[Noinkling]

Heavy footsteps rattled down the spiral stairway. And echoed in the entry to the pitch-black tunnel. Some light, a lantern of some sort, he thought bounced wildly off the walls and shown through the perforated metal treads of the stairs. Tolly craned his head out from the dark interior of the tunnel trying to see what sort of beast or beasts were moving down toward them.

‘It’s somethin’ big tromping down the stairs!’ Tolly whispered low to Bran. ‘Something real big . . . or maybe a whole flock of ‘em,’ Bran said, shivering a bit at the thought of who or what approached them.

Daisy reached out and pulled Ferdy back from the tunnel’s edge. He was younger than she by three years or so. And being the older sister she felt obligated to see to his well being. ‘You two get back here, too!’ she hissed at Bran and Tolly, slipping into the rustic Westron dialect they most often spoke among themselves. ‘I knew we shouldna sneaked in here this year to see the Professor’s new books. Not really a bookstore, you know,’ she went on. ‘I heard the Missus that runs this place doesn’t really like us leaving those silver pennies for her books.’

‘Well, I like getting them here,’ Ferdy broke in. ‘You get to feel the covers of the books, smell the leather bindings. And riffle through the pages to see if you like the pictures.’ He swiped the back of his sleeve across his mouth, clearing it of the last traces of chocolate bar he’d been munching on from his trick-or-treat. ‘Better than trying to figure out that Amazing.com and what things you’re supposed to click on to get your book.’

‘Quiet you all! Quick! Hide here. It’s nearly upon us!’ Tolly grabbed for his friends and shoved them in behind some old wooden packing crates stacked along the tunnel wall. The Hobbits crouched down, holding their breaths as they waited for whatever beastie it was to pass them by.