Chapter Five

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When Tom Bombadill opened the door to his house light streamed out lighting up the now dark world. After they went inside Cody went around the house and saw all of them sitting down next to a fire that crackled in the hearth. At the sight of the fire goose-flesh appeared on Cody's bare arms and instantly started shaking in the cool darkness of the night. She watched as they talked and chatted with one another, probably talking about how the hobbits came upon the Old Man Willow. They ate a mighty dinner and talked once more, at the sight of the food Cody's stomach growled for she had not eaten since the previous night.

There was also a woman present inside the house. At first glance Cody mistook her for an elf woman for she had golden hair that waved like a stream with every step she took. She wore a green dress with beads in the dress that made it look like drops of dew in the early hours of the morning. At the bottom were flowers of the most elaborate colors and a kind that were not found in the Shire.

Cody was awestruck by her features that she didn't relize that when she left she had left the house to be out side.

"Hello my little hafling daughter." she spoke so suddenly that Cody jumped for she was still looking for her inside the house.

"I know of your struggles and longings." she said in a voice that was smoother than silk itself.

"How do you know if these things for I have no longings." Cody questioned her.

"I cannot say what they are child, all I can say is that you will soon be released by the creature that has taken a hold of you. Try to remember the things it has taken from you."

This last statement angered the splinter causing Cody to retaliate.

"There is no evil in me and it has taken nothing!" she shouted.

"Then why are you out here and not in there?" the woman asked pointing to the window and the people inside.

"Because I'm afraid." Cody whimpered.

"Afraid of what?" she whispered.

Before Cody could respond the woman had gone, the only evidence that she was there was the breeze that she had made when she had left.

She was confused, what struggles and longings did she have? As she was just about to come up with a reasonable answer the lights inside the house went out leaving Cody to stand alone in the dark. She had no bed to sleep in or anything to keep her warm. She did her best to try and cover up the worn out cloak she had brought but that was it. That night when she fell asleep the small part of her did its best to tell her what her longing and struggle was. It projected a dream of the night he came to her in the tree just as it had done for sixteen years. But, every time it did this the image became more and more fuzzy with each passing year. The memory eventually became just a blob of colors that showed an outline of all the things.

The evil was gaining power and was the cause of the distorted picture. It had assumed Cody still believed the twisted memory was the real one and was doing everything in its growing power to make

sure it stayed that way.

The evil fought off the good with a horrible image of its version of that night. The good, caught off gaurd, faultered for a split second but then came back at the evil. The splinter was stronger than the good and with each blow it gave to the good it grew stronger and stronger. Soon the good was too weak to fight and settled down in the corners of her mind to try and regain strength. The evil had won but it would soon be back to finish off the good once and for all.

Cody's dreams were of the two sides fighting. First the fuzzy image would come then the awful memory would haunt her dreaming. Soon the first image came again and stayed for a little. But, the image started to dim with each passing second and eventually faded.

She did not understand what was going on inside of her and tossed and turned through the night as the battle raged on.