The Adventure of Andrea Baggins

Illusions

Hi y'all.

This chapter is kinda dark. I tried to visualise Andys greatest fears and show what trauma she's actually carrying around with her. 

I'm not quite sure if I managed to capture the feeling, so feel free to comment and tell me.  

As it started getting darker than it already was, the company started setting up camp. That night, Thorin was tempted to let Gloin start a fire. Andy, who decided to patrol the area, heard Gloin hitting the firestones against each other. Fear shot through her chest and she sprinted back. The surprised Gloin let out a little cry, as she yanked the glomming Firestarter out of his hands and threw it to the ground. Frantic she stomped on it until it was out. She stared at it, her chest rising heavily.

"No fire", she whispered. It sounded far too loud in the silence around them.

"Why- ", Gloin tried to argue.

"No fire!", she cried out in a harsh voice. The loud outburst was swallowed by the dark. Gloin stepped back from her, his eyes widened in shock. "No fire", Andy repeated quieter. Her head was bowed, her hair covering her face. The lighting was bad, but she was shaking so strong, Thorin could see it standing five feet apart from her. "They'll... they'll see it. "

No one dared to ask, who she meant. After another cold meal, they laid down to sleep. At first, Andy wanted to take her bedroll and lay it down somewhere a little offsite. But as Fili and Kili looked at her with their sad puppy eyes, she couldn't bring herself to leave them by themselves. She laid down between them and stared up to the sky. Well, there were the sky would have been. She would not sleep, that night. But she would assure, the boys got as much rest as they could. It took a while, before camp quiet down. No one wanted to sleep but it felt too dangerous to talk. As exhaustion did finally overwhelm them, Andy started counting sheep, to stay awake. Her eyelids felt heavy, as did her limbs. But she couldn't risk it. Not next to the dwarves. And definitely not next to the boys. As time passed – she couldn't tell how much- she napped away. Only for a moment, but it put her in a state of panic, as she woke up again. Seeing, that she would not be able to stay awake, she freed herself from the sleeping brothers next to her. She laid down on the other side of camp, so Fili and Kili would be the last to reach her, if anything happened. To caught up in her fear and worries, Andy didn't notice that one dwarf was not yet sleeping. Thorin opened his eyes and tried to follow her movements. Because it was dark, he hardly saw her shadow as she fled from his nephews' sides. But he noticed.

Andy stopped responding. Even worse, in the following days she avoided everything and everyone. Not subtle, like normally. But straight up to the face. As she zoomed out once again, Balin touched her shoulder, to get her attention. It was only a light touch, but it was enough, to make her scream and squirm.

"Don't touch me!", she squealed and hit around her. Shocked by her reaction, poor Balin stumbled back and tried stuttering an apology. Andy froze on spot, her shoulders hunched, her red nose standing out on her pale skin. Her eyes where red and puffy, the deep bags beneath them made her look sick. The dwarves weren't doing grand eighter, but they didn't look that bad. "Don't touch me", she whispered.

"He was trying to help", Dwalin growled and protectively laid his arm around his trembling brother.

"Then don't", she snapped at him. "Don't help me. " Her eyes lost focus again. "Who helps me dies. "

The following night, the dwarves were awoken by a scream. In panic, they all jumped up, their weapon in their hands.

"Where!", they shouted and looked for the attacker. "We need light!", someone else shouted. Within a few moments, Gloin enlightened a torch and waddled it around, trying to light the whole path at once. Then they found Andy.