The police had been optimistic at first expecting Miss Drury to arrive home embarrassed and hung-over from whatever cocktail of alcohol or perhaps drugs she had consumed and they would be able to close this case. After all its it fairly uncommon for well off, young, Caucasian women who have no prior history with any form of anxiety and/or depression to simply wander off without their wallets or phones, forgetting to even turn off their showers. No it was clear from the lack of struggle or motive that this was a likely substance abuse case. This however changed at the 24-hour mark. The family of the woman was starting to get anxious and so the pressure was on. The officers who had received the case deferred to the chief and started a neighbourhood search. By day 2 the disappearance was in local news and by the week out it was national. There were no leads and no hints to even why she would have vanished. They declared it a cold case after the first year and it even ranked a mention in the top 100 most baffling cases of the century. The police never found her.

The family of Jennifer Drury were devastated when they found out that she had disappeared. Her sister gave a heartfelt plea on national television begging anyone who had information to contact the police and even if Jenny was somehow watching to please call home to tell them she was safe. Life moved on for the Drury family eventually although they were always prompt in updating their contact details to and reporting their whereabouts to family and friends, even going away for the weekend. They found holidays a bit depressing at times without a key member of the family and when new family members were added they made sure to inform them of their dear Aunt/Cousin/Sister-in-law who had to go away but wished she would somehow someday return home. Truthfully they had given up most hope but there were still times when the phone would ring and they would wonder… just maybe this time?

The truth of the matter was the disappearance of Jennifer Drury was both puzzling and somewhat bizarre but who is one to say it was not also the best thing to have ever happened to her.

xo