A/N: please please please! before you read this chapter, read chapter 17 over again. i added a couple sentences to it. if you don't read chapter 17 again, this chapter wont make sense!

It had been dark for a long time now and there was nothing to do, but listen. We heard the wind, orcs running and yelling, and occasional horns being blown. I guessed the horns meant, "We found the ring bearers" or calling for more orcs to come help and search for us. Merry kept complaining about his neck hurting and how he had suddenly got really tired, so we went to sleep.

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I awoke to a bright light shining through the hole in our bolder cave. It was now day again, and from how bright it appeared, it must have been at least midday by now. I cleared my throat and then whispered, "Merry" a couple times. He must have been really tired because he didn't move. I pulled both my arms out from the tight rock walls of the bolder. Luckily, before I climbed into the bolder, I had pulled my bag to the front side of me. It would have been harder to get off if it had been on my back. It was very cramped in the tiny cave.

I opened my bag and took out a loaf of bread. I broke it into bit sized chunks and plopped them into my mouth. After I ate the whole foot long loaf of bread, I washed it down with a sip of water from my jug. I longed for an apple too, but I didn't feel like bothering Merry again. He seemed really tired.

The only sound I heard was the birds singing and the wind. From inside the cave I was in, the wind sounded angry. It whistled sharply and cold gushes of wind kept coming in. Out of boredom, I fell back asleep.

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I awoke a second time to my lower body completely soaked. I thought it was a dream when I first looked around the cave, but it was actually real. In the entrance of the cave, there was a tiny waterfall coming from outside and quickly filling our cave with water. I looked at my body and saw that the water had already reached my stomach! Rain could be heard outside ferociously pounding on the strong bolder walls.

I began to realize how Closter phobic I was and started to breathe through my mouth instead of my nose. From all the humidity trapped inside the small cave, it was really hard to breath.

I began nudging Merry as hard as I could and trying to yell his name over the pounding rain outside. It was no use yelling; I couldn't even hear myself. The water was rising quickly. What was wrong with Merry?! He wouldn't wake up. I just kept shaking him the best I could in the cramped space.

On the verge of tears, I took my bag and threw it out of the hole in the bolder. I took Merry's bag and did the same. I then peeked out of the hole in the bolder; I had to get some fresh air real quick. It was raining like I had never seen before. I realized it was hailing too as soon as a big chunk of ice fell on my head.

I went back down into the cave in the bolder. The water now reached our chests; we had to get out, quick. I lifted Merry and pushed him up and out of the cave as best I could using my one good arm and other shoulder. After Merry was safe, I poked my head out of the bolder again and rolled Merry further away from the hole, so I could get out as well.

I managed to climb out a second later. I gave a quick look around. No orcs or creatures in sight. The rain and hail was pelting us, but it was better than drowning underground were nobody would ever find us. Thank goodness there was a bolder nearby that has some shelter. Leaving Merry behind for a second, I took both our bags over to the huge sheltered bolder.

The bolder I had found had a slab of rock hanging over it. It looked like an umbrella. The bolder would keep us dry from the storm, but not protected from our enemies. I went back over to Merry and gently pulled him under the umbrella like bolder. Know I had to figure out where to go next and figure out what happened to Merry.